Salt Water Taffy Method of Stretching
07/09/2008 - By Kay Rynerson McCabe LMP Author
Kay Rynerson McCabe LMP
Here is a simple, yet very effective way to increase your flexibility. It's called the Salt Water Taffy Method of Stretching. You may also purchase a video on this technique. My web address can be found at the end of the article. Enjoy!
The Saltwater Taffy Method of Stretching
My observation is that people who are already quite flexible love to stretch. Those who need stretching the most, however, who are not born flexible, may feel uncomfortable holding a stretch. Stretching can feel unnatural and even painful to them. These clients not only benefit from Saltwater Taffy stretches, but actually enjoy them.
This effective stretching technique evolved naturally from my practice of the 2,500-year-old tradition of Thai massage and my exposure to Active Isolated Stretching. When I first studied Thai massage many years ago, I was impressed by the effectiveness of the technique for restoring movement in tight joints and stretching muscles. The therapist moves the client into a stretch, holds very briefly, pulls out, and then moves back into the same stretch for three repetitions. The joint gently gives, allowing for a greater range of motion each time.
The Stretch Reflex
I first understood how Thai massage stretches clients so effectively when I attended an Active Isolated Stretching workshop with Aaron Mattes. There I learned about the workings of the stretch reflex, an automatic neurological response that protects our body from overstretching injuries. About two seconds after you begin to stretch, the stretch reflex kicks in, operating below the level of conscious thought. It resists the stretch by tightening the very muscles you are targeting so that they don’t pull themselves off of the bones. Many overstretching injuries occur during this phase of the stretch reflex. After about 15 more seconds, the muscles habituate to the new length and relax. That’s why we traditionally hold a stretch for at least 30 seconds; to allow the stretch reflex to release its hold so the muscles can lengthen.
The Saltwater Taffy method
But, if our bodies resist stretching, how do we reach and move? The two-second window before the activation of the stretch reflex allows us to swing a bat, pick up the baby, or lift a coffee cup. The Saltwater Taffy method takes advantage of this two-second window by holding stretches for less than two seconds. Stretches are performed multiple times to get the benefit of a long stretch, without the discomfort or potential for injury. The Saltwater Taffy method works passively as well as actively, so, after you get the hang of it, you can perform it on clients who are sound asleep. You can use this technique with any safe and effective stretch either while working on a client or stretching yourself.
The Nuts and Bolts
Here is how you can use the Saltwater Taffy method on your very next client. Say you are working with your client to lengthen the hamstrings. Have you noticed how many Americans have tight hamstrings and adductors as a result of prolonged sitting? When muscles hold a shortened position long enough, they want to stay that way. So, pick your favorite hamstring stretch. Take the leg into the stretch, getting plenty of feedback from the client. Stretching should never hurt you or the client. When the client says “when,” say “Saltwater Taffy” to yourself, which takes just less than two seconds. Then, back out of the stretch. Repeat up to eight times, saying “Saltwater Taffy” during each stretch, getting feedback from the client every time. You will see for yourself how much farther the leg will travel by the final repetition. For a wellness treatment, three repetitions of a stretch will do. In order to effect lasting change, I recommend eight to ten repetitions.
The Saltwater Taffy method may seem strange at first, but it feels quite natural to the recipient. Observe a cat as it stretches. By the time you say “Saltwater Taffy,” the cat will have completed the stretch.
There are many benefits to the Saltwater Taffy Method. Moving the client’s body this way is often less stressful for you and more comfortable for the client than a static stretch. The repetitions increase circulation, assisting the delivery of fresh nutrients and the removal of metabolic waste products. They also lubricate the joints nicely. Besides, massage is a dance, and with the Saltwater Taffy Method you get to move as well. It’s fun. Give it a try!
Bio: Kay Rynerson, Licensed Massage Practitioner since 1988 and Registered Thai Therapist, author of The Thai Massage Workbook and The Passive Stretch Workbook: Table Thai and More, teaches workshops and maintains a private practice in Seattle. www.learnthaimassage.com email: krynersonmccabe@yahoo.com
Photo Gallery - Kay Rynerson LMP demonstrating stretches
Click here for Slideshow. You can also click on any of the photos to start slideshow.
