ISCA - Stretch Science Outline

Stretch Science Outline

Course Objectives

Physical and psychological benefits of stretching
1. Increase in range of motion
  1. Increased muscle length
  2. Increased elasticity of connective tissue
  3. Increased performance
2. Reduced muscle tension
  1. Reduced muscular stress
  2. Increase localized blood flow
  3. Reduced psychological stress
3. Reduced potential for injury
  1. Increased flexibility
  2. Increased compliance of muscle and connective tissue
The physiology of Active-Assisted stretching
1. The muscle spindle and related neural connections
  1. Reciprocal inhibition
  2. The role of the agonist and antagonist
2. Physical changes in muscle and connective tissue
  1. Added contractile units (sarcomeres)
  2. Added elasticity of the connective tissue
The application of Active-Assisted stretching using the Promise rope
1. The integration of movement initiation and assisted stretching
  1. Using the agonist to initiate the stretch of the antagonist
  2. Using the Promise rope to assist the stretch of the antagonist
2. The Power of Stretching multi-joint stretch program
  1. Upper body stretches
  2. Lower body stretches

Reciprocal Innervation

Active stretching is a technique which uses the muscles on one side of a joint (the agonist) to actively stretch the muscle on the opposite side (the antagonist). When the agonist is contracted the nervous system sends a message to the antagonist to relax (reciprocal inhibition) making the antagonist more responsive to the stretch. The rope can then be used as a training partner