The Practical Guide to Stretching
I wanted to cover the broad subject of stretching. Many of you may be like me and have no problem working out daily, but may struggle to fit in your post-workout or daily mobility routine. When searching the internet for information on stretching it's easy to fall into articles that preach outdated concepts or get stuck on the science behind different types of stretches. Instead of covering GTOs (Golgi Tendon Organs), muscle spindles, or any other biological mechanism related to stretching I want to provide you with what I'm calling the practical guide to stretching. We'll cover the common types of stretching, effective protocols related to each type, how to select the "right" stretches and some bonus content for my fellow scientific deep divers. Let's dive in!
Types of Stretching
Static- Holding a stretch at the end range of motion for an extended period of time to increase the range of motion.
Dynamic- Moving a limb through a full active range of motion for repetitions to “warm-up” a specific joint and set of muscle groups.
Ballistic- This is a momentum-based practice, similar to dynamic stretching, where the goal is to move beyond your normal range of motion. If you’re prone to dislocations, subluxations, or other joint injuries, it’s best to choose a different method of stretching.
PNF (Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation)- Bringing a limb into its full active range of motion, then exhaling while actively resisting against an external force (often for 7 seconds), you then inhale and release tension before actively bringing the same limb even further into its active range of motion. This process is often repeated three times per side before switching to the alternate limb and can be completed using multiple sets per side.
Protocols
Static- Preferred method of stretching for increasing limb range of motion (over dynamic, ballistic, and PNF). If you’re going to choose one type of stretching to include in your weekly schedule, static is your most effective option. 30-40% of your maximum perceived level of intensity during these stretches has been shown to be ideal.
Best performed after a training session
30 seconds per stretch
2-4 sets
5 days per week
5 minutes per week total per muscle group
Dynamic- Often a great choice before workouts to improve range of motion and promote activation of specific muscle groups that will be used during that workout session.
Best performed before a training session
8-12 repetitions of each movement taking the limb through the full range of motion
1-2 sets of each movement
Examples include shoulder circles, hip circles, and leg swings.
Ballistic- Best to avoid for most individuals.
Athletes who are training for specific plyometric actions can complete repetitions of quick, and forceful movements that bring them past their normal end range of motion.
PNF- These are often facilitated by another individual or can be performed solo with the help of a stretching strap depending on the stretch performed.
As described earlier in the article, a typical session of PNF stretching includes two to three sets per side of a seven-second isometric resistance phase coupled with a reset of the active range of motion.
Selecting Stretches- The stretches that are best suited for you right now are likely different than the stretches that are in my current protocols. We all have different needs that are influenced by our daily activities, hobbies, health history, and lifestyles. A simple way to select the right stretches is to assess which areas of your body are often tight and choose a few stretches that target the muscle group around those areas. For example, my hips and shoulders are often my areas of tension and because of this, I include stretches like pigeon pose, downward dog, and seated hamstring stretches for my hips while including rotational squat wall reaches and overhead triceps stretches to help with my overhead tightness. See what’s tight, select a few stretches for your top two areas of tension, and add this handful of movements to the end of your training sessions to help improve your flexibility and quality of life.
Bonus: The Anderson Method- Focus on feeling the stretch instead of holding onto the goal of always stretching for a particular distance. Imagine splitting your 30-second stretch into two sections. 15 seconds are spent in easy mode and the final 15 seconds are spent in the middle zone of intensity. Here’s a PDF of his book on stretching if you’d like to dive deeper (Page 12-13 is a great overview of the basic concept).
Thanks for reading and I hope you have an incredible (or meaningful) rest of your week.
Sincerely,
Shiloh at Whealth
Resources
Huge shoutout to Huberman Lab's In-depth podcast covering these topics.
Studies- A Comparison of Two Stretching Modalities on Lower-Limb Range of Motion Measurements in Recreational Dancers
The Relation Between Stretching Typology and Stretching Duration: The Effects on Range of Motion
The Effect of Time and Frequency of Static Stretching on Flexibility of the Hamstring Muscles