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I found a how-to guide (not exactly a reliable source, I know) that claims that e.g. stretching your legs to the point of pain to increase flexibility also increases your general tolerance to pain:

Increase your pain threshold

The best way to increase your pain tolerance is to get used to it. Practice by inflicting pain on yourself, while trying to keep a straight face. Do this whenever you're alone, (it freaks people out). Don't cut yourself or prick yourself with needles, I just stretch my legs. It serves two purposes, it makes you more flexible and it inflicts a great deal of sharp pain for as long as you can bear it.

Is this scientifically valid in any way? Or would, let's say, doing leg press repetitions to the point of lactic acid burning be as painful as before?

ChrisW
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helm
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    That imgur link only works for people who are logged in as you. Can you fix the link? – Ladadadada Nov 18 '14 at 16:16
  • For notability, [Wikipedia says](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pain_tolerance) "It is widely believed that regular exposure to painful stimuli will increase pain tolerance". That same page provides one reference for why this belief may not be correct. – Ladadadada Nov 18 '14 at 16:24
  • Oh sorry, I approved the edit that fixed the link issue. – helm Nov 18 '14 at 23:16
  • The first sentence in the [Pain tolerance](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pain_tolerance) article says, "*Not to be confused with [Pain threshold](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pain_threshold)*". – ChrisW Nov 18 '14 at 23:34
  • Overstretching can produce harm. Stretching to the point of pain is dumb even if it could train pain tolerance. I also see no reason to expect that stretching to the point of pain will increase flexibility. Pain generally makes tissue less flexible. – Christian Nov 19 '14 at 18:44

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