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What is static flexibility and how can it positively impact your life? When it comes to working out for weight loss, or just keeping fit in general, flexibility is one of the most important but at the same time highly ignored things.
If you are among those people who have completely ignored – or slacked off on flexibility, do not fret. In today’s article we will be explaining ‘what is static flexibility training’, how incorporating this type of stretching can improve your life as well as listing some static flexibility exercises that you can add to your workout routine today.
Also known as static stretching, involves placing the joint or joints in a position so that the muscles and connective tissues are stretched while held in a static position with the tissues at their greatest length (5). In easier layman’s language, static flexibility refers to the range of movement that can be achieved without any movement.
This is a type of stretching that requires you to stretch your muscles as far as they can go without pain or movement. Please note that the term ‘without movement’ refers to an individual getting into a stretching position and then holding that position for a specified amount of time.
While these two types of stretches might seem like the same thing, they are in-fact not alike. They have very small but significant differences that set them apart. According to an online article on the Massachusetts Institute of Technology website, these differences are as follows (7)
An example of static active flexibility would be an active chest stretch which is done as follows
In this case the antagonist muscles -those being stretched – are those in the chest and the biceps, while the agonist muscles – those that contract and help keep the stretch in place – are the deltoids, rhomboids, mid traps, and other back and shoulder muscles.
Read More: Mobility Vs. Flexibility: What’s The Difference And Why Does It Matter?
While most people use static stretching and passive stretching interchangeably, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology insists that they are not the same and one should not be confused for the other (7).
As previously stated static flexibility involves an individual holding a given stretch by themselves. Passive stretching, on the other hand involves external help – that is, passive flexibility involves an individual being stretched instead of stretching themselves.
Basically, passive stretching includes partner stretches, stretching accessories and/or just using gravity to assist with your stretch. The individual is relaxed and makes no contribution towards their range of motion outside of what is created/provided by the external force.
When it comes to the general benefits of stretching, improved flexibility is often number one on such lists. Experts will quickly tell you that stretching often will improve your flexibility which in turn improves your quality of life by helping you perform everyday activities with relative ease and can help delay the reduced mobility that can come with aging.
But how exactly does stretching, including static flexibility, do this? This is where most experts get stumped because the science behind it is still quite unknown. That being said, several studies through the years have come up with theories in an effort to answer this question. These theories include:
Researchers thought that stretching improved flexibility because the act made your muscles longer temporarily and these muscles would ‘shrink’ and go back to normal after a while (8).
In simple terms, supporters of this theory believed that flexibility was achieved when you stretched so much that your muscles became ‘extra’ stretched and would never go back to their original ‘tightness’ (2).
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Researchers believed that the change in flexibility occurred in the brain and not the muscle. Basically, the more you stretched, the more you believed that you were flexible, the more the brain believed the same and sent signals to the nerves receptors in your muscles. Eventually this belief would be so ingrained in the nerve receptors in muscle and ultimately change how they function reflexively (2).
These theories have now been debunked and now only one theory remains. Today, scientists now believe that flexibility through stretching is achieved through sensation (2). The sensory theory states that what you feel while stretching changes overtime and you are able to stretch further over time. Several studies have shown that your tolerance to the stretch is what increases flexibility – not any of the above mentioned theories (4, 1, 3, 6).
Before determining which of these stretches is better, we must first understand the difference between static and dynamic flexibility.
If you are wondering ‘what is the difference between static and dynamic flexibility?’ the Cleveland Clinic states that the main difference between these two is quite simple – dynamic stretching is based on movement while static flexibility has no movement.
This is further explained by stating that while doing dynamic stretches, you actively move your joints and muscles in ways that mimic a sport movement that you are about to do while again, a static stretch has no movement.
Other differences between these two types of flexibility exercises include
So, what is better for flexibility static or dynamic stretching? We say that both types of flexibility movements are important in equal measure. Stretching in general is good for you because it improves your joint range of motion, improves your athletic performance, and decreases your risk of injury when working out and even while going about your daily activities.
However, one important thing that we would like to stress is that if you are working out, be sure to do your dynamic stretches before your workout and work on your static flexibility during your cool down.
Read More: Shoulder Flexibility: Why It Matters And How To Improve It
Here are some examples of static flexibility exercises to do everyday:
Static flexibility is just as important to athletes as it is for normal everyday people who would like to improve the quality of their lives. It is a simple and relatively risk free way to improve your posture, balance, agility, relieve stress and stiffness, and even improve circulation. Please note that if a type of stretch seems a little complicated, do not attempt it without the help of a professional and if anything hurts as you are stretching, stop immediately.
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on to make decisions of any kind. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any medical conditions. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!