From: tino@cbnewsh.cb.att.com (allen.j.tino) Newsgroups: misc.fitness Subject: Re: Strecthing: is there a best way? Date: 9 Oct 91 20:00:10 GMT In article <1991Oct9.005518.20465@massey.ac.nz>, V.Spagnolo@massey.ac.nz (Victoria Spagnolo) writes: > hi, > i am looking for some information on stretching. is there a BEST method? > what should defininately NOT be done? can you recommend some reading > material? > > my aim is just to stay limber, with a personal goal of doing a leg split > facing front, not the side. i have tried yoga and i am not convinced that > it is the best way to go. i have found that contracting a muscle/tendon > for 5 or so seconds, releasing for a few seconds and then stretching for > 10 or so seconds to be very effective. this is something not done in the > yoga i have tried. You seem to be describing what I call the "PNF" or "contract/relax" method of stretching. Read on. Here's what I recommend for flexibility training: 1) Serious stretching is best done AFTER your workout. Before a workout it's more important to warmup than to stretch. Easy, light stretching may be part of the warmup, but save the developmental stretching until after. I like to warm up by lightly doing the thing I'm warming up for, slowly increasing the juice. My best time for serious stretching is immediately after lifting weights, which I do 3x a week. I do light stretching every morning, just after I get out of bed, and throughout the day whenever I feel like it. 2) Never bounce or lunge. No jerky motions. If it hurts -- stop immediately. Be careful not to overstretch. 3) There are two main methods of effective stretching that I recommend. One can be called "passive", where you passively stretch a muscle as far as you can, then relax and ease into an even greater stretch. This is the standard method and it's pretty good. You can do passive stretching as often as you please. The other method, less well known, can be called "isometric agonist contraction/relaxation" or "proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF)". In this method you assume a static stretched position as far as you can, then isometrically contract the muscles you are stretching. After holding a maximum contraction for about six seconds, relax completely and assume an even greater stretched position. This method requires some recovery time, so don't overdo it. I combine both methods for maximum results in minimum time. Some references: 1) "Stretching" by Bob Anderson (1980, Shelter Pub.) Shelter Publications Inc. P.O. Box 279 Bolinas California, USA 94924 ISBN: 0-304-73874-8 This is the classic book on passive stretching. Excellent. 2) "Surviving Exercise" by Judy Alter (1983, Houghton Mifflin). Every exerciser should read this excellent book. It points out many self-destructive and dangerous exercises that are commonly done and shows how to replace them with more effective and safer exercises. 3) "The Book About Stretching" by Sven-Anders Solveborn, M.D. (1985, Japan Pub.) This book clearly explains the "isometric contract/relax" method. 4) "SynerStretch" by Health for Life (800-874-5339) The same folks who brought you Legendary Abs bring you good advice on stretching, both on paper and on video. Covers both PNF and passive stretching. Also points out some bozo no-nos for the novice. 5) "Stretching Scientifically" by Thomas Kurz, M.Sc. (1985, Stadion Ent.; since revised) Tom's the guy shown stretching between two chairs in his ads for his book & tapes. His stuff isn't bad -- he covers PNF, passive, and dynamic stretching. _______ Al Tino AT&T Bell Labs (Holmdel, NJ) tino@globe2.ATT.COM (908) 949-4358 Date: Sun, 3 May 1998 03:03:13 EDT From: Namgawd Subject: Stretching ------------------------------------------- <> James, you are correct, there is research showing that stretching can increase strength. However, there is also research showing that too much stretching decreases strength. All this talk about stretching can be summarized quickly by looking at various studies: 1. Don't stretch a cold muscle. 2. Warming up by doing the exercise (e.g., squat) with light weight and then slowly increasing the weight in each set is sufficient. 3. If you need to stretch, do so after your workout. 4. Don't overstretch the muscle and don't bounce, ever. 5. Look at the range of motion you require for your sport and stretch within those limits, i.e. a powerlifter doesn't need to be able to do a split and being able to do so won't improve strength. Dan Wagman Date: Tue, 12 May 1998 00:09:59 -0500 From: Lyle McDonald Subject: Strecthing There is data (from the work of Vladimir Janda, cited in Paul Chek's Scientific Back Training course) showing that stretching a muscle will temporarily decrease its force production capacity. This has major application when you'e trying to correct a muscular imbalance. For example, when I have a client who is doing leg curls and obviously pulling harder with one leg than the other (I can see their hips twisting), I will have them static stretch the strong leg to inhibit it temporarily so that they get a more even pull with boh legs, helping to cancel out strenght imbalances. This technique most definitely does have an effect and I use it quite a bit in rehabilitation settings. I think the guideliens that Dan posted hit the mark: focus on flexibility to avoid it compromising performance, just don't stretch like hell prior to a max workout. The time to perform your developmental stretching (meaning to actually increase your functional flexibility) is at the end of your workout, when you're totally warmed up and loose. This doesn't mean not to stretch during your workout, especially if you have a tight muscle group (i.e. hamstrings) that is messing up your technique (tucking butt on squats or deads) but don't go nuts and spend 20 minutes stretching prior to a 1RM. Lyle McDonald, CSCS Date: Fri, 30 Oct 1998 15:55:12 -0600 From: Keith Hobman Subject: Re: Strength_List: Squats/Hack/Press I'd get a book called "The Stark Reality of Stretching" by Dr. Richard Stark. His explanation of how to stretch the muscles themselves instead of damaging the tendons, ligaments and joints is a classic. He also lists five lower body stretches which are highly beneficial to powerlifters. The book is a classic. I'm a black belt in karate and thought I knew how to stretch, but this book has been a real eye-opener to me. If you follow it you will loosen up your tight hamstrings without jeopardizing your knees. I've heard some powerlifters say you shouldn't stretch. IMO that is bull - they have been stretching improperly. A good stretching technique will allow you to generate more force in your contractions. A poor stretching technique allows more joint movement, but often at the expense of joint integrity. Get the book. - - Keith Hobman Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1998 17:27:10 -0600 From: owner-strength@deepsquatter.com Subject: stretchin' the glutes Here's an easy glute stretch - if'n I can explain the durn thing - Sit down with your legs stretched in front of you. Bring one knee into your chest, then rest the foot flat on the ground on the outside of the thigh of your outstretched leg, as close to your hip as possible. Place the opposite elbow on the outside of the leg that's in your chest on the outside of the knee, or place the raised knee in the crook of your elbow, and pull the knee across your straightened leg and into your chest. Works great for me though I may lose something in the interpretation. Let me know if I need to clarify. (not sure if this one made it through before (JB) ) Date: Fri, 21 May 1999 01:19:39 -0500 (CDT) From: lylemcd@onr.com (Lyle McDonald) Subject: Strength_List: Stretching >Date: Thu, 20 May 1999 15:45:02 -0600 >From: Keith Hobman >Subject: Strength_List: Stretching >Basically this issue has been bounced around a bit before, but I'd like to >go back and see what everyone thinks. Many lifters are also martial artists >or ex-martial artists. Several lifters have commented that they do not >recommend stretching, based on what they have been told by their coaches. >Bob Mann is one lifter who is an ex-martial artist who doesn't feel >stretching is beneficial and may in fact be detrimental to lifting. My take on stretching is this: do enough but not too much. That is, obviously an athlete (be it PL, OL or whatever) must be flexible enough to perform the activities needed by their sport (i.e. a PL has to be able to get to parallel, and an OL needs the shoulder flexilibity to lock out a snatch). A PL has no need to be able to perform full Chinese (side) splits or put their ankles behind their head. However, many people seem to think that more is better when it comes to flexilibity (and cardio, and weight training and....). I seem to recall seeing the concept somewhere (don't recall where anymore) that athletes should have as much flexilibity as they need for their sport and then maybe a little bit more. That way, if the athlete is forced beyond normal ranges of motion (i.e. the PL who gets buried by a limit squat) doesn't tear a muscle for lack of adequate flexilibity. But once adequate (and then a little more) flexilibity has been attained for a sport's needs, I see little need to try and achieve more flexibility simply for the sake of more flexibility. Lyle Date: Fri, 21 May 1999 10:12:43 -0400 From: Wade Hanna Subject: Strength_List: Stretching -Reply - ---------->> As I am rediscovering the importance of stretching I would tend to agree with Lyle wholeheartedly. I see no need to attain the kind of flexibility I had when heavy into martial arts. However, the necessary amount to perform the lifts is critical and that little extra is always nice to have. One thing in addition. I think a problem people encounter is they stretch too much prior to working out (I believe there is some reaction that decreases contractile strength right after stretching?). This should be a light stretch to help get some blood into the muscle only! Do the actual flexibility stretching post workout or on off days. Also, don't stretch completely cold, do some light calisthenics (sp?) to assist the blood flow into the muscle before reefing on it. -wade Lansing, Mi whanna@senate.state.mi.us Date: Fri, 18 Jun 1999 08:01:43 EDT From: Mcsiff@aol.com Subject: Strength_List: STRETCHING SECRETS Anyway, to fill in some gaps, here are extracts on stretching, taken from Chapter 3 of our book "Supertraining" on this topic: " An in-depth biomechanical analysis of the different types and methods of stretching is beyond the scope of this text, but is covered elsewhere (Siff, 1987). Most relevant to this text are the following points: ^Õ Different methods are necessary for conditioning muscles, tendons, and other soft tissues ^Õ Slow twitch muscle groups contain a greater proportion of connective tissue than fast twitch muscle groups ^Õ The high stiffness and low strain of slow muscle is most appropriate for muscle function in-tended for continuous support of posture ^Õ Different brain and spinal cord mechanisms control high speed, low speed, and topological patterns of muscle activity ^Õ All fitness conditioning, including flexibility enhancement, relies predominantly on neuromuscular stimulation ^Õ All conditioning is primarily functional, since functional stimulation precedes structural change (Wolff's Law) - thus, it is erroneous to refer to any exercises as purely 'structural' ^Õ Rapid ballistic stretching of contracted muscle (plyometric loading) should not be avoided by serious athletes, since the ability to use elastic energy is vital to all high level performance ^Õ Static stretching of a relaxed muscle has a more pronounced effect on the PEC than ballistic stretching of a contracted muscle, which has a greater effect on the SEC (essential for any fast activities) ^Õ Different rates of loading and stretching have different effects on bone, tendon and muscle ^Õ Prolonged slow stretching can cause permanent viscous deformation of connective tissue and high levels of strain in muscle ^Õ Physiotherapeutic PNF shows that rapid or powerful recruitment of the different stretch re-flexes can be safely applied to rehabilitate and strengthen - contrary to common belief ^Õ There is generally no such thing as an unsafe stretch or exercise: only an unsafe way of exe-cuting any movement for a specific individual at a specific time ^Õ Elastic fibres occur in small concentrations in the intercellular matrix of tendons and most lig-aments, and may help restore the crimped collagen fibre configuration after stretching or muscle contraction ^Õ Multi-directional stretching is important, since the structural orientation of the fibres is differ-ent for the different collagenous tissues and is specifically suited to the functions of each tissue ^Õ The stress concentration at the insertion of the ligament and tendon into the more rigid bone structure is decreased by the existence of three progressively stiffer transitional composite materials - a system which can be disrupted by ingestion of anabolic steroids ^Õ At slow loading rates, the bony insertion of a ligament or tendon is the weakest component of the bone-soft tissue complex, whereas the soft tissues are the weakest components at very fast loading rates ^Õ Tendons, unlike ligaments, are not simply passive stabilisers of joints - instead, together with strongly contracted muscle fibres (particularly during phases of eccentric contraction), they play a vital role in storing elastic energy during running and other impulsive motor acts, thereby saving energy and increasing the efficiency of muscular activity (Goldspink, 1978). ^Õ No stretching manoeuvres must compromise the strength or ability of the tendons to store elastic energy throughout their range of movement - thus, tendon stretching exercises should be accompanied by strength conditioning against adequate resistance. Furthermore: Practical experience has led to recognition for four fairly traditional categories of stretching, namely: static, ballistic, passive and contract-relax (or PNF - proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation) stretching. To this list may be added normal, full range of movement exercise, since it also tends to increase both active and passive flexibility. In addition, Olympic Weightlifters are amongst the most supple of all athletes, despite beliefs to the contrary (Siff, 1987). Furthermore, a combination of stretching and weight-training exercises as a supplement to a sprint-training programme produces significantly greater increases in speed over an un-supplemented sprint programme (Siff, 1987). Then, in several of the preceding sections, the role of resistance and muscle endurance training in enhancing tissue strength and flexibility was noted. In other words, suitable full-range resistance training also can improve joint flexibility. Static stretching normally refers to flexibility exercises which use the weight of the body or its limbs to load the soft tissues. Rarely is this term applied to stretches which are forcibly produced by voluntary muscular contractions, yet this 'cat-stretch' technique is employed suc-cessfully in the cat kingdom, by most humans on waking in the morning and by bodybuilders in their posing routines. Obviously the concept of static stretching needs to be expanded. For the competitive athlete or rehabilitating patient, static stretching is insufficient to develop the full range of movement strength, power, mobility and stability required in sport. It must be combined with high intensity static and dynamic activities to condi-tion the collagenous tissues, full-range resistance training to increase muscle strength, and low-intensity cardiovascular and muscle endurance activity to enhance capillarisation and circulatory efficiency. After all, it is active flexibility of the appropriate degrees of joint freedom which correlates most strongly with sporting proficiency and resistance to injury (Iashvili, 1982). This same study of several Olympic sports revealed some further interesting results: (Here a list follows) Static stretching methods are used where the emphasis needs to be on tissue qualities, whereas dynamic methods are essential for rectifying deficits in full range strength perfor-mance. However, it is not only active flexibility, but active functional range of movement in the specific sporting action, that is of central importance to sporting proficiency. " Dr Mel C Siff Denver, USA mcsiff@aol.com