Flexibility Research Paper

The more you stretch, the faster reaction time and speed you develop. This is because the muscles react quicker and easier within the myelin sheath. Also, when you stretch, your muscles loosen up and soreness is reduced. This maintains the body’s flexibility. There are four major stretching techniques: static, ballistic, dynamic, and contract and relax. In static stretching, the muscle is stretched till its point Of tension (farthest point) for ten to thirty seconds, increasing the amount of mime the stretch is held as flexibility increases.

Not all stretching is beneficial; an example is ballistic stretching. Just the word %legalistic’ should give you an idea about the exercise. Ballistic stretching is where the muscle is bobbed or bounced against. This exercise is dangerous because it can cause pain, muscle soreness, and can damage soft tissue. Avoid using this technique. Two other ‘safe’ stretching techniques are dynamic and contract and relax stretching. If you are warming up for practice of a certain sport or a intention, you should use the dynamic stretching technique.

In this technique, sport-specific types of activities are mimicked. This increases range of motion of a joint. Lastly, there is contract and relax stretching. In this technique, the muscle that is to be stretched is contracted first. The person performs an isometric contraction, which means the muscle never changes length. While the person is contracting, a partner provides resistance, creating some tension. There are various stretches with various benefits that an be performed daily.

One stretch that can be performed daily is the calf stretch. This stretch is performed by kneeling on the floor with one foot up, the other on the floor, and both hands on the floor. This loosens up the calf muscles and prevents future cramps and injury. Another stretch is a lunge stretch. In this position, you should have one knee on the floor and the other in a 90 degree angle. This stretch targets multiple muscles, improves balance, and strengthens core muscles. Next, there is the knees to the chest exercise.

Quite simply, you lie on the floor and pull your knees to your chest. This reduces tension in the lower back. Then, there is the inner thigh stretch. In this position, you sit on the floor with your feet pressed together. This keeps your legs balanced and stabilized throughout exercise. Anally, a stretch that can be performed daily is the hamstring stretch. This stretch is performed by lying on the floor, straightening one leg, and pulling it towards you. The benefits of this are reduced back pain and risk of injury.