Duration of Stretches

Hey guys,

I have read a fair bit of info on stretching, and I recognise the importance of not only passive flexibility, but active flexibility, but in this post I'm describing passive.

I was wondering what duration you would advise to hold stretches to increase passive flexibility whether it be splits or pike stretch etc. Now from the articles that I've seen from Coach Sommer, he says to stretch the position for 30 seconds and my question on duration isn't really isometric/ PNF stretching but just normal relaxed stretching.

Now I have read that past 30 seconds, there is little benefit so is this the opitmal time? On the other hand, in Pavel Tsatsouine's "Relax into Stretching", he recommends a form of stretching called waiting out the tension. This is where you get into the position (but no back bending stretches) sit there until the stretch reflex stops firing and the increase the stretch until you get close to spasms. Your focus should be on relaxing the muscles with various techniques.

So, is it just a matter of preferance, are both methods good or is there more science behind it?

Thanks!

The duration of the passive stretch in part depends upon your development as an athlete. For beginners to intermediate, I prefer 30-60 second windows of effort with a mild to medium degree of perceived effort. For advanced athletes, we will sometimes drop down to 10 second windows but with a very high level of perceived effort. It should be noted however, that these advanced athletes have laid a solid foundation over a long period of time and are in a position to benefit from this type of intense training. Attempting to implement this protocol prematurely with less advanced athletes will usually result in injury and mental fatigue.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

Thanks, Coach S. I've been meaning to PM you about this but it's skipped my mind lately.

Lots of volume early on, more of intensity to either maintain or go beyond the plateau.

Got it. Awesome.

Just a question about stretching in general, does it physically lengthen the muscle/s (as in they are longer even after the stretching session) or does it allow the muscle/s to elongate further or both?

Thanks for your answer Coach, that's something I've been wondering about for some time.

Ed

Thanks Coach that's just what I wanted.

Just a question about stretching in general, does it physically lengthen the muscle/s (as in they are longer even after the stretching session) or does it allow the muscle/s to elongate further or both?

Thanks for your answer Coach, that's something I've been wondering about for some time.

Ed

Ed,

As far as I've read our muscles already display the length to do splits etc but they just don't know it yet. Your CNS doesn't know if the range of motion is safe so fires up the stretch reflex. Elongating the tissue is not the best way to go and if you rely on the elasticity of your muscle tissues then you will lose your flexibility very quickly.

Instead you've got to allow your CNS to feel safer in the stretch and not fire the stretch reflex up so quickly.

Hope this helps.

Rob

I'm not an expert. However I think that flexibility is the ability to produce force trough the full ROM of the joint - strength is what really matters. Flexibility without strength is useless.

It's your muscles that have to convince your CNS that it is safe to go - not the opposite.