Last post we discussed why mobility trumps flexibility for athletic performance. All sports demand that you be strong at your end ranges of motion. It is essential not only for power and speed, but for injury prevention.
The simplest, though actually not the easiest in terms of effort, way to strength these end ranges is with Passive Range Holds.
These exercises are exactly what they sound like. You can choose any stretch you already know of and add this practice to them.
Step by Step
Step 1: Go into your chosen position and find a moderate stretch
Step 2: From here begin turning on the muscles on the opposite side of the stretch
Step 3: Once you are squeezing these muscles as strongly as you can attempt to hold the position as you take away the prop creating your stretch (your hand, the ground, a wall, or a band)
Step 4: Hold here for 3 to 7 seconds before resetting to the stretched position with the prop in place again
Repeat for 5 repetitions
Here are two demonstrations to try on your own!
