Hi all. I was somewhat amused by the inquiries re ITT stretches
and strengthening of traps. Has anyone measured the change in
strength of traps following exs regimens; is change in ITT band in
the muscle or in the band? These questions may annoy some of
you, but consider this: Dense connective tissue can tolerate
tremendous loads per square inch, given the role of the band in
knee ext do you really want to make it slack? The corollary
problem is that of strengthening flat short muscle whose range is
small, and whose function is stabilization (I'm disregarding wight
lifters and the like). Let me suggest a simple solution (which will
save you money by ignoring shake and bake approaches).
Muscles that move or stabilize levers have attachments (see
muscle testing guides, or an anatomy book). Stop and think what
that movement is- and behold you will figure out an activity in
supine, side lying, etc. And I mean an activity! Carry over from
typical exercises is not guaranteed. Follow it up with antagonist
activity since as Rood noticed many years ago, antagonistic
activity is inhibitory, and at the same time elongation of the short
muscle will ensue. Which leads me back to the ITT band. One
cannot ignore the force couple function which includes the G.
Maximus, and ultimately posture. A few minutes of so called
stretching is not meaningful. If you think me foolish, than observe
the amount of hours dancers put in to be flexible AND Control the
action of a given joint, muscle. As far as stretching is concerned. I
suggest that one obtains a nice dense connective tissue from a
meat store, and place it under tension.( Put it in a saline solution if
you wish), and notice when it tears! or elongates. When skiing do
the ACLs "stretch"; the achilles heel when climbing a mountain?.
Alteration in tissue length is in part a change in CNS and local
spinal mechanism. The latter must be addressed to normalize
motion (whatever that means).
Best wishes to a happy new year.
Joe
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