Top 5 Benefits of Flexibility Training: Types and Examples

Top 5 Benefits of Flexibility Training and flexibility exercise examples. Flexibility or regular stretching increases your metabolism stamina and concentration. But what is proper flexibility training?

I am talking about this because most of the people were doing wrong exercises, and didn't get the proper result. 

What is Flexibility Training:

Flexibility refers to the range of movement or motion (ROM) of a joint (e.g., elbow) or a series of joints (e.g., spine). 

In other words, flexibility is the ability of a joint to move freely through its full normal range of motion. Good flexibility allows maximum ROM during our day-to-day work and improves our performance in exercise. It also prevents injuries like muscle tears or low back pain.

 As we age, we experience a progressive loss of flexibility due to disease, deterioration of joint structures, etc. 

In combination with loss of strength, loss of flexibility plays a significant role in accidental fall-related injuries in advanced age. Stiff muscles or stiff connective tissues restrict full ROM. There are two important things about flexibility training. 

Firstly, flexibility training must address all primary joints or a series of joints for overall flexibility. 

Unless this is done, a person may have excellent flexibility in a certain joint and at the same time, he may suffer from poor flexibility of some other joint.

Secondly, it has been found that flexibility can be improved at any age by proper stretching exercises.

The inclusion of flexibility training in the warm-up and cool-down phases (though traditionally recommended) is now a matter of debate. 

Some authors believe that static stretching during the warm-up phase may actually adversely affect the force-producing capabilities of muscles. 

This school of thought recommends that a warm-up session consisting of only cardio-respiratory exercise may be more effective in increasing flexibility than static stretching. 

However, until this debate is settled, it is safer to include flexibility training during the warm-up and cooldown process.


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Benefits of Flexibility Training:

(i) Flexibility training prevents stiffness of joints and makes our day-to-day movements comfortable.
 

(ii) It prevents injury during sudden or excessive movement of joints. For example, a person with a less flexible spine is more likely to incur an injury during a sudden bend to catch a falling glass.
 

(iii) It is very relaxing. Yogic stretching (Yogasanas) is far more beneficial than normal stretching. 

(iv) It improves the ROM of joints and helps internal systems (nervous system, digestive system, etc).

 

How Design Flexibility Training Program?

Frequency 

It should be done preferably every day. Discontinuity of flexibility training even for a week drastically reduces our flexibility. 

Secondly, briefly stretching a muscle immediately after completion of each set removes lactic acid and helps faster recovery. 

For example, after completing a set of push-ups, immediately stretch your pectoral muscles for faster recovery; or, stretch your quadriceps and hamstrings immediately after each set of squats, and so on. 

Intensity 

Stretching should be done to the point of slight discomfort but never to the point of pain. At least in matters of stretch, never compete with anyone. There would be a sure chance of injury. 

Time

Stretching during warm-up and cool-down may be for a shorter duration (10-15 seconds each stretching). 

However, for improvement of flexibility, stretching should be for 30-60 seconds duration. During the holding period of stretch, one should breathe normally. Holding one’s breath may cause dizziness.

 

Flexibility Exercises Examples

There are mainly two types of flexibility training – Active & Passive stretch.

(i) Active stretching – Hold a stretch at the extreme of the ROM of a joint for 10-30 seconds.
 

(ii) Passive stretching – Take the assistance of a partner or equipment (e.g., towel, rope) to reach your full ROM.
 

Ballistic or bounce stretching is done to achieve greater ROM by using the momentum of the body or bouncing. It is a very popular type of stretching in traditional physical training programs. 

It is, in fact, flexibility and endurance training combined together. However, for not-so-well-conditioned individuals, it may be potentially dangerous as uncontrolled bouncing may cause injury.

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