Active Isolated Stretching: Using Targeted Movement to Improve Flexibility and Performance

Like many runners, the early years of my training and racing included an array of less than beneficial and unhealthy stretching and pre-run activities. Most often, we contorted ourselves into pretzel configurations and held it for long periods of time, counts of 10, 15, and 20. This was painful, and little to our knowledge at the time, extremely harmful to the health of our muscles, joints and soft tissue. But it was all that we knew (and quite frankly-all that sports science knew at the time), so we did it. The outdated version of pre-run prep, known as Static Stretching, breaks down muscle fibers, often causing micro-fiber and muscle spindle tears and can damage the Golgi tendon organ (GTO). The GTO is a protective mechanism designed to detect when a muscle is being stretched too far and the attachment connecting muscle to soft tissue and bone is about to be compromised and sends messages to the brain to release the stretch. Often, GTO damage leads to muscle tears and other soft tissue or joint injuries. Today, we have learned a great deal about sports science, full body health, specifically at the muscle, tendon, and ligament level. We now know that instead of using the outdated method of Static Stretching, sports science has proven that Active Isolated Stretching, combined with repetitive movement will support your body in a much healthier and sustainable way.

AIS is a flexibility approach that follows four basic rules for effectiveness. There are an array of specific stretches and movement routines that can be incorporated into Active Isolated Stretching, depending on your activity, area of focus, and injury history, but they all follow these AIS fundamental principles: • Target the specific muscle or muscle groups needed for the sport or activity and mimic the movement in a controlled manner. • Engage the range of motion activity for sets of 8-10 repetitions per set. • Hold the range of motion pose for 2-3 seconds MAX before releasing and repeating. • Use a breathing rhythm of inhaling during the release and exhaling during the stretch hold. This will feed fresh oxygen to muscles as your stretch.

Unlike the prehistoric method of static stretching where athletes force and freeze their body into a position that may hurt for long periods of time, AIS uses range of motion mimicking the athletic actions to be performed as a pre performance ritual. Runners all over the world have adopted AIS as their pre and post run routine, which allows your body to be fully prepared for the ensuing action.

Specifically for Runners: Here are the best exercises for a pre-run AIS routine. • Quad Stretch • Calf Pull Stretch • Straight Leg Hamstring Stretch • Bent Leg Hamstring Stretch • Pelvic Tilt Stretch • Trunk Extension • Trunk Flexor • Hip Abductor Stretch

There are many other benefits to using Active Isolated Stretching as part of your health and wellness routines. Unlike static stretching, it also focused on the joints, especially for runners with ankle, knee, and hip issues or tightness. Using repetitive motion that stays within your muscles current length and flexibility state does not trigger the body’s natural mechanism called the Protective Stretch Reflex. This is the nervous system’s auto response to a muscle that is in jeopardy of being overstretched, strained, or torn. Each time you repeat an AIS motion, the muscle becomes warmer, longer, and more ready for use. In addition, by targeting one muscle group at a time, the body practices and protects alignment and injury prevention. There are similarities between AIS and yoga, as both focus on elongating muscles for improved performance, strengthening your body’s core, all while using alignment and range of motion of natural movement to build muscle memory. As you move through repetitions and sets, the muscle groups become warmer, elongated, stronger.

Suggestions for Routine Structure for Training Integrating AIS: • Pre-Run Active Isolated Stretch Routine • Light Drills Routine • Progressive/Long Run OR Warm Up/Workout/Cooldown • Post Run Strides • Post Run Active Isolated Stretch Routine • Hydrate • Recovery Methods (Ice, Rolling, Massage) • Refueling • Rest

World Runner’s United is dedicated to supporting runners through a holistic approach. Our articles, videos, and live sessions aim to oaer key insights combining proper training, goal setting, race strategy, cross and supplemental training, rest and recovery, flexibility and complete body health, and mental wellness to ensure that every runner is capable of great success.