Give Up that Lame Groin Stretch

Prying the knees apart to stretch the groin goes in direct violation of the stretch reflex.  If we push past the set point of a muscle, the brain will re-contrat the tissues to bring it back to the set point.

Since we know stretching is bad for us and science has moved on.  What other methods or means can we use to lengthen those recalcitrant inner leg muscles?

How about using the brain to reset the muscles instead?

Re-correcting the tissues length or updating our movement software is something which never must be neglected.

Mel Siff, author of Facts and Fallacies of Fitness, said, "reprogramming the central nervous system - is thus the most important aspect of all exercise.  It is far more important than strength training and aerobics.  It must never be neglected at all stage of training".

We all see how healthy vertebrate animals self-correct their muscular system periodically throughout the day, yet the human animal thinks it can get by without managing its internal terrain in a similar manner.

Funny eh.  We all did this as babies and we continue to do this in the morning with what we think is a morning stretch.

Next time you do, focus on the muscles being used and the ones you let go.

Now you're acting more cortically and shifting towards using the brain's inhibitory process which can reset muscular length.

These types of maneuvers which healthy animals will do 40 - 50 times throughout the day, is why animals move for the most part, far better than the human animal.

The heart of this process has been systematized as somatics exercises where one uses the brain instead to regain not only length, we reclaim muscular function as well.

This 2 for 1 approach allows us to reset, be less stiff and now ready to rock-n-roll all day long with less muscular tension.

Keep resetting the brain so the muscles remain fresh and not exhausted, depleted, stiff, contracted, amped up, tight as a board... you know what I mean.

Easy, simple movement change the brain and the body if done with awareness.

This week I'm offering an online class or you can get the replay to learn how to release those inner leg muscles using the brain and body.

Ok, for you muscle heads:  we'll focus on releasing the adductors (internal rotators), some abductor (external abductors) work for sciatica issues, obliques, abdominals, and some shoulder rotation leaving the spine and your muscles more relaxed than any hot tub could do.  It's just a brain thang!