STRETCHING . . . No physical techn_ique Jive engaged in over the last few yea;s has · • been as simple to learn or as immediately and consistently rewarding as stretch. Used to limber the body at the beginning of the day, as a tension-release in the middle ofsome pressured work activity, or to warm up for another form of exercise, stretch is universally useful-and it fe~ls so good! But it also tends to be ill-defined and often-confused with other conditioning techniques. Good stretch is nothing like the calisthenics we used to do in high school gym, nor does it approach the body in the same way as does hatha yoga. Utilitarian 'and every bit wholistic, stretch has its own niche. That's why it's 11ice to see people in the know starting to shed some light on the subject. , I first came across Susan Smith Jones' article "Strrrrretch" two years ago and still consider it to be the best ·short introduction • around. What good stretch is-3:nd why you should be doing itare explained here very nicely..The author also does a nice job-explaining the physiology of stretching. The object, of course, is to increase flexibility-or the-range of motion within a joint or series of joints (like the spine). By increasing the range of motion, and thus agility, flexibility ~ncourages movement and helps retard the effects of the aging process. Without it, quick athletic movement in particular becomes much more difficult. • Interestingly, many athletes tend to either underuse stretch, or • - to go about it improperly. If not accompanied by stretch, those ever popular.ae.robic conditioners-ru11ning,'cycling, jumping rope--'- actually lead to decreased .flexibility and ttghtening of the muscles. Moreover, many who do wa'rm.up with stretch are still into the old ''~allistic'' ap~roach-bouncing, jerking or bobbing their way through their stretches. It may look macho, but as Jones explains, _a muscle that is stretched with a jerking motion responcls with a contraction-the amount and rate of which corresponds ·directly to the· original movement. This phenomenon, originating in t~e muscle spindle, is called the myotatic reflex. Not suqfri~ingly, studies show that tension increase is doubled by the quick stretch.·And i11:- • juries can result. • _ ,;Stafic!' stretching-the preferred stretch-invokes the inverse response, i.nhibiting the ]Iluscle tendon reflex and allowing the muscles being stretched to relax in the process. Very simply, this kind of stretch implies a more deliberate approac_h, using orte's breath to ease into the movement, and maintaining an awareness of one's physic<cll limits. Because of this, one is less likely to exceed the limits of the muscle tissues involved. Rather than provoking sore:- ness, good str~tch remedies it, In addition, no specifi~ skill is required-the optimum stretch is.determined solely by the doer's · current degree of flexibility. Yet with the static approach-and here lies the reward-those limits.are gradually exceeded. It's a physical metaphor, Jones adds, for surmounting all the barriers that confine our present potential. November 1980 RAIN Page 9 If you're looking for a complete exploration of stretch in all its many facets aJd forms, .with extensive·emphasis on how.:to-do-it • techniques; Bob Anderson's Stretching is just your ticket. first self-: published by the author and his wife five year·s ago, this book is newly revised and being distributed nationally. With its appe.aling homespun thoroughness, Stretch.ing is built solidly on the ground-- swell of interest in fitness that surfaced in the '70s. It promises to do for flexibility what George Downing's. The Massage Book didfor that high art. A born-again stretcher, Anderson starts with all the above-mentioned concepts ·and adds his own refinements I the results of a great, deal of personal experience. H_is two-step approach to developing a , good stretch is right.on th~ mark and shol!-ld become standard technique for stretch practitioners. • He wends his way through an unending (and profusely illustrated) series of1stretch combinations, not only by the muscle group areas they address, but also by a whole range of specific sport activities they will benefit most. The book gives good advice on lots of related ideas-stretching over age .fifty, spontaneous stretches, 'special care for your back and much more. If you are at all in- •terested in opening up your body to ·s~e what it can.do for you, Stretching is the place to start. A real gold mine at a good price. There's no ·doubt that the growing phenomenon of.good stretch has been positively influenced by hatha yoga. Upon closer examination one finds that there is1a high degree of similarity--:--indeed a kind of gray area-between the two. Some positions are identical, and this sparks the inevitable comparisons. But the different objectives of stretch and yoga real'ly demand that they be thought of differently. Sfretch is primarily to develop flexibility and its ensuing benefits; yoga moves beyond.to strive for physical, mental and spiritual balanc.e. They are like <;:oncentric circles, with.stretch being more simply usable--:providing ground rules for anyone, regardless of age or spiritual affinity, to bring more suppleness into their daily activities. . . All ofwhich is not to say yoga has no practical applications, or that it is not ail excellent complement to athletic endeavors. It's really a question of how far ohe wa.nts to go. Culturally intimidating to some, yoga can nevertheless be very Western in its pursuit of ideal form through the body's concreteness. This is something athletes seem to be tuning into, and the recent publication of Jean Couch's Runner's World Yoga Book makes it all the more apparent. This book is based on the system of yoga developeq and taught by B·XS. 'Iyengar of India- a system known for its precision-like technique art~physical discipline. As a manual designed to meet the needs of physically active people, Runner's World Yoga Book can help athletes move beyond warm-ups and flexibility, to attain better body aligl)ment; muscular balance and maximum spinal extensjon. Couch ~overs the concepts of flexibility, but also explains the physiological rationale foryogic.stretching-especially how it can help prevent the problem of continuous contraction of isolated mus- • de groups typical of athletic exertion. Readers learn how to work \ with specific imbalance~ for example, runnerswho have h:equently allowed their upper bodies to become tight and unresponsive-in order to free up greater physical potential. The book's tenor is ·a true blend .of East and West. Couch's models are runners-cum-yogis, photographed in their jogging ·clothes. They demonstrate.poses in varying degrees of proficiency, showing what good beginner stretches look, like. The author lays to rest some of athleticism's grosser myths; but still speaks supportively to her fellow athletes. In so doing, she undoubtedly opens up her audience to new and exciting turf. In short, Runner's World Yoga Book feels like a real breakthrough, and that feels good. -Steven Ames ( "Strrrrretch,"by Susan Smith Jones, pp. 21-.24, June 1978, The Herbalist, $11.00/ ·yr. from: Thomwood Communications, Inc. 1680 S. Main St. '. Runner's World Yoga Book, Sb'etching and Strengthening Exe,:cises for Runners and Other Athletes I by Jean Couch with Nell W~aver,-1979, 228 pp., $11.95 from: Stretching, by Bob Anderson, illustrated • by Jean Anderson, 1980, 192 pp., $7.95, from: , • Shelter Publicc1tions P.Q. Box279 Bolinas, CA 94924 Springville, VT 84663 Anderson World, Inc. • 1400 Stierlin Rd. Mountain View, CA 94043
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTc4NTAz