Flexibility training methods

The core logic for ordinary people to safely and efficiently improve flexibility has never been to copy a certain set of Internet celebrity stretching procedures, but to "match the training scene and select stretching techniques, adjust the force mode corresponding to the body part, and control the stretch feeling within a safe threshold." There is no universal "optimal method". The most effective solution is to adapt to your current sports foundation and training goals.

To be honest, people who have just started practicing flexibility will most likely be fooled. There are all kinds of things said on the Internet: Some people say that static stretching is useless, and you will lose strength if you practice it.； Some people say that dynamic stretching is just a show, and it is not as effective as static stretching for half an hour. In the past few years, the fitness circle even argued for many years about "whether static stretching can be done during warm-up." Both groups used papers as evidence, and novices didn't know what to choose after reading it. In fact, the 2022 ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) guidelines have long given a neutral conclusion: as long as a single set of static stretching in the warm-up phase is controlled within 30 seconds, the impact on strength and explosive power can be completely ignored. On the contrary, people with limited joint mobility, such as fitness novices who cannot squat, can directly increase the squat range by adding three sets of 20-second static stretching of the hip flexors to each warm-up. I used to take care of a 180cm young man. When he first came here, he could only squat until his thighs were parallel. I adjusted this method and he was able to squat until his hips were lower than his knees in two weeks, and he didn't lose any weight in the deadlift.

However, when it comes to stretching during the warm-up phase, most people now think of dynamic stretching first, but there are many pitfalls in this. When I was running a marathon two years ago, I met a runner. During the warm-up, he felt that the static stretching was too slow, so he swung his leg to almost 180 degrees. He pulled his hamstring on the spot and the pain lasted half a month. The core of dynamic stretching is never "the higher you throw it and the faster you move, the better". It is to gradually push the mobility to the edge within a controllable range. For example, when doing an insect crawl, each time you reach your feet forward, stop for 1 second and feel a clear stretch in your buttocks before moving. This is much more effective than crawling 10 meters with hula hula.

Oh, by the way, there is also PNF stretching, which has become very popular in the past two years and is also the most controversial category. Some people say that it is 30% more efficient than static stretching and can unlock a straight horse in half a month. Others say that it is too easy to get injured and cannot be touched by novices. Objectively speaking, the "contraction-relaxation" logic of PNF has indeed been verified by the rehabilitation community. I had been practicing yoga for two months and found a rehabilitation practitioner to adjust PNF three times before going straight away. But the premise is that you can use it: when exerting force against force, the intensity should not exceed 30% of the maximum strength. It is best to have knowledgeable people to assist. Novices who practice blindly at home may easily strain their muscles in order to exert force to the maximum range.

There is really no one way to use the whole body. The logic of stretching for tight shoulders and tight legs is very different. For example, office workers who work at their desks every day have shoulder pain. They pull on the door frame to pull their chest, but it doesn't work for half a month. It's probably because the upper trapezius muscle is too tight. First, use a foam roller to roll your upper back for 2 minutes, and then pull the pectoralis minor. The effect is immediate. A former colleague of mine used this method, and most of his shoulder pain was relieved in a week. Besides, many people have tight hamstrings, and they press hard when they bend over and can’t reach their toes. In fact, all the tension is on the lower back, and the hamstrings are not touched at all. Remember to tighten your core and keep your back straight. Even if you can only touch your ankles, it is more useful than bending down and arching your back to touch the ground.

Many people have a misunderstanding that the more painful the stretch, the more effective it is. I once met a little girl who asked her roommate to sit on her lap and press her in order to practice the one-piece horse. She cried on the spot. The next day, her hamstrings were swollen and she had to rest for less than half a month. On the contrary, she was even tighter than before. There is really no need. As long as the pain of stretching exceeds the threshold of "tolerable soreness and swelling without suffocation of breath", the muscles will automatically activate the protective mechanism to contract, making the exercise in vain and prone to injury. You don’t have to force yourself to pull for half an hour every day. Office workers can do it while sitting on a chair. Sit in a one-third position, straighten one leg and slowly lean forward with your upper body. Change legs for 20 seconds. Take 10 minutes to do it every day. It is much more effective than pulling for an hour on weekends.

In fact, to put it bluntly, flexibility training is the most "honest" training. How much attention you put on the feeling of your muscles will determine how much feedback it will give you. You don’t need to pursue a quick fix, or follow Internet celebrities and buy a bunch of stretching belts and yoga bricks. Just do it three or four times a week for ten minutes each time. Don’t be distracted by scrolling through your mobile phone while practicing. Gradually you will find that you can do squats that you couldn’t do before, and your shoulders from sitting for a long time no longer hurt. Isn’t that enough?