My friend, Virginia, asked me for the Cliff Notes version of this column. Here it is! Hope this helps!
1. We usually define Stretching by what we want it to do and think it does: flexibility and increased Range of Motion (ROM).
2. A more accurate definition of Stretching is “Tensile Load,” which describes what stretching actually does and includes the notion of the maximum load that a muscle will bear without breaking.
3. Stretching a muscle will temporarily increase its length (increased ROM) but it will return to the original length when the load (stretching) stops.
4. If we stretch too long (overstretch), the muscle will tear instead of returning to its original length, and it may take 2-3 years to repair the tear.
5. It is safe to stretch 30-60 seconds, with repetition, which will gradually teach our nervous system to allow the muscle to get a little longer.
6. It is also safe to stretch with resistance, like Ki-Hara Resistance Stretching, where each stretch is accompanied by resistance to that stretch and protected from overstretching.
7. Ki-Hara Resistance Stretching is also effective because it increases the sarcomeres (fibers) in the muscle and makes it longer.
My friend, Virginia, asked me for the Cliff Notes version of this column. Here it is! Hope this helps!
1. We usually define Stretching by what we want it to do and think it does: flexibility and increased Range of Motion (ROM).
2. A more accurate definition of Stretching is “Tensile Load,” which describes what stretching actually does and includes the notion of the maximum load that a muscle will bear without breaking.
3. Stretching a muscle will temporarily increase its length (increased ROM) but it will return to the original length when the load (stretching) stops.
4. If we stretch too long (overstretch), the muscle will tear instead of returning to its original length, and it may take 2-3 years to repair the tear.
5. It is safe to stretch 30-60 seconds, with repetition, which will gradually teach our nervous system to allow the muscle to get a little longer.
6. It is also safe to stretch with resistance, like Ki-Hara Resistance Stretching, where each stretch is accompanied by resistance to that stretch and protected from overstretching.
7. Ki-Hara Resistance Stretching is also effective because it increases the sarcomeres (fibers) in the muscle and makes it longer.