Read time – 05:00 Minutes

Coach Abhi’s disclaimer : The content written in this blog post is only for general information purpose, and not to be taken as medical advise. The reader is expected to use his or her common sense before using any of this information. I disclaim all responsiblity for any liability, loss or risk, which is incurred as a consequence of the use and application of any of the contents of this blog post.

In your childhood, the nearly impossible things you did like kicking your leg so high that you could almost look like Van Damme. Or the time that you fell off and landed right in a front split, and walked (ran) off like a legend. Those were times when your joints were prepared to handle almost anything thrown at them. If you were do it now as an adult (stunt gone wrong or an accidental fall) you would probably end up in an ambulance! Range of motion (ROM) available in a child’s body compared that with an adult’s body (joints) makes them virtually injury free. In this blog post you will learn the importance of having a good range of motion (ROM) in joints. Being flexible not only prevents injuries but also keeps your body pain-free.

In his book Stretching and Flexibility, author Kit Laughlin writes that the most important reason to stretch – it simply feels wonderful to do. World class Coaches like Christopher Sommer, former Team USA National Coach in his interview says, “if the best in the world are stretching their asses off in order to get strong, why aren’t you?” Highly revered Yoga guru, B.K.S. Iyengar in his book, titled ‘Yoga for Sports’ has written extensively on the benefits of stretching by prescription of specific asanas. Some of the reasons why stretching is important are –

• to overcome body pain
• to enhance recovery
• to develop more force and speed
• to achieve higher movement economy
• to improve execution of skill
• to prevent injuries and promote longevity of joints

The last four reasons are more relevant for athletes, but nevertheless applicable to general population. How flexible should one you be? Flexibility as a motor ability required by professionals in combat sport and artists like dancers, and acrobats are an occupational necessity which sustains their career. If you were to think of the most flexible people on the planet, you would probably think of contortionists, Shaolin monks, Olympic gymnasts, and Yoga masters. These extremes of flexibility may not be necessary for an average adult. For an average adult (office going fairly physically active) general flexibility goals can be –

• ability to touch toes without bending knees
• getting into and out of a simple bridge
• raising arms overhead without slouching
• ability to sit down to a full squat without tipping over one toes

Mobility, stretching, suppleness and elasticity are all the different attributes of flexibility usually used as tools of branding exercises commercially. But in reality these are the means to become more flexible. In sports sciences, flexibility is the ability to execute movements with greater amplitude or range. The range here refers to the range of motion of a particular joint. Remember my last post on SAID, the same applies here. As a matter of fact, joint ROM practised in a particular manner is specific way is limited to that same movement in the same plane. Sitting in a pike (legs together perpendicular to torso) touching your toes is harder than the same movement standing upright bending forward to touch toes. If you have practised standing (toe touch) then extra practise is needed to get it perfect in pike position. Not all joints have the same range of motion. Before getting into this further, an understanding of the following concepts are necessary- your muscles move the joints in ranges of motion which are restricted to factors like –

• anatomical structure of a joint – greater ROM is available at ball and socket joints vs little ROM in the spine (in comparison with hips and shoulders)
• ligaments of the joint – length, thickness and strength of the connective tissue
• ability of muscles to stretch, or length-tension relationship in muscle tissue
• coordination (regulation by the CNS – central nervous system) – to execute complex dynamic movements
• strength and stiffness – if a desired ROM has to be achieved then the agonist has to be strong, while the antagonists should not be stiff
• Other factors include the times of day (temperature), age of the person and hidden factor like training history of flexibility in childhood

Flexibility in sports sciences are of two types – passive and active, with a more elaborate classification depending upon the action of muscles, presence or absence of external force –

• dynamic active flexibility (developed in most of the sports training) – complex ability to relax extended muscles with contraction of moving muscles
• dynamic passive flexibility (below and above pain threshold) – achieving maximum movements of joints with external support
• static active flexibility (ability to hold extended postition using only agonists and synergists)
• static passive flexibility – ability to hold extended positions using the strength other than the stretched muscles or by other external means

Flexibility is often misinterpreted by the practitioners by their training methods. Even a highly trained or skilled (specifically talking about flexibility) individual may not necessarily understand what makes them so flexible or how to train for flexibility correctly. Injuries may not have happened due to incorrect flexibility training but there are definitely a lot of hours wasted with the time spent in the casual stretching. It is not the trainers or instructors but the lack of seriousness by the students who do not pursue flexibility with same intention, say when they train for strength. Generally with the average gym going men, the attitude towards flexibility itself is that “it’s a waste of time”, as their preferred battle scars are, “I got my left shoulder busted attempting a heavy press” or the “soreness” from those bicep curls.

The problem in flexibility training mostly is lack of correct training knowledge just as strength training. In the recent times the fitness trends are shifting towards exotic practises which need a very high level of flexibility, and I as a Coach am concerned with the safety of this new “trend”. I have seen bizzare ads on social media claiming to make someone get a full split in just a day! Well I really wonder if that “Flexibility Course” or “Instructor” is asking you to use anesthetics on your legs or completely paralyze your lower body to get those splits. There are other “splits courses” that are more kind promising a “four” week program. The fact is, an office going adult with little or no physical activity is going to take close to eighteen months of specific training to get a descent split assuming he or she does regular training. So what about that “four week” course? Let’s just leave it there.

Training Methods used to increase flexibility are dynamic method, slow stretch and hold method, post isometric stretch or PNF. Correct coaching inputs are necessary to gain a high degree of flexibility safely. Keeping in mind one’s end goal, one must pursue a suitable stretching program. Like all motor abilities, flexibility has to be gained, with a principle of moving from general to specific, and then develop a routine that will give the intended results or maintain the gained flexibility over a long period of time.

Dynamic stretching is performed by gradually increasing movement range, speed of movement, or both. Sets of eight to twelve repetitions can be performed one joint at a time from head to toe. Important to note that in dynamic stretching there is no pause or holds of stretched limbs. As a specific outcome this stretching method develops dynamic active flexibility.

Static active stretching is demands more focus, where the stretched muscle is relaxed and strength is build in the muscles opposing them. These are slow movements executed in a duration lasting six seconds. The end range is reached slowly and the joints are restored to resting state slowly. This can also improve with a static passive flexibility training.

Static passive stretching or isometric stretching is a method to train a muscle after it has undergone fatigue. The Russian sports scientist Matveyev (Father of Sports Periodization) prescribes performing these stretches two to four times a week using tension lasting five to six seconds. As a warning – this method causes severe soreness or may lead to excessive fatigue if practised without professional guidance.

With these concepts in mind, you can practise stretching on a daily basis to improve your quality of life. When it comes to flexibility, patience is a prerequisite! All the methods mentioned here can be used and one method can actually contribute to more than one type of flexibility. Start slow and get your ROM!

QUOTE THAT INSPIRED ME TO WRITE THIS BLOG POST

“Yoga teaches us to cure what need not be endured and endure what cannot be cured.” – Shri BKS IYENGAR , Padma Vibhushan Awardee, Yoga Master and author of renowned book, ‘Light on Yoga’.

All rights reserved. Copyright © Abhijith Ravindra

Shakti Podcast will be releasing the first episode where Coach Abhi will interview Ms. Roopa Nanjunda Rao, a senior yoga practitioner with twenty years of yogaabhyasa (yoga practise). She is professional working for AT&S India for the last twenty five years. She is a Mysorean, and a proud mother of two children. Podcast releasing on the 29 APRIL 2020.