Flexibility

Paying attention to flexibility is normally an important part of any well balanced fitness regime, but this aspect may be particularly important for certain activities such as gymnastics or dancing. It is particularly important to include this component in your regime for the following reasons:

• Good flexibility aids sporting performance
• Good flexibility reduces the risk of injury
• Repeated muscle contraction during exercise leads to slight shortening of muscle fibres, which in the medium to long-term can result in a reduced range of movement and falls in performance

Types of stretching exercise

Recent research has shown that when performed before exercise, static stretching exercises both reduce sporting performance and have no effect on preventing injuries. On the other hand, dynamic stretching exercises performed before exercise both boost sporting performance and reduce the risk of injury. This is almost certainly because dynamic exercises raise the pulse rate, bringing more blood to the muscles and ligaments which warms them and makes them more supple in readiness for vigorous exercise. Static stretching exercises are, however, suitable for use after exercise whilst the muscles are still warm. In this context they help significantly to prevent muscle shortening, thus maintaining flexibility and a good range of movement.

Ballistic stretching and Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation if not correctly performed carry with them an increased risk of injury and should therefore only be performed under the supervision of a fitness professional.

Dynamic stretching

Dynamic stretching, which should be performed before exercise and at least 2 to 3 times a week if flexibility is one of your fitness goals, in essence involves putting the muscles in question through a full range of movement that will mimic the activity about to be undertaken. The key difference between dynamic and static stretching is that the muscles are stretched during movement.

Guidelines for dynamic stretching

1. Contract agonist to stretch antagonist muscles
2. Start slowly and progress to faster movements
3. Start with a small range of movement and then increase the range
4. Incorporate whole body movements and mimic movements specific to your sporting activity
5. End the intensity of your warm up dynamic stretching at the level required for your exercise session

List of common dynamic stretching exercises

Static stretching

Static stretching, which does not involve movement, may be either passive or active. In passive stretching no voluntary muscular effort is made for the generation of the stretching force. For example, when performing a seated hamstring stretch it is the weight of the body leaning forward that accomplishes the stretching force not the voluntary contraction of a specific muscle. Active stretching, on the other hand, involves a voluntary contraction of one muscle to stretch another. For example, active contraction of the shin muscles will stretch the calf muscles.

Guidelines for static stretching

1. Adopt a position for the target stretch
2. Ensure that the spine is in a neutral position and maintain good posture throughout
3. Slowly increase the length of the muscle to the point of tightness but without pain
4. Hold the stretch at this point for 15-30 seconds
5. If the tightness subsides during this time period, the stretch can be taken a little further
6. Repeat this procedure 2-4 times for each muscle
7. Carry out the entire stretch routine at least 2-3 times per week when your muscles are fully warm

List of common static stretching exercises