Ballistic stretching is a method of stretching that pushes the body beyond its normal range of motion. It is popular among athletes. This method of stretching is intense, uses bouncing movements and is much faster than static stretching. It pushes the muscles farther than their normal range faster, making this type of stretching its own workout.
Ballistic stretches can be the same as static stretches, but performed at a faster pace because static stretches are slow and gradual. For example, the static standing stretch of bending at the waist, keeping the legs straight and touching the toes would be performed by bouncing and jerking towards the toes with the ballistic method. Ballistic stretching is sometimes confused with dynamic stretching because both involve movement during the stretch. They are different because dynamic stretching does not push the muscles farther than their normal range of motion and does not involve bouncing or jerking motions.
Ballistic stretching is beneficial to athletes who are interested in pushing their bodies beyond their normal range of motion, such as ballet dancers or basketball players, to jump higher or farther. This form of stretching allows the body to disregard the sensors that tell the body to stop pushing the muscles or tendons beyond their limit. The force of movement during the stretch bypasses the sensors and allows the body to stretch more than it normally would.
