The importance of stretching

So today I am writing this blog in rather a lot of discomfort.

The reason for this is that I have been introduced by my coach to a new stretching routine.

Now anyone who does any form of exercise will have heard of the benefits of stretching. But be honest how many of you actually do? How many of you do the token quad & hamstring stretch and leave it at that? Or just rush through each stretch and so don't get the full benefit of each one.

Let’s face it, stretching is uncomfortable. It’s not pleasant; in fact I hate it with a passion. If any of you could have seen how much agony I was in and the amount of sweat I was emitting just from stretching, you would probably have run away screaming in horror.

In fairness my stretching is a lot harsher than most. My aim is to get into box & front splits to help my kicks. In any ones language this is an extreme ROM (range of movement). However mobility is important. It’s what keeps us young. Without movement out muscles atrophy and we become less able to carry out functional activities. As we get older the importance of staying mobile becomes more & more apparent. For years, stretching has been an integral part of fitness, practice, and rehabilitation programs to decrease muscle stiffness and relieve pain associated with it

Why do we stretch?

We stretch to improve our flexibility. Flexibility is the range of motion that is available to a joint or joints. Flexibility is important because:

It improves muscle balance around a joint, improving posture and joint ROM·

It reduces the chance of injury when playing a sport and everyday functional movement

      It increases the blood and nutrient supply to muscles and cartilage, also reducing muscle soreness after training through more effective recovery

How do we stretch?

WARNING; Stretching should not be done as a warm-up to an activity or you risk injuring your muscles if stretching them whilst they are cold.
I would recommend at least 3 to 5 minutes of cardiovascular training to warm up the muscles sufficiently. Each major muscle group should be stretched slowly and with control, holding each stretch for 1 to 3 sets of 10 to 60 seconds. Hold each stretch at the point of mild tension or tightness, not to the point of pain. 

It is important to stretch after doing any physical activity. When muscles perform any form of exercise, they tighten and shorten. Stretching them out helps to restore and improve their length. When doing strength training, you should stretch each muscle group directly after finishing or even after performing each set.

When not to Stretch: 

 Following muscle strains or ligament sprains
 When joints or muscles are infected, inflamed, damaged or hurt
 After a recent fracture or break
 When sharp pains are felt in the joints, tendons ligaments or muscles

Dynamic Stretching

Dynamic stretching involves movement of a muscle or muscle group in such a way that the muscle is elongated with a body movement and the action is repeated. This is also quite a warming type of stretching so could be carried out as a part of your rewarm. Dynamic stretching includes leg swings, arm and torso swings, and walking lunges. In dynamic stretching, the point of maximum stretch is not held but forms part of a specific movement, usually as a slower movement than in ballistic stretching.

Ballistic Stretching

Oh my goodness this is a controversial one. We’ve all seen the videos haven’t we?

If you want to see a truly awful but funny one check this out….

Jim Carrey aerobics 
It made me cringe but highlights everything thats wrong with the fitness industry

Although ballistic stretching is similar to dynamic stretching in that movement is involved, ballistic stretching involves a fast 'bouncing action' and this has been associated with injury. Many fit pros will tell you to avoid this form of stretching & for good reason. If its carried out with bad form it is very damaging. Examples are toe touches and side bounces. Even so, ballistic stretching should not be ruled out completely. To avoid injury, you should warm up with light aerobic exercise. Ballistic stretching is best used for results in sports involving ballistic movements, such as volleyball, football & squash. My warning with this one is avoid it if you have no experience with stretches or mobility. There is a very high risk of injury if you don’t know what you are doing.

Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF)

Oh my goodness! Anyone who has had experience with this will understand my current agony. PNF stretching is usually regarded as a more advanced form of flexibility training involving both the stretching and isometric contraction of the muscle. You really do require a partner for PNF stretching. It is however possible to do it alone if you know what you are doing. A tensed (isometric) muscle is held for the set time, then the partner facilitates a further 'stretch' in a passive, static form. Absolute purgatory lol, very effective though.

Which Stretches are the most effective?

As with all types of exercise, it entirely depends on what you want to gain. The stretches you use should be appropriate for the exercise you're about to undertake. Static and ballistic stretching, properly performed, will have similar gains in range of motion, while dynamic stretching is more useful for warm-ups before competition or rewarms . PNF stretching may produce the best gains, but the practicality is limited because of the requirement for a partner or a good knowledge of stretching techniques.