There are numerous types of stretches to help improve flexibility, whether we’re talking about back stretches, upper-body stretches, or even leg stretches. There is huge importance placed on working out your body for overall health, but there’s not much emphasis on the importance of stretching. It’s usually referenced as an afterthought to exercise. Indeed, stretching may not be glamorous, but incorporating flexibility work is quite important in your fitness routine.
There are two main concepts in regards to why stretching frequently improves your mobility. First, it lengthens your muscles over time, permitting you to achieve more complex movements without your body discerning it as pain. The second is that it increases your nerve tolerance, allowing you to stretch your muscles further without placing much stress on your muscles.
As we age, we lose flexibility, and our muscles shorten and become tight. This makes our muscles weak and unable to extend all the way when we need to engage them. For instance, sitting most of the day can result in tight hamstrings, making it difficult to extend your knee or leg all the way.
Not stretching can put you at risk for injury because it can cause certain muscles and joints to overcompensate for those that are unable to engage properly. This may lead to pain, strains, and muscle damage. Ultimately, increased mobility and flexibility lead to better muscle recruitment and range of motion. This in turn promotes your ability to do more exercises—and do them properly during your workouts.
In this blog post, we share some of the importance, as well as the different types of stretches, to help you maximize your flexibility.
The 5 Different Types of Stretches with Examples
Stretching is an important aspect of exercise that helps increase your range of motion to safely complete movements and lessen the risk of muscle injury.
There are a few different types of stretches that can be done to enhance your mobility. Remember, some types of stretches will be more beneficial at specific points of exercise than others. Knowing the best time to stretch and when a particular type of stretching exercise is most appropriate is vital.
Types of Stretches: Static Stretching
Static stretching is a type of stretching intended to extend the muscles for a specified period— usually 10-60 seconds. With static stretching, the muscle is extended until your feel a mild stretch on your muscle.
A lot of people — when referring to stretching techniques — often use the terms passive stretching and static stretching interchangeably or think they are the same. However, there is a difference between the two.
Passive Stretching involves an external factor — like a person or a device — assisting your joint through its range of motion while you assume a relaxed position. However, with Static Stretching, your muscles are stretched to their maximum length and then held for some time, while your body stays still in the stretching pose.
Unlike dynamic stretches, static stretches are stationary and do not involve any motion. They can be done during workouts, are ideal for cooling down, and are great post-workout to help reduce the risk of injury.
Cobra stretch
- Lay flat with your abdomen on the ground and your feet stretched behind you.
- Place your hands next to your chest and
- Engage your back muscles and glutes to curl the chest up away from the floor.
Types of Stretches: Dynamic Stretching
Dynamic Stretching is the most common type of stretching. It consists of active, controlled movements to increase range of motion and mobility. It also entails moving through stretches repeatedly in a fluid motion.
This type of stretching is done particularly for warming up to target the muscle groups and movements that you’ll be using during your workout. Although, it can also be helpful during your workout training as well!
When performing these stretches, be sure to incorporate a series of continuous movements similar to those you’ll perform during your workout session. Dynamic stretching, when performed correctly, aims to prevent injury, and improve performance and agility. This will help enhance your flexibility and ease the tightness in your muscles and joints.
Example: Lunge Stretch
- Start off standing straight up.
- Engage your core and take a big step forward with your right leg, shifting your weight so your heel lands first.
- Then, lower your body until your right thigh is parallel to the floor and your right shin is vertical.
- Slightly deepen the pose to get a good stretch.
- Press into your right heel to drive yourself back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the left leg.
Forms of Stretching: Active Stretching
Active stretching refers to the form of stretch in which you hold a position using only the muscles in the specific group that the pose is designed to target. They eliminate the need for assistance such as a partner, accessory, or device. In other words, you’re not utilizing any external support as one muscle is lengthened and the other is contracted.
Active stretches can be done before, during, and after a workout session, as they’re designed to help you warm up certain muscles and joints before physical activity. These types of stretches promote blood flow to the muscle groups that you’ll be targeting in the course of your workout. This is because it gets your heart and blood pumping and also loosens up your muscles, which makes it ideal for warming up before a workout.
The main aim of active stretching isn’t necessarily to increase your flexibility; rather it’s a way to brace up your body for the upcoming physical activity. Notwithstanding, it’ll help with improving your overall performance and range of motion.
Example: Jumping jacks
- Begin standing straight with your legs together and arms flat at your sides.
- Spread your legs shoulder-width apart.
- Bend your knees slightly and jump into the air, stretching your arms out and over your head.
- Jump to return back to starting position.
- Repeat for at least 8 – 10 reps.
Forms of Stretching: Passive Stretching
Passive stretching also referred to as relaxed stretching, requires the assistance of an external factor —such as a prop, equipment, or partner— to increase the stretch, while your body takes a relaxed position. This means that you do not actively contribute to the increased range of motion. This is the best kind of stretching for enhancing one’s balance, increasing flexibility, easing muscle tension, and reducing pain.
This type of stretching is best done after working out and is an excellent post-workout stretch to help cool down following an exercise routine. Additionally, it eases post-workout muscle soreness and is useful in relieving spasms in muscles that are healing from an injury.
Assisted Hamstring Stretch
- Lie on the ground with a band or rope over one foot.
- Squeeze your glutes and quads, and then actively lift up your leg as high as it can go.
- When your leg won’t go any further, give it a gentle pull with the rope or band, and hold for a few seconds.
- Hold for a few seconds
- Repeat, switching legs.
Types of Stretches: Ballistic Stretching
Types of Stretches: Ballistic Stretching
The ballistic Stretching technique is the most controversial kind of stretching. These deep stretches target specific muscle groups using repetitive bouncing and abrupt movements.
Ballistic stretching involves stretching a specific muscle past its normal range of motion based on comfort level. Once the end of the range of motion has been achieved, the muscle or joint is then forced a little further.
This stretching method should be performed carefully and safely under the supervision of an expert to reduce your risk of injury. It is best performed by those who have received proper training from athletic coaches and/or fitness professionals.
Front Splits
A front split requires more flexibility of your hamstrings and stretches the hamstring of the leg in front and the hip flexor of the leg in the back.
- Stretch one leg out completely straight in front of you
- Now stretch the other leg out completely behind you.
- Your hips should be even with the floor.
- To maintain even flexibility in both legs, you should switch leg positions every time you stretch.
The Importance and Benefits of Stretching
There are many benefits of stretching. If you start stretching every day, you’ll be assisting your muscles to remain strong, and flexible. That way, when muscles are suddenly called upon for activities that stretch them, you maintain a healthy range of motion in your joints.
Ensure to speak with a physical therapist or professional before starting a stretching routine if you’re experiencing muscle pain or joint discomfort, or are seeking specific exercises to target and relieve such areas.
The following lists some of the benefits and importance of stretching;
- Boosts your athletic performance.
- Lowers your risk of muscle injury or damage.
- It aids muscle flexibility to help maintain a healthy range of motion in the joints.
- Helps alert you to muscle imbalances.
- Stretching helps ease muscle tension.
- Stretching helps keep your muscles strong, and healthy.
- A good stretch can help loosen tight neck and shoulders.
- Prevents your back and hip flexors from getting too tight.
- Increases blood flow and improves circulation, which is necessary for healthy brain function.
In our next article, we shed more light on the reasons you should stretch at certain periods of your workout training.
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