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.

Body Weight Exercises for Core Development

Developing a strong functional core should be the goal of any serious athlete. Oftentimes people just want a ripped midsection simply for the aesthetic aspect of it but because just about every movement we make requires the muscles of the core some degree, focusing on this area of the body is extremely important for the overall functioning and health of your entire body. With the multitude of products on the market for working out the core it can be easy to forget that the only thing you need to strengthen this area of the body is, your body.

Using only your body weight to stretch and strengthen your core may not seem as exciting as getting hooked up to the latest exercise gadget that promises you a ripped six-pack in no time at all, but the results are often much more impressive. Simply grabbing a space on the floor and using your body weight for some specific exercises can give you all the core workout you’ll ever need.

One of the simplest and most effective body weight exercises for the core is the basic crunch. Just grab an empty space on the floor and lie down to knock out a few sets of this powerfully effective abdominal workout. By utilizing slight variations while doing crunches, you can twist or position your upper body to be able to hit all aspects of your abdominal muscles.

Another effective body weight exercise for your core is planks. The basic plank requires you to support yourself using your forearms while keeping your back straight all the way down to your toes which are also used to support your body as you stabilize yourself and stay rigid, just like a plank. Holding a plank position for even as little as a minute can make even the most hardened body builder begin to shake uncontrollably. Stabilizing your core muscles and keeping your spine rigid while continuing to breathe throughout this exercise provides an incredibly intense core workout. Variations of planks exist so that there will always be something new to help train your core as you progress and become stronger.

Lying leg lifts or scissors are another popular core exercise. These help to target the area of the upper thighs as well as the abdominals helping to strengthen a larger section of your core. These muscles will help to support your body through all types of functional movements and will give you increased strength in just about every exercise you perform.

The core is not just about your abdominals of course so let’s not forget body weight exercisesfor your lower back like back extensions. One simple way to hit this area of your core is to lay down flat on your stomach with your legs extended and your fingers behind your head. Then, simply raise your shoulders and chest you inches above the ground and hold for a few seconds. This simple movement will work wonders for strengthening your lower back also tying in your glutes along with hamstrings and again help to develop a much stronger core using only your body weight.

The examples above make up just a few of the multitude of exercises that you can do using only your body weight to stretch and strengthen your core muscles. Take some time to investigate some of the other ones out there that will complete theses few and make sure to add them into your regular core training regimen for a more complete core blast!