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How
To Stretch for Health
By Gary Matthews
By the time you finish reading this article
I’m sure you will find time to stretch
every day. The lack of flexibility in people
is now seen to be the major cause of general
health problems and sports injury and is
also being linked to everything from stress,
back pain, and even osteoarthritis.
It also means that nagging injuries, especially
around your joints take longer to heal.
The latest studies show that up to 60 percent
of the general population with bad backs
and knees have tight hamstrings and hips
and the main cause of this is a lack of
flexibility.
Active-Isolated Stretching (AI)
Olympians have been employing Active-Isolated
Stretching (AI) now for about 10 years,
but it has only recently been brought to
the public’s attention.
I have used this technique on my clients
for quite a while now with great success,
while adding renewed life and spring to
tired out muscles. AI stretching prevents
injury, as conventional stretching can cause
real harm such as muscle pulls and tears.
AI stretching does what stretching is supposed
to do; it transports oxygen to sore muscles
and quickly removes toxins so recovery is
faster. It also works as a deep massage
technique because it activates muscle fibres
during the actual stretch.
How to Stretch
Before stretching, dress in loose clothing
and try and acquire a five-foot length of
rope and tie a loop in the end. The purpose
of this is to loop the end of rope around
the exercising appendage to squeeze the
last couple of inches of stretch from the
exercise.
Find a comfortable place to stretch either
on your bed, a carpeted floor or on a mat.
Isolate the muscle or group you want to
stretch then contract the muscle opposite.
This causes the isolated muscle or group
to relax straight away and when it does
it is ready to stretch.
Gently and quickly stretch the isolated
muscle until it can’t be stretched
any further; now give yourself a gentle
pull with your hands or rope. Go as far
as you can and then hold the stretch for
no more than 2 seconds then release, do
this for a total of 5 repetitions on the
isolated muscle or group.
The reason for just a 2-second stretch
is because when a muscle realizes that it
is being forced into a stretch it contracts
to protect itself from being overstretched.
If you can beat this contraction you’ll
be well on the way to a greater Range of
Motion.
Remember to hold for no more than 2 seconds,
release, return to the normal position and
repeat for the five repetitions. Try not
to have any hesitations between stretches
and make it as fluid as possible. Try to
stretch every day if possible, remember
to:
• Work one target muscle at a time.
• Contract the muscle that is opposite
the targeted muscle, which will relax in
preparation of its stretch.
• Stretch it gently and quickly.
• Release it before it realizes that
it has been stretched and goes into its
protective contraction.
Below are two exercises that can be done
straight away even while you are at work
to stretch that tension and stress from
of your body.
• Lie down on the floor with your
buttocks against a wall and your legs straight
up the wall. Slowly flex your toes towards
your knees, hold for two seconds and repeat
five times. This will loosen up your lower
back and stretch your hamstrings and hips
giving instant relief for tired backs.
This exercise can be done while at the
office anytime you start to feel that stress
and tension building up.
• Sitting in a chair and putting
one leg out straight, flex your toes towards
your knee, now lean towards that foot, stretching
your hands towards it and letting your head
and shoulders follow, hold for two seconds
and repeat five times. This will create
a stretch right across your lower back and
neck.
A flexible body is:
• More efficient
• More easily trained for strength
and endurance
• Enjoys more range of motion
• Stays balanced more easily and is
less prone to injury
• Recovers from workouts more quickly,
and feels better.
Your goal? To start
utilizing these exercises every day and
say goodbye to your stress and tension.
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