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Learning Objectives
7
Flexibility
Assessment and
Training
• Describe flexibility.
• List the factors that affect flexibility.
• Understand the importance of flexibility.
• Know your optimal level of flexibility.
• Assess a person’s flexibility.
• Know how to improve or maintain flexibility.
Bob Weathers
What Is Flexibility?
• Flexibility: The ROM possible in a joint or group
of joints—highly specific.
• Static flexibility: Holding a stretched position.
• Dynamic flexibility: Moving slowly and
rhythmically through a full ROM—speed highly
specific.
• Ballistic flexibility: Moving through a ROM with
bobbing (not recommended).
• Laxity and hypermobility: Excessive ROM.
Importance of Flexibility
• Back pain—one part suffering . . .
• Sit-and-reach test as predictor?
• Between ages 20 and 70 there is a typical
decrease of 20 to 30% in flexibility.
• Living abundantly?
(continued)
Factors That Affect
Flexibility
• Bone structure
• Elbows (hinge joint)
• Shoulders (ball-and-socket joint)
• Ligament strength—sprains occur when a
ligament is stretched
• Muscle and tendon elongation
• Joint restriction—by large abdomen
• All created unique
Importance of Flexibility
• 10 benefits (continued)
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Union of body, mind, and spirit
Relaxation of stress and tension
Muscular relaxation
Self-discipline and self-knowledge
Body fitness, posture, and symmetry
Relief of low back pain
Relief of muscle cramps
Relief of muscle soreness
Alter, 2004, pp. 8-14.
Injury prevention
Enjoyment and pleasure
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How Much Flexibility Is
Enough?
Stretching
• Questionable value before activity (unless
movements expected to go well beyond normal
ROM)
• Best done following activity—needs to be regular
• Earn flexibility, and abundant life, as the body ages
• Never forget the unique creation of each person.
Assessing Your
Flexibility
• Hamstrings and back: sit-and-reach test
Not helpful
• “Stiff as a board”
• Hypermobility
Assessing Your
Flexibility (continued)
• Shoulder flexibility: pass─fail shoulder
flexibility test
© Human Kinetics
(continued)
Assessing Your Flexibility
(continued)
(continued)
Improving and
Maintaining
• Activities
like yoga, tai chi, and Pilates
Your
Flexibility
• Specific stretches
• Static
• Dynamic
• Ballistic (muscle spindles)
• PNF (Golgi tendon organ)
© Human Kinetics
(continued)
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Improving and
Your
• HowMaintaining
should you stretch?
•
Stretch after your body is warm (three to
Flexibility
(continued)
five minutes warm-up)
• Stretch two to three days per week (ideally
five to seven days)
• Stretch to the point of tightness (no
discomfort).
• Hold each stretch for 15 to 30 seconds.
• Perform two to four repetitions of each
stretch.
ACSM, 2006.
(continued)
Improving and
Maintaining Your
•
Stretching guidelines(continued)
Flexibility
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Move into the stretch slowly.
Hold the stretch.
Feel mild tension in the middle of the stretched muscle.
Ease off immediately when you feel pain.
Relax all parts of the body.
Don’t fight against the muscle.
If you’re comfortable, increase the stretch gently.
Gently ease
out Harris
of the
stretch.
Byl, 2004;
& Elbourn,
2002.
Alternatives to High-Risk
Stretches
High-risk stretches
Alternative stretches
Standing toe touch
Seated toe touch or modified
hurdler’s stretch
Barre stretch
Seated toe touch or modified
hurdler’s stretch
Hurdler’s stretch
Modified hurdler's stretch
Neck circle
Nontwisting directional stretch
Knee hyperextension
Kneeling hip and thigh stretch
Yoga plow
Seated toe touch
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