To understand the proper techniques for stretching it is helpful to know how the muscle and connective tissue respond to being stretched. There are areas within both your muscles and tendons that can sense both how quickly and how far your muscles and tendons are being stretched. These areas protect your muscles and tendons from becoming overstretched or torn during a quick stretch by causing a reflex muscle contraction. This muscle reaction is called the stretch reflex. A classic example of this is when someone taps your leg just below the kneecap. This action quickly stretches the quadriceps muscle (see Figure 7-2) and causes your thigh to contract and kick out your lower leg. The quicker the stretch, the stronger the reflex contraction. Therefore, by stretching slowly you avoid contracting the muscle you are trying to stretch!
Tendons respond to stretching as well. They cause the stretched muscle attached to the tendon to relax and signal its opposing muscle to contract. This protects the stretched muscle and tendon from tearing. As a stretch is held your muscles and tendons adapt to the new length.
The most effective stretches are performed slowly and are held for 10 - 30 seconds.
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