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Stretching 101

By Kevin Hensel

This article isn't trying to convince you to stretch, it describes the most effective way to start and maintain a stretching regimen to function, feel, and perform better. Lets face it, there's nothing glamorous about stretching and frankly it's pretty boring too. The single most overlooked component to any fitness program is flexibility. Stretching usually takes a back seat to strength and cardiovascular conditioning. I know it's hard enough trying to find time to workout, let out let alone feel like you're not doing very much while stretching. A well designed stretching routine targeting your tight areas will enhance your workouts and even save you time in the long run.

Which muscles need to be stretched? We only need to stretch the muscles that are short and tight with a limited range of motion. Which unfortunately means they feel tight, restricted, and uncomfortable. Stretching a muscle that has a normal range of motion and 'feels good' has little if any positive effect and in some instances can over time lengthen a muscle to the point where it cannot stabilize the joint it surrounds and lead to possible injury. Selecting the proper stretches targeting the tight areas of the body are instrumental to an effective flexibility program. Common postural imbalances, repetitive stress, and injuries create very predictable patterns of tightness. Certain muscles have a higher probability of becoming tight and restricted including the following:

How do I get started? We first need to identify all of the areas that you have tightness or limited range of motion before we can get started on your corrective stretching phase. Visit www.exrx.net and perform the stretches that target the neck region (upper trapezius, scalene, levator scapula), low back area (spinal erectors), deep hip external hip rotators (piriformis), hip flexors, quadriceps, calves, forearms, and pectorals because theses muslces have the highest probability of being tight. Before each position carefully read the guidelines, view the helpful photographs, and pay attention to the key points. If you feel tightness, restriction, and/or pain then that stretch will now become a part of your stretching routine for the next 2-4 weeks. Take note if you feel a muscle tighter on one side of your body more than the other. If you do not feel a stretch in the intended area, fear not. This is completely normal. Review the guidelines and key points to make sure you are doing the stretch correctly. Still not feeling anything? Congratulations! You are not tight in this area. This stretch will not be a part of your corrective stretch phase. Forget it and move onto the next stretch position. Do not feel bad if you are tight just about everywhere, these stretches have been selected specifically because they are the most common areas to get tight. I was tight everywhere when I first started, I had to do all of the stretches. I progressed very quickly because I religiously followed the guidelines set in the next few sections. I couldn't spend my whole day in the gym, so I had to cut back on other exercises to squeeze in all the stretches. But within a few weeks I was a stretching believer because all of my chronic aches and pains just disappeared. Maintaining my flexibility is much easier now that I am in the maintenance phase. I only need to stretch a few times a week after a workout or when I am hunched over my computer for too long and I'm completely pain free. Now I can bang out a quicky full body stretch in just about fifteen minutes, ten in a real rush.

In a nutshell. By now you know all of your tight areas and are ready to get started on your corrective stretching phase. Perform each stretch 30-60 seconds, 1-2 times daily, 4-6 days per week for 2-4 weeks. Each muscle and person will progress at a different rate. After the initial 2-4 weeks you can transition into a maintenance stretching phase of 3-4 days per week holding each stretch 10-30

When should I stretch? The best time to stretch is when you can actually fit it into your daily schedule 4-6 days per week. The following are the best case scenarios. If you wake up with muscle tightness and soreness, then stretch in the morning preferably after a hot shower or bath. For optimal flexibility gains stretch 1-2 hours before going to bed. When we sleep, our muscles repair themselves from the days activities. When a muscle repairs itself in a lengthened, relaxed state instead of a shortened, tight state it provides optimal flexibility the whole next day. Stretch after a workout or physical activity because a warm muscle can stretch further than a cold one and it also helps prevent muscle soreness. Try not to stretch a cold muscle, always warm up with a 5-10 minute light warm-up of walking or biking to increase muscle temperature and muscle flexibility. 'When' is not the most important factor with this phase of stretching, just doing it is the most important. When pinched for time, just do the tightest areas in a shortened format.

How Much Is Too Much? The stretch position should have a tight feeling, never pain. Achieve the stretch position slowly and gently, with no jerking or bouncing. It is very easy to overstretch a muscle and cause more harm than good. It is a fine line between pain and tightness so always ease into each stretch with less intense effort, never pain.

How long should I hold each stretch? Hold each stretch a minimum of 30 seconds. An area that feels exceptionally tight you might want to hold for 60 seconds time permitting. The problem is not holding the stretch too long, but not holding the stretch long enough especially when just starting because it will take longer for the muscle to relax. Keep track of the imbalances between your right and left, because not every muscle in your body is going to have the same flexibility on both sides of your body. If you notice a discrepancy, stretch the tighter side an extra 20-30 seconds. Stretching each side the same amount of time will maintain the imbalance. The greatest benefit of corrective stretching is creating muscular balance on both sides of your body.

Just breathe, you must chill. The cornerstone of stretching is relaxation. The cornerstone of relaxation is breathing. Holding your breath or moving too quickly during each stretch will instinctively tighten up your whole body to protect itself. Take deep inhalations and slowly count to four on each exhalation. Focus on relaxing the muscle you are stretching. With each exhalation, gently deepen the stretch but never to pain until you can go no further. When we exhale our body naturally relaxes and that is the best time to try to increase range of motion. Never hold your breath.

When do I progress to the maintenance phase? This will be different for each individual and each muscle. How quickly your body adapts will depend upon the following: how many days a week you are stretching (Six days/week will yield quicker results than four), how long you are able to hold each stretch (60 seconds yields quicker results than 30 seconds), how many times a day you are stretching (twice daily is quicker than once), genetic and structural limitations, and injuries. Some muscles will progress so quickly that you can move into the maintenance phase within only a few weeks. Other areas will progress much more slowly and might need to stay in the corrective phase for several weeks. When the muscle no longer feels discomfort, tightness, or restriction then it is time for the maintenance phase which will vary with each different body part. Expect to have some body parts in the corrective phase and others in the maintenance phase.

What is the maintenance phase again? When the muscle no longer feels discomfort, tightness, or restriction then it is time for the maintenance phase which will vary with each different body part. The stretches remain the same in the maintenance phase. The only difference is you hold the stretch 20-30 seconds, once daily, 3-4 times per week. It is that easy. If increased ranges of motion are still required more advanced stretching techniques (PNF, myofascial release, and dynamic) should be utilized under the guidance of a qualified physical therapist, chiropractor, or fitness professional.

When can I stop? Never! Not the answer you were probably looking for, but it is the unfortunate truth. Your muscles have a very bad short term memory. If you stop stretching, all of your original short, tight muscles will slowly creep back. Since you are not getting rid of the reasons why your body got the imbalances in the first place, they will always try to come back. The good news is that you can very easily maintain your new found range of motion by continuing with the maintenance phase. Just a little bit goes a long way, but stopping all at once will drastically reverse all of your progress in a few short weeks.

Oh God, there's more? As previously mentioned when certain muscles get short and tight, other muscles get lengthened and weak. These stretches are a great way to lengthen those short and tight muscles. But we also need to strengthen those weak areas in order to maintain our new found flexibility. Regular strength workouts 2-3 times per week reduce the likelihood that you'll get a muscle imbalance that could cause pain. Incorporate strengthening exercises to target these weak areas to maximize your performance. For example when you sit a desk all day your chest and upper neck muscles get very short and tight. You need to stretch those areas and strengthen the muscles that help pinch your shoulder blades together called your posterior deltoid, rhomboids, and mid/lower-trapezius. Don't worry it's not as technical as it sounds, just pinch your shoulder blades back and down.

More ways to ease the pain. If a day or two of stretching does not help your sore muscles, try these common remedies.

About the Author:

Kevin Hensel is a certified personal trainer and performance enhancement specialist located in Cherry Hill, NJ. For the past 11 years he has helped hundreds of clients achieve their weight loss goals at his personal training studio called Fit-4-Life, Inc.