Stretching Sets X Reps

[iMagnusX]

It occurred to me the other day that maybe I'm not making such great gains with flexibility because
a) i don't have a consistent stretching program
b) i usually only pnf or passive stretch once, which might not have an impact

so would a M-W-F pnf stretching program sound good?
passive stretch post-weight-workout on Tu-Thur-Sun?

in that stretching time, should i get to maximium range of motion by tensing/relaxing, and then hold for 30 seconds, and then that's one rep?

how many sets?
3x1? 5x1?

also, Tom Kurz and Juji are talking about rotating the pelvis forward in the sidesplit stretch (and not have the butt sticking out?). I also see that juji does NOT want you to prevent yourself from bending at the hips when you do a side kick. Is this conflicting info? How should I align my hips when sidesplitting?
I have two tendencies when I'm doing them:
1) bend at the knees. is this bad? do I need to lock out the legs?
2) bend at the hips. As in my upper body wants to go forward, towards the chair/box/space in front of me. Do I let this occur like in the side kick or do I put my hands behind my butt and push forward?

thanks for the help

I've had good results doing PNF every other day, stretching 6 times a week. Occasionally I will have a spurt where I do PNF 2-3 days in a row.

This is exactly what I do during my PNF stretches:
- 20 seconds of slowly lowering to my maximum ROM
- 20 seconds maintaining maximum ROM
- 30 seconds of contraction
- relax muscles, fall deeper into the stretch and hold for 45 seconds

That is one set, so I'll end up doing that 3 times per side.

Bending at the knees is not bad unless you feel a sudden pain on the inside of your knees. Usually I use it as a warm in, but not during the actual stretch. Avoid leaning forward during your box split.

[iMagnusX]

clearly some stretches are better for isometric/pnf than others. which ones do you recommend or do?

[wynnema]

Originally Posted by Zeff

I've had good results doing PNF every other day, stretching 6 times a week. Occasionally I will have a spurt where I do PNF 2-3 days in a row.

This is exactly what I do during my PNF stretches:
- 20 seconds of slowly lowering to my maximum ROM
- 20 seconds maintaining maximum ROM
- 30 seconds of contraction
- relax muscles, fall deeper into the stretch and hold for 45 seconds

That is one set, so I'll end up doing that 3 times per side.

Bending at the knees is not bad unless you feel a sudden pain on the inside of your knees. Usually I use it as a warm in, but not during the actual stretch. Avoid leaning forward during your box split.

good advice, although research has shown that you only need to hold the contraction for 6 seconds for the PNF technique to work - i.e. for the muscle to relax enough to allow you to gain a deeper stretch. although if you have reached a plateau then tensing harder or for longer can help.

[iMagnusX]

Originally Posted by Zeff

That is one set, so I'll end up doing that 3 times per side.

Bending at the knees is not bad unless you feel a sudden pain on the inside of your knees. Usually I use it as a warm in, but not during the actual stretch. Avoid leaning forward during your box split.

Um, does box split = side split?

which exercises are you doing?

I tried working into a front split stretch today, but it didn't quite pan out. Whenever I would start to get towards my "full rom" my legs would shoot out to the side, not in the "high quality" position. Are there pre-req PNF stretches for the front split, unlike the sidesplit?

[Ashtar]

Stretching isn't like using progressive resistance or training to run a marathon, it's more instinctive, conscious, and can only really be measured by its own gains in distance, and possibly the amount of time it takes to travel it.

[wynnema]

Originally Posted by Ashtar

Stretching isn't like using progressive resistance or training to run a marathon, it's more instinctive, conscious, and can only really be measured by its own gains in distance, and possibly the amount of time it takes to travel it.

i find your post confusing. can you explain a little better

[iMagnusX]

Originally Posted by Ashtar

Stretching isn't like using progressive resistance or training to run a marathon, it's more instinctive, conscious, and can only really be measured by its own gains in distance, and possibly the amount of time it takes to travel it.

ok then let me just consciously turn on my instinct and become super flexy.

uh, front split pnf exercises? I tried this one that Tom Kurz did in Secrets of Stretching where his rear leg is folded (like a sideways quad stretch) and the front is extended for the hamstrings. My rear leg either got painfully stretched or would slip away into an awkward position, so that didn't quite work.

edit: ok I was just going over scientifically stretching, the two dudes tense, and then when they relax they actually come out of the stretch, and then fall back in. good or bad? Also, they do a good deal of "bouncing" or at least "forcefully pushing" into the stretch. good or bad?

[wynnema]

Originally Posted by iMagnusX

ok then let me just consciously turn on my instinct and become super flexy.

uh, front split pnf exercises? I tried this one that Tom Kurz did in Secrets of Stretching where his rear leg is folded (like a sideways quad stretch) and the front is extended for the hamstrings. My rear leg either got painfully stretched or would slip away into an awkward position, so that didn't quite work.

edit: ok I was just going over scientifically stretching, the two dudes tense, and then when they relax they actually come out of the stretch, and then fall back in. good or bad? Also, they do a good deal of "bouncing" or at least "forcefully pushing" into the stretch. good or bad?

the way kurz does it is more like the MA stretch which is half front split half side splits. I also had the same problem with it and it hurt my knees a bit. There are several ways of performing isometric stretches that is just one. google brad appleton - he has an extensive guide which covers the differnent ways.