Download What is flexibility?

2006 Back to The Basics
Strength and Conditioning
Clinic
Warm Ups and Flexibility
Building the complete athlete
Strength Training and Core Development
Plyometric Training
Speed and Agility
Flexibility
What is flexibility?
• A measure of Range
of Motion
• Range of Motion is
the degree of
movement that occurs
at a joint
When should an athlete stretch?
Before Practice
After Practice
Dynamic –Static-PNF-Ballistic
Static -PNF
To improve performance
through an immediate increase in available
ROM
Increase elastic components of collagen
Within the muscles and tendons
To increase functional
abilities
To decrease muscle soreness
Is an effective tool for cool downs
To increase blood flow to
deep tissue for injury
prevention
Better chance for improving elasticity of
the muscle.
Factors that influence flexibility
• Age (youth vs. elderly)
• Sex (male vs. female)
• Joint Structures
(ball and socket, ellipsoidal, modified
hinge)
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Connective tissue response (elastic or plastic)
Weight Training in a limited range of motion
Muscle Bulk
Activity Level
Considerations when stretching
• Muscle Spindles:
• Located within the intrafusal muscle fibers and monitor changes in
muscle length. (Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning 2000)
• During a rapid stretching movement a sensory neuron from the
muscle spindle innervates a motor neuron in the spine. The motor
neuron then causes a muscle action of the previously stretched
extrafusal muscle fibers known as the Stretch Reflex. (Essentials of Strength Training
and Conditioning 2000)
• Stimulation of the muscle spindles and the activation of the stretch
reflex should be avoided during stretching as motion will be limited
by the reflexive muscle action.
• If the muscle spindles are not activated then the muscle relaxes and
allows for a greater range of motion to be achieved.
Considerations when stretching
• Gogli Tendon Organs:
• Located near the musculotendinous junction and senses an
increase in muscle tension.
• When stimulated the GTO causes a muscle to reflexively relax.
• Relaxation that occurs in the same muscle experiencing increased
tension is called Autogentic Inhibition.
• Autogenic inhibition is performed by contracting a muscle
immediately prior to a passive stretch. Tension built up activates the
GTO causing a reflexive action during the stretch that follows.
• Relaxation that occurs in the muscle opposing the muscle being
stretched is called Reciprocal Inhibition.
• Performed by simultaneously contracting the muscle opposing the
muscle being stretched. When contracted the GTO will
simultaneously relax the stretched muscle.
Warm Ups
• General Warm Up: 5-10 min low impact activity (bike,
treadmill, jump rope, light jog….) to increase blood flow,
viscosity, joint fluid movement, and heart rate.
• Specific Warm Up: movements done which are similar
to what will be seen in practice or competition. (Walking
lunges, skips, walking toe touches, knee hugs, shuffling,
rotational lunges, high knees, arm swings….). This is a
great time to work on running mechanics and incorporate
some low intensity plyo’s.
Basic Stretching Protocol
• Always complete a warm-up session prior to stretching
• Stretch until a mild tension is felt, then hold
• All stretches should be held for up 30-60 seconds unless
otherwise stated
• Avoid stretches to the point where numbness or a tingling
sensation is felt
• Focus on the stretch and avoid any distractions
• Try to relax the muscles throughout the passive movement of
the stretch, as this will help to alleviate any unnecessary
tension within the muscle.
• Do not hold your breath, breathing freely helps you relax and
get the best stretch.
Variations of flexibility training
• Static
• Dynamic
• Ballistic
• Proprioceptive Neuromuscular
Facilitation (PNF)
Static flexibility training
• Slow Constant Stretch with the end position being held 20-60
seconds.
• Needs to be performed slowly to keep muscle spindles from
activating stretch reflex.
• Likelihood of injury is very minimal when done correctly.
• Static stretch should be done by applying mild to moderate
tension to the muscle being stretched and hold that position.
The stretch should contain mild discomfort and then held in
that position for 20-30sec.
• Athletes who are limited in performance capabilities due to lack
of flexibility will want to perform static flexibility training every
day 1-3 times per day holding stretches from 20sec to 1min.
• Utilized by Husky strength staff as pre and mainly postlift/practice flexibility training.
Dynamic flexibility training
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Utilizes movement patterns that are typically seen in sports
performance.
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Speed of movement is controlled, and there is a strong emphasis
placed on the form and technique the athlete is using.
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A great time to work and focus on form running and improve
mechanical concepts of limb movement.
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Movements are used to help prepare the body for competition by
improving ROM throughout active ranges of motion that will be
performed during activity.
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Utilized by the Husky strength staff as part of the pre-lift/pre-practice
warm up routine.
Ballistic Flexibility
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Contains movements consisting of burst of muscle activity followed
by phases of relaxation of which the motion continues due to stored
limb momentum. This is a more advanced method of flexibility
training.
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Momentum is used to exceed passive range of motion on a relaxed or
contracted muscle.
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Often the stretch reflex is triggered during these movements.
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A strong emphasis needs to be applied to form and technique to avoid
overstretching a muscle and straining or tearing a muscle.
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Remember: most actions performed in sport are ballistic in nature so
do not be afraid to apply this to your training.
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The most effective time to apply ballistic flexibility is AFTER a
sufficient warm up and prestretching have been completed.
Proprioceptive Neuromuscular
Facilitation (PNF) Training
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Usually performed with a partner containing both passive and active
movement.
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Considered to be the most beneficial because it involves muscular
inhibition.
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In large team settings and under time constraints it can be impractical to
focus the entire flexibility program on PNF. Select 1-3 key exercises and
apply them accordingly.
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Both isometric and concentric muscle actions are being used in
ANTAGONIST muscle (muscle being stretched) to achieve autogenic
inhibition
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The concentric action of the AGONIST muscle (muscle opposite to those
being stretched) are used during PNF stretching to achieve reciprocal
inhibition
Proprioceptive Neuromuscular
Facilitation (PNF) Training
• 3 Types of PNF Stretching:
• Hold – Relax (autogenic inhibition)
• Contract – Relax (autogenic inhibition
• Contract - Relax with Agonist Contraction
(reciprocal inhibition)
Flexibility Testing
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Sit and Reach Testing:
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The starting position is sitting on the floor with shoes removed,
feet flat against the table, and legs straight
Reach forward and push the fingers along the table as far as possible
The distance from the finger tips to the edge of the table represents the
score for that person
As the 'sit and reach' table has an overhang of 15 cm, a person who
reaches 10 cm past their toes scores 25 cm
It is important to have several warm-up attempts first, and to record the
best score
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Analysis
Analysis of the result is by comparing it with the results of previous tests. It is expected that, with
appropriate training between each test, the analysis would indicate an improvement.
Flexibility Testing
• Modified Sit and reach
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Sit on the floor with the back and head against a wall, legs fully extended with the bottom of the
feet against the sit-and-reach box
Place the hands on top of each other, stretching the arms forward
while keeping the head and back against the wall
Measure the distance from the finger tips to the box edge
with a ruler. This becomes zero or starting point
Movement
Slowly bend and reach forward as far as possible sliding
the fingers along the ruler
Hold the final position for two seconds
Record the distance reached to the nearest 1/10 of an inch
Repeat the test 3 times and note the best distance
Flexibility Testing
• Snatch Squat
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For testing use a light stick or dowel pin.
Grasp stick with snatch grip and place overhead
Place feet just outside shoulder width with toes
pointed slightly out.
Instruct athlete to squat keeping the stick directly
Overhead and torso upright. Repeat 3x and have athlete
Hold 3rd rep for 3 sec. Record/grade posture.
Grade athlete from 1-5 based on depth and limitation
1 = 1/4 squat, poor torso flexibility, heels come up, bar moves forward
2 = ½ squat, torso leans forward , heels come up
3 = ¾ squat, torso leans forward, heels come up, mild forward lean, bar moves forward
4= full squat, mild torso lean, heels flat, bar still shifts forward,
5= full squat perfect technique
Final Notes
• All athletes should have a warm up and flexibility routine.
• Warm ups for athletes should be specifically designed to prepare the
muscle groups that are going to be used in training.
• Warm ups are a great time to work on basic aspects of speed and
agility, and limb movement.
• Progress athletes through all 4 types of flexibility training. Start with
the basics and gradually apply more advanced tools of flexibility as
the athlete improves.
• It takes time and continued effort by both the strength coach and the
athlete to improve flexibility there are no quick fixes. Long term
improvements in ROM take a long term commitment.
• Apply flexibility testing protocol that produces reliable testing data
that you can use to correlate to athletic performance.
• All athletes can benefit from a post practice flexibility routine.