What is stretching?

WHAT IS STRETCHING?

Stretching is a type of exercise, which aims to increase muscle and tendon flexibility, improve range of motion, and contribute to post-workout recovery. There are various stretching techniques that can be used for various purposes within the exercise regime. This means that different techniques are used at different times throughout the workout session. The most common stretching types are introduced and explained here in order to provide information for the safe application of stretching within your workout routine.

STATIC STRETCHING

Static stretching means a stretch is held in a challenging but comfortable position for a period of time, usually somewhere between 10 to 30 seconds. Longer durations than that for static stretches do not elicit additional benefits. Static stretching is the most common form of stretching found in general fitness and is considered safe and effective for improving overall flexibility. However, many experts consider static stretching much less beneficial than dynamic stretching for improving range of motion for functional movement, including sports and activities for daily living. Furthermore, static stretching is in general not suited as a warm-up exercise as it may ‘de-activate’ the muscle. Static stretches should be performed after a training session in order to aid with recovery and help the muscle to reset to its original length. Usually, one set per stretch is sufficient to elicit the desired result.

PASSIVE STRETCHING

Passive stretching means you're using some sort of outside assistance to help you achieve a stretch. This assistance could be your body weight, a strap, leverage, gravity, another person, or a stretching device. With passive stretching, you relax the muscle you're trying to stretch and rely on the external force to hold you in place. Passive stretching in this manner is related to static stretching and lends itself as a post-workout recovery exercise. You don't usually have to work very hard to do a passive stretch, but there is always the risk that the external force will be stronger than you are flexible, which could cause injury.

DYNAMIC STRETCHING

Dynamic stretching means a stretch is performed by moving through a challenging but comfortable range of motion repeatedly, usually 10 to 12 times. Although dynamic stretching requires more thoughtful coordination than static stretching (because of the movement involved), it is favoured among athletes, coaches, trainers, and physical therapists because of its apparent benefits in improving functional range of motion and mobility in sports and activities for daily living. Therefore, this type of stretching is often used as a warm-up exercise prior to the training session

Note that dynamic stretching should not be confused with old-fashioned ballistic stretching (remember the bouncing toe touches from PE classes?). Dynamic stretching is controlled, smooth, and deliberate, whereas ballistic stretching is uncontrolled, erratic, and jerky. Although there are unique benefits to ballistic stretches, they should be done only under the supervision of a professional because, for most people, the risks of ballistic stretching far outweigh the benefits.

Conclusion

Most of the stretches you see and do are likely static-passive stretches. Static-passive stretches are the most common stretches and the easiest to perform. If executed with good technique, these stretches are effective in improving flexibility and range of motion. They are best placed at the end of a workout session as they aid with recovery of the muscle. The duration of the stretch should be no longer than 30 seconds.

Although static-passive stretches have many benefits, it's best to do more dynamic-active stretches. Because dynamic-active stretches require you to use and build your own strength while moving through the stretch, they are more helpful for improving functional movements used in everyday life and in sports. In addition, because dynamic-active stretches are movement oriented, these stretches can help generate heat, which can make the muscles more pliable. Evidence suggests that because dynamic-active stretches require muscle activation and contraction, the muscles being stretched are triggered to relax even more than they might during a static-passive stretch, thereby reducing the risk of injury while increasing the functional benefit. Therefore, dynamic-active stretches can be considered useful as part of the warm-up routine.

Stretching exercises should be regularly included into workout routines as parts of the warm-up and cool-down. This helps to enhance the training session by making it more effective and safer at the same time.

If you feel that you are not as mobile as you could be or it takes your muscles more than a couple of days to recover from an intense workout, then it would be a great idea to chat with myself or another member of our personal training team. We can help you to put together the ideal mobility program for your body.

References

Behm, D. G., & Chaouachi, A. (2011). A review of the acute effects of static and dynamic stretching on performance. European journal of applied physiology, 111(11), 2633-2651.

Blahnik, J. (2011). Full-body flexibility. Human Kinetics.

Laughlin, K. (1999). Stretching & Flexibility. Simon & Schuster.

Ogura, Y., Miyahara, Y., Naito, H., Katamoto, S., & Aoki, J. (2007). Duration of static stretching influences muscle force production in hamstring muscles. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 21(3), 788.