The Study
Influence of 8-weeks of supervised static stretching or resistance training of pectoral major muscles on maximal strength, muscle thickness and range of motion
This study shows that people who did stretching got stronger and their muscles got bigger, just like people who did weight training. But because we don’t know for sure if people were randomly assigned to groups, we can’t say stretching *caused* these changes — only that they happened together.
Analysis score
Maximum 90 for a randomized controlled trial.
Where the score came from
This study checked if stretching your chest muscles every day works as well as lifting weights to make them stronger and bigger.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 547 / 100
Quality score
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups, minimizing bias. The gold standard for testing whether an intervention causes an effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes, the results are meaningful — stretching can make muscles stronger and bigger like lifting, and it helps joints move better too.
- 2After 8 weeks: stretching 15 minutes, 4 times a week increased strength by ~10% and muscle size by ~6%.
- 3Lifting weights 3 times a week did the same.
- 4Stretching improved shoulder movement more than lifting.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
European Journal of Applied Physiology
Year
2024
Authors
Tim Wohlann, K. Warneke, Vincent Kalder, D. Behm, Tobias Schmidt, S. Schiemann
Related Content
Claims (6)
You can grow muscle not just by lifting weights, but also by stretching—just as long as the muscle feels enough tension, no matter how it's created.
If you're someone who exercises regularly, doing chest workouts 3 times a week for 8 weeks might make your chest muscles about 10% stronger, but it won’t change how far you can move your shoulders.
Stretching your chest muscles for 15 minutes, 4 times a week for 8 weeks, might build muscle just as much as lifting weights — studies say it could increase muscle thickness by around 6%.
Stretching your chest muscles regularly might make them stronger—almost as much as lifting weights does—if you do it for 15 minutes, 4 times a week for two months.
If you stretch your chest muscles regularly for about 15 minutes, 4 times a week, for 8 weeks, you’ll likely get more shoulder flexibility—more than if you just did strength training.
If you stretch or lift weights for 8 weeks, your chest muscle might grow a little, but that growth doesn’t explain much of why you get stronger—other factors are probably doing more of the work.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.