Fitness Training Expert aims to provide top quality fitness training advice, exercise information and educational resources for all fitness enthusiasts.  Expert fitness advice SEARCH THIS SITE FACEBOOK BRIDGEFIT ARTICLES   Practical Application of Stretching Methods A few practical applications for stretching, including corrective stretching, stretching before training, after training and the ever debated static stretching.     Corrective Stretching and Posture So what does this mean for you and which stretching method should you use? It very much depends on the training session. If you are doing corrective exercise it would make sense to statically stretch the tight muscles which oppose the weaker ones that need strengthening. PNF could also be used for this, and may give greater flexibility gains. This is because a tight muscle is thought to reduce the neural drive to its agonist. For example tight anterior muscles of the chest and shoulder as a consequence of poor occupational ergonomics or faulty training methods may cause your shoulders to protract forwards of their optimum posture. Due to a process called reciprocal inhibition the posterior muscles that retract (bring back) the shoulder are inhibited from contracting. Now if we were to embark on a conditioning program to correct such a posture, I would be looking to stretch and lengthen the tight muscles first. These short tight overactive muscles are basically stealing the nervous systems signals to the weaker muscles, and we need to manipulate these muscles into giving some of the signal back! We stretch the short tight muscles first (almost like turning their switch off), then we strengthen the long weak muscles which are not now as inhibited. Stretch short ones, strengthen weak ones!   Sports/general fitness preparation We know that static stretching can weaken a muscle and reduce its power output. However dynamic stretching does not, so dynamic stretching lends itself nicely to pre-sports participation, or even the stage after the corrective static stretches. I tend to term dynamic stretching…”dynamic movement preparation”… others would call this the warm up! This could be as simple as gradually increasing the range of movement, speed, and ultimately the resistance of weights lifted prior to your training sets using the same movement pattern. Or it could be a routine of movements similar to what are going to be encountered within the program, perhaps performed in a fluid manner so as to increase temperature of the body and ultimately prepare the nervous system for the movements that will be encountered. If I have been sat down all day I would definately be looking at movements which one may call “anti-sitting”, certainly if hamstrings and hip flexors have been in a shortened position all day.    Static stretching and injury risk  Static stretching every muscle before exercising will not reduce injury risk. Static stretching the tight muscles before strengthening the weak ones as part of a structured conditioning program with a goal in mind will indirectly prevent injury due to the change in length tension relationships and improvement in posture.   Muscles work together, rarely in isolation, and if some muscles within the force couple are weak due to inhibition from their tight opposing muscles the brain will find the next available muscle that is strong enough to do the job (just like a sat nav finding a new route if your pre-planned route is blocked). This muscle may have a poor mechanical advantage (imagine the wrong sized screwdriver for the job), or function primarily as a synergist (assists the prime movers). Eventually the long term risk is that this muscle becomes overused which manifests itself as poor posture and pain, just like a repetitive strain injury. Similar processes occur through fixed machine training, this is something called pattern overload.   Again we see the link with stretching being used to address both static and dynamic postural challenges with the end goal being injury prevention and improved performance. As said already, randomly stretching every muscle will not reduce injury risk in the forthcoming activities, i think it is more a psychological comfort blanket for many people. If you are still fixated on statically stretching every muscle before activity, please follow a thorough dynamic warm up that is specific to your training afterwards. This may negate some of the negative effects.   Stretching after training  What about after training? If the muscle is tight I may stretch it, but if I want to tighten the muscle due to postural reasons I definitely will not stretch it. It will generally not reduce muscle soreness after a workout, but is thought to help restore muscles back towards their resting length. Personally I like to do the majority of my stretching in the evenings as I am winding down for bed. Related Stretching Articles Stretching and Flexibility Training