What kind of stretch helps for stiffness?

Many of us have been taught to stretch by holding a position for 30 to 60 seconds—this is called static stretching. But this is the worst way to stretch your muscles. Tight muscles are weaker and are more susceptible to injury and inflammation. When you stretch incorrectly, you can easily strain or pull a muscle.

Motion is all about the coordination of contraction and relaxation of the muscles. One of the best ways to stretch is a method from a book called The Whartons’ Complete Strength Book, and it’s called Active Isolated Flexibility.

How to stretch correctly (using Active Isolated Flexibility):

1. Identify the muscle you want to stretch

2. Contract or tighten the opposite muscle as you stretch

3. Stretch to a comfortable limit and hold for two seconds and then relax

Repeat this method of stretching eight to ten times per muscle. This would be a great warm-up before you exercise. You may also want to consider a version of this as part of the rehab process for a less severe injury.