Do you know how to stretch?

Chances are, you don't know how to stretch. I see many people who think they know how to stretch, and put a lot of energy into it with little result. I see even more who have been taught the wrong way, and give up on it because they figure it must not be for them. Before you try to lengthen your soft tissues, there are a couple things you need to know.

The first bit of knowledge deals with Reciprocal Inhibition. This is a term used to describe the way two muscles or muscle group work in harmony to allow a joint to move. For example, when you flex your bicep, the triceps have to allow that to happen. You can imagine the damage if the quadriceps and hamstrings of a 100-meter sprinter lost communication with each other during an all-out effort. Anyway, knowing about this can help you get better results when stretching, because when you want to 'turn off' the neuromuscular signal to the muscle you are stretching, it is done by flexing the opposing muscle(s). This will allow a much deeper stretch more quickly. Quickly, you say? Yes, and that leads to the second piece of information, the Stretch Reflex.

I've explained the Stretch Reflex in depth in an earlier post. It has been found that a stretch that last longer than 2 seconds will induce the Stretch Reflex, limiting the effectiveness of the stretch. It is an instinctive reaction of the soft tissue to protect itself from over-stretching. Of course, if you know what you are doing, and are not propping up your body in some unbalanced position, this is not a problem. So to stretch effectively, you need to be relaxed in a supported position, and you need to recruit what you now know about Reciprocal Inhibition and the Stretch Reflex. It also helps to isolate the muscle you need to stretch.

I can teach this to you in a simple, hands-on manner so that you will become a smart stretcher!