Dear Matt,

Great email yesterday. I ordered your Combat Stretching course and have a quick question if you don’t mind. How long do you recommend holding a stretch? I heard no longer than 10-20 seconds. And another thing, do you bounce? I was taught in high school not to bounce because it supposedly tears muscles. Any truth to that?

Jim Nastick

Dear Jim,

The misinformation runneth amuck. I’ve heard the same things you mentioned but reality often wears an ugly head.

As for time to hold a stretch, if you only hold 10-20 seconds, you’re never going to get anywhere. You might gain a bit of temporary flexibility, but a minute later you’re just as stiff as you started out.

The key for me is holding for a minimum of 30 seconds, but usually at least a minute, during which time I employ isometrics and movement to go deeper into it. As you know, the key to getting a good back bridge is holding for three minutes, and this includes rocking back and forth, slowly.

When it comes to “bouncing,” if you sling your body around without control in a moronic manner, sure, you could tear a muscle, but then again you can tear a muscle doing something simple around the house if you’re a “stiffy.” Slow, controlled movements will loosen the rigormortis-like connections in your body and give you greater freedom.

As a humorless aside, it’s obvious that athletes and martial artists, as well as acrobats and gymnasts, in Russia and in China were not told what our high school coaches repeated about bouncing when you stretch. They bounce all the time and thus they are loose, limber and almost limitless in their movements.

Glad you got Combat Stretching. It’s a game changer. Even better news is that I’m planning on releasing a more advanced course fairly soon.

Matt Furey