What is the difference between Stretching, Yoga and Pandiculation?
Question
Is stretching good for creating flexibility?
Answer from Erhard Rohrmuller, Soma-Kinetics Expert
One important component is missing in the stretching conversation and that is PANDICULATION in its natural form. You can observe this when you watch infants or your cat or dog stretch and yawn. This is organic! Let’s observe what happens in this process:
Usually in the natural process of a healthy yawn you Inhale deeply, hold the breath for a few seconds and release the breath slowly. In my terminology this is an organic or biogenic Pranayama process. If you look up the definition for PANDICULATION it is stretching and yawning, but let’s observe this process closely: what appears to be stretch is actually a contraction while you are stretching. In other words this is a “Isotonic Contraction” a dynamic
form of stretching. The safest way to stretch! (Animals know best).
An isometric contraction of agonist muscle group will relax the antagonist muscle group, that process is a form of PNF proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation.
Here is my interpretation of safe Somatic stretching:
- Incorporate dynamic stretching before a static stretch.
- Repeat the dynamic stretch several times (incremental) before holding a static stretch.
- Use Isotonic (rotational movements) to reprogram habitual linear movements and the Fascial-Web.
- Move mindfully, slowly, enjoy and smile!
Erhard
