Flexibility training essentials

The core movement essentials of flexibility training can be summarized as "pre-warm-up, alignment of force lines, controllable amplitude, and adaptation to the target." There is no need to pursue the pain of extreme stretching, nor to rigidly stick to a fixed duration. All movement selection and execution standards must serve your current training purpose and physical tolerance. This is the underlying logic recognized by all schools.

Let me give you an example I encountered last year. Xiao Zhou, who had just joined the gym, skipped the warm-up every time in order to do cross splits quickly. He would sit on the mat and press down when he came up. He strained his adductor muscles after only three attempts. After resting at home for two months, he even hurt when running. Many people's first impression of flexibility training is that "pain = effective". In fact, it is completely the opposite. The essence of stretching is to relax the target muscle fibers and expand the range of joint mobility. Once pain occurs, it means that the tolerance threshold of the muscles has been exceeded. If you push harder, you will only be injured. It will also trigger the stretch reflex of the muscles. The muscle fibers contract instinctively, but the muscles become tighter and tighter.

As for how far the warm-up should be done, the requirements of different training systems are quite different. If you train with a bodybuilding coach, you will most likely be asked to do elliptical machines or jumping jacks for 5 minutes first. Wait until your whole body is slightly sweaty, and then do 3 sets of dynamic activation of the target muscles. For example, do 15 high leg raises in place before stretching the hamstring muscles; if you practice fighting, The instructor may directly lead you to do a round of kicking and swinging with joints wrapped around the joints and light resistance, to move the ligaments and joint capsules and then stretch them; the yoga system pays more attention to the whole body linkage. Most people will first do 3 sets of moon worship poses to warm up the entire posterior chain before entering into static stretching. I can't say which one is better. If you practice whatever you want, just follow the corresponding system. You're right.

When stretching, many people always think about "reaching the feet" and "sticking to the legs." In order to bend down and arch the back, it seems that the movements are full, but in fact, all the stress is on the compensating parts, and the target muscles have no feeling at all. Taking the most common seated angle forward bend as an example, the correct logic for exerting force should be to first move the anterior superior iliac spines (the two protruding hard bones below your waist) forward, keep the upper body straight and then slowly lower the lower back until you feel a pulling sensation on the inner thigh. However, this is controversial. I know a few veteran powerlifters who like to arch their backs slightly when stretching the hamstrings after deadlifting. They say that the stretch is more concentrated on the hamstrings. As long as the lumbar spine does not hurt, there is no problem. There is no need to completely block the standard yoga movements. After all, everyone has different training goals.

As for the extent of stretching, the most controversial thing on the Internet right now is whether PNF (Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation) stretching is suitable for ordinary people. To put it simply, this method is to stretch until it is sore and hold it for 30 seconds, then actively resist the stretching force for 10 seconds, and then deepen the stretch. Many professional athletes use this method to quickly increase their range of motion. But I asked a friend in the rehabilitation department and he did not recommend that ordinary enthusiasts try it casually. Most people can't control the intensity of resistance, and either it has no effect or directly strains. Instead, it is better to do static stretching honestly. Stop when there is a slight feeling of soreness. Hold for 20-30 seconds and do 3 groups. It is enough. I used to practice rock climbing and had to pull my forearms every time after climbing. At the beginning, I always held on to the elastic band and pulled hard. My wrists were stiff the next day after pulling. Later, I stopped when I felt a stretch, and the tightness disappeared very quickly.

There is another point that many people overlook. Stretching exercises should change according to the training goals. There is no universal "standard package". If you just want to relax on a daily basis, you can stretch your shoulders, neck and calves when you get home from work. It’s okay to hold each movement for 1 minute and stretch your whole body after doing it; but if you want to practice heavy squats today, don’t do long-term static stretching during warm-up, otherwise the muscle elasticity will decrease, you will not be able to exert force when squatting and you will easily sprain your feet. It is much more suitable to switch to dynamic hip circles and walking lunges. Don’t blindly follow the dances of dancers who wear out your legs and tear your hips. People have to pursue the limit of joint mobility for professional needs. For ordinary enthusiasts, as long as it can meet daily activities and does not affect strength training, it is enough. If you insist on learning, it will easily loosen the joints, which is not worth the gain.

Oh, by the way, there is another small detail that no one mentions but is very important. Do not do deep stretching on an empty stomach or within half an hour after eating. It is easy to cause hypoglycemia and dizziness on an empty stomach. Diarrhea and leg pressing right after eating can easily cause breathing problems. Girls should also try to avoid deep stretching of the hips and lower abdomen during menstruation to avoid discomfort. In fact, there is no "standard answer" that must be followed in flexibility training. Your own body feeling is always more reliable than the standard tutorials on the Internet. If you feel relaxed all over the body after stretching and there is no tingling or lingering soreness, then this action is right for you.