Stretching Know How & Tickets to the Student Show
Our student show on June 16 is fast approaching and rehearsals are in full swing. Time to get your tickets! Support your favourite community with lots of applause on the show day.
You will also find useful information about passive stretching in this article. Whether you have already been training your flexibility or are planning to start: this is a must-read for anyone who wants to become more flexible!
No time for reading? Get directly to the topics of interest for you here:
06/16 1ST FLOOR & IMA STUDENT SHOW - GET YOUR TICKET!
Prepare for adrenaline in the circus tent! In collaboration with the 1st Floor Studio we will be showing great acts by our students on June 16, and we are delighted to be able to let them shine on a professional stage at Circus Schatzinsel this time.
You can either reserve your ticket for pick-up at the studio using the button below or buy it directly online for an additional transaction fee of EUR 1.
Doch sei schnell: die Plätze im Zelt sind stark begrenzt und waren in der Vergangenheit schnell ausverkauft!
THE PROGRAMME
The show starts right on time at 5.00 pm and you will see aerial and floor acrobatics from the students of the IMA and the 1st Floor Studio.
A bar in the tent will provide coffee and refreshments and you are welcome to join us from 4.00 pm.
WHEN & WHERE
Date: June 16, 2024
Location: Circus Schatzinsel, May-Ayim-Ufer 4, 10997 Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg
Show start: 5.00 pm
Door opens at: 4.00 pm
We are looking forward to using this wonderful occasion to offer our community an unforgettable day in good company!
Do you have questions about the ticket purchase? Write to us at hello@ima-studio.de - we'll be happy to help.
Passive Stretching Pointless or Useful?
Active vs. Passive Stretching
A much-discussed topic! So-called "passive stretching" often doesn't come off particularly well... It is labelled as ineffective and lazy, and also has the reputation of increasing the risk of injury. But actually why? Is it really as pointless or even "harmful" as many people say? Let's compare the two.
Active Stretching
Stretching is generated in the target muscle by tensing the opposing muscle
Passive Stretching
Stretching of the target muscle is generated by external force or using assistance
To put it simple: What are each of the techniques good for?
With active stretching you use muscle contractions to build up the necessary supporting muscles, in addition to stretching the target muscle. This is essential for healthy posture and joint alignment. Very flexible people who have difficulty controlling their muscles, i.e. tensing them in isolation where needed, benefit particularly from this technique.
Passive Stretching in combination with calm and steady breathing helps to reduce tension and build up a greater stretch tolerance. This is particularly useful when excessive tension dominates the body or individual regions. The nervous system is calmed and deeper stretching is possible through relaxation.
The so-called self-protection mechanism plays a crucial role here! It protects against overstretching and kicks in at different speeds for everyone. With passive stretches (between approx. 20-60 seconds) you give your body the time it needs to understand that it is safe and can relax.
Want more Range of Motion?
If you want more range of motion (RoM), both techniques should not be missing in your training as they are equally important. Passive flexibility always remains slightly higher. So to achieve more RoM, you first need more passive flexibility.
BUT:
There is the right time for every technique! Passive stretching is not suitable at the beginning of an intensive workout, as longer stretches can temporarily weaken the muscles and make them unstable, which in turn increases the risk of injury.
In the cool down, on the other hand, and generally to relax the muscles, passive stretching helps you to counteract and reduce muscle shortening and tension through longer stretches with relaxed muscles.
It also helps you to train the body's self-protection mechanism so that it does not directly prevent you from going deeper into the stretch where no protection is necessary. Of course, this always requires regular training 😉
As you can see, passive stretching has a right to exist and should not be generally depreciated!
In our studio and online classes, we are happy to help you build the perfect routine for effective training so that you can achieve your fitness and stretching goals!
Sign up for one of our stretching classes here:
OUR CLASS SCHEDULE
We're looking forward to seeing you!
