Achieving Flexibility
Flexibility is a person’s ability to move body joints through a full range of motion
Benefits of Flexibility
 Wellness – optimal fitness
 Prevention of low back pain and improves posture
 Healthy joints
 Injury prevention
*Stretching before and after exercise can help prevent sore muscles
Factors which limit flexibility
 Bone structure (types of joints limit flexibility, flexibility is joint specific)
 Muscles and Tendons (Extension, Flexion and muscle imbalance)
 Ligaments (hyperflexibility)
 Fat
 Gender (Females are generally more flexible)
 Injuries
Types of Joints in the body o
Hinge joints – knee and elbow o
Ball and socket joints – shoulder and hips o
Pivot joints – neck and forearm
Extension is the straightening movement of muscles at a joint
Flexion is the bending movement around a joint
Muscle imbalance occurs when one muscle group is worked much more than the opposing muscle group thus becoming much stronger
Hyperflexibility is too much motion in a joint due to overstretched ligaments caused from improper exercises or injuries
Whether you choose to combine your flexibility with your warm-up, it is imperative to follow
the principles of training.
Principle of Overload
 Frequency – 3 times per week
 Intensity- stretch slowly until slight tension is felt in muscle.
 Time – 10 to 30 seconds
Principle of Progression
 Increase your stretch gradually as you continue to change the frequency, intensity and/or time of the stretch
Principle of Specificity
Flexibility can only be gained in those joints of the body which are exercised.

Flexibility Techniques
 Static stretching – a safe method of increasing flexibility in which the muscle is stretched to its farthest point and held for at least ten seconds.
 Ballistic stretching – involves bouncing or bobbing against the muscle and is harmful
 Dynamic stretching - used to warm up for practice or competition by mimicking sport-specific types of activities to increase the range of motion of a specific joint
 Contract and Relax stretching – a muscle is contracted before it is stretched
(partner stretching)
Safety Precautions to use when stretching
 Perform stretching exercises within your own physical limitations
 Progression should be gradual
 Avoid ballistic stretching
 Partner stretching can be dangerous. Communicate with your partner!
DESIGNING YOUR FITNESS PROGRAM
It is important to establish personal goals and to design an individualized program that will help you reach your highest level of fitness. You should be concerned with health-related activities, sports, skill, and stress diversion activities and good nutrition.
A goal is an outcome for which you are striving; something you want to achieve or intend to do in life.
A clearly stated goal is: o Concrete – a definite objective you want to achieve o Measurable – a way of knowing when you have reached your goal o Related to a definite time frame – a deadline to reach your goal
Short-term goal is within a month
Intermediate goal is 2-3 months
Long term goal is months to years
Important facts about goals
 Goals must be:
 Important to you
 Individual (personal)
 Realistic (doable, obtainable)
 Specific (state exactly what you want)
 Written down
*When selecting appropriate activities to help you obtain your goal, you should pick activities you enjoy and meet your time schedule. You should also participate in activities that would be most beneficial for developing the specific fitness area you are trying to improve.
*Monitoring and recording your progress will serve as motivation. You can adjust your goals as your improve and reach your goals!!!.
*Creating a maintenance goal for health related fitness components should include long term cardio, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility and body composition.
Here is an example of the Goal Sheet you will be using this semester. Your Goal Sheet will be a part of a Fitness Portfolio. We will discuss your Fitness Portfolio at a later date.