Why can professionals stretch several times a day and I have to rest?

You say to rest between stretching, but professionals perform and stretch several times a day? Why is that? I got this question this morning. Fair question. I was trying to figure all this out decades ago, myself. Short answer: professionals are not stretching to increase range of motion. Long answer: stretching is not different than strength training. If one is looking for progress, there is stress. Tissues break. Given time and nourishment they build and adapt to stress. A professional dancer or fighter stretching every day or several times a day is about the same stress as a soldier doing 5 push ups, whenever he wants. Just walk around, drop and do 5 push ups. Did he break any tissue? No. Because he can do a lot more. Now imagine a person who can only do 5 or even 4 push ups. Gives all he got and does 5 push ups. He will be sore next day. So when you are training for flexibility, you are that person. A professional dancer, gymnast, cheerleader, yogi, fighter can already do a split for example. It’s not big deal for them to do it. They don’t need time to recover. Of course if they now want to over-split and go beyond their range… then they need recovery time. (A dancer trying to stretch beyond her normal ROM for a performance is taking a risk). So in summary, if you are extending your normal range in your training session, you need rest after. P.S. keep in mind that the addition of strength exercises to stretching counts as “new training”. In other words, say you can do a straddle split. However today, you added supine leg flies to it (Extended Length Conditioning for adductors) to your regular stretching. You need rest after, even though you haven’t gone beyond your normal range. Click below to start your Easyflexibility program Today! Extended Length Conditioning Extended Length Conditioning are a special exercise group. They take a muscle or a synergetic group of muscles andstrengthen them through full range of motion. ELC exercises are not stretches, but they are flexibility’s best friend. Unlike regular strength exercises, which work in the normal range, ELC connect the "normal" with the "new", deep range. Here are the benefits of Extended Length Conditioning exercises to flexibility training and injury prevention 1. Getting Comfortable: Stretch reflex (the pain that prevents stretching) is your body's way of freaking out. As soon as your joints go a bit past the familiar range, there is panic and resistance to stretching further. Extended Length Conditioning exercises allow the body to feel strong and protected in that deep range. Developing strength there, tells the muscles and nerves and other tissues that it's ok to be in the stretch, there is strength there and thus comfort. 2. Cold Flexibility: Most people are more flexible warm than they are cold, that is not a secret. The reason for that is because we don't operate in the deep ranges of our joints. This is where ELC comes in. It does exactly that. It makes the deep range natural and connected to standard ranges. This allow for better cold flexibility, faster warm up, etc. 3. Injury prevention: Most serious injuries happen in deep ranges. (This is exactly what the stretch reflex is trying to protect you from). Developing strength in those ranges makes sure that if the body has to do a strong contraction, while the muscles are stretched, there is enough strength to keep them safe. 4. Added Overall Strength: This one is usually considered more of a side effect of Extended Length Conditioning. It works because the most strength a muscle produce is in the mid-range. A few degrees toward deeper range, (even long before full stretch is reached), the force production decreases. However, if the deep range gets deeper, then the mid-range becomes larger too. More force can be produced throughout a larger portion of movement, thus the mid-range becomes stronger. Take a look at this video to learn when to use Extended Length Conditioning for Lower Body program: Extended Length Conditioning exercises have helped many people to stay safe, maintain their flexibility gains, and develop flexibility faster than before. Sometimes even one session is enough to see the results of these techniques. Click on the BUY NOW BUTTON below to get started! Please note: that these are not downloadable programs, nor are these programs available in DVD format. All our programs are Pre Recorded Online On Demand Video Strength & Flexibility Training Programs. Once you place your order, you will receive an email containing your login information on how to login to your very own online library which will contain all the programs that you purchase from us. This is an online library, which you can access any time that you wish from any device, phone, computer, ipad. There is no time limit for you to view your programs, you get to keep them in your library indefinitely, and access them any time, anywhere, and for as long as you want to! YOU MAY ALSO BE INTERESTED IN: Self Pressure Massage for Lower Body  This program gives:   A complete follow along routine to release every muscle in the lower body. This ensures full stretching capacity and decrease chance of injury due to overcompensation of one muscle group for another. Click here to learn more Flex All Full Body Combo This package contains 13 programs: Back Extension BeginnerBack Extension IntermediateHip Flexor Beginner/IntermediateHip Flexor AdvancedSide Bending BeginnerSide Bending IntermediateHamstrings BeginnerHamstrings IntermediateHamstrings AdvancedHamstrings Double Forward BendOverhead Shoulder Flexibility (flexion)Adductors FlexibilityGlutes & Iliotibial Band Click here to learn more Super Grand Dance Combo This package contains 32 programs + 6 FREE GIFTS! That's 38 programs all together! Turn OutFoot & Ankle Developpe A La SecondeArabesque & Attitude DerriereAttitude DevantPenchéSide Tilt KickBack Extension BeginnerBack Extension IntermediateHip Flexor Beginner/IntermediateHip Flexor AdvancedSide Bending BeginnerSide Bending IntermediateHamstrings BeginnerHamstrings IntermediateHamstrings AdvancedHamstrings Double Forward BendOverhead Shoulder Flexibility (flexion)Adductors FlexibilityGlutes & Iliotibial BandStanding Front SplitStanding Side SplitLord of the Dance Pose, Dancers PoseSide Split BeginnerSide Split IntermediateSide Split AdvancedTrue Front Split BeginnerTrue Front Split IntermediateTrue Front Split AdvancedOpen Front Split BeginnerOpen Front Split IntermediateOpen Front Split AdvancedPLUS 6 FREE PROGRAMS VALUED AT $179.99Tuck & PikeHigh JumpBall of the FootPerfect PostureExtended Length Conditioning for Lower BodyMassage Lower Body Click here to learn more Don’t see what you want? Need help selecting a program? Want to buy more than one program? We can put together a one step checkout for you with all the programs that you wish to buy so you don't need to keep clicking the buy now button over and over again and can checkout one time with all the programs you need.We’re here for you! Just send us an email to info@easyflexibility.com describing your goals and we will help select the right program for you! Enough time wasted! Stop wasting time and money, risking your health, hitting plateaus,wondering how to reach your goal instead of working towards it!Start your EasyFlexibility Extended Length Conditioning for Lower Body Program right NOW andstart your journey to a healthier, more balanced lifestyle right away! © ElasticSteel Corp., EasyFlexibility, Paul Zaichik, et. El., 2022. 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