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    You are at:Home»Forums»Training & Conditioning Discussion»Flexibility»PNF

    PNF

    Posted In: Flexibility

        • Participant
          jumper637 on August 17, 2003 at 9:26 pm #8530

          I'm pretty confused with PNF stretching. What is it exactly and how can I use it? Also I saw in some earlier posts that MET stretches were used, what are those?

        • Participant
          Carl Valle on August 17, 2003 at 11:13 pm #21656

          PNF is using the force production of the muscle to create responses to allow the limb or joint to go past certain barriers by fooling the nervous system. MET is a type of PNF method. MET or Muscle Energy Techniques is using the force of the muscle to invoke a strain to later cause the joint to relax. Leon Chaitow uses this before he mobilizes joints with chiropractic adjustments. It is fast and great for spasm.

        • Participant
          jumper637 on August 18, 2003 at 12:33 am #21657

          Phoenix-Thanks, but what are some examples of PNF. The only strecth that I've heard of is the hamstring one, where a partner pushes against your leg, you relax, further contracting the muscle and then you resist against the partner. Can this principle just be applied to all muscle groups? I'm kinda new to the whole track thing and appreciate any information.

        • Participant
          Carl Valle on August 18, 2003 at 2:15 am #21658

          The most obvious is the hamstring…but I tend to use PNF for more RFD muscle groups or areas of spasm. With over 9 different PNF methods…what do other people do?

        • Keymaster
          Mike Young on August 18, 2003 at 12:10 pm #21659

          You could do PNF stretches for any muscle….just learn the protocols (hold-relax, hold-relax-contract, etc.) and voila…..you've got limitless combinations. It's great for spasm as Phoenix mentioned, and is perhaps the fastest way to increase flexibility, and can also be used for strengthening. It should be noted though that the benefits of PNF (the neuromuscular trickery if you will) are also its downfall when using if for athletics. That is, it will deminish power output (at least in an acute sense) more than any of the other stretching protocols.

          ELITETRACK Founder

        • Participant
          Danny Tutskey on December 29, 2003 at 8:38 am #21660

          Mike,
          What you are saying is that PNF stretching can weaken your explosiveness, i.e. a block start?

          What type of stretching protocol would be best for top performance?

        • Participant
          QUIKAZHELL on December 29, 2003 at 10:09 am #21661

          drivephase,
          yes it could. it should not be done right before speed work. It can also lead ot injury. Save it for hours before speedwork or after or for the recvoery days.

        • Participant
          Carl Valle on December 29, 2003 at 7:58 pm #21662

          I don't wish to share information about a certain multiple gold medalist and world recordholder….but they were doing electronic prs with PNF done imediately before their runs….I think intensity of the holds are the real variable.

        • Keymaster
          Mike Young on January 4, 2004 at 12:13 pm #21663

          [i]Originally posted by Phoenix[/i]
          I don't wish to share information about a certain multiple gold medalist and world recordholder….but they were doing electronic prs with PNF done imediately before their runs….I think intensity of the holds are the real variable.

          Carl-
          I was under the impression that the detrimental effect of PNF or any stretching is more closely related to the degree of stretch (with a greater stretch leading to reduced power output), which is just a by-product of an intense hold in PNF stretching. That is, the more intense the hold, the greater the increase in range of motion due to neuromuscular facilitation, and thus the greater the reduction in power output.

          ELITETRACK Founder

        • Participant
          Todd Lane on January 5, 2004 at 4:00 am #21664

          Carl-

          Do you know protocol of PNF done, specifically time of hold in different iso or ecc holds?

          Most of research studies seem to use 30 seconds to 45 seconds for holds repeated several times. I've seen several studies go up to 20 minutes for repeated stretches.

        • Participant
          Carl Valle on January 5, 2004 at 5:35 am #21665

          From what I have seen with my eyes and what have been told, the PNF used was a light intensity with 10 second holds repeated. This was done as well as joint adjustment, ART, and some other methods.

          ….take a look at the SI article! We see clear evidence of hamstring PNF with Marion.

        • Member
          bendragon on September 19, 2004 at 11:05 pm #21666

          PNF can be used effectively before movement if it is used properly. Example, the hip flexor is overly tight in most people and that can effect the ability for the hip to extend explosively. If I turn off the stretch reflex in the hip flexors using PNF I can bring my hips through more effectively giving me increased power output from the hips. Do a vertical jump test, then PNF the hips and repeat and I think you will find a definite improvement in VJ.

        • Participant
          senri on January 27, 2005 at 4:24 pm #21667

          does anybody have any images and more info on PNF that i can look at?

        • Keymaster
          Mike Young on January 27, 2005 at 9:36 pm #21668

          Pretty much any stretch can be performed using PNF techniques. The strech itself is not the important thing when looking at PNF, it’s the performance of the stretch. In most cases you’ll need either a partner or a rope / band to provide some form of resistance for the contract / hold segments.

          ELITETRACK Founder

        • Participant
          Josh Hurlebaus on May 20, 2008 at 11:29 pm #69887

          I’m hijacking this 3 year old thread!

          So my hamstring has been spasming for the last two days making workouts a pain in the butt, because I basically can’t run without it spazzing out. I had to do Mike’s alt speed day/powerclean workout which I’m sure isn’t optimal for having nattys in a few days, but it was all I could do.

          Its not just a quick lock up of the muscle then a relax, but its really quick spasms that are pretty light, but they are strong enough to make it damn near impossible to run.

          I’m seriously stumped on whats going on with my hammy, would some pnf stretching help it out?

        • Participant
          mortac8 on May 21, 2008 at 11:49 pm #69924

          try taking some magnesium….something more available than magnesium oxide (like zma) or magnesium gluconate or citrate. also potassium

        • Keymaster
          Mike Young on May 31, 2008 at 7:22 am #70051

          Sorry this reply is so late but I’ve found a high bio-available magnesium, long hold-light stretch-PNF stretching, and trigger point work can be very useful in addressing light quick spasms.

          What did you end up doing and did it work?

          ELITETRACK Founder

        • Participant
          Josh Hurlebaus on May 31, 2008 at 7:29 am #70053

          Hey, no prob on the late reply, cause I ended up getting sick anyway. I ended up taking the only form of magnesium I had, which was some pepto bismol like tablets from the track med kit and then using a tennis ball and a golf ball to massage it. I used light pnf with a rope when I warmed up and that seemed to help.

          The day before I did heavy RDL’s (3×2@335) for my activation session instead of cleans like I usually do. It stopped the spasms for the rest of that day. But they started up again the next day, so I used what I wrote above. I honestly think it helped quite a bit.

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