Static Active: You move yourself slowly toward you extreme range of motion and hold.
Static Passive: You have someone else move you toward your extreme range of motion while
you relax.
Dynamic: Involves swinging the arms or legs in a controlled manner, starting well within your range of motion and gradually increasing the amplitude of the swing.
Proprio-Neuromuscular Facilitation(PNF): Methods of promoting or hastening the response of the neuromuscular mechanism through stimulation of the proprioceptors. This type of stretching requires intensive training and should only be done by a registered Physical Therapist.
Contract - Relax(CR): Performed with a partner who carefully provides resistance for the muscle being stretched, prior to actually stretching it.
Contract Antogonist - Relax(CA): Perform a maximum isometric contraction of the antagonist, immediately prior to a static stretch of the agonist.
Active Isotated(AIS): The use of the antagonist to move the joint to the maximin range of motion and held for just a few seconds and repeated for a prescribed number of repetitions.
Fascial Stretching: Involves stretching the elastic, membranous “sheath” which encases muscles and muscle groups, this membranaous case can bind and constrict the muscles that surround a joint limiting mobility and muscle growth.
Self Myofascial Release(SMR): This is just the use of a foam roller to break up locked up sarcomeres(muscle fibers), by using your own body weight on the roller to message the knots out.
Like any other type of training, flexibility should be taylored to the individual to balance out the supporting structures of any given joint. This is done by lengthening(stretching) shortened, tight muscles and shortening(strengthening) weak, overstretched muscles to gain the optimal muscle length. This must be achieved in order to be able to create maximal muscle tension while minimizing injury potential.