Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation or PNF stretching as it is popularly known was primarily done on paralytic patients to try and get them up and walking as part of a therapy process. It is not a new find, but began to be used for rehabilitating patients’ way back in the 40’s and the 50’s of the last century. Gradually, in the 1980’s it was tried to some extent on normal athletes as it was a form of contractions and passive stretching. You can get very fast results in motion if you are an athlete and get over injures sustained during sporting events.

pnf stretching

Improves flexibility and coordination

Nowadays it is used by therapists, personal fitness trainers and coaches to improve flexibility and coordination. If you are stricken with heightened levels of fatigue, it is bound to go with PNF stretching. Although PNF stretching can be both active and passive, the results are remarkable for letting go off any inhibited muscular activity. Compared to other forms of flexibility exercises and workouts, this type of stretching has surged in popularity.

PNF stretching is done just before the passive stretching routine as part of muscle actions that are concentric and isometric as well. To stimulate the tendons, this form of stretching that involves contracting and holding, is done. These two steps are also done with a combination of passive stretching for 5-10 seconds in between, which is an extended part of PNF is stretching. The best possible way to kick start it is by extending a leg lying down on the floor and then the other held at as close to a right angle as possible up in the air.

pnf stretch

Guidelines before going PNF

But there are some guidelines that you have to follow to get PNF stretching right and benefit from it as well. You should leave a couple of days between the exercises. Only one muscle should be worked upon at a time instead of multiple muscles. For each muscle group the maximum number of set that you should attempt is just two to five.

Each set should be for a maximum of 30 seconds when you hold a stretch after contracting. You should not attempt PNF stretching if you are inexperienced and avoid doing it on the morning or the day before the major sporting event you are participating in. It should always be treated as a separate session and preceded by light aerobics for warming up.

You get more motion range when you move the muscle into a passive stretch. The way the isometric contraction is effective is because it can work wonders by making the the spindle receptors of the muscles more elongated. The muscles that are fatigued find it difficult to contract when the next stretch is done. Contraction of the muscle triggers a tension of the tendons that stops the chances of contraction.

It helps to activate the tendons more. In the event of the voluntary contraction ceasing, the contracting stops on its own. Your muscle is prone to vulnerability and the heightened range of motion using up the time after the contraction allows the receptors to get used to the new muscle length by learning PNF stretching at M2 Fitness Pros.

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