Compare and contrast the purposes and methods behind static stretching, ballistic stretching and dynamic stretching.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

With static stretching, muscles are lengthened gradually through a joint's complete range of motion and the final position is held for a few seconds. This slow-sustained stretch causes the muscles to relax and achieve greater length; it causes little pain and carries a low risk for injury. They are the most frequently used and recommended in flexibility development programs. Ballistic stretching uses the momentum of a moving body or body part to produce the stretch. This requires a fast and repetitive bouncing motion to achieve a greater degree of stretch, occasionally forcing joints beyond the normal range of motion. Dynamic stretching focuses on speed of movement, momentum, and active muscular effort. Unlike ballistic stretching, it does not require bouncing, but rather uses the slow transition between body positions to increase range of motion.