What is Assisted Stretching?
Assisted stretching is just what it sounds like - getting 'stretched out' or assisted with a stretch you are doing - by someone else. However, depending on the kind of stretching you are doing, one form of assisted stretching can look completely different from another.
Assisted stretching locations are popping up all over. It makes sense - people feel chronically stiff and tense and want help with it. It used to be that a physical therapist or personal trainer might stretch you out at the end of workout. Now we have businesses that are solely dedicated to assisted stretching.
Assisted stretching is a pillar of the Bendable Body method of resistance stretching. The form of assisted stretching we do is completely different from what you will find at popular assisted stretch locations or with a trainer or PT.
Just like with self stretching, most forms of assisted stretching are focused on end range, passive stretching to increase ranges of motion. There are forms of assisted stretching that use resistance - like PNF and Isometrics. However, these methods still focus on the end range and increasing ranges of motion.
Bendable Body focuses on true flexibility and getting muscles to work better. We do this by targeting unhealthy fascia with resistance stretching. The method can be applied with both self stretching and assisted stretching.
Self stretch examples for the shoulders and neck (left side image) and medial hamstring (right side image):
Self stretch examples for the inner thighs (left side image) and triceps and shoulders (right side image:
Assisted stretch examples for the chest and biceps (left side image) and neck and shoulders (right side image):
Assisted stretch examples for the hips flexors and hamstrings (left side image) and inner thighs (right side image):
How it works.
Regardless if you are self stretching or getting assisted, you start with the target muscle group in a shortened position, create internal resistance against an opposing force, and lengthen the muscle for as long as you can continue to resist.
*In many instances a resistance stretch would be over before a traditional end range stretch even begins.
When you stretch in this way you interface directly with the fascia that is surrounding and penetrating your muscles and holding them in stiff, weak and dysfunctional patterns.
The reason so many assisted stretching locations are popping up is because people can feel that their shoulders are tense and won't lower down to a normal position, or their neck is always a little pitched forward, or their hips are tight and it's uncomfortable or difficult to bend, twist and turn. These are just some examples. Stiffness and pain commonly shows up in every joint and in the spine.
What is not realized is that passively stretching a tense or stiff area in the end range of the muscle makes it worse. It's a big statement because from childhood we've been told that stretching happens in the end range and flexibility is the ability to achieve end ranges (like the splits and forward bends where you touch your toes, etc...).
Muscles do not stretch in an end range and flexibility is not achieving end ranges. When you stretch in the traditional end range style, you over-stretch tendons and ligaments creating instability at joints and you create micro-tears in your muscles that your body's immune system patches up with dense fascia. It's like a bandaid that never gets removed. Your muscles become bound, weak, and dysfunctional... when you are trying to achieve the exact opposite result.
When you resistance stretch your muscles, you target the belly of the muscle, you engage the fascia, break it down and it gets removed from the body as a toxin. The result is the fascia is more hydrated and pliable and your muscles work better through all ranges of motion. They lengthen, they shorten, they twist and they turn. They do their job in other words. Stiffness, pain, tension, weakness and dysfunctional patterns in the muscle go away. You begin to move like a kid again. The results are both immediate and cumulative. This is true flexibility.
When to use Assisted Stretching verses Self Stretching?
The Bendable Body Method targets unhealthy fascia. Fascia health exists on a spectrum from super healthy to scar tissue and all gradations in between. When fascia has become very unhealthy or scarred, it has a lot of resistive force. It is also difficult to engage. For this reason, getting assistance from a professional who is trained to locate and engage unhealthy fascia is very beneficial. In addition to that the fascia may have so much resistive force you can't overcome it through self stretching and you need the help of an assister - or even more than one assister - to overcome that force and restructure the fascia.
There are two great analogies. The first is brushing your teeth verses going to the dentist to get them cleaned. Self stretching is like brushing your teeth. Brushing your teeth addresses the daily accumulation of food and self stretching addresses daily wear and tear on the body. Going to the dentist to get your teeth cleaned is like assisted stretching. Getting your teeth cleaned addresses the long term plaque build up and assisted stretching addresses the long term fascia build up in your body.
Another analogy is remodeling your home. Remodeling your kitchen and replacing the appliances and cabinetry is like assisted stretching. There is a permanency to the change. You don't have to keep remodeling your kitchen weekend after weekend. It's good for years to come. You just have to clean it regularly - which is analogous to self stretching.
At Bendable Body we find everyone benefits from both assisted and self stretching. Long term issues and scar tissue improve dramatically with assisted stretching and daily wear and tear on the body is addressed and removed through self stretching.
Can anyone be an 'assister'?
Yes and no. Can you have your friend cut your hair who's never done it before? Yes you can. You will get a result but it won't be as good as it would be from a professional. The same is true for assisted stretching. There is a great deal of learning and skill that goes into analyzing symptoms, posture, biomechanics and tissue health. The same is true for feeling where the unhealthy fascia is in a person's body and knowing the order and number of stretches to do to remove it. Lastly, during assisted stretching the assister is required to overcome the resistive force in your unhealthy fascia. They need to be strong and flexible themselves in order to do this. For this reason, when we teach people to become instructors and assisters of the Bendable Body Method, we first teach them to self stretch. An assister can only help you as much as they have been able to help themselves first.
There are however some simple assisted stretches that you can try with a partner.
*Please note: The safety of both the assister and recipient is crucial. At no point should assisted stretching cause any pain or discomfort in either person. If it does it is either being done incorrectly or the assister is not in proper shape to perform the task and it should be stopped immediately.
Here are 5 examples of simple assisted stretches that you can try with a partner.
*Please note: we have many assisted stretches for all 16 primary muscle groups in the body. These 5 stretches are simple to do and cover 5 important muscle groups in the upper and lower body.
Inner and outer thighs:
Stretch for the inner thighs - Liver Muscle Group
- Start Position: The assister has their hip in between the recipient's legs and their hands around the knee of the target leg. The recipient has both legs bent comfortably with the feet on the floor.
- Resistance: The recipient squeezes both legs together.
- Lengthen: The assister presses the the target leg outward against the resistance and only goes so far as the recipient can resist the movement. As soon as the resistance wanes, the stretch movement is over.
- Return and Repeat: Let the resistance go and return to the start position
Try to do 10 reps on each leg and then move on to the outer thighs.
Stretch for the IT band, the outer thighs - Gall Bladder Muscle Group
- Start Position: The front of the assisters hip is on the outside of the non-target leg of the recipient and the assisters hands are around the knee of the target leg. The recipient's target leg is open out to the side and the other leg is bent comfortably with the foot on the floor.
- Resistance: The recipient presses the target leg away from center into the assister's hands.
- Lengthening: The assister brings the target leg to center against the resistance. As soon as the resistance wanes, the stretch movement is over.
- Return and Repeat: Let the resistance go and return to the start position
Try to do 10 reps on each leg and then return to the inner thighs. 3 sets back and forth of inner and outer thighs is optimal.
Lats and upper back / neck:
Stretch for the Lats - Appendix Muscle Group
- Start Position: The Assister's hands are wrapped around the recipient's wrists and the recipient's hands are interlaced and their legs are bent comfortably with their feet on the ground.
- Resistance: The recipient presses their arms toward the groin or pelvis.
- Lengthening: The assister brings the arms upward toward them. As soon as the resistance wanes, the stretch movement is over.
- Return and Repeat: Release the resistance and return to the start position.
Try to do 10 reps and then move onto the upper back / neck stretch.
Stretch for the Upper Back / Neck - Thymus Muscle Group
- Start Position: The Assister's hands are wrapped around the recipient's wrists and the recipient's hands are interlaced and their legs are bent comfortably with their feet on the ground.
- Resistance: The recipient presses their hands toward the back of their body.
- Lengthening: The assister moves the arms down toward the groin / pelvis. As soon as the resistance wanes, the stretch movement is over.
- Return and Repeat: Release the resistance and return to the start position.
Try to do 10 reps and return to the lat stretch. 3 sets back and forth between the lat stretch and the upper back / neck stretch is optimal.
Back of thighs (central hamstring):
Stretch for the back of the thighs, central hamstring - Brain Muscle Group
- Start Position: The assister is standing over the recipient with their legs bent and in an athletic stance. They have one hand on the front of the recipients thigh to support the knee and the other under the heel. The recipient's hands are interlaced behind the thigh of the target leg and the opposite leg is comfortably bent with the foot on the floor.
- Resistance: The recipient presses the heel down and toward their butt.
- Lengthening: The assister presses into the thigh and lifts the heel against resistance. As soon as the resistance wanes, the stretch movement is over.
- Return and Repeat: Release all the resistance and return the to the start position.
Try to do 3 sets of 6-10 repetitions going back and forth between each leg.
I might be one of the people you describe that have long term issues. I actually don’t remember a time where I was not stiff. I am experiencing an extremely sore hamstring, sore hip flexors and pain at the hip on both sides. I am working in the Bendable Body program but do not have the ability to connect with a trained assisted stretcher. Is there still hope that I can get more flexibility and pain relief without assisted stetching?
Hi Susan! You can absolutely get big benefits from self stretching. Think of self stretching as like brushing your teeth and assisted stretching as like going to the dentist to get them cleaned. If you could only pick one to do for the rest of your life it would be brushing your teeth!