This Kind Of Stretching Sucks, But It’ll Also Sky-Rocket Your Mobility

Would you do it?

Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) 

This method combines muscle stretching with muscle contractions, to improve mobility more effectively than passive stretching alone.

This works, because muscles contain sensors that monitor tension and stretch, helping protect against injury by limiting movement when a position feels threatening—and PNF stretching helps by teaching the muscle that it’s safe to go a bit further, because contracting a muscle in a stretched position signals to your nervous system that you have control of the position, which can reduce protective resistance afterward.

How to do it: stretch a muscle, actively contract it while stretched, then relax and move deeper into the stretch ← yes, it’s that simple!

Or if you want more detail:

• To PNF your hamstrings: start in a half-kneeling position, hinge forwards until you feel a stretch without pain, then press your heel into the floor as if trying to bend your knee; use about 7 out of 10 effort rather than a maximal contraction.
• The release phase: after the contraction, fully relax and slowly move deeper into the stretch, often gaining additional range immediately.

Note: it will not feel relaxing while you are doing it; it will feel more like a workout.

For more on all of this plus a visual demonstration, enjoy:

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Want to learn more?

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Take care!