Your Basic Guide to Stretching
February 1, 2010
Filed under Cross Training
By Erin Phelan
Are you confused about stretching? You aren’t alone. Should you stretch? How should you stretch? And when's the best time? There’s a lot of conflicting information out there. So, here’s what you need to know about stretching—and how to do it safely.
The latest research agrees on one thing: The best time to stretch is after a workout, when your muscles are warm. “Many people stretch before an activity in the belief that it will help prevent injury. [The] scientific literature does not support this belief,” says Digby Sales, a retired kinesiology professor. In fact, stretching cold muscles can lead to injury because when we stretch a muscle we cause microscopic tearing to the tissue, which makes it difficult for us to put strain on the muscle (i.e. from weight training or aerobic exercise). In other words, if you stretch your muscles before you run, it might be more difficult for them to generate the power necessary for the run—so, the stress of the run combined with the stress from the pre-exercise stretches could put your body at greater risk for injury. Instead, start your work out with a relevant warm-up (i.e. walking briskly before you run), and then stretch your muscles afterwards.
Benefits of Stretching
Most people don’t spend enough time stretching, which improves flexibility, mobility and strength. Flexibility is the range of motion you have around a joint or a group of joints; mobility refers to your how well you move within that range of motion. Improving mobility has a greater impact on our ability to perform everyday tasks—being able to bend over and pick up a bag of groceries, for example, requires mobility, which is achieved by having strong, stretched muscles.
Stretching can also reduce lower back pain, alleviate muscle soreness after exercise, and improve our overall muscle efficiency. Most importantly, stretching is good for our mind and relaxes us, says Jay Blahnik, author of Full-Body Flexibilty. “Stretching feels good because your body sends out signals to relax when you are pulling the muscles.”
Types of Stretches
“In the past, there was one protocol for stretching: Grab the body part and hold.” This is a passive stretch. “We are learning that passive stretching will make you better at doing the stretches, and not much else,” says Blahnik. Passive stretching is also known as assisted stretching—you use some form of assistance to achieve a stretch, either your body weight, a strap, or even gravity. With passive stretching, you relax the muscle and rely on the external force to hold you in place.
Active stretching occurs when you stretch one muscle by actively contracting another—usually a muscle in opposition. A good example of this would be to squeeze the shoulder blades together and contract the back muscles in order to stretch the chest.
Whether you are doing passive or active stretches, you can choose to hold a stretch in a static position or keep the stretch in motion—achieving a dynamic stretch. We can distinguish between static and dynamic using a head tilt, which stretches out the neck and upper back. For a static stretch, stand or sit tall, lower your left ear to the left shoulder, place your left hand on the right side of your head and gently pull down, holding the stretch for 10 to 30 seconds. For a dynamic head tilt, lower your ear to the shoulder while lifting or pushing the opposite ear towards the ceiling, then release the stretch and repeat on the other side. Repeat in a fluid sequence 10 to 12 times.
Amid new research, more attention is being paid to dynamic stretching. “[Active] stretching is great because it makes weaker muscles strong and lengthens out tighter muscles,” says Blahnik. “It isn’t that the traditional way of stretching is bad, [but] active, dynamic stretches make you more mobile because you are training the muscles to react to one another.”
How To Stretch
The best time to work on overall flexibility is at the end of your workout, and not in the beginning— remember: Warm up, get the muscles working, then stretch. Blahnik recommends adopting a three-step stretch system. Focus on variety, strength and balance. For variety, incorporate a mixture of both static and dynamic stretches; build up strength that supports mobility and flexibility through your dynamic stretches; and pay attention to your body’s muscle imbalances. If you notice you are tighter on one side than the other (most people are), be a little more aggressive in your stretches on the tighter side until you notice you have a similar range of motion.
Erin Phelan is a freelance writer and certified fitness professional and personal trainer with over 10 years experience in the fitness industry.
Better Running
January 25, 2010
Filed under Running Videos
Better running first Run DVD describe running techniques in detail.
Improving Your Yoga Stretching : Yoga Cobblers Pose
January 3, 2010
Filed under Yoga Videos
It’s important to keep your spine straight when attempting the cobblers pose in yoga, so as to safely stretch your muscles. Learn some tips to ensure you stretch the right way from our professional yoga instructor in this free video. Expert: Elizabeth Rose Contact: www.artanayoga.com Bio: Elizabeth Rose is a registered Hatha yoga teacher with a background in modern dance, gymnastics, martial arts, and circus arts. Filmmaker: randy primm
Basketball Stretches & Warm-ups : Jogging
October 31, 2009
Filed under Running Videos
Keep up a steady pace as you warm up by jogging around the court. Learn how to jog for warming up in thisfree basketball video. Expert: Kini Knox Bio: Kini Knox has been working with MIDI for eight years. He went to school for Audio Recording and Engineering. Filmmaker: MAKE | MEDIA
Better running training tips stretching muscles technique
October 30, 2009
Filed under Running Videos
First DVD which explains running technique in detail. In depth explanation and training methods. Usefully for every jogger / runner. Presented by Dr. Andre Albrecht from Germany. You can order the complete DVD directly from his website at: www.intro-wolfsburg.de
Running Stretches: Comprehensive Stretching Exercises for Running & Jogging
October 27, 2009
Filed under Running Videos
Increase performance and reduce the risk of injury with the following comprehensive video from www.TheStretchingInstitute.com Only the best stretching exercises have been compiled in one easy to follow video.
Yoga DVD – Yoga and the Art of Aging
October 23, 2009
Filed under Yoga Videos
www.yoga.org.nz Presents the Complete Yoga DVD “Yoga & The Art Of Aging ” Free on You Tube in High Definition. Part 1 of 6 . Sarsha takes Al & Alena through a yoga series to aid the aging process. Week one is focused on the core and spine stability. These 6 videos are part 1 of a 7 part series. The compete download is available from our website. For the complete one hour class please use the play list . Or visit http the full hour streams from the front page with no breaks as the playlist …
To Stretch Or Not To Stretch
August 2, 2009
Filed under Fitness, Indoor Activities, Outdoors Activities
Author: Stan Reents, PharmD
If the average person was asked to define "fitness", he/she might point to the ability to run a distance race (ie., "aerobic fitness") or the ability to lift a large amount of weight (ie., "muscular strength"). But, flexibility is a component of fitness too, even though it may not get as much attention or respect as its siblings.
This brings us to the concept of stretching. Almost all athletes — from elite athletes down to the weekend warrior types — stretch. Thus, it seems intuitive that stretching prevents injuries….why else would everybody be doing it, right?
Indeed, recent studies have shown that stretching can influence the viscosity of the tendon and make it significantly more compliant. Thus, many believe that increasing the flexibility of a muscle-tendon unit promotes better performances and decreases the number of injuries. Because of this belief, stretching exercises are regularly included in warm-up and cooling-down exercises. However, the sports medicine literature is divided on whether stretching prevents injury.
But, before we get into the science, let's review some basics:
TYPES OF STRETCHING
To be precise, stretching can be classified into 5 different types:
• Ballistic Stretching: This is defined as: rapid lengthening (stretching) of a muscle by the use of jerking or bouncing movements, for example, bouncing down to touch your toes. This type of stretching is not recommended. In fact, it mimics the type of sudden stress that produces muscle injuries in the first place. Jerking a muscle into a full stretch causes it to lengthen beyond a safe stretch and may injure the muscle…exactly the opposite of what you are trying to achieve with stretching.
• Static Stretching: This type of stretching is characterized by a slow and sustained (eg., for 15-60 secs) lengthening of a muscle by the athlete without help from a partner. This is one of the best types of stretching because it does not pose the risk of injury to muscle and connective tissue as ballistic stretching does.
• Passive Stretching: Passive stretching is identical to static stretching, except that a partner is used to gradually move the arm or leg. The advantage of using a partner is that a greater range-of-motion can be achieved compared to stretching without a partner.
• Isometric Stretching: Isometric stretching is simply static stretching with the aid of an immovable object.
• Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) Stretching: PNF stretching sounds more complicated than it really is. Technically, PNF stretching involves passive muscle lengthening with the use of a partner after an antagonistic muscle is contracted. PNF stretching is considered to be an excellent technic however the risk of injury is slightly greater than the other methods since the range of the stretch can be greater.
STRETCHING TO IMPROVE FLEXIBILITY
One of the benefits of stretching is that it does improve flexibility, albeit, short-term. Stretching, combined with warming up, has been shown to increase the flexibility of the ankle, hip, and knee joints (Thacker SB, et al. 2004). However, an improvement in flexibility does not automatically mean fewer injuries or improved athletic performance. This is where there is confusion in the literature.
STRETCHING AND MUSCLE PERFORMANCE
As mentioned above, while stretching does increase the flexibility of specific joints, greater flexibility, in turn, does not always lead to improved performance. After static stretching, the muscle-tendon unit is weaker for 10-15 minutes (or longer, see below). This phenomenon has been called the "stretch lag" period, or, "tendon slack".
In fact, in some cases, stretching actually worsens (measurements of) muscle performance. Stretching has been shown to impair maximal voluntary contraction force (Behm DG, et al. 2001), muscular endurance (Kokkonen J, et al. 2001), and one-repetition maximum (Kokkonen J, et al. 1998) when it occurs just prior to the performance assessment.
A study of 40 females using a vertical jump test to assess muscle performance revealed that adding PNF stretching to a general warm-up routine worsened jumping ability (Church JB, et al. 2001).
Another study shows the effect of stretching on muscular strength over time (Fowles JR, et al. 2000). Subjects performed 13 stretches of the plantar flexors, holding each stretch for 135 seconds during a period of 33 minutes. Maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) was assessed 6 times during the ensuing 60 minutes. MVIC was depressed as follows:
Time / Percent Strength Decrease
- Time 0: -28%
- 5 min: -21%
- 15 min: -13%
- 30 min: -12%
- 45 min: -10%
- 60 min: -9%
The authors concluded that an intense prolonged stretch (of the plantar flexors) reduces maximum voluntary force for up to 1 hour after stretching.
STRETCHING TO PREVENT INJURIES
Contradictory findings regarding the ability of stretching to prevent injuries have been reported in the literature. Stretching recommendations are clouded by misconceptions and conflicting research reports. Apparently, no scientifically based prescription for stretching exercises exists (Witvrouw E, et al. 2004).
One fundamental issue to consider is that, even though stretching improves flexibility, most injuries occur during an extremity's normal range of motion (ie., during eccentric contraction). Thus, it is illogical to conclude that improving flexibility will prevent most muscle injuries (Shrier I. 2000).
In 1999, Shrier reviewed the literature on stretching to prevent injuries. He found 12 papers with acceptable study design. Of those, 4 showed that stretching was beneficial, 3 showed that stretching was detrimental, and 5 showed no difference (Shrier I. 1999).
Australian researchers reviewed the literature in 2002 and found that stretching had no beneficial effect on delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and did not reduce the risk of injury (Herbert RD, et al. 2002).
A subsequent literature review, published in 2004 (Witvrouw E, et al. 2004), was much more revealing. These authors proposed a possible explanation for why there is disagreement on the issue of whether stretching prevents injury:
Witvrouw and colleagues believe that the type of sports activity in which an individual is participating needs to be considered. Sports that involve a lot of bouncing and jumping activities with a high intensity of stretch-shortening cycles (SSCs) (eg. basketball, football, soccer, tennis) require a muscle-tendon unit that is compliant enough to store and release the high amount of elastic energy that benefits performance in such sports. If the muscle-tendon unit is not compliant enough, the demands in energy absorption and release may rapidly exceed its capacity. This may lead to an increased risk for injury of this structure. Thus, when a sport demands stretch-shortening cycles (SSCs) of high intensity, such as jumping or abrupt changes in direction, stretching may be important for injury prevention.
In contrast, when the type of sports activity contains low-intensity, or limited SSCs (eg. cycling, jogging, swimming), there is no need for a very compliant muscle-tendon unit since most of the forces come from active muscle contraction to generate motion. Strong evidence exists that stretching has no beneficial effect on injury prevention in these sports.
In other words, whether or not stretching prevents injury depends on the type of activity being considered.
Witvrouw and colleagues believe that if this point of view is used when examining research concerning stretching to prevent injuries, the reasons for the contrasting findings in the literature are in many instances resolved.
USE OF STRETCHING TO HASTEN RECOVERY AFTER AN INJURY
While stretching to PREVENT an injury is not always helpful, the use of stretching to hasten recovery AFTER an injury has been shown to be beneficial:
• Hamstring Injuries: A Greek study randomized athletes with hamstring strains to light stretching (once per day) or a more vigorous program (4 times per day). The study was conducted from 1996-2001 and randomized 40 athletes into each of the 2 plans. All 80 athletes received RICE (rest, ice, compression, and elevation). The stretching involved static stretching for 30 seconds per stretch session.
The authors found that normal range-of-motion was achieved earlier in the 4 times per day group (5.6 days vs 7.3 days) and the time elapsed prior to achieving full athletic activity was also shorter in the 4 times per day group (13.3 days vs 15 days) compared to the once/daily group (Malliaropoulos N, et al. 2004.).
• Plantar Fasciitis: For plantar fasciitis, also known as "painful heel syndrome" or "proximal heel pain", stretching of the Achilles tendon has been shown to be beneficial in reducing pain, stiffness, and increasing range-of-motion (McNair PJ, et al. 1996; Porter D, et al. 2002). One study reported that a non-weight-bearing stretch of the plantar fascia was better than the classic standing Achilles tendon stretch (DiGiovanni BF, et al. 2003).
SUMMARY
Thus, while there still is some controversy regarding stretching to prevent injury, some conclusions can be offered:
• Stretching to PREVENT injury is most helpful in sports that involve sudden changes of direction, such as football, soccer, or tennis or sports that require lots of jumping such as basketball or volleyball. Stretching appears to be less helpful in sports that produce less shock to the muscles, such as cycling, jogging, or swimming.
• Do not stretch extensively (if at all) within 15-60 minutes prior to a competitive event.
• If you do stretch prior to a competitive event, work that muscle group for a few minutes to help the muscle(s) recover to their normal length and power capacity. For example, if you have just stretched your hamstrings and the front of your thighs to get ready for a race, do some light jogging for several minutes before the race begins.
• Avoid ballistic stretching: It is more likely to cause injury than other technics.
• Stretching injured muscles does appear to hasten recovery.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
A very succinct, yet thorough, review of the sports medicine literature on stretching was published in the Sept./Oct. 2002 issue of ACSM's Health and Fitness Journal (see Bracko MR, below). Although this publication is intended for sports medicine professionals, the article is written in an easy-to-understand style.
For a "how-to" book filled with diagrams, get the classic Stretching by Bob Anderson. Even though this book was originally published in 1980, it demonstrates every kind of stretch and stretching routine you can imagine.
REFERENCES
Behm DG, Button DC, Butt JC. Factors affecting force loss with prolonged stretching. Can J Appl Physiol 2001;26:261-272. Abstract
Bracko MR. Can stretching prior to exercise and sports improve performance and prevent injury? ACSM's Health and Fitness Journal 2002;6:17-22. (no abstract)
Church JB, Wiggins MS, Moode FM, et al. Effect of warm-up and flexibility treatments on vertical jump performance. J Strength Cond Res 2001;15:332-336. Abstract
DiGiovanni BF, Nawoczenski DA, Lintal ME, et al. Tissue-specific plantar fascia-stretching exercise enhances outcomes in patients with chronic heel pain. A prospective, randomized study. J Bone Joint Surg Am 2003;85-A:1270-1277. Abstract
Fowles JR, Sale DG, MacDougall JD. Reduced strength after passive stretch of the human plantar flexors. J Appl Physiol 2000;89:1179-1188. Abstract
Herbert RD, Gabriel M. Effects of stretching before and after exercising on muscle soreness and risk of injury: systematic review. BMJ 2002;325:468. Abstract
Kokkonen J, Nelson AG, Andrew C. Acute muscle stretching inhibits maximal strength performance. Res Quart Exerc Sport 1998;69:411-415. Abstract
Kokkonen J, Nelson AG, Arnall DA. Acute stretching inhibits strength endurance performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2001;33:11A. (no abstract)
Malliaropoulos N, Papalexandris S, Papalada A, et al. The role of stretching in rehabilitation of hamstring injuries: 80 athletes follow-up. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2004;36:756-759. Abstract
McNair PJ, Stanley SN. Effect of passive stretching and jogging on the series elastic muscle stiffness and range of motion of the ankle joint. Br J Sports Med 1996;30:313-317. Abstract
Porter D, Barrill E, Oneacre K, et al. The effects of duration and frequency of Achilles tendon stretching on dorsiflexion and outcome in painful heel syndrome: a randomized, blinded, control study. Foot Ankle Int 2002;23:619-624. Abstract
Shrier I. Stretching before exercise does not reduce the risk of local muscle injury: a critical review of the clinical and basic science literature. Clin J Sports Med 1999;9:221-227. Abstract
Shrier I. Stretching before exercise: an evidence based approach. Br J Sports Med 2000;34:324-325. Abstract
Thacker SB, Gilchrist J, Stroup DF, et al. The impact of stretching on sports injury risk: a systematic review of the literature. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2004;36:371-378. Abstract
Witvrouw E, Mahieu N, Danneels L, et al. Stretching and injury prevention: an obscure relationship. Sports Med 2004;34:443-449. Abstract
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Stan Reents, PharmD, is a former healthcare professional. He holds Personal Trainer and Lifestyle Counselor certifications from the American Council on Exercise and has been certified as a tennis coach by USTA. He is the author of Sport and Exercise Pharmacology (published by Human Kinetics).
10 Ways To Improve Your Run Time Without Extra Miles
Fortunately, it doesn’t take that much effort for us mortals to improve. In fact, it may be possible for you to become significantly faster without having to do any more distance than you are already doing! Sound too good to be true? Here’s how!
1. Improve your running efficiency: If you are like most runners, you probably over stride and land hard on your heels. Try shortening your stride so your foot strikes a more of a glancing blow beneath your hips. Decreasing foot contact time with the ground makes you feel lighter on your feet and a smoother runner.
2. Increase your stride rate. Quicker leg turnover is necessary to compensate for your new, shorter stride length. Good runners take about 180 steps per minute, or 90 in 30 seconds. Count your number of strides for 30 seconds and try to hit 90 consistently.
3. Add some intensity to just one workout per week. Five or 6 intervals for 2 or 3 minutes at your 5 K pace ought to do it. Ideally this workout is done on a 400 meter track so you can time your intervals and monitor your progress; however you can also just use a watch and a flat stretch of road. Four to six of these workouts should be enough to make a difference in your 5K time.
4. Finish one of your usual easy runs with 4 or 5 striders. Striders are 50-75 meters run at your 5K pace that keep your leg muscles accustomed to faster turnover. Save this one for 2 or 3 days after your short interval workout.
5. Add a spin class, bike some hills, or climb some stairs once or twice a week, especially if your muscles are tired from running. These non-running workouts will boost your level of fitness and may add enough extra leg strength to make a difference in your running times.
6. Get in the habit of stretching key muscle groups, especially as you get older. The evidence is scare that stretching improves running, however as a runner you should stretch hamstrings, calf, gluts, and hip flexors almost daily to ensure good range of motion in your hips.
7. Lose weight if you need it! Extra body fat is like carrying lead in your pockets- it slows you down. Dropping just 2 or 3 pounds of body fat (not water!) by improving your eating habits will make a huge difference in your ability to run. Eliminate just one 12 oz soda or dessert per day and expect to lose a pound or 2 in less than a month!
9. Try one or two 1-mile time trials in the weeks leading up to your 5K. This will help you understand pace, decrease anxiety, and even improve fitness. You can substitute this test for your usual short interval workout.
10. Fatigue can often be blamed on dehydration. It takes more than 1 day to ensure that you are fully hydrated, so keep that water bottle handy and sip throughout the day, especially before and after workouts.
BONUS: Smokers will notice improvement within days after quitting without doing anything else!
Dave Elger is a well respected authority within the running community having written hundreds of articles on the topics of running and wellness. You can contact him http://www.daveelger.com
Yoga is Beneficial for Health
March 24, 2009
Filed under Indoor Activities.
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