Stretching is fetching when it comes to your health

Stretching is a fundamental tool to use when it comes to overall health and performance throughout an individuals lifetime. Stretching may be used to either re-establish, maintain or improve range of movement. It should also be noted that not all stretching is created equal as there are many different ways an individual can stretch with each having their own specific purpose and place. On top of that, stretching can also be performed either actively or passively and if all that sounds confusing then don’t worry as I’m going to shed some light on the subject down below.

The difference between active and passive stretching:

Active stretching - Refers to when a person is the one supplying the force of the stretch. An example of this may be seen during a sit and reach whereby an individual sits on the floor with the legs straight and attempts to reach down to their toes.

Passive stretching - Refers to when a partner, object or machine provides an external force in order to perform the stretch. An example of this may be seen when one person lays down on their back whilst another person lifts one of the legs up and pushes it back in order to provide a stretch to the hamstring.

Types of stretching:

Static stretching - Static stretching is typically performed in a slow and constant manner with the end position being held for a minimum of 15-30s. This type of stretch is generally aimed towards maintenance or improvement of range of motion and should be performed when the muscle is warm, usually at the end of a workout. Performing this type of stretch too aggressively or forcefully may result in an ineffective stretch as well as increase the risk of injury.

Ballistic stretching - Ballistic stretching is characterized by a bouncing type movement with active effort from the individual. Generally speaking this type of stretch would be used as a way to prepare the body for the workout and should be performed towards the end of a well designed and sequenced warm up. This stretch should be used carefully as it has a relatively high risk of injury if performed or sequenced incorrectly. With that being said, when performed correctly this type of stretching has been shown to have similar benefits to static stretching when it comes to increasing range of motion.

Dynamic stretching - Dynamic stretching can be classified as a functionally based stretch as it is generally used to prepare the body for the workout by using both generic and specific movements with regards to the workout activity. It is primarily focused on establishing the movement requirements of the activity that is about to be performed rather than trying to increase the range of motion of particular muscles. As an example, if an individual has heavy squats programmed in for the days session, they may perform walking lunges during the warm up as a way to dynamically stretch out the muscles of the hip and legs to aid in re-establishing the required range of motion needed for the squats. Whilst this type of stretch probably has the least inherent risk of injury it should still be approached with an air of caution by beginning with relatively light/gentle movements then progressing the movement as the muscles begin to become acclimated to it.

Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) stretching - PNF stretching is an advanced method of stretching which is normally performed with a partner or trainer in order to improve range of motion. It is highly effective but also one of the more complicated and time consuming methods of stretching. This type of stretch works essentially by tricking the muscle to relax and switch off so that it can then be pushed deeper into a stretch. It can be performed using either isometric contractions (hold and relax method) and concentric contractions (contract and relax method).

Using the basic partner hamstring stretch as an example. In the first method (hold and relax) the partner will raise the leg up to the point of mild discomfort, holding for 10 seconds. The partner will then apply force to the leg in the direction of the stretch and ask the person being stretched to resist the push for 5 -10 seconds then relax and allow the leg to be pushed deeper into the stretch again to the point of mild discomfort. This may be repeated roughly 3 -5 times. In the second method (contract and relax) the partner will again raise the leg up to a point of mild discomfort and hold for 10 seconds. Then the individual being stretched will concentrically contract the muscle being stretched attempting to extend the hip whilst the partner applies resistance during the contraction for 5-10 seconds, then once again relaxing and allowing the partner to push the muscle deeper into the stretch to the point of mild discomfort. This may be repeated roughly 3-5 times.

Although this method of stretching has been proven to be effective I generally don’t recommend people try it without guidance from a professional as it is complicated to perform correctly and can be dangerous if done incorrectly.