How do you stretch without pain?

1. 60

   whitesuferposted 14 years ago

   How do you stretch without pain?
   
   Like when my gym teacher tell me to Touch for my toes and I reach down and I am suppose to hold it for 30secs but I can't because it hurts when I get a few cm. past my knees... is there a way I can pratice it so there no pain or is that a life thing? You know that pain... Idk how to describe it

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2. 84

   wychicposted 14 years ago

   If you're stretching to the point of pain, that's not a good thing. It sounds like your gym teacher needs to remember that there are varying levels of flexibility, and in pushing that limit you're more likely to injure yourself and your muscles will never relax to the point where they actually stretch and increase your overall flexibility.
   
   Stretches should be to the point that you can feel the stretch, but there's no pain. Stay in that position and breath two or three times, then deepen the stretch if you feel able. If it hurts, back off. Try working on stretches once or twice a day at home in addition to those you have to do in gym, which may help speed up the rate at which you can increase your flexibility. If possible, talk to your gym teacher about your range of motion -- he or she SHOULD know that they're asking you to go beyond a safe stretch, but if they don't listen then there's not a lot else you can do other than work on stretches at home to get to that point faster and hopefully avoid an injury.

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3. 69

   sharing the skyposted 14 years ago

   First off, you risk injury if you stretch to the point of pain. Stretching is an incremental process and should not be forced. It's important to be gentle with your body and have awareness. Breathing into the stretches helps to ease into them (thanks 'wychic'), stretching in a warm room may also help you get comfortable and sometimes having a guide (think dvd or the like) helps to slow you down which sometimes helps to avoid overdoing it. As with anything, if pain persists, consult your healthcare provider and back off as there may be a legitimate cause.

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