Stretching machines

[StevenYoo]

A friend of mine says that stretching machines like these are good machines to have around.

He says you can just sit in the machine, stretch your legs out, and just read or watch TV or something.

Anyone have any thoughts on these?

 

[SVT Cobra]

That's rediculous, just stretch the old conventional way. If you are not that flexible, do some stretching in the shower every day while your muscles are hot, you will get flexible real soon.

 

[TechnoPro]

They are not efficient in terms of time spent. Active Isolated stretching or PNF are very rapid methods of increasing flexibility.

Basically, any method or device that stretches a muslce to the point of triggering the myotatic reflex and holds it there will be counterproductive if felxibility is the sole goal. Imagine dropping into a split right now, assuming you are not trained to do so. It will take between 2-3 seconds before your muscles tighten up and you feel pain, all courtesy of the myotatic reflex. Staying in that position beyond those 2-3 seconds will, by definition, be working against yourself since your muscles are tense.

 

[NFS4]

LOL, reminds me of the scene in Thunderball

"I must be six inches taller. "