I have heard that when stretching your muscles are supposed to go "loose" after holding it for about 20 seconds, but I have never noticed this sensation. Although during some stretches I have noticed that my range of motion increases a little bit, like during a hamstring stretch I can just barely touch my toes and 15 seconds later I can reach one or two inches farther. Although I don't feel any looseness, is this what that means? Plus i always feel a stinging sensation when I stretch my Hamstrings, is this normal? And one last question, how long does it take to stretch the muscles if I do a full body 3 times a week? Just to give me a general idea. Thanks, Mark
I think this will depend on how flexible your muscles are. Doing lots of stretching excersises all the time will increase the flexibility of your muxcles and so when you stretch them out it will require a longer time in the stretch to get much effect. You should just hold the stretch however long it takes to get the muscle ready for the coming excersise. Doing multiple stretches will help alot as will after doing the first stretch letting the pressure off then pulling against the stretch (flex the muscles you are stretching) then when you stretch it again it will go further with less effort. My hamstrings tingle/sting as well when I stretch them. At the end of last year I pulled one of my hammies and this precipitated me quitting playing cricket (pulled it during a game and kept playing - making it worse. I was a fast bowler and put too much wieght on my leg one time and twang.). Now my leg sometimes spasms and tenses up. I need to rub it and stretch it continually otherwise it is too painful. I find that jumping around and getting my legs moving help with this before stretching. If it hurts stop then apply a slower stretch but hold it longer and try to stretch it at least once a day.
Another thing to remember is to try and push the stretch a little further each time you breathe out. You should also never try to 'force' a stretch across the pain threshold, hold it where you can feel the muscle tingling, but then relax back rather than going further.
This is all excellent advice, thank you. I'm going to try them out today during my tai chi class. Darzeka, do you mean that during the second stretch I should contract the muscle as I am stretching it?
don't contract as you stretch. Between the two stretches push against the point where you held it. It is easiest to explain with the groin stretch. Put feet soles together in front of your groin. Push down on your knees with your elbows (hold onto your ankles if you like) hold the stretch. Relax it a bit then stop pushing on your knees. Try to bring your knees up through your elbows (hold your elbows there). hold this for about 20 seconds. Then stretch again in the same manner as before. Your knees will go further toward the ground and you will stretch more.
I didn't pull it very badly it was mainly the way I kept playing after I did it. I didn't really feel it when it went, it just kind kept getting sore as the day went on. I bowled another ten or so overs (I had a runup at about 25 metres) and it was about 35 degrees. I had to chase the ball to the boundary a coupla times as well. Then then smart thing I did was bowling again after the lunch break. That hurt and I had to stop short and had to run to the boundary another coupla times as well. By the end of the day I couldn't really walk. On monday night at training I thought I'd done it again as when I was being thrown my leg cought under me as I landed and it jolted it ( my toes were next to my **** and then my **** hit the floor.). I sent this wierd sensation like when stretch it only more intense and I let the pressure off immediately. It seemed to be okay though and I kept on training. Damn reverse hip throw.
