When i first began learning massage i was a novice student of the body. I didn't know much about anatomy & physiology, even less about energy systems and nutrition, and still less about health, fitness and well being. This post is about stretching; i've listed a few bits i've learnt along the way which are good to keep in mind at all times. Brad Walker is the current stretching guru (http://stretchcoach.com/), but other stretching gurus / schools of thought may work within other parameters, eg. Yogis.
Here are some things to consider.
1. Never stretch an injured muscle, group of muscles, or area.
Listen to your body, intuit what is being communicated by the varying systems. Aches are fine, pain is a warning. If muscles are trying to repair themselves and you go stretching them into this, that and the other position you may hinder the healing process if it is in the acute phase (1-6 weeks depending on severity of injury). Rest is the best remedy for injuries (and is also the time during which muscles are 'built'), remodeling the tissues and rehabilitation come later (often as early as 1-2 weeks in, depending...) when the pain is gone.
2. Warm up!
I was blown away to discover that stretching cold muscles is bad for them. My yogi friends have told me this is nonsense, but i see something in this and here's why. Muscles and fascia have a viscosity. When they are cold and stiff their flexibility and range of movement (ROM) are restricted by the thickness and stiffness of the tissue fibres. As muscles warm up, blood pumps into them and the heat produced softens and creates 'give', allowing much more lengthening and flexibility to occur during the stretch. Stretching cold means you're fighting harder against your bodies' protective mechanisms; working with restriction means you are putting your energies into something which has a limited effect and therefore benefit. Think of an elastic band, stiff and dry, that had been sat in a drawer losing its flexibility. If you pull on the elastic band, cracks begin to appear, tears around the edges form, and you could even rupture the whole thing, snapping it in two. Cold muscles are a bit like old elastic bands, metaphorically speaking. However, once you warm them with brief cardio (jumping, jogging, moving, shaking, mobilising - anything that increases your heart rate and raises your temperature) you lessen their viscosity, making the muscle far more flexible. This in turn means the muscle is stronger, and most importantly more stable, during these lovely movements which extend the structure to its limits. You obviously can stretch first thing in the morning, as i had been doing, but it is not the optimum time to stretch. Morning yoga routines are used to communicate restrictions and areas which need attention. Cold stretches should be held only for a few seconds, not extended too far, and should be more concerned with facilitating movement and mobilisation of joints. This sort of dynamic stretching is advised before exercise. Warm static stretches (after exercise/later in the day/evening/once warmed/anytime you notice you're hot!) should be held for much longer (30-60s), and breath work can be used to fully extend the muscle, gradually; often progressing over time - i mean days and weeks not seconds and minutes!
3.Know your limits.
Having said all that, never push beyond what feels safe. You should only ever stretch to the point of tension, not to the point of pain. Working to, or just beyond, your own point of bind (POB) will best allow the muscle to remain lengthened when its not in a stretched position. Stretching should never be 'pushed', and a good stretching routine should never be thought of as 'hard stretching'. You don't push into a stretch and you never force anything! Stretching is about easing the muscle to its full length and not beyond. Everyone's bodies are different, they are structured in slightly different ways and therefore move and work differently. The central nervous system (CNS) is a stubborn and sensitive system; it controls how many fibres in a muscle are contracted at any given time. You can't force the CNS to do what you tell it, you have to work with it, reassure it that no damage is being done, in order to achieve the best results. When a muscle is at its full comfortable length proprioceptors tell the CNS to shorten it, in order to prevent damage. The more the muscle stretch is forced, the more these spindles tell the CNS to contract it! Forcing a stretch actually undoes what you are trying to do. Just because your hyper mobile friend can bend this way and that doesn't mean you should be able to. Over stretching is bad! You could over lengthen muscles and prevent them from performing their tasks effectively and efficiently, and if that's not worrying enough as it is, this can create strain on other muscles or groups. Always stretch gently and slowly, you should be able to breathe deeply and easily throughout your routine.
4. Feel good!
A good stretch should feel nice. Relax, let it all hang loose, allow your body to do its thing. Trust yourself and your body. Breathe, notice, be aware of yourself and the structures that make you you. Alter your routine as frequently as possible and over time try a variety of different stretches on each muscle or group. This will promote maximum flexibility and strength in the musculoskeletal system. Remember muscles only ever contract, they cannot actively lengthen themselves. A stretch is performed when other, opposing (antagonist) muscles are contracted; the last thing you want is to fatigue these contracting muscles and end up with cramp, or a strain in them!
