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The Proper Way To Stretch

............................................................... by William Beaver.................................................................

Nearly every sport can be greatly improved by making yourself more flexible, but the school gym class notion of bouncing and fast stretching is not the way to do it. Basically there are three different methods of stretching, each with its own benefits. The first method, known as static or passive stretching, is the kind of exercise most commonly associated with yoga. Each stretch position is entered slowly and then held for up to several minutes. This method increases overall body flexibility but takes considerable time to get results. The risk of injury is very low if done properly.

Passive stretches can be done anytime you have free time, such as when you watch television. A light warm-up prepares your body and then you can settle into a stretch position on the floor while watching the news.  The key is to relax and enjoy the exercise. You shouldn't feel any pain. Stretch to the point of minor discomfort, but no further. You may feel aches and pains when you first begin your program, but the actual stretches themselves should be done slowly.  The second method of stretching is called ballistic stretching. You can recognize this method by the bouncing motions used to stretch the muscles, especially in positions like bending over and touching the toes very rapidly. Ballistic stretch is the most dangerous of the three methods because the speed used to stretch takes away control over the muscle movement, greatly increasing the risk of muscle pulls and tears.  The third method bears a more scientific name, but for our purposes we will simply call it dynamic or isometric stretching. Dynamic stretching employs the theory of isometric contraction, which means that two muscles are used against each other in a tense, contracted position. To increase flexibility using this method, you assume a stretch position, then tighten the stretched muscles as much as possible. After holding for six seconds, you relax into a more flexible position and repeat the process.  Dynamic uses the principles of tearing down and rebuilding muscles exactly the same as weightlifting, so this kind of stretching can only be done every other day. The benefit however, is that dynamic stretching will give you the greatest amount of flexibility increase in the shortest amount of time.  If you want to start a program to increase flexibility, you should not only learn the specific stretches to use, but you should also understand a training principle known as synergism, also sometimes called the interdependency of muscles principle. In terms of flexibility training, this principle means that if you want to stretch a chain of muscles, such as making your legs more flexible, you start by first training individual muscles and then the group as a whole.  Your flexibility improvement program should use both passive and dynamic/isometric stretches. The first thing you must do is completely warm-up the body before stretching. The kind of stretching typically done during a warm-up is not the same as a program specifically done for improving flexibility. The warm-up only serves to prepare your body for the more intense activity about to happen.  You should experiment with your training to discover what kind of schedule your body reacts to best. Although some coaches and trainers recommend stretching everyday, you can only do this with passive stretches, not isometric. I personally achieve better results when I stretch every other day.  The other important thing to remember is that stretching to improve flexibility should come at the end of a typical exercise session, not at the beginning, when your body is tight. Treat your flexibility training the same as any other form of physical conditioning, following a few simple rules of exercise, and within days, you should start seeing results.

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