Contract-Release stretch
I have previously talked about the importance of stretching to avoid injury, and last week I went into detail about a specific muscle, M.Psoas Major, which is responsible for a large deal of the aching lower backs out there. Surprisingly, many of us have stiff and unflexible muscles at least somewhere in the body, which can cause imbalance of the body and, as a result, discomfort and possible long-time injury. Stretching almost always helps.
Assuming that you've made the decision to start stretching on a regular basis, what's the best way to go about it? Maximum results vs. minimum discomfort and risk of injury? When I was into martial arts I had this teacher who believed in the "No Pain, No Gain" philosophy, even when it came to stretching. So, his standard method was to pull and pull and pull until the student screamed loud enough, then he pulled some more and that was it. Sure - you got a bit more flexible, but to what price? And was it the most effective way?
In my opinion, that method is BS, plain and simple. Instead, I suggest Contract-Release, or PNF-stretching. There are four basic rules which must be followed:
1. Never hurt
2. Never fast
3. Only stretch the targeted joint
4. Never other muscles
Rule 1 & 2 are pretty clear - If it hurts, break and rest before starting over again, and of course, no quick movements.
Rule 3 & 4 require a little more knowledge about anatomy, so if you're planning to train and stretch a specific muscle, take the time to look up where that muscle begins and where it ends. See what joint it affects. If the function of the muscle is to flex a joint, you can be pretty sure that the best way to stretch it is doing the opposite, namely extending it. It's not that hard once you get a basic feel for it, so ignore the latin and start out with the major muscles first. You KNOW how to stretch pecs and lats, now find out WHY - and transfer that knowledge to other muscles.
Now you have the basics for performing a good stretch. And here is a general step-by-step walkthru:
1. Assume starting position
2. Gently stretch until it stops
3. Contract the muscle staticly for 8-10 secs
4. Relax the muscle for 8-10 secs
5. Gently stretch until it stops again
6. Go back to step 3.
Step 1 depends on the muscle targeted, and I recommend getting a good book about stretching for tips and ideas.
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