Static Active Stretching

The use of a muscle agonist to hold a limb in position. The tension of these muscles helps to relax (reciprocal inhibition) those muscles opposing them. An example of this is the adductor stretch where the soles of the feet are placed together with the heels pulled towards the groin as far as possible. The muscles of the outer hip (abductors) are used to pull the leg downwards so that the knee touches the floor without the use of the hands/elbows to push them down. The abductors are the agonist muscles in this case and as a result the adductors (inside leg) are relaxed. These are the muscles being stretched. Feel them and then use the hands to push down at the knees - the adductor muscles tense up as abduction decreases.

Static active flexibility is difficult to develop to the same degree as dynamic or static passive flexibility. You must learn how to relax stretched muscles and must build up strength in the muscles opposing them so that parts of the body can be held in extended positions. This type of stretch requires isometric contractions to display the stretch of the antagonist (for example, quadriceps contracted to extend knee and relax the hamstrings by reciprocal inhibition), dynamic strengthening should also be performed like raising and lowering the leg to the side in a slow continuous movement to promote strength gains in the abductor muscles. Use weight to load the muscles if more than six can be achieved easily. Follow this with some static (isometric, see below) exercises by holding the leg in the raised position and pulling down hard to contract at the full length of the muscle. Hold 6 seconds then successively longer (up to 30 secs). Strengthens the adductors. Finish off with some static passive stretches.

Static active flexibility depends on static passive flexibility. Muscles must be stretched in order for them not to interfere with agonist (active) contractions causing excessive resistance to the stretch. Arm extension to the back by clasping hands together. Holding the leg in the raised position using hip flexors to bring the thigh towards the hip with the knee extended by quads. This should relax the hamstrings and hip extensors (gluteus maximus) in the stretched position. Leg abduction to the side to relax the adductors and to the back to work the hip extensors and relax the hip flexors (opposite of front position). Side bends for the obliques. Trunk rotation and hold and back hyperextension.