The Importance of Flexibility Training

When it comes to the Big Three of exercise--Cardiovascular, Strength and Flexibility Training--it’s pretty clear which one can get overlooked. After all, while we prize 

cardiovascular and strength training for their role in helping us lose weight, build muscle and get fit, the benefits of flexibility training are less 

 immediately alluring. 

However, as the population ages, more of us are learning to appreciate the rewards of stretching. 

 Staying limber can offset age-related stiffness, will improve our athletic performance and optimize functional movement in daily life.

 Flexibility is important because having supple muscles allows your joints to move through a full range of motion. You need a certain amount of flexibility to move smoothly, avoid muscle tension and to keep your body protected from injury. In fact, adding flexibility training and stretching exercises for the major muscle groups should be performed two to three days per week.

Why Should You Stretch?

·         Improve your performance and reduce your risk of injury

·         Reduce muscle soreness and improve your posture which will reduce lower back pain

·         It increases blood and nutrients to the tissues

·         Improve your coordination

·         Enjoy exercise more and help reduce stress.  More flexibility training, less soreness = increased desire to keep working out

Here are some guidelines to improve flexibility:

1. Warm Up First. If you’re stretching on your own, don’t forget to warm up your muscles before you begin. Walking briskly for 10 or 15 minutes is a simple way to do this.

2. Think in Terms of Serious Flexibility Training, Not Just Brief Stretching. Squeezing in one or two quick stretches before or after a workout is better than nothing, but this approach will yield limited results. What’s more, generic stretches may not be effective for your particular body. The more time and attention you give to your flexibility training, the more benefits you’ll experience. A qualified personal trainer, physical therapist or health professional can design a functional flexibility program specifically for you.

3. Consider Your Activities. Are you a golfer? Do you ski, run or play tennis? Do your daily home or work routines include bending, lifting or sitting for long periods? Functional flexibility improves the stability and mobility of the whole person in his or her specific environment. Individualized stretching programs improve both stability (the ability to maintain ideal body alignment during all activities) and mobility (the ability to use full, normal range of motion).

4. Pay Special Attention to Tight Areas. Often the shoulders, chest, hamstrings and hips are particularly tight, but you may hold tension in other areas, depending on your history of injuries and the existing imbalances in your muscle groups. Unless you tailor your flexibility training to your strengths and weaknesses, you may stretch already overstretched muscles and miss areas that need training.

5. Listen to Your Body. Stretching is an individual thing. Pay attention to your body’s signals and don’t push too far. Avoid ballistic or rapid stretching, which uses bouncing or jerking movements to gain momentum; this approach can be dangerous. Instead, slowly stretch your muscles to the end point of movement and hold the stretch for about 10 to 30 seconds. Older adults, pregnant women and people with injuries may need to take special precautions.

6. Get Creative. Varying your flexibility training can help you stick with it. You can use towels, resistance balls and other accessories to add diversity and effectiveness to your stretching.


7. Find a Flexibility Class That Works for You. Yoga is another way to stretch your body while also working on balance, endurance and stress relief. Adding yoga to your routine a few times a week is a nice compliment to strength training and cardio, giving you a gentle, a soothing and stretching way to work your body and mind. Did you know that your emotional state may affect your flexibility? If your body is relaxed, it will be more responsive to flexibility training. Listening to music and focusing on your breath can help you relax as you stretch.

8. It’s Not Just for Wimps. Forget the idea that stretching is just for elderly, injured or unconditioned people. Many Olympic and professional athletes rely on flexibility training for peak performance.

9. Do It Consistently. It doesn’t help to stretch for a few weeks and then forget about it. Integrate regular stretching into your permanent fitness program. For inspiration, look to cats and dogs--they’re dedicated practitioners of regular stretching! When you stretch after the workout, try to hit all the muscles you used, paying close attention to any chronically tight areas.

Stretching is one way to keep the body flexible, especially the muscles that are tight as a result of bad posture.  Although stretching is typically the most overlooked part of an exercise routine, it's an important one and, for many of us, the best part of the workout.

How to Stretch

1.    Your best bet is to stretch after your workout when your muscles are warm and you're ready for a cool down. You don't have to stretch before your workout but, if you do, make sure you do it after the warm up. Stretching cold muscles can cause injury.

2.    When doing static stretches, don't bounce. Hold a comfortable position until you feel a gentle pull on your muscle. It shouldn't hurt and bouncing could cause you to pull a muscle.

3.    Try to hold each stretch for 15-30 seconds to get some long-term flexibility benefits.

4.    You can also stretch between strength training sets and you may want to perform light stretches throughout the day to deal with tight shoulders, neck and lower back. 

Val Strunk is certified personal trainer at Midtown Fitness center In Putnam.  To ask Val a question and see it answered in the Villager email val@midtown-fitness.com