Opposing Muscle Activation for Maximal Stretch!
Did you know that muscle flexibility has several benefits? It's not just about reducing the risk of injury or improving posture. It also enhances your range of motion in joints, boosts athletic performance, increases blood flow to muscles, and even helps with stress relief and pain management. All these benefits stem from preventing muscle tightness and tension.
There are a few different ways to stretch the muscles of the body. The most important thing to know is to avoid static stretching with cold muscles. Static stretching is holding a stretch for a period of time. It's most effective after a workout when muscles are warm. Static stretching can help increase the range of motion, decrease stiffness, and reduce the risk of muscle strain injuries. There is also Dynamic stretching, a type of stretching that's better to do before activity. It involves stretching through constant movement with big motions.
Now, back to opposing muscle activation. One of my favorite ways to stretch for increased flexibility is through opposing muscle activation, otherwise known as active stretching.
When you actively stretch a muscle while contracting the muscle that opposes it, you effectively use the opposing muscle to create the stretch. This technique, known as reciprocal inhibition, is a key aspect of the Opposing Muscle Activation method. Reciprocal inhibition is a neurological phenomenon that occurs when the agonist muscle is contracted, causing the antagonist muscle to relax. This allows for deeper stretching and can help improve flexibility and reduce tension.
Here's an example of how to use reciprocal inhibition to stretch the hamstrings: Get into your favorite hamstring stretch, then
Engage the quadriceps
This relaxes the hamstrings, allowing for a deeper stretch
Give it a try! Can you feel it?
