Download Fitness for Life Chapter 10 Flexibility

Fitness for Life
Chapter 10 Flexibility
Flexibility Facts and Improving
Flexibility
Pgs 155-165
What is Flexibility?
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Flexibility is the ability to move your
joints through a full range of motion
(ROM)
A joint is a place in the body where two
bones come together
Joints include the ankles, knees, hips,
wrists, elbows, and shoulders
Benefits of Good Flexibility
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Everyone needs
flexibility for health
and mobility
Dancers and
Gymnasts need
more for their
routines
Good flexibility
improves the
performance of
athletes
Benefits of Flexibility
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Stretching helps
prevent injury and
muscle soreness
Stretching can
relieve muscle and
menstrual cramps
Stretching improves
posture
Body Build and Flexibility
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Anatomical differences can affect
flexibility
Gender (females are usually more
flexible than males)
Age (younger people are usually more
flexible than older people)
Hypermobility
(Double-Jointed)
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Having an unusually
large range of
motion
The ability to extend
a joint past a
straight line
Balancing Strength and
Flexibility
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Strength and flexibility exercises should
be done together
Exclusive strength exercises can lead to
loss of motion (muscle-bound)
Exclusive flexibility exercises can make
joints susceptible to injury
Fitness Principles
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Overload: stretch muscles longer than
normal to increase flexibility (you should feel
tightness or a pull)
Progression: as you gain flexibility, gradually
stretch further and increase the time you hold
the stretch
Specificity: flexibility exercises improve only
the specific muscles and the specific joints
that you stretch
Range of Motion (ROM)
Exercises
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ROM exercises
maintain what you
already have
Believed to be the
safest ways to
stretch during
warm-up
Static Stretching
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Static Stretching is stretching slowly as
far as you can without pain, until you
feel a sense of pulling or tension. Hold
for at least 15 seconds
Static Stretching can increase flexibility
and is safer than other types of
stretching
PNF Stretching
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PNF (proprioceptive neuromuscular
facilitation) is a technique used by
therapists
It involves static stretching and muscle
contraction
PNF involves contracting the muscle
before you stretch it (CRAC)
Ballistic Stretching
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Ballistic Stretching is a series of quick
but gentle bouncing or bobbing motions
that are not held for a long time
Should be done carefully so not to
overstretch and cause injury
Ballistic stretching is more appropriate
for higher level athletes