Different types of Stretching

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Types of Stretching

• Ballistic Stretching

• Static Stretching

• Dynamic Stretching

• Active Stretching

• Passive Stretching

• Isometric Stretching

• PNF Stretching

Ballistic Stretching

• Involves bouncing repeatedly.

• Can lead to injury.

• It does not allow the muscle to adjust to and relax in the newly stretched position.

• There is a stretch reflex that causes the opposite effect where the muscle is tightened up, rather than loosened.

Static Stretching

• Stretching to the furthest point and then hold in that position.

• Slightly different from passive stretching below.  Passive stretching involves an external holding force.

• Some references use static stretching and passive stretching interchangeably others, like above, make a distinction between the two definitions.

Dynamic Stretching

• Slow controlled movements, such as:  leg swings, arm swings, or torso twists

Active Stretching

• Found in yoga

• Assume a position and hold it without any other assistance other than using the strength of your agonist muscles.  The agonists at work allow for reciprocal inhibition by the antagonist muscles which are being stretched.

Passive Stretching (relaxed stretching)

• Assume a position and hold it with some apparatus, partner, or another part of your body.

• Example:  bring your feet up behind your hip and holding it there with your hand

Isometric (contraction) Stretching (mainly used as a definition, most people are using PNF stretching which involves isometric stretching)

• Assumes a stretched position then

• Follows with a isometric (no movement) contraction of the muscle being stretched

PNF Stretching

• PNF stands for proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation

• Combining passive stretching with isometric stretching.

• Contract-relax:  Example:  Start with passive stretch, then isometric contraction, relax, then stretch further contract again for 10 seconds, then relax for 20 seconds

• PNF stretches are considered one of the most efficient ways to improve on stretching ability.

A good source of info: http://www.cmcrossroads.com/bradapp/docs/rec/stretching/stretching_4.html, as it was the main source of info for above, plus some of my thoughts added in..  In that link, you will find the most highly referenced document on stretching on the internet that I have currently found, it also talks about the the different types of flexibility. 

Musician/Pianist that damaged his hands from stretching - stretching for piano players ...

Many pianists wish for larger reaches.  For me, my hands are small - great for a surgeon, but not so great for a pianist or violinist.  I would love to get more of a reach in my fingers.  Using this document, I know that I use passive stretching when I brace my hand against a table and gently stretch the thumb and pinky fingers away from each other, and I practice active stretching when playing octaves on the piano.  An interesting thought is that I have not practiced PNF stretching for my fingers.  Now that would be valuable!  But be careful.  Schumann reportedly damaged his right hand from over-stretching from using a mechanical device that exercised and stretched his hands.

• Schumann.  He had a damaged right hand.  It may have been from over stretching.   It is not 100% clear.  It may also be the side effect of his syphilis medication.

• So be careful.