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Simple Guidelines For the Development of Flexibility

LEXIBILITY IS INTRINSIC TO every skill or technique, no matter how simple or complex. Its role is obvious in activities where the athlete moves into extreme ranges, such as during a wind-up or follow-through. In the August 2000 issue of C&AD, I stated that many training approaches seem to work for student-athletes because their needs are so remedial. The good news is that training tactics dont have to be too advanced or specialized

by Steven Scott Plisk, M.S., C.S.C.S. Director of Sports Conditioning, Yale University
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because of the availability of such a wide range of abilities to call upon. The bad news is that exibility development is often neglected during critical periods, especially the adolescent growth spurt. Since tness qualities are interrelated, this can detrimentally affect speed, strength, coordination and overall athleticism (as well as risk of injury). They must be developed collectively. Allow us to present some basic principles and recommendations for exibility development. Not the last word on the subject just a set of simple guidelines that we provide for our athletes.

Methods
Flexibility is trainable. It is also movement-specic, which is why

an increase in single-joint range of motion is not the only objective. Through a combination of functional mobility and strength development, the athletes muscles and tendons can be increased in length (as well as girth), elasticity and resiliency; and in their ability to act in an elastic-reactive manner during athletic movements. The net result is improved mechanical and metabolic efciency, technical prociency and injury resistance. Dynamic vs. Static. There is an ongoing debate about the role of dynamic vs. static exibility in sports, and about how it should be developed. The prevailing theory seems to be that dynamic movements develop active mobility, and have an excitatory effect when performed prior to athletic tasks. Static stretching, on the other hand, develops passive mobility and is believed to be benecial after activity. Due to its inhibitory effect, however, it may be detrimental if performed prior to training or competition. Power and exibility training are synergistic. Optimal results are achieved with a three-pronged approach. As is the case with any physical quality, the key to applying these methods lies in their skillful combination rather than exclusive or disproportionate use of any one of them: Elevating muscle metabolism and temperature with a dynamic warm-up. A rule of thumb is to engage in priming activity where the athlete begins to perspire lightly and has a ushed appearance. Performing dynamic, functional exercises through an optimal range of motion. This improves the athletes active mobility. Performing exibility exercises at

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the conclusion of a training session and/or during recovery breaks (after catching your breath, while your muscles are fully warmed and ushed). This improves the passive mobility that effectively acts as an athletes exibility reserve. There should always be time for mobility training because recovery periods should be regularly included between sets or series, as well as at the end of a workout.

Techniques
Individual. The reverse of a strength-training movement is usually a exibility exercise for the same muscle group. The athlete should be positioned so that each stretch is felt in the belly of the muscle(s), not in the joint(s). A protective myotatic reex causes the initial tension or tightness. In order to have a benecial effect, stretches must begin gradually and be held long enough for this reex to subside. The athlete should therefore be directed to stretch statically without bouncing to his/her comfort limit for at least 812 seconds, relax and repeat. The athlete should be able to lean a little further with each rep. As mentioned above, this type of stretching may be most appropriate at the conclusion of a workout. Partner-Assisted. Here is a simple but advanced partner-assisted technique that overrides reex feedback and yields superior results. It is especially effective if done after 12 static stretches (at the conclusion of a workout): 1. Achieve and hold a stretched position for a minimum of 812 sec. 2. Have a partner hold you in position while you build up isometric tension in the stretched muscle(s) for an 8count. Do not attempt a pow-

erful contraction; force development should be gradual and reach 1/4 of maximum. 3. Release the tension and achieve a new, advanced stretch position; hold 812 sec. Repeat the procedure. Assisted stretching is often incorrectly thought to be synonymous with Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation. Although intermittent stretching-relaxation techniques have been borrowed from PNF (e.g., contract-relax, hold-relax, slow-reversalhold-relax), PNF is not just a method of developing mobility in the strict sense of the term. It is a system of training techniques and procedures that exploits certain reexes, and can be used to condition the neuromuscu-

Many athletes have exibility deciencies resulting from neglect during sensitive developmental stages.
lar system in various ways. (A detailed explanation is beyond the scope of this article and expertise of the author.) The salient point is that PNF methods can be used to augment exibility, among other qualities. Plyometric. Ballistic actions, or plyometrics, usually are not aimed at increasing range of motion. They are primarily a means of improving explosive-reactive ability by exploiting neuromuscular reex potentiation and musculotendinous elastic energy recovery. Overall working effect (e.g., power, impulse) and mechanical efciency are increased; and muscle stiffness and motoneural activation are up-regulated.

Ballistic movements like running, jumping and explosive changes in speed and direction involve springlike muscle actions where the tissues are rapidly and forcibly lengthened or stretch-loaded, and immediately shortened or recoiled in a reactive-elastic manner. This eccentric-concentric coupling action referred to as the stretch-shorten cycle is especially prevalent in athletic tasks, and is a distinct capability. Graphically, this can be illustrated on a forcevelocity curve as the rapid and efcient transition from eccentric to concentric muscle action. In a practical sense, it is the ultimate expression of dynamic mobility and strength. The take-home message is to progressively include plyometric movements in combination with basic power and exibility training.

Practical Considerations
Mobility vs. Stability? There is a common misperception that joint stability must be compromised in order to achieve advanced levels of mobility. The two are not mutually exclusive; and in fact a progressive, complementary approach is the key. At a foundational level, it is important to determine whether the athlete can actively move into the positions or ranges required to safely and effectively execute the tasks of his/her sport. As was mentioned previously, many athletes have exibility deciencies resulting from neglect during sensitive developmental stages. Certainly passive stretching can be useful at least initially in correcting such limitations. Keep in mind, however, that passive or static range of motion is only part of the answer. The athlete must have stability in motion. As is the
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case with strength training, the agoposition by aligning the means of assessing composite range nist/antagonist or isolationist (singoniometer with the midlines of of motion. Its easy to administer, gle-plane, single-joint) approach to the thigh (using the axis of the and the only equipment required is mobility training is unsound. Most greater trochanter and lateral an inexpensive goniometer: 1. Allow 10 minutes for the athof the major muscles act in functionepicondyle) and lower leg (using lete to warm-up, do mobility al task groups, across multiple joints the axis of the bular head and drills, etc. and planes. They should therefore be lateral malleolus). Rock-bottom targeted with skillful, multifor most athletes is usually planar movements where 145, although some can forces are transmitted and achieve up to 155. In my expesummated through the kinetic rience, 120 is the danger zone. This test is not intended to chain, not isolated within segreplace other exibility indices, ments of it. Synergy is the but rather to be used in conoperative concept regardless of junction with various composthe quality being developed. Evaluation. Vern Gambetta, ite or single-joint tests to identiPresident of Gambetta Sports fy specic ranges of motion. Its Training Systems in Sarasota, limitations are that it does not FL, makes a good case against provide an indication of dynamcontrived exibility tests like ic or rotational mobility. It is, the sit-and-reach. He points however, a useful starting point out that actual athletic perforfor evaluating general static mance is the best measure of exibility for many activities. Sound easy enough? Do a mobility, strength or any tquick self-check before you ness quality; and that there are blow it off and turn the page: no universal tests for them. Functional exibility is best If the athlete cant sit down exhibited by economy of movefar enough to get his/her ment in the desired sport skill, thighs below horizontal while he explains. Is the athlete keeping the heels down and smooth in his or her movehead up, its time to move ments? Can he or she get in the exibility up on the priority The knee-bend exibility required positions dynamically? list. You cant use it if you test can be a useful means Has there been a pattern of cant move it; and there is injuries? While the third of time for mobility if there is of assessing composite these criteria is relatively time to train! Quality. The same principle straightforward, the rst two range of motion. applies to all aspects of trainoften require a keen eye or in ing: You get out of it what many cases, videography or other 2. Place the feet in a natural you put into it. Strength and exibiomechanics (e.g. digitizing) equipshoulder-width stance, holding bility are interdependent, whereas ment in order to accurately analyze a broomstick overhead at the lack of either one is a leading them at full speed. Functional proling by a skilled arms length (alternatively, the cause of nonathleticism, technical physical therapist is another useful athlete may interlock his/her inefciency and injury. Flexibility tool, but is also impractical for ngers behind the head). exercises are not a motion we go 3. Squat as low as possible while many athletes and coaches. I would through just because some textbook maintaining balance, keeping therefore like to recommend a simsays so. You will enhance your aththe feet at on the oor and ple means of evaluating an athletes leticism and injury proof yourself trunk as upright as possible. ability to get into the universal by skillfully combining the meth4. Measure the knee angle athletic position. The knee-bend ods of mobility development; and achieved in the bottomed-out exibility test can be a useful wont if you dont.

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