The Importance of Including Flexibility Training In Your Routine August 22, 2008

Human beings are creatures of habit. Central Texans are no different than the rest of the world. When we find an exercise program that works, we tend to stick with it until something changes. Changes can include weather or injury, marriage, a new baby or adopting a pet, or just about anything else that impacts your routine.

Most experts agree on three major categories of fitness; aerobic, muscular and flexibility. But most exercisers associate with one category of exercise, at least one at a time. They are runners, joggers or walkers; they can be cyclists or work out on the elliptical at the gym. Many people also use resistance machines or their own body weight to help build strength in addition to their aerobic exercise of choice. A few will do Yoga or Pilates. The problem with adopting an only-one-type of fitness routine is that it doesn't help with forces that attack the body as it ages. As we age we lose balance, muscle mass, and flexibility. To combat these natural occurrences, we must adopt a more well rounded blend of exercise.

Core stabilization and balance are sometimes pulled out as a separate category or can be included in the muscular category. This area involves strengthening the core or abdomen, hips and lower back. "Every program should address the basic categories a minimum of aerobic fitness, muscular fitness, and flexibility activities to really be balanced and of the most benefit to the person. It should also be safe, effective and efficient," says Mark Langendorf, Exercise Specialist Cardiac Rehabilitation, Seton Medical Center - Williamson .

Flexibility

Flexibility is the ability to move your joints and muscles through their full range of motion. Range-of-motion exercises focus on moving the joints in certain directions to improve suppleness and reduce stiffness. Joint flexibility depends on a number of factors, specifically the length and tightness of the muscles and ligaments. Running, for example, tightens muscles while flexibility training, such as Yoga or Pilates will loosen and lengthen them back to a normal state. Stretching is an exercise that helps you to be more flexible. "Repetitive movements such as sitting in a cubicle all day at a computer, will hinder flexibility, as does being sedentary, poor weightlifting technique, muscle imbalances and lack of regular stretching," says Trent Thomason, CPT. Tone and Firm Boot Camp.

Flexibility benefits include:

reduces the risk of injury
decreases aches and pains
easier body movement
improves balance

Flexibility Exercises include:

Pilates
Yoga
Tai Chi
General stretching

Various sports have different flexibility requirements, which can be enhanced further through training and practice. For example, a person training for swimming would develop more flexibility than a discus thrower.

Since muscles that go through growth in size but not in length, when one muscle grows through strengthening, its opposite side muscle will have to lengthen (think bicep and tricep). For flexibility, the opposing muscles need to stay in balance. Absolute flexibility is the term used to describe a muscle's length, in and of itself. Relative flexibility is the whether the joint's muscles are in balance, when hypertrophy is compared to it's opposite antagonistic movement.

For example, the calf muscle extends the foot towards the ground (plantarflexion). The shin muscle flexes the foot in the opposite direction (dorsiflexion). If a person's calf is overly strong, the opposing shin muscle will be weaker. Thus the plantarflexion will be exhibit relative inflexibility as compared to dorsiflexion using the person's weaker shin muscle.

A well-rounded exercise program should add flexibility training to aerobic and strength training to maintain the body's optimum condition. Diet and nutrition are separate areas related to fitness and a plan to optimize each for healthy living should be considered when creating an complete fitness program.

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