Flexibility

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Flexibility

• Fitness Components
• Mrs. Goss

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Flexibility

• Definition A measure of a joints ability to
  move through a normal range of motion.
• Criteria
• Must involve muscles being stretched.

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Flexibility

• Benefits of stretching
• Increases range of motion
• Reduced risk of injury
• Prevents and reduces muscle soreness
• Increases speed
• Improves athletic performance.
• Improves body awareness.
• Improves circulation.
• Feels good relaxes you.

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Flexibility

• Factors affecting flexibility
• Age -- decrease in the extensibility of soft
  tissue with aging is related to diminished range
  of movement as we grow older, independent of
  gender (decrease in flexibility can be
  significantly slowed down if we keep active).
• Gender -- females exhibit a greater range of
  movement, independent of age.
• Activity -- active individuals exhibit a greater
  range of movement than sedentary individuals (so
  keep active!). Also, inactivity is strongly
  associated with increased adipose tissue which
  decreases flexibility.

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Flexibility

• Factors affecting flexibility(continued)
• Internal Tissue Temperature -- changes in
  internal muscular temperature may increase or
  decrease the range of motion by as much as 20
  percent (so always "warm-up" first!).
• Heredity -- appears to be joint specific (this
  notion needs more scientific proof, however).
• Injury -- scar tissue resulting from injury
  hinders the range of motion in a joint.
• Pain -- as pain increases, muscle spasm results
  and, therefore, flexibility is decreased.
  Strength training does not decrease flexibility
  unless you do the exercise improperly and not in
  the full range of motion.

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Flexibility

• Two types that can safely be used to improve
  flexibility
• Static Stretching This is the more acceptable
  method of increasing flexibility. It involves
  slowly moving the muscle to its stretching point
  and holding this position for a period of time.
• Dynamic Stretching the body is moved in a
  continuous and slow manner.

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Flexibility

• Training Guidelines
• To improve flexibility, you must stretch the soft
  tissue farther than accustomed.
• Frequency Stretching exercises should be done
  at least one time per day.
• Intensity Stretch to the point where you start
  to feel a pull, but not pain.
• Time Hold it for a steady, constant stretch for
  at least 15-20 seconds. The longer the better.

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Flexibility

• Principle of Progression You may gradually
  increase the overload by increasing the
• F Number of sessions per day or week
• I Distance the muscle is stretched
• T Amount of time the position is held, or the
  number of repetitions and sets

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Flexibility

• Other Points
• Each joint has a limited range of motion,
  depending on the joint.
• Can be improved through stretching.