Stretching is DEAD

Used to be, in the old days, we had to stretch before we exercised. Now we do all this movement before we workout, like rowing, squatting, push-ups, jumping rope etc before really getting down to it. That’s right, now we prepare the body for work by warming up the joints and muscles. We work ‘em hard, and then gotta cool ‘em down.

Lately we have had you pull your leg toward your head with a jump rope while you simultaneously push the foot away from your head. Sometimes we get you in a lunge position so that your tail bone is tilted toward the ground and make you squeeze your glute and push your back foot into the ground. What is all this confusing instruction about anyway???

It’s PNF baby: Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation. It’s kind of a mouthful so we just called it PNF.  It’s flexibility training that involves both the stretching and contraction of the muscle group being targeted. That’s why we have you lay on your back, stretch your leg so that you find the end range of your hamstring, and then resist your foot into the jump rope. Notice how much more flexibility you have in those hammies after we get done with some PNF.

Some folks call this Resistance Stretching, ala Dara Torres and what got her ready for the Olympics, but in the end it is all the same.

Bottom line: We work hard, and our bodies need flexibility training so that the muscles don’t seize up on your drive home, or later that day. Take a few moments through-out your day to incorporate some PNF into your life. It will make all the difference in your performance. Try it out in your life and let us know what you find.

-Beth