Are you Tight?
Should you be concerned if you are tight?
Have you been told that “insert thing” is tight?
Maybe it’s your IT band. Maybe it’s your lats. Maybe it’s your traps.
After hearing that “insert thing is tight” I hope that there is more of a conversation.
If not, I feel for you. I’ve been there. Someone is saying that something is a “problem”. Without giving a solution.
But is it a problem?
Tightness is a sensation of how something feels. It doesn’t mean anything is wrong with you. It doesn’t mean you will experience pain. If you are experiencing pain it also does not mean it is the source.
Tightness can even be good! If we want to be explosive, we need some relative tightness to be able to demonstrate power. Think of how a spring works. If it is loose and bent it won’t be very powerful.
The way your body and your muscles feel can be influenced by so many inputs.
Crazy workout the day before?
Stressful day at work?
Poor sleep last night?
On a family roadtrip?
Those are just a few examples that could influence the way your body feels.
Are there times we want to address some tightness? Absolutely. But not always. There need to be sound logic and a good plan moving forward to address whatever we want to improve long term.
Just because when you use a foam roller or get a massage and something feels tight doesn’t mean anything is wrong.
Could it feel good to have that area worked on? Totally.
Do what feels best for you.
But tightness ≠ problems.