Flexibility

Flexibility is range of motion in a joint or muscle.  In other words, it's how far the muscle/joint can lengthen and shorten.  Ideally, we want to have full range of motion so that we can move well without pain or discomfort.  Having excellent flexibility will improve athletic performance and mobility.

Over the next several weeks, I will be going over several static stretches that can improve flexibility when done routinely.  There are several things to keep in mind about static stretching:

1.  Static stretching forces blood out of the muscles, effectively turning the muscles "off."
2.  Static stretching helps to realign the joints
3.  Static stretching will increase range of motion when done properly and for a long enough time
4.  Static stretches must be held for a minimum of 30 seconds at a time to be beneficial.  1-2 minutes is preferable.
5.  Immediately after completing static stretching, never give a full-speed 100% effort right away.  Warm up with some jogging and/or dynamic movements at 50-75% of max effort.  Remember, static stretching turns the muscles off, so you need to gradually turn them back on by increasing blood flow and stimulating the nervous system.