Flexibility

Flexibility is the range of motion of a joint. Our muscles are actually long enough to allow for a full range of motion in our joints. It is the tension in our muscles that makes us less flexible. That tension can come from actual psychological tension that spills over into the muscles (think of that tension headache you get in your head, neck, and shoulders when your kids are running around like banshees or your boss is giving you yet another project to complete on a tight deadline) or from repeated and prolonged positions (like sitting at your computer all day long). Genetics, age, gender, exercise, and body and external temperature also influence your flexibility. Although few research studies have been able to prove that safely improving flexibility decreases one's risk for injuries, many authorities believe that it does. Moreover, some experts think that being inflexible can actually predispose you to an injury.

Being flexible does have its advantages in sports and daily life. Flexibility may allow your arm to stretch a little farther to hit a backhand or to reach a plate on the top shelf of a cabinet. In addition, your body feels much better when you are flexible-don't underestimate the value of simply feeling good. You can improve flexibility through static and dynamic stretching techniques. You most commonly see people stretching statically. Static stretching focuses on one group of muscles, putting them in a stretched position and holding that stretch continuously for a period ranging from 30 seconds to 1 to 2 minutes. It can be effective in elongating tissue, but it is most effective if done after strength training sessions and on a daily basis. Research has found that aggressive static stretching done before a strength-training session actually decreases muscular power and strength. Dynamic stretching, on the other hand, has a positive effect on strength-training sessions and athletic events, because it stretches muscles through movement patterns found in exercise and sports. Dynamic stretching involves multiple joints in active motions. You'll find a dynamic stretching warm-up program in chapter 7.