Everything you never wanted to know

by Brad Appleton

• Introduction
  • Disclaimer
  • Acknowledgements
  • About the Author
• Physiology of Stretching
  • The Musculoskeletal System
  • Muscle Composition
    • How Muscles Contract
    • Fast and Slow Muscle Fibers
  • Connective Tissue
  • Cooperating Muscle Groups
  • Types of Muscle Contractions
  • What Happens When You Stretch
    • Proprioceptors
    • The Stretch Reflex
      • Components of the Stretch Reflex
    • The Lengthening Reaction
    • Reciprocal Inhibition
• Flexibility
  • Types of Flexibility
  • Factors Limiting Flexibility
    • How Connective Tissue Affects Flexibility
    • How Aging Affects Flexibility
  • Strength and Flexibility
    • Why Bodybuilders Should Stretch
    • Why Contortionists Should Strengthen
  • Overflexibility
• Types of Stretching
  • Ballistic Stretching
  • Dynamic Stretching
  • Active Stretching
  • Passive Stretching
  • Static Stretching
  • Isometric Stretching
    • How Isometric Stretching Works
  • PNF Stretching
    • How PNF Stretching Works
• How to Stretch
  • Warming Up
    • General Warm-Up
      • Joint Rotations
      • Aerobic Activity
    • Warm-Up Stretching
      • Static Warm-Up Stretching
      • Dynamic Warm-Up Stretching
    • Sport-Specific Activity
  • Cooling Down
  • Massage
  • Elements of a Good Stretch
    • Isolation
    • Leverage
    • Risk
  • Some Risky Stretches
  • Duration, Counting, and Repetition
  • Breathing During Stretching
  • Exercise Order
  • When to Stretch
    • Early-Morning Stretching
  • Stretching With a Partner
  • Stretching to Increase Flexibility
  • Pain and Discomfort
    • Common Causes of Muscular Soreness
    • Stretching with Pain
    • Overstretching
  • Performing Splits
    • Common Problems When Performing Splits
    • The Front Split
    • The Side Split
    • Split-Stretching Machines

Version: 1.42, Last Modified 98/06/10

Copyright © 1993-1998 by Bradford D. Appleton

Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of this document at no charge or at a charge that covers reproducing the cost of the copies, provided that the copyright notice and this permission notice are preserved on all copies.