Muscle tightness from use and overuse require foam rolling to get it back to normal. Usually the area around the upper back and of the neck, low back, shoulders, knees, hips and ankles are prone to pain. It is the way we sit, work or drive or even exercise that can lead to sudden muscular cramps and pains. Long hours at the computer, standing in a queue or carrying heavy baggage for a long period of time or any stressed activity leading to pressure on a particular area can lead to aches and pains from tight muscles.

Untie the knots

The tightness has to be relieved and made loose so that we can move it in our normal ranges. Tight muscles impair our normal movements and a knotty situation affects us badly. Neither can we stretch or move about normally. Foam rolling is done on the affected area to untie the knots and make movement more easy and smooth. The tightness loosens up and the muscle gets relaxed. It automatically through repeated sessions comes back to its normal position. Instead of moving with painful steps, we can once again function the way we were doing earlier.

Foam rolling is a method by which we can relax our tight and tense muscles. It increases flexibility and the technique of foam roller use is known as self myofascial release. It releases the tension that shortens the muscles stopping it from functioning or moving normally. When the muscles become tense, we then force them to move according to our wishes as we normally do. But the tenseness makes it hard to move and leads to aches and pains in the associated area. By foam rolling the area we apply moderate pressure on the affected muscles. Muscle mechanisms get triggered as the pressure on them is sensed. Automatically, the body signals the muscles to relax and loosen up.

Persist with foam rolling till pain subsides

Depending on the degree of tenseness, the muscle will take time to relax. Some areas and muscles will react immediately to the foam rolling pressure and relax abruptly while other muscles that are tenser would take more time to relax. Some areas may take regular and repeated running of the foam roller to get it back to normal. Many people racked badly with muscle pain give up when foam rolling does not initially work after being used for a couple of times.

Depending on the type of muscle, area and age of the affected person, the time to relax would be taken. Instead of giving up if it doesn’t work after one or two sessions with the foam roller, you should persist with it till the pain reduces or is eliminated.

While working to relieve the tense muscles you should also refrain from sticking to one particular position that has made your muscles go tender or sore. If it is the computer station or another identified activity, then you should cut down on the time you spend on it. The best way to roll is to do it slowly without rolling over the joints. The tender areas that are most affected should go under foam rolling while you breathe deeply.

Without impairing the muscle’s static passive ability to stretch, dynamic stretching makes the muscle go into further ranges of motion and is vital for athletes. It is the range of motion that the stretching sticks to as outside the range it turns ballistic. It is also a warm up exercise for athletes preparing for an arduous training session under the watchful eyes of their trainers. It is the movement speed, active effort on part of muscles and momentum required to perform the stretch.

More sports specific in nature

It is close to ballistic stretching, but it avoids the bouncing movements. The exercise is more tuned to sports and is specifically tailored for athletes and sports related activity. Lunge walking, circling of arms, excessive and extended kicking fore and aft are common types of dynamic stretching. But all these movements are performed without the help using any weights. Hip joints get strengthened and loosened by lunge walks.

Tight hips are impediments in sports competitions. Studies have shown that performing dynamic stretching before sports can get stiff muscles to loosen up. Stiff muscles are usually the causes for sprains and strains. Trainers advocate dynamic stretching just before the main event to keep the risks of injury low. This form of stretching can easily lead to better performance and preparation before the main sporting event.

Exercising with certain equipment like stability balls and foam rollers available at M2 Fitness Pros are another great way to get started with this form of stretching.

Types of dynamic stretching

The types of dynamic stretching that you can perform are swinging your arms back and forth in front of your body. You have to do it in a standing position. Side bends can be done with a toning bar placed on your shoulders. By keeping your torso straight you have to lean from one side to the other in a continuous motion without making any back and forth movements. Trunk rotations can be performed by bending your knees slightly keeping your feet firmly on the ground. To perform this type of dynamic stretching you have to stand with hands on hips and stretch your shoulders.

Clasping your hands behind your knees at the back, bring them to your chest while you lie on your back. This is known as fullback stretch and you need to roll forwards and backwards without letting your head hit the floor. You can do an abdominal stretch by holding a horizontal bar and with legs straightened and outstretched arms roll on a stability ball. You can do a groin stretch with the stability ball by planting your knee on it and rolling it over while you slowly spread your legs. Try the exercise using the other knee.

Alternatively touching your toes and swinging your legs, you can also perform exercises in your home or any place of your choice. It gears you up before a major sporting event where muscle action is the key to success. Your muscles get warmed up and the nervous system gets primed for the performance and the major reason for dynamic stretching is to keep injury risks to the minimum.

Massage is a soothing aid for relaxing the body. The benefits of massage can be found in the curative properties it has to correct several problems the body can be affected with. The entire system can get rejuvenated by massage as it aids the heightened circulation of blood. Usually, a body massage is done with oil or cream depending upon the condition of the skin. Among oils, sesame oil is the best as it has therapeutic properties and is ideal for a body massage.

Relieve muscle pain

There are several health benefits of massage and primarily it is used to relieve pain. Muscle tension can lead to excruciating pain that can impair normal physical movement. Muscles are prone to stretching, compression and extensions as well as exertions as we go about our lives. The normal muscle movements can also get badly affected by the way we sit or work. Our work place and any other activity that requires long hours of staying in a particular position can cause muscular pain. Lactic acid formation from such prolonged postures can be gotten rid off through massage leaving us fresh and full of vigor.

Tension free heart and nerves

Heart movement can also be made efficient with massage. It requires a systematic and coordinated massage by expert masseurs to relieve any abnormality in its function. For heightened efficiency and smooth functioning of the heart, massage is essential. Our nerves can get twisted and strained for no reason. Excessive stress can affect our nerve functions and lead to nerve related symptoms. Benefits of massage can be seen on the nerves using light pressure to get the tension and stress off. You get a soothing feeling from gentle massaging and your nervous system will get rejuvenated. To ramp up efficiency and stimulate them, massage can be the only option.

Our skin pores get closed and this condition affects us in old age. Prizing open the pores of the skin is one of the benefits of massage. Unless the pores are open, toxins cannot flee form our body when we perspire and remain with us causing immense damage to our body in the long run. Our skin condition also worsens if the pores are not cleared up. Benefits of massage are best felt when the blood circulation increases with gentle as well as vigorous rubbing of the body. The massaged area gets more fresh blood and along with it added nutrients and oxygen. Massaging increases blood flow and speeds up healing of the area.

Stimulation of the digestive system is a great benefit of massage as waste gets eliminated quickly when the abdomen is worked upon. Liver efficiency goes up leading to the body’s ability to withstand most diseases. Our urine flow increases and more toxins are eliminated when the urinary system is massaged. During old age, the bladder usually tends not to function normally which can result in surgery. Expert masseurs are trained to provide maximum relief to the body and provide benefits of massage. It is an old and tried healing process without any side effects.

A bouncy motion during stretching is known as ballistic stretching. It could be passive or dynamic in nature. But the motion involved is bouncy. Movements can be fast and jerky for a double bounce, but it involves a heightened level of skill. Usually, top elite athletes under the guidance of M2 Fitness Pros trainers undergo this sort of bouncy stretching as it can pose hazards for the uninitiated. To the novice who hasn’t tried it before and is not up to it can seriously injure nerves and tissues resulting in muscle sprains.

It is high intensity training

Among workouts and athlete training activities, ballistic stretching is high intensity and requires nerves to go through the process. Only top athletes under the watchful eyes of their trainers can perform this sort of activity and vary the intensity and speed of the bounce. Theoretically, some skeptics view it as an intensely hazardous activity. But research on sports training and exercises suggest otherwise. Ballistic stretching can risk muscle pulls like any other exercise that is vigorous. You need to warm up the muscles before venturing into any intense training that involves rapid movements.

It has been shown and revealed through various studies conducted by sports teams and researchers that the gentle bounce in ballistic stretching can increase flexibility of the muscles. The gains are no less than those achieved by practicing static stretching and this form of gentle bouncing motion can also be very effective in making rapid and speedy movements requiring agility are easier to perform. But that is the stuff that is required by elite athletes. And studies by sports scientists have proved that there are no side-effects and are best performed under the guidance of experienced trainers.

Begin with light aerobics to warm up

But there is a process for performing the bouncing movements. Mild exercises like light cardio lead to warming up of the body as the body needs to tune itself to the vigorous movements required. The motions required to perform ballistic stretching can only be done when the body is flexible enough. But then again, the motion cannot be vigorous as soon as you are done with the gentle aerobics session. It has to begin with gentle movements and bounces.

Like static stretching, the gentle bouncing motions are best performed for half a minute with three to five repetitions. Studies in ballistic stretching have also revealed that patients who have arthritis may not respond favorably. It was seen that naturally stiff muscles are not ideal for this form of stretching.

Other than top elite athletes, the vigorous stretching with bouncing movements is not meant for ordinary people. The looser the muscles are, the easier it would be to put them through the bouncing movements. It was only recently that it is not much favored among all coaches and trainers of athletes as it has proven to lead in some cases to muscle tears. But it is not meant for the ordinary athlete. Only the more prepared and physically equipped ones in the business can perform the arduous movements. Rapid bouncing of the muscle leads to stretching of the muscle spindle. Sensory impulses carry the information throughout the body and better prepare an athlete for the pending event or athletic activity.

Static stretching is just the opposite of dynamic stretching and is also known as active stretching. Known by different names, active stretching is also commonly called static active stretching. You take up a position and hold on to it without any external assistance. The only strength you can use is that of your muscles. Without any limb movements the muscle groups are stretched for about 15 to 20 seconds.

Improves active flexibility in martial arts and yoga

A very common example of exercising your opposing muscles and testing their strength is holding a leg out in front while you stand on the other leg. The stretched leg is held out with the help of your quadriceps that get strengthened while you repeat the position. In a way the muscles are also relaxed. Martial art exponents and practitioners use this active stretching technique to heighten their active flexibility as they have to hold a leg up toward the opponent’s head during the act.

You cannot stay in the active stretching position for more than 10 to 15 sec as the position is difficult to maintain much longer. Even yoga which involves different types of postures is based to some extent on active stretching. In some forms of yoga, postures of this type of stretching are more evident and individual muscles are worked one at a time. Most doctors and physiotherapists use this technique to cure cramps, aches and muscular problems.

To increase overall fitness and endurance levels of athletes and sports enthusiasts, fitness trainers and therapists also work on them. Usually, it comes in handy when they have fitness and injury problems. In highly active sports, injury can plague them and that is when gentle and quick active stretching is a way to heal and make them get back to optimum levels of fitness during performances. Overall body functions undergo a sea change with this technique developed by Aaron L Mattes.

Best performed during training

Active stretching technique has been developed to improve flexibility and is not usually performed by athletes just before their sporting events. Like martial artists who have to raise their legs to the height of their opponent’s head, dynamic flexibility is more required than anything else. But it can affect their balance and they can take longer time to react if they perform them just before the event. Power output also gets lesser and it does not prevent injuries. This exercise is part of their training process and not done prior to the sporting event.

You can know more about the new type of active stretching techniques at workshops, seminars and training programs at M2 Fitness Pros. Gentle and quick stretching technique is the latest fad to contract the muscle against the muscle that is targeted. The muscle is released before it can contract. Healthcare practitioners have co-opted this path-breaking technique to shore up their services by offering this extra feature. To loosen up tight muscles and prevent the risk of injury, active stretching is performed as part of the training process of athletes.