Hi, I've purchased and read through your book "Stretching scientifically" and I must say it's wonderful. One question I have I don't recall finding an answer to in the book -
If I am fatigued and not practicing my dynamic stretching at maximal then the neurological ability to stretch at my maximum is decreased. Does the same apply to static stretching? I'm much more flexible after training, but on evenings when I'm resting from soreness and wish to prevent a loss of flexibility I stretch and I can't reach my maximum split. So my question is - Is it okay to not reach your maximum on static stretches while stretching during certain circumstances such as these, or will I be resetting my neurological settings to stretch at that length?
static flexibility and nerves
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Thomas Kurz
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static flexibility and nerves
Neither dynamic nor static flexibility can be permanently diminished by *occasionally* stretching at less than full range of motion--see “Stretching Scientifically” p. 121. In addition, the nervous control of range of motion plays a lesser role in static passive flexibility than in dynamic flexibility.
As you know from the book (p. 5), dynamic and static active flexibility lags behind static passive flexibility for the same joint. So, when you are well warmed up, your static passive range of motion (determined by the length of muscles and their connective tissues, their viscosity and plasticity, as well as by neural control) is likely greater than your dynamic range of motion--even though the mechanical properties of your muscles are the same. This is because of a greater role of nervous regulation of muscles' tension (and thus length) in dynamic flexibility than in static flexibility. For example, static stretches do not influence your kinesthetic sense the same way as dynamic stretches, they do not stimulate receptors of movement.
Maximal static passive range of motion depends more on the mechanical properties of the stretched muscles and their fibrous connective tissue (fasciae, tendons) and less on the nervous regulation--just opposite of the maximal dynamic range of motion. (On neural factors vs. mechanical properties of a muscle in determining flexibility read “Stretching Scientifically” pp. 113-114.) Isometric stretches are so effective at increasing static passive flexibility because of how they affect both the nervous control of muscle's length and the mechanical structure of the muscle. This is explained on pages 116 and 117 in “Stretching Scientifically” ( http://www.stretching.info/stretch.html ).
Doing static stretches cold you forfeit benefits of increased muscle temperature, reduced viscosity, and increased plasticity of the muscle's and their fibrous connective tissue. If you stretch strenuously without a warm-up you risk muscle damage (more soreness) and your flexibility gain may be less permanent than if you stretched after a warm-up. I discussed this in the book.
The issue of not reaching your maximum in static stretches without a warm-up should become irrelevant soon for you as you will eventually progress to the point when you will do full splits cold, with the main differences between warmed up and cold being the length of time needed to slide into a full split and the reduced plasticity of stretched tissues in the cold stretch.
As you know from the book (p. 5), dynamic and static active flexibility lags behind static passive flexibility for the same joint. So, when you are well warmed up, your static passive range of motion (determined by the length of muscles and their connective tissues, their viscosity and plasticity, as well as by neural control) is likely greater than your dynamic range of motion--even though the mechanical properties of your muscles are the same. This is because of a greater role of nervous regulation of muscles' tension (and thus length) in dynamic flexibility than in static flexibility. For example, static stretches do not influence your kinesthetic sense the same way as dynamic stretches, they do not stimulate receptors of movement.
Maximal static passive range of motion depends more on the mechanical properties of the stretched muscles and their fibrous connective tissue (fasciae, tendons) and less on the nervous regulation--just opposite of the maximal dynamic range of motion. (On neural factors vs. mechanical properties of a muscle in determining flexibility read “Stretching Scientifically” pp. 113-114.) Isometric stretches are so effective at increasing static passive flexibility because of how they affect both the nervous control of muscle's length and the mechanical structure of the muscle. This is explained on pages 116 and 117 in “Stretching Scientifically” ( http://www.stretching.info/stretch.html ).
Doing static stretches cold you forfeit benefits of increased muscle temperature, reduced viscosity, and increased plasticity of the muscle's and their fibrous connective tissue. If you stretch strenuously without a warm-up you risk muscle damage (more soreness) and your flexibility gain may be less permanent than if you stretched after a warm-up. I discussed this in the book.
The issue of not reaching your maximum in static stretches without a warm-up should become irrelevant soon for you as you will eventually progress to the point when you will do full splits cold, with the main differences between warmed up and cold being the length of time needed to slide into a full split and the reduced plasticity of stretched tissues in the cold stretch.
Thomas Kurz
Madrej glowie dosc dwie slowie
Madrej glowie dosc dwie slowie