Essentials of flexibility training exercises

The core principle of flexibility training has never been "the more painful it is, the better the effect will be", and there is no unified movement standard across the Internet - essentially, it is to gradually increase the range of joint mobility through stretching methods that adapt to the needs of the movement within the range of movement that is controllable and on the premise of maintaining a stable breathing rhythm. The first criterion for all movements is not to cause pain or muscle compensation.

When I first started practicing kickboxing in the early days, I was eager to achieve the effect of high-level leg sweeps. I used to force my crossbar on the bar every day. I was so painful that I was sweating and forced myself to push down another two centimeters. As a result, I pulled my hamstrings in less than three weeks. It was difficult to even run for a whole month, let alone fight. It was then that I realized that the saying on the Internet, "press until it stings and then hold on for 10 seconds," was purely harmful nonsense.

There are actually several types of stretching methods that are often mentioned today, and they are suitable for different people. For example, many yoga teachers prefer static stretching, which is to find a position with a sense of stretch and keep it still. This is actually more suitable to do after exercise or before going to bed. Just hold it for 30 to 90 seconds each time. Don't force it. The dynamic stretching that fitness coaches always emphasize, such as front and back leg swings, hip rotations, and cat-cow poses, are used to warm up before exercise. They can quickly activate muscles and avoid strains during training. If you do static stretching for half a day during warm-up, your legs may be weak and unable to exert strength when squatting heavy weights.

Oh, by the way, there is another point that many people ignore, that is, flexibility is also divided into parts. You may have very good flexibility in the legs, but the flexibility in the shoulders is extremely poor. Don’t forget about the shoulders after training the legs. I used to only focus on training the legs, but the shoulder got stuck and hurt when doing presses. Later, I added chest and shoulder stretching.

There is also advanced PNF stretching, which is the proprioceptive neuromuscular stimulation method. Simply put, you first actively contract the muscles to be stretched for about 6 seconds, and then relax and deepen the stretching range. The effect is much faster than simple static stretching, but it is best to have the assistance of professionals. It is easy to get injured if you practice blindly by yourself. I have practiced with the team doctor for a while, and I can really feel that the joint mobility increases quickly, but if no one can help you control the intensity, it is really not recommended to try it by yourself.

When it comes to this, some people will definitely argue, saying that many studies now show that stretching is useless and may even reduce sports performance. This is actually true and false - if you are a powerlifter, pressing your legs hard before a competition will indeed reduce the explosive power of your lower limbs, and you will not be able to achieve results when squatting heavy weights. ； But if you study dance, practice martial arts, or run cross-country, insufficient flexibility will directly block the upper limit of movement and even increase the risk of injury. When I ran cross-country two years ago, the flexibility of my hip flexors was too poor. I couldn't step forward when going downhill. I even sprained my ankle once. Later, I specially added hip stretching training, and I became much more stable when I ran later.

The most common mistake that many people make when practicing flexibility is compensation. For example, when doing seated forward bends, the back is so bent that it almost touches the legs, and they try hard to reach the toes. In fact, all the muscles that are stretched are the back muscles, and the hamstrings are not even felt at all. It is a waste of effort. The correct feeling should be that the muscle you want to exercise should have a slightly sore and swollen stretch feeling. There must be no tingling. Once there is tingling, take it back immediately, which means you have stretched it. There are also people who hold their breath during stretching and their faces turn red. This is completely unnecessary. Just keep breathing normally. When you exhale, you can go down a little further, but don't force yourself.

To be honest, there is really no need to curl up in flexibility training. You don’t have to pursue being able to do the splits or lower your waist. Just adapt to your own needs. After my daily training, I just pull each part for more than 40 seconds. I don’t specifically pursue the range. As long as the kick can be easily over the shoulder and the legs are not stiff after running long distances, it is enough. After all, training is to make your body work better, not to compete with others to get lower, right?