We last talked about how to achieve a full range of movements without any stiffness, aching or suffering. In other words we discussed about achieving suppleness. Suppleness can be achieved by stretching to far extent.

However, your stretching better be safe. Always avoid forceful stretches. You should understand that you would feel only a comfortable tightness instead of any kind of pain when a muscle is stretched to its limit. You should never go beyond this point. Always take care that you should avoid stretches that puts excessive strain on other parts of the body. For example, deep knee bends, in which the bottom drops below the level of the knees, and touching the toes while keeping the legs straight, can be harmful because they put too much strain on your back and joints. It is always advised to place your hands on your thighs when stretching the muscles at the back of the leg (hamstring) as this would help support the lower back, whether standing or sitting.

Also take care that when you are stretching, you apply only slow and steady pressure and resist the temptation to speed up the stretch by bouncing. This will put more stress on the tendons than the muscles. Muscles are actually armed with a reflex device to protect them from over-extended. This means that every time you move into a stretch, the initial reaction of the muscle is to contract in order to protect itself. So when it is held for a few seconds, the so called initial contraction will disperse and the muscle can then relax into a stretch. It is to be noted that bouncing, which is also known as ballistic stretching repeatedly triggers the reflex action and results in a series of contractions rather than the desired lengthening of the muscle.

Please note that it is important that stretches are attempted by moving the joints only in direction for which they are designed. For example, your knees are hinge joints which can be damaged if attempts are made to rotate or move them laterally. Ligaments, the bands of fibrous tissues that hold the joints in place, can be damaged if the joint is moved in a direction that it is not designed to go.

So take care. Have a healthy mind and healthy body.