Ballistic Stretching

This is stretching by using your own body’s momentum (bouncing) to force yourself beyond your normal abilities. This is a very dangerous type of stretching and is not suggested as it does not allow your muscles to adjust in the position they are being stretched and can lead to injuries.

Dynamic Stretching

Dynamic stretching involves slow and controlled torso twists and swinging of your arms and legs to their maximum, which gradually increases your range of movement.

Active Stretching (Static-Active Stretching)

This is when you assume a position and hold it without any help other than the muscle itself eg: holding your leg in the air with no help of your arms or any other body part or instruments to keep it in that position. This kind of stretching doesn’t need to be held for more than 15 seconds.

Passive Stretching (Static-Passive Stretching/ Relaxed Stretching)

This is a more relaxed form of stretching where you use apparatus or other body parts to help you stretch eg: Holding your leg in the air with your hand or sitting in the splits. This is very good kind of stretching to do after a work out to “cool down”. Relaxed stretching is also used to help get into shape after injuries but it is always advised to consult your doctor first before doing any kind of exercise or stretching. Passive stretching can also be a person who is relaxed while some external force (either a person or an apparatus) brings the joint through its range of motion.

Static Stretching

Static Stretching is when one stretches a muscle as far as it can be stretched and then holds it in that position for as long as possible until the muscles then relax again causing the person to stretch further.

Isometric Stretching

Isometric Stretching does not use motion. Isometric Stretching is one of the fastest ways to increase flexibility and strength with the least amount of pain. The most common ways to practice Isometric Stretching is by placing resistance onto oneself, have a partner apply resistance or to make use of apparatus to apply resistance eg: Having a partner hold your leg in the air while you attempt to push it down to the ground.
Isometric Stretches are not recommended for children who are still growing as children are usually still flexible and these kinds of stretches can damage their tendons and connective tissue.

How To Perform Isometric Stretching:

• Assume stretching position for desired muscles to be stretched.
• Resist and tense the muscle against a force (your own body, a partner or apparatus) for 7-15 seconds.
• Relax the muscle that was tensed for 20 seconds

PNF Stretching

Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation [PNF] Stretching is the fastest and most effective way to stretch. PNF Stretching is most effective when performed with a partner to place resistance on the isometric contractions.
The three most common PNF techniques are:

• The Hold-Relax (Contract-Relax)
  Once assuming the initial stretch the muscle is tensed for 7-15 seconds and then relaxed for 2-3 seconds then immediately passively stretched which pushed the muscle even further than the initial stretch. This stretch is held for 10-15 seconds and then is relaxed for 20m seconds.

• The Hold-Relax-Contract (Contract-Relax-Contract)
  This is similar to the first kind. After the initial stretch the muscle is isometrically contracted for another 7-15 seconds. The muscle is then relaxed and the antagonist ( performs another contraction for a further 7-15 seconds after which the muscles are relaxed for 20 seconds.

Agonist: The muscle that causes movement to occur by contracting, thus creating normal movement in a joint.
Antagonist: A kind of muscle that acts in opposition to the movement caused by the Agonist and is responsible for returning limbs to their initial positions.

• The Hold-Relax-Swing (Hold-Relax-Bounce)
  This involves the use of Dynamic or Ballistic Stretches. This is similar to the Hold-Relax-Contract except a Dynamic or Ballistic Stretch replaces the final Passive-Stretch. This is an extremely dangerous form of stretching and is not suggested, even to professionals, without guidance.

Warning: Children whose bones are still growing should not perform PNF Stretching. Ideally PNF Stretching should only be performed once every 36 hours.