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An Introduction to Flexibility and Functional Movement by Shaun Fulton The goal of this material is to establish the basis for lifelong functional fitness and longterm flexibility through corrective exercise, as it relates to long term flexibility training, and fundamental pattern reeducation. This class will focus on fundamental movement pattern training as it relates to functional fitness and improvements to motor competency and increases in flexibility. STAC 125 - Flexibility and Functional Fitness Physical Fitness, Flexibility, and Functional Fitness Physical fitness, flexibility, and functional movement are terms widely used by many, too few individuals properly understand what these terms mean and what how they inter-relate. Physical Fitness Physical fitness has been defined as “the ability to carry out daily tasks with vigor and alertness, without undue fatigue and with ample energy to enjoy leisure-time pursuits and to meet unforeseen emergencies” [4]. Physical fitness can also be subdivided into components: “cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular endurance, muscular strength, body composition, and flexibility” [4]. Each of these components are essential for maintaining a body that can move without problems when called upon. It is important that when physical fitness is discussed that all of the components are taken into consideration and not individually in isolation. Isolation will result in an imbalanced understanding and body. Flexibility There are a vast array of definitions of what flexibility is: “Flexibility is the ability to move muscles and joints through their full ranges of motion” [1] o “Static flexibility relates to range of motion (ROM) about a joint with no emphasis on speed during stretching…” o “Ballistic flexibility is usually associated with bobbing, bouncing, rebounding, and rhythmic motion. In ballistic stretching, momentum of a moving body or limb is used to increase the ROM forcibly. Consequently, the risk of injury is greater” o “Dynamic or functional flexibility refers to the ability to use a range of joint movement in the performance of a physical activity at either normal or rapid speed…Dynamic or functional flexibility directly corresponds to the specificity of the stretching process as it relates to the activity. Dynamic…flexibility has the highest correlation to sport achievement” o “Active flexibility refers to a ROM accomplished by the voluntary use of one’s muscles without assistance” 2 STAC 125 - Flexibility and Functional Fitness o “Research has proven that flexibility does not exist as a general characteristic but is specific to a particular joint and joint action” “Flexibility is the ability to move a joint or a series of joints through a ROM” [10] o “Relative flexibility considers the comparative mobility at adjacent joints” “The degree of movement that occurs at a joint is called the range of motion (ROM)…Flexibility is a measure of ROM and has static and dynamic components” [2] o “Static flexibility is the range of possible movement about a joint” o “Dynamic flexibility refers to the available ROM during active movements and therefore requires voluntary muscular actions.” o “Dynamic ROM is generally greater than static ROM” “Flexibility is range of motion around a joint” [3] Flexibility, for this class will be defined as having sufficient ability to take a joint, or series of joints, through its appropriate ranges of motion, devoid of pain. The key here is through an appropriate range of motion. There is an appropriate range of motion for each joint and series of joints and having too much (hypermobility) or too little (hypomobility) range of motion can create problems for the individual such as pain, injury, disorders, etc…[8, 13].The problem with most definitions of flexibility is that, taken alone, everyone should be able to perform the splits since each joint along the way has enough range of motion. However, this is rarely the case. This class will go beyond the typical stretching session, one joint at a time, and to reeducate the body and mind to function the way it was intended. To quote Mark Verstegen, “We want to improve the long-term mobility and flexibility of muscles. Rather than have them stretch and go back to where they were…” [25]. It has been known since the 1940’s that if you simply stretch a muscle without strengthening the opposite muscle group the muscle will return to its original length [7]. If a muscle is “tight” there is a reason for this and needs to be corrected. This is the foundation for corrective exercise: creating balance in an unbalanced individual which can result in better posture and less pain. In short, there is a better way than traditional stretching. Functional Fitness Functional fitness, according to the Mayo Clinic, allows you to “train your muscles to work together and prepare them for daily tasks by simulating common movements you might do at home, at work or in sports” [23]. WebMD defines functional exercise as “building a body 3 STAC 125 - Flexibility and Functional Fitness capable of doing real-life activities in real-life positions, not just lifting a certain amount of weight in an idealized posture created by a gym machine. ‘Conventional weight training isolates muscle groups, but it doesn't teach the muscle groups you're isolating to work with others,’ says Greg Roskopf, MS, a biomechanics consultant with a company called Muscle Activation Techniques who has worked with athletes from the Denver Broncos, the Denver Nuggets, and the Utah Jazz. ‘The key to functional exercise is integration. It's about teaching all the muscles to work together rather than isolating them to work independently.’ ” [22]. What functional fitness isn’t: Functional training has received a bad reputation over the past 10 years due to some less than stellar coaches implementing half conceived training programs to “improve function”. Many of these are focuses on stability training on unstable surfaces. This is not functional exercise training and often creates an increased risk for injury by performing exercises that are bizarre in the name of functional (i.e. squatting on an exercise ball under load), loss of strength, balance, power, muscle mass, and muscles activation [20]. What functional fitness is: “Functional exercises tend to be multi-joint, multi-muscle exercises. This type of training, properly applied, can make everyday activities easier, reduce your risk of injury and improve your quality of life. Functional exercise training may be especially beneficial as part of a comprehensive program for older adults to improve balance, agility and muscle strength, and reduce the risk of falls” [23]. The purpose of this class is then to apply the principles of functional fitness to re-establish motor patterns and create balance and symmetry. A byproduct of this will be an increase in flexibility. 4 STAC 125 - Flexibility and Functional Fitness Types of Stretching There are several ways in which one can elongate muscles and connective tissue relative to stretching. Each has been shown to increase range of motion for the joint being addressed. The main types of stretching, with their associated definitions are as follows. Static Stretching – “is a method of stretching in which the muscles and connective tissue being stretched are held in a stationary position at their greatest possible length for some period” [9] Ballistic Stretching – “uses quick movements that impose a rapid change in the length of muscle or connective tissue” [9] Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation Stretching – “These techniques seek to capitalize on the use of the neurophysiologic concept of stretch activation. PNF stretching techniques use a contract-relax (CR) sequence, an agonist contraction (AC), or a contractrelax-agonist contraction (CRAC) sequence” [9] Dynamic Stretching – “is a type of flexibility exercise where the limb is repeatedly taken through a ROM actively by the participant” [9] Stretching has been shown to acutely increase flexibility; however is has not been consistently demonstrated in research to chronically adapt the flexibility of an individual [9]. What is important to note, is that it has been demonstrated that weight training increases flexibility just as effective as stretching techniques [12]. It has also been shown that foam rolling is just as effective, if not more, at creating increasing in flexibility as well as the benefits the individual gets from the massage therapy. The key to understanding the need for stretching is that there is a reason a particular muscle group is “tight”. Typically, a muscle is tight due to muscular imbalance or altered reciprocal inhibition. Stretching merely takes a muscle, or group of muscles, through a range of motion attempting to increase that range. This can attenuate the muscles length, but does not address the reason for the tightness. Hence, the need for muscle reeducation and movement pattern training to keep the body balanced and incongruence with how it was designed. Therefore, this class will not spend much time on stretch training in the traditional sense as it is not as effective in long term attenuation of relative/global flexibility. 5 STAC 125 - Flexibility and Functional Fitness The Janda Approach Vladimir Janda was a Czech nuerologist, clinician, and researcher, who as a child suffered from polio. Through his own experiences and work as a researcher/clinician, Dr. Janda found that the effects of aging and polio were similar to one another. Both of these conditions, aging and polio, affect the muscular system by either weakening or tightening. Janda described all movers in the body as either tonic or phasic in nature. Tonic muscles are desribed as being much older in our neurodevelopmental sequence and are dominant. Futher, tonic muscles are typically used to ilicit flexion and are prone to tightness. Phasic muscles, on the other hand, are described as being younger phylogenetically and work as postural stabilizers. They are also primarily used as extenders and are prone to weakness or inhibition [18]. Below is a list on tonic and phasic muscles (the ones in bold are the important ones to memorize): Tonic Muscles Suboccipitals Pectorals (major and minor) Upper Trapezius SCM Scalenes Latissimus Dorsi Upper-extremity flexors and supinators Biceps Masitcators Phasic Muscles Middle and Lower Trapezius Rhomboids Serratus Anterior Deep Cervical Flexors Scalenes Quadratus Lumborum Thoracolumbar paraspinals Piriformis Hip Flexors (Iliosposas and Rectus Femoris) Hamstrings TFL-IT band Short hip adductors Triceps surae Tibialis posterior Rectus Abdominus Transverse Abdominus Gluteus Maximus Gluteus Medius/Minimus Vastus Medialis/Lateralis (Quads as knee extensors) Tibialis Anterior Peroneals Upper-extremity extensors and supinators Triceps Digastricus 6 STAC 125 - Flexibility and Functional Fitness Even though Janda classified muscles in this system, he acknowledged that no muscle is purely one or the other. When these classified muscles begin to demonstrate their properties, it can lead to pain and/or dysfunction. The causes of pain can be due to acute trauma that results in an abnormal movement pattern, muscles imbalances, lifestyle contributions (stress, fatigue, lack of movement/variety of movement, or biomechanical mechanisms [18]. Dan John, an international lecturer and world reknown strength and conditioning coach, spoke on Janda’s work as this: stretch what’s tightening and strengthen what’s weakening. If we simpley stretch the muscle that is tight, without reeducating the muscle that is weak, there will be no long term change for that muscle: there is a reason that muscle was tight in the first place. 7 STAC 125 - Flexibility and Functional Fitness The Joint-by-joint approach by Gray Cook Gray Cook, a physical therapist, author, and certified strength and conditioning coach, discusses movement in a terms of mobility and stability. “Mobility is a broader concept [(than flexibility: the ability to elongate a muscle)] and involves the muscle and joint. Mobility is also more inclusive when describing freedom of movement… stability is the ability to control force or movement. In most cases, stability is a precursor to strength” [6]. These concepts, mobility and stability, are then applied to the body as a whole, or more specifically, to each major joint structure. Cook determined that each joint has a function as related to the joints in proximity to itself: mobility or stability. Below is a list of the joint-by-joint approach with its needs: Joint Ankle Knee Hip Lumbar Spine Thoracic Spine Scapula Gleno-humeral Primary Needs Mobility Stability Mobility Stability Mobility Stability Mobility The purpose of this list is to aid the practitioner in assessing the needs for each client. It is also important to understand dysfunction. In the body, if one of these joint’s needs is reversed the rest of the kinetic chain can be compromised and dysfunction becomes the result. For example, if the hips become stable and movement is needed, the low back will become the place for movement leading to an unstable joint and ultimately pain. This joint-by-joint approach is important to understand for its relationship to movement patterns and how movement is learned and should be performed. 8 STAC 125 - Flexibility and Functional Fitness Movement Patterns and Functional Movement Contrary to popular belief you cannot confuse a muscle; muscles can only do one thing: PULL! That’s it, they pull. Muscles can be classified in the following ways of how they interact in the system of the body: agonist, antagonist, etc… For the purposes of class we will label muscles as either flexors or extenders. In the early 1970’s a researcher by the name of Dr. Richard Schmidt began to publish literature on motor control/learning in humans, more specifically how we as humans learn to move. Schmidt developed the most widely held construct on human movement: schema theory. A schema is a set of rules that constitute a mental labeling system. For example, you see a four legged fury animal with a wagging tail and someone tells you that this is a dog, you now have a general schema for what a dog is. Schema learning works by first choosing a generalized motor program, or GMP, and then adding the context specific parameters that are needed to perform the task at that time [19]. A GMP is a general classification for movements that hold a unique set of characteristics between trials [19]. From the GMP movement is refined and new motor programs/schema are created for each desired groupings of movement. It is these GMP that are the basis for all human movement. There have been many strength and conditioning coaches and researchers that have taken these GMP principles and have labeled them for movement classifications: Dan John, Mark Verstegen, Alwyn Cosgrove, Paul Chek, Gray Cook, Mike Boyle, Dr. Stuart McGill, etc… These classifications are as follows: Push - A push can be defined as the ability of the upper body to exert force away from the body. An example would be bench press. The GMP is pushing, the refined schema would then be a barbell bench press. Pull – A pull can be defined as the ability of the upper body to exert force toward the body. An example of this would be a bent over row. The GMP is pulling, the refined schema would then be the bent over row. Squat – A squat can be defined as maximal hip and maximal knee flexion or the ability of the lower body to exert force vertically pushing away from the ground. Some also classify this as a lower body push. An example of this would be the barbell back squat. The GMP is squatting, the refined schema would then be the barbell squat. 9 STAC 125 - Flexibility and Functional Fitness Hinge – A hinge can be defined as maximal hip with minimal knee flexion or the ability of the lower body to exert force pulling the load off of the ground. Some also classify this as a lower body pull. An example of this would be a deadlift. The GMP is hinging/ lower body pulling, the refined schema would be the deadlift. Rotation/Anti-Rotation – A rotational movement would be considered a twist, throw, etc… An anti-rotational movement would be resisting that movement. An example of an ant-rotational movement would be a one arm dumbbell bench press; the body wants to rotate due to the load, but the body must resist the rotation. Loaded Carry – The ability to carry load for distance or time is an important component for movement. Carrying rocks, logs, animals, children are all essential for growth and development of humans. It is also a valuable training tool that works the entire body. An example of this would be a farmers’ walk. Ground work – Ground work encompasses any movement that requires one to have integrity with the environment around them. The last classification is an important one during maturation and during aging. When children are born they explore the world around them by rolling, rocking, crawling, etc… These movements are important both to develop the muscular system but also the nervous system. It is also important for older adults to be able to get to and from the ground as falls are one of the greatest predictors for mortality rates in America. These type of movements have been shown to decrease the effects of learning disabilities, stroke victims, and autism as well as helping individuals move and feel better. Ground work also consists of using the upper extremities to create movement like monkey bars or climbing a rope. Examples of ground work are: Turkish get-ups, brachiating, crawling, etc… It is important to note that each of the main movement patterns (push, pull, squat, hinge, rotational/anti-rotational, loaded carries) can all be performed both bilaterally and unilaterally. One of the main reasons to utilize unilateral training is due to the phenomenon of bilateral deficient. Bilateral deficient is, in essence, a reduced capacity of a two limbed activity when compared to a combined one arm activity [11]. This is mostly seen in activities a standing position. An example of this is an over-head press. If an individual can press with each arm 100 pounds, they typically cannot press 200 pounds with both arms at the same time. Dan John explained it this way: “If you are pressing, you have two legs, one back, and two arms. The 10 STAC 125 - Flexibility and Functional Fitness limiting factor is how much your back can handle. That is why you can press more each arm combined at a time than you can both at the same time.” Performing both unilateral and bilateral exercises also challenges the body in different ways and provides opportunity for better form depending on the needs of the individual. Both should be utilized in a balanced program. This class will facilitate mobility in the joints that need to be mobile, stabilize the ones that should be stable, stretch what’s tightening, strengthen what’s weakening, and train the fundamental human movement patterns (GMPs). 11 STAC 125 - Flexibility and Functional Fitness Training the Core [16, 17] There are many myths, half-truths, and full lies about proper core training. Dr. Stuart McGill is the world expert in low back disorders, this section is a brief synthesis of his material found on his website www.backfitpro.com and his books/articles. This section will attempt to give a brief understanding of what the research demonstrates, as well as safe practices for increasing core strength and endurance. The core, for our purposes, can be defined as everything from the shoulders to the knees in 3600 . The main purpose of the rectus abdominus is to resist hyper-extension, not to crunch. Flexion, repetitive and loaded, may result in disc herniation or prolapse and pain. This is something to avoid and yet walk into most gyms and you will find many individuals performing crunches, which is a mechanism of injury! There is a difference between flexion movement and flexion moment. Flexion movement is the act of moving the spine forward. Flexion moment occurs by the core having to create enough strength to resist that movement. Both are healthy to perform, especially unloaded, however repeated and cumulative flexion movement results in trauma that leads to injury. This occurs by each cycle of flexion on the spine straining the layers of collagen in the spinal discs resulting delamination. Each individual is different in the amount of load and cycles to cause injury. However, the greater the load and cycles the faster a disc bulge will occur. It is this cumulative and compounding effect that many misunderstand and lash out against the science of proper core training. Here are some examples of poor core exercise selections and their effects on the body: Exercise Effect Back Extension 6000 N of compressive force Bent Leg Sit Up 3350 N of compressive force Straight Leg Sit Up 3506 N of compressive force Hanging Bent Leg Raise 3313 N of compressive force Curl up on ball 4000 N of compressive force Prone Superman 4300 N of compressive force *It must be noted that the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health has placed a cap on movement load for individuals at 3400N per cycle. 12 STAC 125 - Flexibility and Functional Fitness Most people with low back pain lack sufficient core muscle endurance and not strength. Recently Childs et al. performed a study comparing sit-ups versus core stabilization exercises in training as an exercise intervention to improve the sit-up test in the military. It was found that those only performing sit-ups at the beginning and end of the 16 week study for testing while performing the core stabilization exercises had the highest re-test numbers when compared to the group who practiced sit-ups for the duration of the study [5]. This speaks to the value of flexion moment training versus movement training. Core training should focus on flexion moment endurance training. The four key goals for creating proper core function are: to create proximal stiffness and stability for distal athleticism, to create a guy wire system to facilitate successful load bearing, stiffness eliminates micromovements in the joints that lead to pain and tissue degeneration, and to build body armor. 13 STAC 125 - Flexibility and Functional Fitness Self-Myofascial Release Self-Myofascial Release (SMFR) is a method of massage therapy that individuals can perform alone or with the aid of a partner. This is why many refer to it as the “poor man’s massage”. The most widely used item for SMFR is a foam roller: a 36” long 6” in diameter piece of hard foam, or pvc pipe covered in a thin layer of foam and clothe. Other items that are used for SMFR are: The Stick, Tiger Tails, lacrosse ball, golf ball, softball, baseball, etc… The purpose/goal of SMFR is to correct muscle imbalances, alleviate muscle soreness, relieve joint stress, improve neuromuscular efficiency, improve range of motion, and restores proper balance to soft tissue [14]. The SMFR technique involves small movements back and forth over a SMFR tool beginning at one end of the area and going to the other. This applies pressure to the treatment area, which then provides a stretch to the tissue and generates friction. This friction heats the tissue up which results in fibrous adhesion break up and a restoration of soft-tissue extensibility [15]. Foam rolling has been demonstrated to increase flexibility without decreasing contractile properties or performance ability [15, 24]. Typically, individuals should practice SMFR prior and post exercise, it can also be done throughout the day as needed. 14 STAC 125 - Flexibility and Functional Fitness Warm-Ups Imagine, for a moment, that each muscle in your body is a rubber band. Now consider what happens to a rubber band when it is cold outside and it is put on stretch. The band will snap! This is the reason that prior to exercise we should attempt to increase the blood flow and temperature of the muscles to prevent the bands from breaking. There are two main ways of increasing core/body temperature: active and passive. Active warmups are most easily seen in sport where the components include: increase in pulse rate, dynamic flexibility drills, muscle activation drills, etc… Whereas a passive warmup would include things like steam room, hot shower, sauna, etc… In this class we will be following an active warmup prescription. An active warmup should include the following components: Increases the core temperature / increase the pulse [21, 26] Activates the nervous system [26] Lengthens, strengthens, stabilizes, and balances muscles [26] o Mobilize the muscles and dynamic stretch and movement based-flexibility[21] Prepares you for more challenging movements [21, 26] Muscle re-education Movement pattern re-education For most individuals the emphasis for muscle re-education should be focused on the things we sit on constantly, our glutes, and what has been named and renamed over the past forty or so years, our core which consists of everything from our shoulders to our knees and in all 3600 . In this class the warm-up will generally consist of the following: 15 STAC 125 - Flexibility and Functional Fitness WARM-UPS Movement Load Reasoning Crocodile breathing x5 Re-establish diaphragmatic breathing Rolling x3ea Enhance core stability, rotational function, and overall function of the upper and lower extremities Rocking w/head nod 2x5 Aide in finding proper squat mechanics and CNS reset Crawling 2x5 Shoulder health, improve core functioning, restoration of movement Six point t-spine rotation x5ea Improve thoracic mobility Prone Batwings x5 10 sec Strength rhomboids Shoulder taps x10ea Core strength Rolling TGU x5ea Connecting the core Glute bridges x10 Strength glutes World's greatest stretch x3ea Stretch hip flexors, hamstrings, thoracic mobility Inch Worm x5 Shoulder and Core strength, hamstring stretch Windmill 3x5 Hip and thoracic mobility SL RDL x5ea Hip mobility Goblet squat 3x5 Patterning of squat Marching Suitcase Carry 3x5ea Movement restoration and stabilization of core Bulgarian goat bag swings 3x5 Patterning of hinge Add halos or kb arm-bars on days where pressing is utilized 16 STAC 125 - Flexibility and Functional Fitness Recommended Reading Author Dan John Title Intervention: Course Corrections for the Athlete and Coach Never Let Go Fat Loss Happens on Monday Mike Boyle Functional Training for Sports Advances in Functional Training Gray Cook Athletic Body in Balance Movement Mark Verstegen Core Performance (series) Every Day is Game Day Stuart McGill Low Back Disorders Ultimate Back Fitness and Performance Allan Collins The Complete Guide to Functional Training Tim Anderson and Geoff Nupert Original Strength 17 STAC 125 - Flexibility and Functional Fitness Basic Anatomy Muscles to know: http://health-and-fitness- it- is.com/muscular-anatomy-physiology 18 STAC 125 - Flexibility and Functional Fitness Basic Anatomy Bones to know: http://www.tutorvista.com/science/diagram-of- internal-organs 19 STAC 125 - Flexibility and Functional Fitness Works Cited 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. Alter, M.J., Sport stretch. 1998: Human Kinetics. Baechle, T.R. and R.W. Earle, Essentials of strength training and conditioning. Vol. 7. 2008: Human kinetics Champaign, IL. Boyle, M., Advances in functional training. 2012: On Target Publications. Caspersen, C.J., K.E. Powell, and G.M. Christenson, Physical activity, exercise, and physical fitness: definitions and distinctions for health-related research. Public health reports, 1985. 100(2): p. 126. Childs, J.D., et al., Effects of sit-up training versus core stabilization exercises on sit-up performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 2009. 41(11): p. 2072-2083. Cook, G., Athletic body in balance. 2003: Human Kinetics Publishers. Cureton, T.K., Flexibility as an aspect of physical fitness. Research Quarterly. American Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation, 1941. 12(sup2): p. 381-390. Engelbert, R.H., et al., Exercise tolerance in children and adolescents with musculoskeletal pain in joint hypermobility and joint hypomobility syndrome. Pediatrics, 2006. 118(3): p. e690-e696. Hall, C.M. and L.T. Brody, Therapeutic exercise. Moving Towards Function 2nd edition. Page-363, 2012. Hall, C.M., et al., Therapeutic exercise: moving toward function. 1999: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Philadelphia. Kuruganti, U., T. Murphy, and T. Pardy, Bilateral deficit phenomenon and the role of antagonist muscle activity during maximal isometric knee extensions in young, athletic men. European journal of applied physiology, 2011. 111(7): p. 1533-1539. Leite, T., et al., INFLUENCE OF STRENGTH AND FLEXIBILITY TRAINING, COMBINED OR ISOLATED, ON STRENGTH AND FLEXIBILITY GAINS. Journal of strength and conditioning research/National Strength & Conditioning Association, 2014. Lewkonia, R., Hypermobility of joints. Archives of disease in childhood, 1987. 62(1): p. 1. MacDonald, G.Z., et al., Foam rolling as a recovery tool after an intense bout of physical activity. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 2014. 46(1): p. 131-142. MacDonald, G.Z., et al., An acute bout of self-myofascial release increases range of motion without a subsequent decrease in muscle activation or force. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 2013. 27(3): p. 812-821. McGill, S., Low back disorders: evidence-based prevention and rehabilitation. 2007: Human Kinetics. McGill, S., Ultimate back fitness and performance. 2009: Backfitpro Incorporated. Page, P., C. Frank, and R. Lardner, Assessment and treatment of muscle imbalance: the Janda approach. 2010: Human Kinetics. Schmidt, R.A. and T. Lee, Motor Control and Learning, 5E. 2011: Human kinetics. Schoenfeld, B., Is functional training really functional. ACSM Certified News, 2010. 20(3): p. 5-6. Scrivener, R., Warm-ups under the microscope. NSCA’s Performance Training Journal, 2010. 9(1): p. 8-17. Shaw, G. Working Out for Real Life Functions. 2003; Available from: http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/working-out- for-real-lifefunctions?page=2. 20 STAC 125 - Flexibility and Functional Fitness 23. 24. 25. 26. Staff, M.C. Functional fitness training: Is it right for you? 2014; Available from: http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy- living/fitness/in-depth/functional- fitness/art20047680?pg=1. Sullivan, K.M., et al., ROLLER‐MASSAGER APPLICATION TO THE HAMSTRINGS INCREASES SIT‐AND‐REACH RANGE OF MOTION WITHIN FIVE TO TEN SECONDS WITHOUT PERFORMANCE IMPAIRMENTS. International journal of sports physical therapy, 2013. 8(3): p. 228. Verstegen, M. and P. Williams, The Core Performance: The Revolutionary Workout Program to Transform Your Body & Your Life. 2005: Rodale. Verstegen, M. and P. Williams, Every Day is Game Day: The Proven System of Elite Performance to Win All Day Every Day. 2014, 375 Hudson Street New York, New York 10014: Penguin Group. 21