Can you get Fit in 6 minutes?

Read between the lines and you will find some interesting things.

emmanuel

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Can you get fit in 6 minutes?
By GRETCHEN REYNOLDS

A few years ago, researchers at the National Institute of Health and Nutrition in Japan put rats through a series of swim tests with surprising results. They had one group of rodents paddle in a small pool for six hours, this long workout broken into two sessions of three hours each. A second group of rats were made to stroke furiously through short, intense bouts of swimming, while carrying ballast to increase their workload. After 20 seconds, the weighted rats were scooped out of the water and allowed to rest for 10 seconds, before being placed back in the pool for another 20 seconds of exertion. The scientists had the rats repeat these brief, strenuous swims 14 times, for a total of about four-and-a-half minutes of swimming. Afterward, the researchers tested each rat’s muscle fibers and found that, as expected, the rats that had gone for the six-hour swim showed preliminary molecular changes that would increase endurance. But the second rodent group, which exercised for less than five minutes also showed the same molecular changes.

The potency of interval training is nothing new. Many athletes have been straining through interval sessions once or twice a week along with their regular workout for years. But what researchers have been looking at recently is whether humans, like that second group of rats, can increase endurance with only a few minutes of strenuous exercise, instead of hours? Could it be that most of us are spending more time than we need to trying to get fit?

The answer, a growing number of these sports scientists believe, may be yes.

“There was a time when the scientific literature suggested that the only way to achieve endurance was through endurance-type activities,” such as long runs or bike rides or, perhaps, six-hour swims, says Martin Gibala, PhD, chairman of the Department of Kinesiology at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada. But ongoing research from Gibala’s lab is turning that idea on its head. In one of the group’s recent studies, Gibala and his colleagues had a group of college students, who were healthy but not athletes, ride a stationary bike at a sustainable pace for between 90 and 120 minutes. Another set of students grunted through a series of short, strenuous intervals: 20 to 30 seconds of cycling at the highest intensity the riders could stand. After resting for four minutes, the students pedaled hard again for another 20 to 30 seconds, repeating the cycle four to six times (depending on how much each person could stand), “for a total of two to three minutes of very intense exercise per training session,” Gibala says.

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Each of the two groups exercised three times a week. After two weeks, both groups showed almost identical increases in their endurance (as measured in a stationary bicycle time trial), even though the one group had exercised for six to nine minutes per week, and the other about five hours. Additionally, molecular changes that signal increased fitness were evident equally in both groups. “The number and size of the mitochondria within the muscles” of the students had increased significantly, Gibala says, a change that, before this work, had been associated almost exclusively with prolonged endurance training. Since mitochondria enable muscle cells to use oxygen to create energy, “changes in the volume of the mitochondria can have a big impact on endurance performance.” In other words, six minutes or so a week of hard exercise (plus the time spent warming up, cooling down, and resting between the bouts of intense work) had proven to be as good as multiple hours of working out for achieving fitness. The short, intense workouts aided in weight loss, too, although Gibala hadn’t been studying that effect. “The rate of energy expenditure remains higher longer into recovery” after brief, high-intensity exercise than after longer, easier workouts, Gibala says. Other researchers have found that similar, intense, brief sessions of exercise improve cardiac health, even among people with heart disease.

There’s a catch, though. Those six minutes, if they’re to be effective, must hurt. “We describe it as an ‘all-out’ effort,” Gibala says. You’ll be straying “well out of your comfort zone.” That level of discomfort makes some activities better-suited to intense training than others. “We haven’t studied runners,” Gibala says. The pounding involved in repeated sprinting could lead to injuries, depending on a runner’s experience and stride mechanics. But cycling and swimming work well. “I’m a terrible swimmer,” Gibala says, “so every session for me is intense, just because my technique is so awful.”
Meanwhile, his lab is studying whether people could telescope their workouts into even less time. Could a single, two- to three-minute bout of intense exercise confer the same endurance and health benefits as those six minutes of multiple intervals? Gibala is hopeful. “I’m 41, with two young children,” he says. “I don’t have time to go out and exercise for hours.” The results should be available this fall.


http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/24/can-you-get-fit-in-six-minutes-a-week/?scp=1&sq=6%20minute%20fitness&st=cse

Think about it...
emmanuel

Universal Principles of fighting

Universal Principles of fighting

Fighting is fighting and it has always been the same from David's Warriors to today's "Shock and Awe". Whether using a rock, a spear, a machete or a Glock, the principles for fighting are exactly the same. Here are a few of them.

1). Real fights are not "matches" or situations of mutually agreed upon combat where two fighters square off against each other for a prize. All fights are ambushes. Be the ambush-er and not the ambush-ee. The "fair fight" crowd may call them "sucker punches"...or "back shooting" with some disdain as their mythical heroes John Wayne and Matt Dillon would never resort to those measures. They are stupid. Being first is an advantage. Waiting for the other man to move first is not smart. Be the ambusher.

2). If you cannot be first, you need to forestall the attack by drastically causing a change in the adversary. You can do this by; Intercepting his attack, or arriving on target first. An example is that you see him go for his gun, but you are dramatically faster and you are able to shoot him before he gets into action. Or you see him pull his fist back to punch, but you are able to punch him first. If you cannot guarantee being that fast (who can?), an alternative method is to Evade the attack, or Move off the X. A wise fighter would counter attack AS he evades the initial attack.

3). Generally a face on face fight is unwise and destructive whether between men or between armies. There is a reason why most advanced militaries prize the ability to maneuver. So learn to move....agility is more important than precise marksmanship. Seek his flank or seek his back, and then deliver as much force as possible there.

4). Once the fight begins, destroy the other man. Mercy has no place in the middle of the battle. Capacity for extreme violence is a desirable character trait, so develop it and cultivate it. The tentative army will never win a single battle. This has to do with several traits such as moral certainty, feral anger, and cool control of both.

5). The objective is to win, pure and simple. The objective is not to determine the strongest fighter, or the cleverest tactician, or the most gifted athlete. The most gifted athlete will still die with a knife in his throat, the cleverest tactician will still die with a bullet in his face, and the strongest fighter will still die when run over by a Jeep. Understand your objective and devise ways to attain it.

6). Along those lines - Fair is For Fools. If your enemy is weaker than you are, over run him and squash him like a bug making use of your strength. If your enemy is as strong, deceive him, ambush him and take him when he is not ready. If your enemy is stronger, avoid him and pick him off at a distance where his strength will not help him. Some will say this is cowardly....with their last breath.

The purpose of fighting is to win and to force the other side to do as you wish. Whether for them to give you something, or to simpFighting is fighting and it has always been the same from David's Warriors to today's "Shock and Awe". Whether using a rock, a spear, a machete or a Glock, the principles for fighting are exactly the same. Here are a few of them.

1). Real fights are not "matches" or situations of mutually agreed upon combat where two fighters square off against each other for a prize. All fights are ambushes. Be the ambush-er and not the ambush-ee. The "fair fight" crowd may call them "sucker punches"...or "back shooting" with some disdain as their mythical heroes John Wayne and Matt Dillon would never resort to those measures. They are stupid. Being first is an advantage. Waiting for the other man to move first is not smart. Be the ambusher.

2). If you cannot be first, you need to forestall the attack by drastically causing a change in the adversary. You can do this by; Intercepting his attack, or arriving on target first. An example is that you see him go for his gun, but you are dramatically faster and you are able to shoot him before he gets into action. Or you see him pull his fist back to punch, but you are able to punch him first. If you cannot guarantee being that fast (who can?), an alternative method is to Evade the attack, or Move off the X. A wise fighter would counter attack AS he evades the initial attack.

3). Generally a face on face fight is unwise and destructive whether between men or between armies. There is a reason why most advanced militaries prize the ability to maneuver. So learn to move....agility is more important than precise marksmanship. Seek his flank or seek his back, and then deliver as much force as possible there.

4). Once the fight begins, destroy the other man. Mercy has no place in the middle of the battle. Capacity for extreme violence is a desirable character trait, so develop it and cultivate it. The tentative army will never win a single battle. This has to do with several traits such as moral certainty, feral anger, and cool control of both.

5). The objective is to win, pure and simple. The objective is not to determine the strongest fighter, or the cleverest tactician, or the most gifted athlete. The most gifted athlete will still die with a knife in his throat, the cleverest tactician will still die with a bullet in his face, and the strongest fighter will still die when run over by a Jeep. Understand your objective and devise ways to attain it.

6). Along those lines - Fair is For Fools. If your enemy is weaker than you are, over run him and squash him like a bug making use of your strength. If your enemy is as strong, deceive him, ambush him and take him when he is not ready. If your enemy is stronger, avoid him and pick him off at a distance where his strength will not help him. Some will say this is cowardly....with their last breath.

The purpose of fighting is to win and to force the other side to do as you wish. Whether for them to give you something, or to simply cause them to retreat in disorder.

Understand it and make it yours.
Emmanuel

Understand it and make it yours.
Emmanuel

Maximize Your Metabolism

5 Exercises That Maximize Your Metabolism
(by Making You Huff and Puff)

1. Squats - these work all the major muscles of the
legs, as well as the hips, arms and back. This exercise
builds lung power along with lower body strength-endurance.

2. Pushups - quickly get you out of breath; this exercise
hits your chest, back, shoulders, triceps, forearms, abdominals,
hips, thighs, calves - and so on. It also strengthens the internal
organs of the body and gives flexibility to the spine, shoulders
and hips.

3. Wrestler Bridging - whether doing a bridge on your head and hands,
your hands only or your head only - the bridge hits many
major muscle groups. Once you master it, your body's
metabolism is in overdrive.

4. Hill sprints - running uphill sprints quickly gets you out of breath.

5. Rope skipping - 10 minutes of rope skipping are equivalent to
30 minutes of running.

Start on these exercises today and note the difference,
immediately.

Keeping it simple!
emmanuel

Did you notice the arm-bar? or Leg Lock?

Some disturbing footage but important none the less to understand how quickly things happen and how organized the hooligan element can be....

3 points to watch for....

1. the initial question that stopped him (1st mistake - never stop to talk to strangers.. just keep walking and talking)

2. even after he was down they kept on attacking...regardless of his desperate pleas (don't beg they don't f**kin care)

3. the wall and ground caused as much damages as the kicks

My blood was boiling just watching this video. This is why I fell in love with systema.

Its survival based. Thats what you need in these situations.

Watch this and always remember how things can be....

http://www.targetfocustraining.com/blog

Think about it...but don't try and understand it!
emmanuel

What Surprising Exercise Cuts Your Cancer Risk by 40 Percent?

What Surprising Exercise Cuts Your Cancer Risk by 40 Percent?

Men with stronger muscles from regular weight training are up to 40 percent less likely to die from cancer, according to new research.

The findings suggest that muscular strength is as important as staying slim and eating healthy when it comes to protecting your body against deadly tumors.

A team of experts tracked the lifestyles of over 8,500 men for more than two decades. Each volunteer had regular medical check ups that included tests of their muscular strength. The men who regularly worked out with weights and had the highest muscle strength were between 30 percent and 40 percent less likely to lose their life to a deadly tumor.

Even among volunteers who were overweight, regular weight training seemed to have a protective effect, although the researchers stressed that keeping a healthy weight was still crucial for avoiding premature death.

But they added, "In the light of these results, it is equally important to maintain healthy muscular strength levels.”

Researchers said it’s possible to reduce cancer mortality rates in men by promoting resistance training involving the major muscle groups at least two days a week.

Sources:

The Telegraph May 26, 2009

Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention 18, 1468, May 1, 2009


Dr. Mercola's Comments:

The results of this study -- that men who regularly work out with weights and have high muscle strength can reduce their risk of cancer by 30-40 percent -- should provide major motivation for any of you still on the fence about adding strength training to your exercise routine.

One of the primary reasons exercise works to lower your cancer risk is because it drives your insulin levels down. Controlling insulin levels is one of the most powerful ways to reduce your cancer risks.

It’s also been suggested that apoptosis (programmed cell death) is triggered by exercise, causing cancer cells to die.

It is becoming increasingly clear that a well-rounded exercise program is an important component of staying healthy. When I say “well rounded” I mean a program that includes the four primary types of exercise, as explained in my Principles of Exercise video:
1. Aerobic
2. Interval
3. Strength
4. Core
Unfortunately, many public health guidelines are still focusing only on the aerobic component, and merely focusing on aerobic activity will most definitely lead to imbalances that will cause other parts of your body to not be healthy. You really need a well balanced exercise regimen.

It’s important to vary your exercise routine as otherwise your muscles simply get used to the same activity. They require a level of muscle confusion if they are to continue to improve and grow stronger. Further, each type of exercise has very different and very specific impacts on your body, and you’ll want to take advantage of all of them.

This topic is truly very near and dear to my heart, as I went to medical school in large part because I wanted to use exercise as a therapeutic tool to help people get healthier. I strongly believe that without fitness, it is virtually impossible to achieve optimal health.
The Benefits of Strength Training
As you age your muscle mass diminishes, and strength training is one of the best ways to replace the lean muscle mass that you’ve lost. If you don’t challenge your muscles in this way, the percentage of fat in your body will keep increasing while your muscle mass will keep decreasing.

So strength training is of utmost importance as you get older, but should ideally be done regularly throughout your life to both preserve and enhance your muscle mass.

Strength training also offers these additional benefits:
• Increases your bone density while lowering your risk of osteoporosis
• Lose weight (the more muscle you have, the more efficiently your body burns calories)
• Protects your joints from injury
• Helps maintain flexibility and balance
• Improves your stamina and lessens fatigue
How to Use Strength Training for Optimal Benefits
Contrary to popular belief, a 1-set strength training routine is typically plenty to get the most out of your workout.

A study published in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise confirmed that for the average person exercising by strength training, the number of repetitions (the number of times a muscle or group of muscles is used to lift a weight) is not of major importance; a single set of repetitions was found to be almost as effective in maintaining fitness as three sets.

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) -- the largest sports medicine and exercise science organization in the world -- and the U.S. Surgeon General have also been recommending a 1-set exercise program for some time.

So incorporating a simple 1-set, five- to 30-minute weight lifting routine into your regular program will definitely improve fitness, and is a practical, obtainable goal for most people. There are some key concepts to keep in mind, however, as not just any set of weight training will do.

You need to do enough repetitions to exhaust your muscles. The weight should be heavy enough that this can be done in fewer than 12 repetitions, yet light enough to do a minimum of four repetitions. It is also important NOT to exercise the same muscle groups every day. They need at least two days of rest to recover, repair and rebuild -- more is not better here.

Later this year I plan on introducing a comprehensive state of the art comprehensive personal training option that can easily guide you through this entire process.
How to Round Out Your Exercise Routine, and Why You Should
I highly recommend finding a personal trainer to help you reach your fitness goals, but if you cannot afford it or live in an area without access to one, you can still reap the benefits of exercise if you focus on varying your routine. So along with your strength training program, make sure you also incorporate the following into your exercise routine:
1. Aerobic: Jogging, using an elliptical machine, and walking fast are all examples of aerobic exercise. As you get your heart pumping, the amount of oxygen in your blood improves, and endorphins, which act as natural painkillers, increase.

Meanwhile, aerobic exercise activates your immune system, helps your heart pump blood more efficiently, and increases your stamina over time.

2. Interval (Anaerobic) Training: Research is showing that the BEST way to condition your heart and burn fat is NOT to jog or walk steadily for an hour. Instead, it’s to alternate short bursts of high-intensity exercise with gentle recovery periods.

This type of exercise, known as interval training or burst type training, can dramatically improve your cardiovascular fitness and fat-burning capabilities.

For example, intermittent sprinting produces high levels of chemical compounds called catecholamines, which allow more fat to be burned from under your skin within the exercising muscles. The resulting increase in fat oxidation increases weight loss. So, short bursts of activity done at a very high intensity can help you reach your optimal weight and level of fitness, in a shorter amount of time.

3. Core Exercises: Your body has 29 core muscles located mostly in your back, abdomen and pelvis. This group of muscles provides the foundation for movement throughout your entire body, and strengthening them can help protect and support your back, make your spine and body less prone to injury and help you gain greater balance and stability.

Exercise programs like Pilates and yoga are great for strengthening your core muscles, as are specific exercises you can learn from a personal trainer.
Ready to Get Started?
More than half of U.S. adults don’t get the recommended amount of exercise, and one out of four don’t exercise at all.

Why?

A lack of time is the most common reason given for not exercising.

To help avoid falling into this trap, you need to arrange your schedule around exercise. Plan it into your day the same way you would an important meeting and consider it non-negotiable, like mealtimes and sleep.

When you begin to view exercise as a necessary component to your health, rather than a luxury, it becomes easier to find time for it during even the busiest days. For you, the best time to exercise may be first thing in the morning. Others may find early afternoon to work best.

The important key to remember is that it doesn’t matter when you exercise (with the exception of exercising too close to bedtime, which can keep you awake), just that you make time for it most days of the week.

For more information on how to get the most benefits from exercise, including proper intensity and duration, read through this comprehensive article Exercise to Improve Your Body and Brain.
http://www.mercola.com

Think about it...
emmanuel

Sugar lacks nutrients athletes need

THE CLAIM

Candy can hinder athletic performance.

THE FACTS

Lamar Odom, the star forward for the Los Angeles Lakers, is known for his outsized love of candy. He sometimes downs entire bags of chocolate and jelly beans on game day.

Last week, a doctor and Lakers fan wrote an essay linking Odom's sweet tooth to his "erratic" and sometimes lethargic play. Odom countered that, if anything, the excessive sugar helps his performance.

But what do studies have to say?

According to research, candy before exercise can enhance performance, but only to a point. Studies have shown, for example, that when athletes eat a 180-calorie candy bar and then ride a stationary bike for an hour – sprinting for the final 15 minutes – they perform better than on days when they drink only water beforehand. But on days when the subjects eat a solid meal a few hours earlier and then have sugar before riding, they do better than on just the sugar alone.

Candy can be as efficient as healthier options like fruit, and because people typically secrete little insulin during exercise, crashing is unlikely, says Nancy Clark, a sports nutritionist. But candy lacks nutrients that are critical bone strength and post-exercise recovery.

For best results, pre-exercise meals should combine protein and easily digestible carbohydrates.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Sugar can work as quick fuel for exercise, but nutrient-rich foods are better.

The New York Times


Hope this helps,
emmanuel

Cough may help during heart attack

Cough may help during heart attack

"Technique may allow patients to stay conscious, study finds"

VIENNA - Coughing vigorously until an ambulance arrives could save the lives of people having a type of heart attack brought on by rapid and erratic heart beat, a doctor said Tuesday.

Dr. Tadeusz Petelenz, a researcher in Poland, said the technique, called Cough CPR, forces blood to the brain while the heart is starting to fail and keeps patients conscious long enough to call for help. It may also rectify their heart rhythm, he told a meeting of the European Society of Cardiology.

He recommended Cough CPR be taught to the public, but other experts said while the concept is provocative, it needs more study.

Every year about 300,000 people in the United States die from sudden cardiac death.

Most of the time, the culprit is a type of heart attack brought on by a sudden problem with the heart’s rhythm — ventricular fibrillation.

In three-quarters of cases, the attack happens at home, often when the victim is alone. Circulation stops, the victim faints and brain damage occurs within minutes. Death usually follows in about 15 minutes.

“Since the onset of the loss of consciousness is very rapid, they usually don’t have enough time to call for help,” said Petelenz, a professor at the Silesian Medical School in Katowice, Poland. “However, if victims could maintain consciousness until circulation is restored or help arrives their chances of survival would greatly increase.”

Electric shock to the heart, known as defibrillation, is the only real treatment. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR, can keep the brain and heart viable for about 10 minutes, long enough for an ambulance to bring a defibrillator.

Only a fraction of heart attack victims get CPR from a bystander, and few of those will receive the shock treatment before suffering irreversible brain damage.

The rate of survival without serious brain damage is about 10 percent, said Dr. Leo Bossaert, executive director of the European Resuscitation Council.

Petelenz’s idea is not entirely new. Doctors sometimes ask heart disease patients undergoing angiograms to cough rhythmically and forcefully to get their circulation going.

Bossaert, a professor at the University Hospital in Antwerp, Belgium, said coughing probably would not be harmful, but it is far too early to recommend people try it at home. The symptoms preceding an attack can be hard for people to recognize in the 30 seconds before they lose consciousness, he said.

More research needed
Dr. Marten Rosenquist, professor of cardiology at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, and an expert in heart beat abnormalities, said the concept is interesting but that Petelenz showed no evidence his patients actually had arrhythmias.

Petelenz presented results from a study he conducted on 115 people who had previously fainted or come close to losing consciousness because of various heart problems. They were taught how to recognize the symptoms — sudden dizziness and weakness, shortness of breath, sudden sweating and blurred vision — and then taught the proper coughing technique.

The patients used the cough in 365 instances where they thought they were about to faint. The symptoms disappeared in 292 cases and medical attention was required in only 73 cases.

“All patients survived until the follow-up therapy, which included 45 pacemaker implantations, 55 heart surgeries and 15 (drug) interventions,” Petelenz said.

Berry good to yourself!

Berry good to yourself


THE YOU DOCS
Asliced sweet, succulent strawberry is more than a perfect cereal topper, meal-ender, afternoon snack or treat to smother in dark chocolate.

These little fruits have more powers than the cast of Twilight. A few berries can :

Fill you up without pudging you out at just 50 little calories in a cup.

Help your heart by shaving down levels of C-reactive protein, an indicator of heart-hampering inflammation. These berries could also smack down the effects of lousy LDL cholesterol. And they make oatmeal even healthier as their vitamin C boosts phenols in the oats, causing their heart-helping powers to grow.

Stop cancer in its tracks. Certain compounds in strawberries, especially ellagic acid, may be able to block cancer at its starting point and keep tumors from progressing.

Maintain your processing speed. Strawberries – like most other foods whose name ends in "berries" – are high in flavonoids that help reduce the risk of needless brain aging.

Help keep your digestive system running smoother than a Mercedes-Benz.

SPREAD 'EM: Supercharge your energy, your plumbing, your waist-narrowing work and your body's defences against heart disease and cancer do it all with a super-fast breakfast.

One slice of chewy, 100 per cent whole-grain toasted bread gets you one-sixth of the way to your daily whole-grain goals.

Nut butters, such as peanut butter from ground peanuts only, as well as walnut butter, cashew, almond and pecan butters are way better for your energy level than margarines or butter. And avocado butter – the flesh mashed with flavours like lemon juice, capers, pepper, salsa, is a good spread for your bread.

Now that's what we call a great toast to your health.

PROBIOTIC VS. TRAINER: You don't have to be a celebrity with a chef, a nanny and a big-name personal trainer to emerge from pregnancy svelte and glamorous. A little probiotic pill may help prevent baby-weight gain.

We recommend taking probiotics daily to keep your digestive system running smoothly, beef up your immune system and reduce damaging inflammation. You have 10 trillion bacteria in and on you, so you might as well choose to have the good kind.

A new study from Finland found that pregnant women who started taking probiotic supplements during their first trimester – and kept up the regimen throughout the term – had a lower percentage of body fat after delivery than women who ate the same diet but didn't take the supplements. Researchers saw no harm to the supplement takers' babies.) The probiotics that kept new moms svelte were the easy-to-find ones called Lactobacillus CG and bifidobacterium.

NUTS TO THAT! What's the better choice: rushing through your to-do list or leaving a few things undone?

Well, you've heard us talk about the hazards of NUTs – the Nagging, Unfinished Tasks that stress you every time you see them,mess with your health and makes your body older.

But going full-speed ahead so you can finish everything? Death rates from heart disease are higher in cultures where people tend to walk fast, work fast and live by the clock compared to those in more laid-back locales.

Prioritize. When too much stuff obscures your true purpose in life, and makes you feel like you're not doing anything well, you need to take a good look at what's important. Take 10 minutes now to write down what you need to, want to and can do comfortably.

Do what meets all three criteria and scrap the others from your to-do list. Either do them instead of watching TV this week, delegate them or just abandon any hope for ever doing them. It isn't worth it for your health. Rushing through too many tasks now doesn't save you time if it lands you in the intensive care unit.

Do what's important and love it. Your body will, too.

http://www.healthzone.ca/health/article/645829

emmanuel

Flexibility Training - Don't forget to stretch!

Flexibility training has always been an important part of a total fitness program, but really came into the limelight in 1975 when Bob Anderson published the book Stretching. For the first time in 1998, “based on the growing evidence of its multiple benefits”, the ACSM included recommendations on flexibility exercise. Flexibility of the body’s joints is an important component of many everyday (from pulling on your pants and tying your shoes in the morning) and athletic movements (from a squash serve to the high jump). The premise for flexibility training is simple. By increasing a joint’s ability to move, you may decrease the risk of musculoskeletal injury. Flexibility is most simply defined as the capacity of a joint to move through a full range of motion (ROM) and is limited by joint structure, the ligaments, tendons, and muscle(s) about that joint. Flexibility is very joint-specific. For instance, it is possible to have flexible shoulder joints, but tight hip joints. A flexibility training program should be designed to progressively increase the ROM about a joint over a select period of time.

Stretches can be categorized into the following types

Ballistic Stretches

Ballistic stretches are ‘bouncing’ exercises that employ momentum of a moving body segment to produce a stretch. The end position is not held and the movement may trigger the stretch reflex which actually causes the muscles to contract.
This method is believed to inconsistently stretch the tissue, which may lead to injury. It is not a recommended method of stretching for the average client.

Dynamic Stretches

Dynamic stretches involve movement rather than being held. Unlike ballistic stretches, dynamic stretches are controlled movements.The stretch occurs as the movement gradually proceeds from one body position to another and then returns slowly and smoothly to the starting position.Dynamic stretching avoids bouncing and usually involves motions specific to a sport or required movement pattern.

Static Stretches

Non-moving stretches held at the end range of a joint for a given period of time.
During the holding time, the muscle being lengthened is relaxed
Actively contracting the opposing muscle group assists muscle relaxation
in the opposing muscle group (the muscles being lengthened).
If muscles are tense, they will be contracted or shortened, defeating the purpose of a static stretch.

PNF Stretches

Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) is a technique that involves the inducement of muscle relaxation by first contracting the muscle group to be stretched and then statically stretching the same muscle group.
The muscle group is lengthened by moving the joint to the end of its ROM i.e., to the point of slight discomfort.
The muscle (or muscle group) is contracted against some kind of resistance causing isometric tension in the muscle or muscle group to be stretched.
The muscle group is subsequently lengthened through a slow and static stretch.
To further enhance muscle relaxation during the static stretch phase, it is suggested that the opposing muscle group be contracted.

(From “The Art and Science of Personal Training 2nd edition)

Stretch!
emmanuel