Ever find yourself bouncing mid-stretch? Maybe you’re working toward a flexibility goal, like splits or a backbend. Or perhaps you have that runner’s urge to push beyond your comfort zone and go just a little bit further.
A bit of bouncing, known as ballistic stretching, may help you achieve a deeper expression of a stretch, but it’s generally discouraged by movement professionals.
We spoke with three experts to better understand why you should stop ballistic stretching and what runners should do instead.
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What is ballistic stretching?
Ballistic stretching is a form of active stretching involving gravity or momentum to move in and out of your end range of motion, or the furthest you can stretch. Bobbing up and down when you touch your toes, “fluttering” your knees in a butterfly stretch, or swinging your leg as high as possible are all examples of ballistic stretches.
Technically, this technique can increase your range of motion, explains Todd Buckingham, Ph.D., visiting professor of exercise science in the Department of Movement Science at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan.
“Ballistic stretching involves pushing the muscle past its normal range of motion. But muscles have these special receptors, called muscle spindles, that detect excessive stretch of the muscle. If the muscle spindles detect too much stretch, it sends a signal for the muscle to pull back to avoid injury,” he says. “Because ballistic stretching is so fast and uncontrolled, it can bypass the muscle spindles and cause the muscle to stretch more than they normally would.”
Why should runners stop ballistic stretching?
Ballistic stretching may increase your risk of injury, which is the primary reason most trainers, physical therapists, and the American College of Sports Medicine don’t recommend it.
Grayson Wickham, P.T., D.P.T., C.S.C.S., founder of Movement Vault, explains that the same rapid, uncontrolled movements that allow you to push past your range of motion may also prevent your muscles and connective tissue from receiving the kind of sensory input that can safeguard against strains and tears. “If you’re violently dipping in and out of a stretch, you may not get the immediate feedback, ‘Hey, this stretch isn’t quite right for me. I’m pushing too hard,’” he says.
Additionally, most runners don’t need to push the limits of their flexibility, says Buckingham. “Sports where range of motion is important and gives the athlete a competitive advantage, like gymnastics, may utilize ballistic stretching. However, running is not a sport where an athlete needs an excessive range of motion in a joint. In fact, being too flexible can be detrimental to running performance,” he says.
Buckingham compares hyper-flexible tendons, ligaments, and muscles to an overstretched rubber band that’s lost its snap. “You don’t have that same elastic recoil, so you lose some of the efficiency,” Buckingham says. Too much flexibility in the ankles, for example, can take away from that rebound you get when you push off the foot when running. Too-flexible joints, because they’re less stable, can also leave you more susceptible to injuries.
Is ballistic stretching ever a good idea?
If you’re a trained dancer or gymnast, or if you’ve played basketball or volleyball for years, it may make sense to incorporate some ballistic stretching into your stretching and mobility practice. “In athletic populations who are flexible and accustomed to withstand quick loading (of the muscles and connective tissue), ballistic stretching may have a positive warmup effect,” says Jordan Duncan, doctor of chiropractic and owner of Silverdale Sport and Spine in Silverdale, Washington.
Ballistic stretching may also be used in therapeutic settings under the guidance of a trained medical professional. “Ballistic movements are often part of the late-stage rehab for tendinopathies [painful degeneration of the tendon],” Duncan explains. “Prior to reaching this point, the patient would have been exposed to weeks or months of exercise in the same direction at lower levels of force, guided by a healthcare professional. They would have tolerated the previous exercises well, and the ballistic loading would help stimulate the tendons to be able to withstand sports-related loads.”
But what if you’re just a runner who just likes a little bounce in their hamstring stretch?
Wickham notes that, while he’s not a fan of ballistic stretching, as long as you’re maintaining good form (which varies, depending on the stretch) and you’re not forcefully jamming your joints, it’s probably okay. “If you’re really trying to optimize your mobility and prime your nervous system before a workout, or a sporting endeavor, it’s not the best choice,” he says. “But it’s better than doing nothing. And it’s going to be better than just passive stretching, or going into a stretch and holding it for two minutes.”
What should runners do instead of ballistic stretching?
According to the experts, dynamic and active stretching are better options for runners.
Active Stretching
“If you can only do one type of [stretching], it should be an active stretch approach, or what’s called end-range isometrics,” Wickham says. “You’re going to be taking your joint to its end range of motion and then contracting the muscles while they’re stretched out.” So, for example, if you’re leaning over your left leg to stretch your hamstring, once you feel a deep stretch, dig your left heel into the ground to contract your hamstring and hold it for 20 seconds.
Dynamic Stretching
“Dynamic stretching, where the limbs are actively moved through their range of motion, is an excellent way to warm up prior to activity,” Duncan says. “This form of stretching has several short-term benefits, such as increasing tissue temperature, improving mobility, and priming the nervous system.”
Some of Buckingham’s favorite dynamic stretches for runners include:
- High Knees
- Butt Kicks
- Knee Hugs
- Heel-to-Toe Walk
- Side Shuffle to Lunge
- Hurdle Walk
