No pain, no gain? That’s a bit of a stretch, says fitness expert

SINGAPORE – No pain, no gain is the mantra that many fitness enthusiasts subscribe to in the pursuit of their goals. But according to stretch therapy expert Dr Nikos Apostolopoulos, that may not always work.

What the body needs is not pain, but to be listened to, along with proper stretching technique and good sleep, said Dr Apostolopoulos. The 62-year-old is the founder and developer of microStretching, a form of stretch therapy that focuses on calming down the nervous system to promote relaxation and regeneration.

It has been used to treat many elite and amateur athletes, including those who compete at the Olympic level and in professional leagues such as the National Hockey League and National Basketball Association in the United States.  

He said: “Any time you take the body into pain... it can lead to injuries, which then can lead to issues. Your body is basically telling you that something’s wrong. So if you’re finding that you’ve got a knee issue, but your mindset is that I got to get through this workout, then you’re creating an issue where you’re now going to have a muscle imbalance. But more importantly, you’re creating more inflammation.”

Instead of pushing the body towards pain, Dr Apostolopoulos recommends proper sleep and stretching.

“These things will form the basis of a proper recovery regeneration protocol for Singaporeans,” said Dr Apostolopoulos, who was an adjunct professor with the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education at the University of Toronto from 2018 to 2022.

“Regeneration is the ability to help the body diminish the amount of inflammation you have. If you are training at a high intensity and you’re trying to train through the pain that can lead to an injury, you have to really take a step back and listen to what your body is saying to you and do the proper steps that will help you to properly recover and regenerate.”

He is also keen to dispel the myths associated with stretching, and has heard and seen many athletes and fitness enthusiasts doing so to the point of pain.

He said: “A lot of people think that if I don’t feel my muscle when I’m stretching, there is nothing happening... so most of them will stretch till they feel something, perhaps on a scale of zero to 10, they will stretch to a seven, causing inflammation. The stretching must be gentle and almost like putting your hand in lukewarm water.

“If I cause pain, my body’s response to pain is to protect itself. And one of the side things that happens with pain is inflammation. So if I already have inflammation in my tissues, why do I want to create more?”

He also recommends stretching before bed to activate the parasympathetic nervous system – which is responsible for the body’s relaxation response – for “a better sleep”.

Dr Apostolopoulos’ five stretching tips

1. Gentle does it – Intensity is important, so the stretch should be very gentle. On a numerical rating scale of zero (no stretch) to 10 (pain and discomfort), the intensity should be around a three or four.

2. Right timing – Stretching for the right duration is key. A low-intensity gentle stretch should be held for approximately 60 seconds.

3. Repeat and switch – Repeat each stretch of a muscle group three times a day (preferably before sleep). In other words, if you are stretching your right hip flexor, you hold the stretch for 60 seconds and then switch to your left side. Repeat the stretch two more times for a total of six minutes.

4. Body position – Relax your body by placing it in a position that eliminates any form of tension (muscle contraction) in the other muscle groups while stretching the muscle of concern.

5. Deep breathing – This is very important as it helps to activate the vagus nerve, which aids in the relaxation of the body. Make sure you breathe into your belly, which helps to expand the diaphragm.