The purpose of stretching is to decrease muscle tension or permanently lengthen a muscle that has been shortened. The most important aspect of stretching is to remain relaxed during the stretch. Stretching too aggressively or quickly can trigger the muscle to contract, which in turn decreases the person’s ability to hold the stretch. The best way to avoid this is to slowly work into a minimum to medium stretch that a person can hold for up to one minute. A medium stretch is defined as as much stretch as a person can tolerate while keeping their muscles relaxed. Once this is achieved, the key is to listen to your body- if a stretch feels good to continue to hold, then hold it longer. If your body is telling you it needs a break from the stretch, then it’s time to stop.
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