There are four major types of stretching—static, PNF, dynamic and ballistic. 1  Static stretching is a technique where the muscle is slowly stretched and then held in the stretched position for several seconds. This type of stretching allows the muscle to be relaxed so that a greater length can be achieved. It is the most frequently used and most recommended type of stretching. There is a low risk of injury with this technique. PNF stretching is a much longer stretching session when compared to the other types.