Improve Flexibility with Research-Supported Stretching Protocols | Episode 76
Main Takeaways
Flexibility involves the nervous system, muscles, and connective tissue working together.
Muscle spindles wrap around muscle fibers and send information from muscle back to the spinal cord.
Golgi tendon organs (GTOs) sense how much load is on a given muscle and have the ability to shut down motor neurons and accompanying muscle contraction.
Consistent stretching over time will change muscles, but the length of muscle belly and location of insertions relative to connective tissue and limbs is genetically determined.
Interoception and exteroception are important neurological components of flexibility.
The Insula region of the brain is responsible for processing and making sense of the external and internal world, including somatic experience.
Different types of stretching include dynamic, ballistic, static, and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF).
Improvements in range of motion will take place around three weeks, and a sample protocol is 2-4 sets of 30-second hold static stretches, five days per week.
Rest between stretching sets is not as critical as during strength or resistance training.
Stretching can induce relaxation at a local and systemic level and may have potential benefits for illnesses.
