For those who prefer the practice of theory, we have prepared a video with stretching exercises. In the video there are several exercises that you can perform:
- On the floor with the weight of his own body;
- on the dais: choreographic machine in the hall, the bar of the bar, installed at a certain height, a window sill, a table;
- with a rubber band-espander. Rubber bands are a universal trainer with which you can perform strength exercises and stretch.
And now let’s talk about why you should sit on the longitudinal splits.
Why sit on the longitudinal splits
There are several reasons why longitudinal twine is not just an occasion to show off your flexibility.
Increased muscle elasticity reduces the risk of injury
With age, muscle fibers become less elastic, in the muscles, cross-links are formed, which impede the movement of parallel fibers. In addition, over time, muscle fibers are increasingly connected by connective tissue, which makes them stiff, reduces range of motion and increases the risk of injury.
Stretching your muscles, you remove the cross connections, restoring the normal structure. During stretching, the production of lubricating fluids in tissues is stimulated, which makes the muscles more elastic.
This is of great importance for sports, in which there are jumps and fast cycles of contraction and contraction of muscles, for example for football, basketball, crossfit. For these kinds of sports you need enough flexible muscles and tendons to store and spill out a high amount of elastic energyStretching and injury prevention: an obscure relationship. .
If the athlete lacks supple muscles and tendons, the requirements for absorption and manifestation of energy will exceed the muscle capacity, which can increase the risk of injury.
Stretching improves blood circulation
In the course of the studyInfluence of passive stretch on muscle blood flow, oxygenation and central cardiovascular responses in healthy young males. it was proved that during the stretching process antegrade and retrograde blood flow increases, as well as the concentration of venous hemoglobin in comparison with the initial one.
After exercise increases the volume of circulating blood and blood flow in the legs, regardless of the intensity of the stretching. Also, after stretching, the retrograde blood flow is increased, which improves the nutrition of the tissues and has a beneficial effect on the muscles of the legs.
Stretching of the ilio-lumbar muscle helps to form a good posture
The third reason is to sit on the longitudinal twine – a stretching of the ilio-lumbar muscle.
In people who lead a sedentary lifestyle, this muscle is often shortened, which leads to poor posture – hyperlordosis of the lumbar spine. The shortened muscle pulls the lower part of the spine behind it, due to which the deflection in the lower back increases, and the stomach is propelled forward.
Exercises for stretching will help stretch almost all the muscles of the legs, as well as the ilio-lumbar muscle, which will reduce harm to the back and avoid pain in the lower back, problems with vertebral discs and the hip joint.
How often and for a long time to stretch to sit on the longitudinal splits
Most scientists agree that 10-30 seconds is the ideal timeCurrent concepts in muscle stretching for exercise and rehabilitation. retention of the static posture for the development of flexibility.
At the same time, Dr. Kelly Starrett, in her book “Becoming a Supple Leopard: The Ultimate Guide to Resolving Pain, Preventing Injury, and Optimizing Athletic Performance”, calls the time interval of two minutes – it is during this time that the fascia has time to adapt to new length.
Many coaches agree with his opinion, for example the American physiotherapist and yoga instructor Julie Gudmestad. She believes that during this time, the necessary changes in the base substance-the gel-like matrix of connective tissue-manage to occur.
To choose the ideal time for yourself, be guided by your abilities. If you can sit in a pose for two minutes – excellent. If not, alternate holding the pose for 30 seconds with a little rest and make four approaches.
As for the number of trainings per week, there are no restrictions. You can perform stretching every day, both after training, and separately from it. If you choose the latter option, be sure to perform an articular warm-up and a five-minute cardio to warm up the muscles.
Even daily stretching does not guarantee that you will quickly sit on the twine. Your flexibility is influenced by many factors: muscle elasticity, the ability to deform fascia, neurological features (muscle memory and tolerance) and even individual muscle architecture.
Do not try to sit on the twine without the support of hands, when the muscles are not ready for this. So you risk to sit on the twine curve.
How to distinguish the twine curve and how dangerous it is
The curve of the longitudinal splits is quite easy to find out. Hips in it are directed not forward, but aside, knees are bent.
If you can keep only that pose, then your muscles are not ready yet. Perhaps it’s because of an insufficiently stretched straight muscle of the thigh or gluteal muscle.
Crooked twine not only looks not as beautiful as the right one, but can also cause problems with the back. If both hips lie on the floor, and the iliac bones forward, the body takes a direct position naturally due to mobility of the hip joint.
If you do not have enough mobility in the hip joint, and the hip of the hindleg is raised above the floor, you are trying to straighten the body due to the deflection in the lower back. During the deflection, a compression is created in the lower spine. If you have problems with the spine, it can aggravate them and cause painful sensations in the lower back.
So do not get used to the wrong twine. It is better to continue stretching with an emphasis on the hands or special blocks, but make sure that the hips are directed strictly forward.
Also you can try to remove the restrictions, paying special attention to stretching the quadriceps and gluteus muscles. Several options for stretching the gluteal muscles have been shown in the video. As for the straight muscle of the hip, an exercise that will help you stretch it is shown in the photo.
This exercise should be performed after a good stretch of the back of the thigh. So you maintain balance in the body and do not spoil your posture by pulling one muscle group while keeping the rigidity of the other.
Stretch more often, then you will necessarily sit on the right longitudinal twine.
