There are three types of flexibility stretching: dynamic, static-active, and passive. Dynamic stretches are useful for warm-ups and can improve performance, while static-active stretches can increase endurance. Passive stretches are good for cool-downs and rehabilitation. Ballistic stretching is no longer recommended. Isometric and PNF are specific types of static-passive stretching.
There are generally three categories of flexibility stretching: dynamic, static-active, and passive. Different types of flexibility stretches are useful at different times during exercise, and each offer different benefits to the body. Stretches are generally recommended by professionals before a person engages in any type of strenuous exercise or bodily exertion.
Dynamic or kinetic stretching uses controlled movements to bring a limb or body part through a full range of motion. These types of flexibility stretches move that part of the body through a place of tension and then back out again. In general, these types of stretches are useful as part of a warm-up routine and can be an active movement, such as swinging an arm.
Walking lunges or side lunges are great examples of dynamic stretches that help warm up the body and increase the flexibility of the muscles. During a dynamic stretch, some muscles are active and others are not in use. Stretching increases flexibility by training non-active muscles to relax and stretch when not actively used, rather than resist movement. These types of flexibility stretches have been shown to increase performance in explosive or plyometric movements like running, jumping, and lifting.
Ballistic stretching is a form of dynamic stretching that has fallen out of favor with trainers and experts. In that form of stretching, an individual uses the momentum of the body to rebound beyond the comfortable range of motion. Experts now believe that this type of stretching increases pain, soreness, and even injury.
Static-active stretching is the ability to lift and hold a pose using only the muscle groups of the body and not external support such as a band, bar, or chair. These flexibility stretches are difficult to hold for more than 20 seconds, but when done as part of a consistent routine, they can significantly increase flexibility and endurance. Standing leg raises are a classic example of static-active stretching. Bikram Yoga is a complete yoga system based on this special type of stretching, and the discipline of Tai Chi also employs many of these types of stretching.
A dancer with one leg resting on the bar is a perfect example of a static-passive stretch. In this type of flexibility stretch, an individual assumes a position and uses body weight, gravity, another person, or an external prop to maintain the position. These types of flexibility stretches should be part of any cool-down routine and are often a central part of rehabilitation exercises.
Slow, relaxed stretches help relieve pain and fatigue and aid recovery from injury. Isometric and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) are specific types of static-passive stretching. Isometric stretches use the resistance of different muscle groups to create tension in the stretched muscles. PNF is a technique that was developed in rehabilitation clinics in which a muscle group is passively stretched and then contracted against isometric pressure.
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