What Is Flexibility?
Flexibility is commonly defined as the range of motion about a joint or joints; in other words, how far you can pull your foot toward your head before you begin screaming. That range of motion is largely determined by the elasticity and resting length of the muscles and tendons that cross the joints. If you move a joint beyond the stretch length of a muscle and/or tendon, you have pain and limp away with an injury. Consequently, maintaining maximal muscle and tendon length minimizes the potential for muscle and tendon tears.
Most of us are aware that stretching is the means for improving and maintaining flexibility or range of motion. And, although most of us don't include stretching in our exercise routines as we should, we are at least aware that stretching does improve flexibility and that it is recommended as an important aspect in preventing injury. What most don't realize is that because of the length-tension relationship of muscles, stretching is equally important for developing maximal strength. Whether you are a power lifter or just seeking to improve strength for activities of daily living, you can improve your performance by including stretching as an integral part of your exercise routine.
Stretching Improves Strength
The length-tension relationship of a muscle refers to the length of a particular muscle when it is at rest and the amount of tension a muscle can produce at that resting length. Muscles are composed of actin and myosin filaments. Tension is produced when myosin filaments form cross-bridges with the actin filaments controlling the pull of one across the other thus shortening or lengthening the muscle. There is an optimal length at which myosin filaments are able to make the most connections with the actin filaments thereby producing optimal tension. If the optimal muscle length is altered as a result of tightness, maximal tension or strength is lost. Stretching to keep your muscles at optimal length exposes the maximal number of cross-bridge sites allowing the production of maximal strength.
Stretching Improves Sports Performance
Besides the obvious benefits derived from producing maximal strength or tension when involved in any physical activity, optimal muscle length-tension relationship and consequent optimal range of motion about a joint or joints is equally important in most sports activities. Force is equal to mass times acceleration. Regardless of how strong you may be, if lack of flexibility allows you to move your golf club or ball bat less than optimal distance, your acceleration will be compromised and the amount of force you can deliver to the ball will suffer. Consequently, having a level of flexibility to produce a joint range of motion that will allow maximal acceleration is paramount in almost all sports.
In short, if you are not including regular stretching as an essential part of your exercise program, you are not only increasing risk of injury but you are robbing yourself of maximal performance as well.
Safe Stretching for Maximal Performance
There are two factors to consider in safe stretching for maximal performance; they are 1. the mechanics of stretching or the way in which the stretch is done and 2. the timing of stretching.
1. The mechanics of stretching: There an a number of hubestore.com proper stretching techniques. These include active stretching, passive stretching, static stretching, assisted stretching and PNF stretching. In addition to these proper techniques there is the formula-for-injury-technique often referred to as ballistic stretching. Ballistic stretching should always be avoided. If you are not sure you know how to stretch properly, schedule a session with a trainer. It is less expensive than a visit with your doctor, a whole lot less painful and will only take an hour from your normal training schedule. A muscle tear can take you away from your normal training schedule for a week or more.
2. The timing of your stretching exercises: Timing has to do with when you stretch in relation to the beginning of your planned performance. Studies have established that stretching immediately prior to a workout, whether an aerobic workout or a resistance workout, can have a negative effect on performance. Just as optimal muscle length-tension relationships will be compromised by a tight or shortened muscle, likewise the available cross-bridges are lessened by muscles that are stretched beyond their optimal resting length. Assuming you know how to do them correctly, a few active stretches properly done before a workout may be advisable. Serious stretching is best left until afterward. Remember active stretches are done slowly, deliberately and without assistance. Unless you have a perverse desire for muscle or tendon tears, avoid at all times swinging limbs about wildly and doing the bouncing stretches that everyone else seems to be doing.
Hubert Maloy
ACE: PT, LWMC, AHFS; NASM: CES, ShareCare
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