Potential Benefits of Flexibility Training

For sports people, flexibility training offers a number of potential benefits. First, any improvement in the range of motion available at important joints increases the distance over which the athlete can exert force on a sporting implement. In throwing sports, for example, this would allow the competitor more time to accelerate the implement prior to release. In sports such as gymnastics or diving great flexibility may allow the performance of certain technical movements. For example, the tighter the tuck position in a dismount from the rings, the lesser the moment of inertia and the greater number of 'turns' one can perform.

Flexibility exercises, employed during a warm-up, may lessen the risk of injury in certain sports. However, one should recognize that excessive range of motion at some joints (hyper-mobility) may increase the risk of injury, especially in contact sports such as rugby league. In this case a balance between joint mobility and stability is desirable.

Stretching during a warm-up should slightly increase the extensibility of muscle. In other words it should allow the muscle to stretch a little further, or faster, than it would otherwise be able to without tearing. The components of a thorough warm-up are examined below.

1. Gentle or non weight-bearing movements.
These act to increase the secretion of synovial fluid (a lubricant) into the active joints prior to the introduction of large compressive forces.

2. Slightly more vigorous or weight bearing movements.
During this phase of the warm-up the major effect is to increase the temperature of the appropriate muscles. Brisk walking, running and stationary cycling are commonly used for this purpose. This procedure increases the benefit of stretching because muscle tissue is slightly more extensible when its temperature is elevated.

3. Stretching the appropriate muscle groups.
Stretching is most appropriately performed after the initial warm-up exercises are performed. After the stretching phase the exercise intensity is gradually increased to the training level.

Methods of increasing flexibility
Fitness instructors should understand the dynamic nature of research in this area. For example, some recent advances have indicated that many of our original theories regarding flexibility training are now invalid or at least open to question.

Static stretching
Static stretching involves holding a muscle or muscle group in a stationary, stretched position, for a period of six to 30 seconds. The muscle is stretched to the extent that slight discomfort is felt. This procedure is often repeated two to five times and the range of motion may be increased with each repetition as the muscle becomes more extensible.

One major advantage of the static stretching technique is the ease with which stretches can be demonstrated to gym participants. For this reason more than any other, static stretches are of particular value in aerobics classes and other group training sessions.

Ballistic stretching
Ballistic stretches are performed with gentle and sometimes quite vigorous bouncing movements with the appropriate muscle groups held in a stretched position. These bouncing movements are usually performed for six to 30 seconds and repeated two to five times during the warm-up. If employed, ballistic stretches should be included after static stretches have been performed. This decrease further the slight risk of injury associated with the improper performance or inappropriate use of the ballistic stretching method.

Many within the fitness industry have condemned all forms of ballistic stretches despite the considerable research evidence which suggests that their effectiveness is similar to that of static stretches. We believe that a distinction must be made between the extremely rapid ballistic stretches and the slower and gentler bouncing movements which can be employed quite safely. Obviously the risk of muscular injury is considerably lower when bouncing stretches are used over a short range of motion with relatively slow movements.

From a theoretical point of view ballistic stretches actually offer the best method of stretching the connective tissue components of the muscle which are in-series with the contractile tissue. So, for sports which involve ballistic movements, ballistic stretches are in fact the most specific of all techniques.

Forceful ballistic stretches are not appropriate when rehabilitating an injured muscle because the rapid development of tension toward the end of range may increase the risk of damaging the relatively inelastic scar tissue which forms as part of the healing process.