When doing stretching to the count of "one, two, three, four, two, two, three, four," there are mainly two types of stretching. Some people shake their bodies along with the count to stretch their muscles further, while others press their muscles steadily without much movement throughout the eight beats. Which method is the correct way to stretch?

 

The correct answer is the latter. You need to press and hold steadily to effectively relax the muscles. Stretching with a bouncing motion actually causes the muscles to contract, increasing the risk of injury. Quat Kim Gyu-nam, a fitness instructor, explained, "Within the muscles, there is a sensory organ called the 'muscle spindles' that detects the degree of muscle stretch and sends signals to contract when overstretched to protect the joints." He added, "When you stretch with a bouncing motion, the muscles are suddenly stretched forcefully, activating the muscle spindles, which causes the muscles to contract strongly instead."

When stretching continuously to the point of pain, muscles can be overstretched, so caution is necessary as muscle spindles may also be activated. Bones are connected by ligaments, and repeated excessive stretching can damage these ligaments. If inflammation occurs in the ligaments or cartilage is damaged, the risk of degenerative arthritis also increases.

 

Meanwhile, there are also senses that act opposite to muscle spindles. The Golgi tendon organ relaxes the muscle when it contracts strongly. There is also a stretching method that utilizes this action. It is called 'PNF stretching,' which induces a strong contraction in the muscle to relax it. It is performed by adding resistance to static stretching.

 

For example, after tying the ankle or wrist with a band to a fixed object and bending it, the muscles contract excessively and then relax. The bending angle should be moderate enough to avoid pain. PNF stretching is effective for people who usually hold a position for a long time or frequently perform muscle exercises, leading to stiff muscles and ligaments.

 

 

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pressing down gently

Stretching~~

I also sit and hold my hand up.

Counting as 1, 2, 3

I also stretch and loosen up.