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FILEX Convention SESSION NOTES link for

FILEX CONVENTION NOTES SESSION B5F

FLEXIBILITY: STRETCHING THE TRUTH

Presented by Ken Alan, BS

Workshop Objectives

1. Understand the scientific principles of flexibility.

2. Determine the factors affecting flexibility and what elements can be changed with stretch training.

3. Develop stretching programs based on neural, mechanical and physiological factors.

Flexibility can be defined as the range of motion around a joint.

- Excessive flexibility can lead to: Subluxation Instability Dislocation

- Inadequate flexibility is also called: Ankylosis Fixation Stiffness

- Functional flexibility is: Needed for everyday living and activity

Static: R-O-M with no emphasis on speed

Dynamic: R-O-M within athletic task / performance

Factors Affecting Flexibility

1. Contractile Properties

- Sarcomere may shorten 20% - 50% when contracted

- Sarcomere can be elongated up to 120% of its resting length

- Capable of increasing up to 2/3 of its resting length

- Where strength training increases cross-sectional size, stretching increases length of sarcomeres

2. Muscle Balance

- An imbalance between agonist and antagonist muscles can cause limitations in movement

- A weak agonist muscle limits range of its antagonist as well as of itself

3. Connective Tissue

a. Ligaments / joint capsules

b. Fascia (muscles)

: Ligaments/joint structure are responsible for about 47% of resistance to flexibility.

: Connective tissue contributes approximately 41% of the resistance to stretch.

: Tendons contribute about 10% of the total resistance to flexibility.

-- Connective tissue is the chief target of flexibility and range-of-motion exercise.

When a relaxed muscle is stretched, most of the resistance to stretch is derived from the connective tissue and sheathing within and around the muscle.

Get one each of the following fruits:

apple, banana, grapefruit, orange, pear.

Attempt to peel off the skin off of each piece of fruit. Which fruit were you able to peel the skin off?

The reason why the skin can be pealed off some fruits but not others is...

Connective tissue!

4. Neural Factors

a. Muscle Spindles (also known as the �stretch receptors�)

- Small intrafusal fibers that are sensitive to _________________ of stretch and ________________ of stretch.

b. Reciprocal Innervation

- When one muscle group contracts, the opposite muscle group ________________________.

c. Golgi Tendon Organs (GTO)

- Located in tendons, sensitive to _________________ generated in muscle. Stimulated by contraction/stretch.

- In general, women are more flexible than men (Anderson and Burke, 1991). Elementary school girls are superior to boys in flexibility, and it is likely this difference exists through adulthood. Elementary school children become less flexible as they grow older, reaching the low point around 10 � 12 years old. Flexibility normally improves at this pint but does not reach the level found in early childhood (Hedrick, 1993).

- Flexibility is greatest in younger people. The age range where you gain the most flexibility improvement: pre-puberty.

- Length of body segments and the relative length relationship between body segments affects flexibility.

- Muscle and soft tissue have varying degrees of viscosity depending on fluid (hydration) state and temperature.

- When the temperature is: colder, viscosity goes downward

- As the environmental temperature gets hotter, viscosity increases.

- Flexibility increases with heat and decreases with cold temperatures.

a. Physically active people tend to be more flexible than inactive individuals are. Connective tissue becomes less pliable when exposed to a limited ROM which is what is seen in sedentary individuals.

b. Flexibility is specific to each joint, and is not a general body factor.

c. Flexibility is specific to each joint movement.

d. Flexibility can be enhanced at any age.

e. Flexibility can enhance physical performance, but can also decrease performance.

f. Flexibility can reduce the risk of injury caused by movements through a ROM limited by flexibility factors. It does not guarantee no injury will occur.

With adequate joint flexibility, you are likely to get the following benefits:

1. Muscular relaxation

2. Reduced stress and tension

3. Improvement in posture

4. Relief in muscular soreness

5. Enhanced performance

6. Reduced risk from certain injury mechanisms

Principles of Flexibility Training

3. Individuality:

4. Reversibility:

Types of Stretch (Deformation of the Connective Tissue)

Elastic: - Spring-like action in which any lengthening of the connective tissue that occurs during stretching is recovered when the load is removed.

- Muscle fiber has only elastic properties.

Plastic: - Elongation occurs even after the load is removed.

- Ligaments & tendons have both plastic and elastic properties.

- Connective tissue has both. When the stretch is removed, the elastic deformation recovers and the plastic deformation remains.

Application: Stretching techniques should be designed to induce Plastic Deformation [if permanent ROM increase is goal].

Warm-Up & Stretching

Warm-Up: Activity that raises body temperature as well as the temperature of the muscles to prepare the body for more vigorous exercise:

- Increased friction of sliding filaments during muscular contraction

- Increased metabolism of fuels

- Dilation of intra-muscular blood vessels

- Increased R-O-M around joints from elevated temperatures lowering muscle/tendon/ligament viscosity.

Static Stretching:

- Passive activity that creates little increase in core temperature (no sliding filaments)

- Little increase in the rate energy fuels are being metabolized

- No need for blood vessels to dilate

Three Types of Warm-Up:

1. General: Movements that generally have nothing to do with the activity that follows.

2. Specific: Movements that are part of the upcoming activity. Rehearsal of movements that are to take place in the main activity.

3. Passive: Massage, sauna, Jacuzzi, showers, heating pads, etc.

Application: A quality flexibility program should always begin with activities designed to increase core temperature.

fPre-Requisites for : - Comfortable clothing

- Relaxed, positive mind-setup activity!

Types of Flexibility Training

1. Ballistic: Rapid, jerky movement in which the body part is put into motion and momentum carries it through the ROM? until the muscles are stretched to the limits.

- Opportunity of exceeding limits of extensibility of tissues involved

- Muscle soreness

- Activation of stretch reflex???

2. Dynamic: Exercises that use sport-specific movements to prepare the body for activity by analyzing the

movements associated with a sport activity and developing stretches to enhance flexibility amahe same as in static stretch,

but it is preceded by and followed by

some form of movement. The line between Dynamic

stretch and Ballistic stretch is thin. Dynamic stretching crosses into ballistic stretching easily.

Some experts propose they are different names for the same technique.

3. Static: Most common used technique to increase flexibility. Avoids activation of stretch reflex. Develops relaxation.

- Not applicable to sports and activities which require full ROM movements

- If doing static stretches before dynamic stretches:

1 Minimum hold of 10 seconds.

2 Perform 3 � 5 times.

3 Overstretch to the point of mild tension, but not pain.

4 Maintain regular breathing pattern in harmony with the stretch itself.

Active: Using ones own muscle without assistance.

Passive: Something/someone else assists stretch.

Active-Passive: (Active-Assisted) Utilizes one�s own muscles followed by assistance from another person.

Passive-Active: Assisted stretching followed by work done by own muscles.

PNF: Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation: Developed by physiotherapists. Studies have shown greatest gains

in flexibility are with PNF. Promotes the neuromuscular mechanisms involved in flexibility through stimulation

of proprioceptors.

Flexibility Training: Applications for Exercise Activity

Effects on Injury Prevention

Studies conducted on flexibility training and injury rates and injury protection in professional and recreational athletes have had varying outcomes. There have not been consistent reports to demonstrate if being flexible or doing flexibility training results in greater or lesser incident of injuries. Injury prevention studies done on recreational exercisers have not looked at flexibility as cause. Most injuries to the limbs have been associated with poor technique, frequency of exercise, equipment, environmental elements or other factors.

Effects on Performance

As of September 2000, there have been no studies published regarding martial-arts based exercise such as kickboxing to conclude improved performance or technique due to a flexibility training program or protocol. There have been a number of studies that have demonstrated positive effects of flexibility training on various sport activities.

Balance High-Energy Training

Most cardiovascular training is by nature somewhat aggressive. When amplified by music or stimulus in the gym environment, it creates an adrenaline rush. Static stretch is at the opposite end of the spectrum: soothing, soft, calm.

Flexibility Training: Exercise / Program Format

Warm-up before doing any static stretches.

Many specialists suggest performing static stretches before dynamic stretches.

Static stretches after warm-up / static stretch phase, or after cardio work as cardio cool-down phase.

References & Additional Reading

Hedrick, Allen. Dynamic Flexibility Training. National Strength and Conditioning Association Journal. October 2000.

Alter, Michael. Sport Stretch. Leisure Press Champaign, IL 1990

Williams, Alexandra. Injury Prevention in Kickboxing Classes. IDEA Source San Diego, CA June 2000. Pp 58-67

Ordas, Tony. Kickboxing Fitness. American Council on Exercise San Diego, CA 2000

Olson, Michelle Scharff. Martial Arts Exercise: A TKO in Studio Fitness. ACSM Health & Fitness Journal November 1999.

Shier, Ian. Myths and Truths of Stretching. Physician and Sportsmedicine Magazine August 2000 Vol. 28 No. 8

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