Posted: July 11, 2006

Training: Stretches Using Props

From Stretch to Win by Ann Frederick, Christopher Frederick

Several of the key stretches on pages 127 to 147 take advantage of balls, walls, poles, bands, and other objects for outside leverage. Sometimes such tools offer the best way to stretch an area. They can help you improve your flexibility even more by providing resistance for self-proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF), increasing the efficiency of this powerful technique.

As you’ll remember from principle 9 in chapter 1 (page 14), facilitating body reflexes through a method such as PNF or assisted stretching with a partner helps you to reach optimal flexibility. Research has proven that PNF yields the greatest gains in ROM in the shortest amount of time. It has also shown that gains in ROM resulting from PNF contract-release (CR) stretching lasted the longest over time when compared to other stretching techniques.

While you can use PNF in many of the stretches in our system, it is most effective with those in which you use an object or prop. In chapter 8, we discuss specific ways to use PNF techniques with partner-assisted stretching.

Among the many props you can use to add variety to your stretching routine are the following:

• Stability balls. Stability or physio balls are one of our favorite choices for stretching props because of their three-dimensional quality and pliability. Choose a ball between 45 and 75 centimeters in diameter—the taller the person, the larger the diameter of the ball should be. If you desire more stability when using a ball, rest one side of the ball against a wall for any of the stretches. In addition to the adductor ball stretch we use the ball in the key stretches for the hip flexors (page 130), quadriceps (page 132), quadratus lumborum and iliotibial band (page 130), and pectoralis minor (page 141).
• Walls, doorways, and stable objects. Using a wall or doorjamb is great when you need an unmovable object for stability. For our photos we substituted a Pilates chair for the wall (often a piece of stable furniture or equipment works for wall stretches). The lateral line wall stretch on page 166 targets the lateral line, including the QL, ITB, obliques, and latissimus dorsi.
• Chairs and benches. A chair or bench is a good object to help you stretch, especially when you want to be up off the ground and don’t want to be concerned about keeping your balance. We suggest using a chair or a bench that is stable and that allows you to place your feet flat on the floor with the knees bent at 90 degrees.
• Bands, ropes, and towels. We find that using bands, ropes, or towels in stretching is beneficial when you need more leverage. If you have short arms in relation to your legs or if you are very tight (we refer to it as “flexibility challenged”), they can be especially helpful. When choosing a Theraband, choose one that is at least medium weight for strength. Bands, ropes and towels should be long enough to wrap around the ball of the foot while holding each end comfortably in each hand.

ADDUCTOR BALL STRETCH

1. Sit just in front of the top of the ball with legs apart and both knees bent 90 degrees with the feet flat on the floor.
2. Shift your weight onto one leg and straighten the other leg as much as possible, while keeping the ball of the foot on the floor for balance.
3. Bend over from the waist as you exhale.
4. To increase the stretch, bring the elbow on the same side as the extended leg toward the bent leg and continue to straighten the extended leg. You can change the feel of the stretch by exploring different positions on the ball.

LATERAL LINE WALL STRETCH

1. Stand about 2 feet (61 cm) from the wall or stable surface with your side facing it. With feet together, place the hand closest to the wall or surface on it. Put the other hand on the hip and inhale.
2. Exhale as you lean your hips into the surface.
3. To increase the stretch, lean the upper body away from the surface as you continue pressing the hips toward the wall.
4. Now turn to face the surface with your feet 2 feet (61 cm) from the wall and hip-width apart.
5. Lean your body toward the surface, placing both hands on it, one above the other. Inhale.
6. Exhale as you push against the surface with the hands. To increase the stretch, straighten your arms and continue pushing away.
7. Now bring the feet together and inhale.
8. Exhale as you rotate the chest toward the top arm and ceiling and bend laterally toward the surface, slightly arching your back.
9. To increase the stretch, continue rotating the torso until the top arm comes off the surface.
10. To further increase the stretch, touch the wall with fingertips, completely rotating the chest upward toward the top arm.

LOW BACK CHAIR STRETCH

1. Sit on a chair or bench and open each leg out to the side with the knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Inhale.
2. Exhale and round the torso over toward the floor, relaxing the upper body and head.
3. Reach through the legs with the arms and continue lowering the upper body and head to the floor, using the breathing pattern just described.
4. Move the torso to the right and reach both arms through the right leg, using the recommended breathing pattern. Repeat on the left side.

GLUTE CHAIR STRETCH

1. Sit upright in a chair with the feet flat on the ground. Cross one leg over the other so that the ankle rests above the knee. Inhale.
2. Exhale. Press the knee gently down toward the floor with the hand belonging to same side as the leg; hold the ankle in place with the other hand.
3. Lean forward with the torso and continue pressing the knee toward the floor.
4. Turn the torso away from the crossed leg and continue pressing the knee toward the floor.
5. To increase the stretch, bring the shoulder of the crossed leg toward the lifted foot.

HIP FLEXOR CHAIR STRETCH

1. Stand facing a chair or bench, bend one knee and place the same-side foot on the seat. Square the hips and inhale.
2. Exhale. Lift the torso up and press both hips forward, especially from the leg on the floor.
3. Move in and out of this stretch until you feel a release in the resistance of the hip flexors.
4. To increase the stretch, lift the torso upward and arch the back into extension, being careful not to pinch the low back. Continue pressing both hips forward.
5. To further increase stretch, lift the arm opposite the bent leg up over the head while in back extension and then lift up the other arm.

HAMSTRING BAND STRETCH

1. Lie on your back with one leg straight. Slightly bend the other leg and place a band on the ball of the foot, keeping the foot relaxed. Let the head and shoulders relax on the floor.
2. Focus on stretching the origin of the hamstrings first. To do this, gently stretch the leg up and out of the joint, bending the knee slightly, and then stretch the leg toward the center of the chest.
3. To increase the stretch, with each exhalation try to bring leg closer to the chest; to further increase the stretch, straighten the knee.
4. Now open the leg out to the side. Keep the knee slightly bent as you focus on stretching the origin of the hamstring.
5. Gently stretch the leg up and outward from the joint and down toward the floor.
6. To increase this part of the stretch, with each exhalation try to bring the leg closer to the shoulder on the same side and toward the floor, as well as straightening the knee.
7. Now take the leg across the body toward the floor on the opposite side. Keep the knee slightly bent again.
8. Gently stretch the leg up and outward from the joint toward the center of the chest.
9. To increase the stretch, with each exhalation try to bring the leg closer, across the chest and toward the opposite shoulder, as well as straightening the knee.

Begin with a slightly bent knee for all positions and then straighten knee if possible. Use the band to help traction the leg up in the hip socket and guide the leg to each side.

SOLEUS AND GASTROCNEMIUS BAND STRETCH

1. Sit on the floor. Extend one leg in front of you and bend the other leg with the foot flat on the floor.
2. Wrap a band, rope, or towel around the ball of the foot of the bent leg.
3. Sit up tall with the torso and dorsiflex the foot back toward your body, using the band or towel to assist. Inhale and gently push the ball of the foot into the band for three to six seconds with about 50 percent of your strength against the resistance of the band.
4. Exhale and increase dorsiflexion with the aid of the band or towel.
5. Repeat a couple of times and change the angle of the foot to target different fibers. Or, to increase the stretch, you can lean forward with the torso and dorsiflex the foot back farther.
6. Now straighten the bent leg and repeat steps 2 to 5 on the same leg.
7. Repeat a couple of times and change angle of the foot to target different fibers. Then repeat on the other side.

"From Stretch to Win by Ann and Chris Frederick. Copyright 2006 by Human Kinetics Publishers, Inc. Excerpted by permission of Human Kinetics, Champaign, IL. www.HumanKinetics.com."

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