Principles of Exercise and Flexibility Exercise

Learning Module 8:
Duration of Delivery:
Due Date of Deliverables:

Intended Learning Outcomes:

 Enumerate the basic principles of exercise

 Define flexibility and describe its importance as a health-related component of
fitness
 Enumerate factors that limit flexibility
 Develop a program of flexibility exercise to meet the needs of a healthy, active
lifestyle
 Describe stretching exercise that may be used to improve flexibility at specific joints
throughout the body.

Principles of Exercise and Flexibility

Exercises

Robbins et.al. (1999) stated that the number one reason why people begin
exercising is to improve their physical appearance. Certainly, physical appearance will
be enhanced because of decreased body fat and firmer, well-toned muscles. The
immediate effects of vigorous exercise, regardless of the fitness level, are an increase
in the respiration rate, and some sweating. After a few weeks of regular vigorous
exercise, the body begins to adapt. These physiological adaptations are called the
training effect. The body is now ready and better suited to meet the demands of regular
exercise.
The key to selecting the right kinds of exercise to develop and maintain each of
the basic components are found in the following principles.

The Basic Principles of Exercise (Atanacio.et.al. 2004)

We know that exercise has many advantages to one’s health and general well-
being. But if it is not done properly due to lack of knowledge about its guiding principles,
injury can sometimes result. Although most of these injuries are minor, they can still be
prevented if care is taken, and the following principles are considered and followed:

1. The Principle of Overload

 It is the most basic law of exercise, which states that the only way
to produce fitness and health benefit through physical activity is to require
your body to do more than it normally does. An increased demand in your
body (overload) forces it to adapt. Your body was designed to be active;
so if you do nothing (underload), your fitness decreases and your health
suffers.

2. The Principles of Progression

The principle of progression states that the amount and intensity of

your exercise should be increased gradually. After a while, your body
adapts to an increase in physical activity (load) and your activity becomes
too easy, thus the need to slightly increase your activity.

Notice in the diagram on page 170, that the minimum amount of

overload you need to build physical fitness is your threshold of training.
Activity above your threshold builds fitness and promotes health and
wellness benefits.

It is possible to exercise too much and to go above your upper limit

activity, also called your target ceiling. This is called your target zone.

When you do physical activity in your target fitness zone, you build
fitness and other benefits. However, when you go above your target
ceiling, you increase chances of injury and you can develop muscle
soreness. The principle of progression rejects the “no pain, no gain”
theory. If you have pain when you exercise, you are probably overloading
too fast for your body to adjust.
In the FITT Formula (Frequency, Intensity, Time, Type) (see
diagram on the next page) each letter of the word FITT represents one of
the four important factors in determining when much physical activity is
enough. The FITT formula can help you apply the basic principles of
exercise.

 Frequency refers to how often you do physical activity. Physical activity

can only be beneficial if done several days a week. The frequency
defends on the fitness you want to develop. For example, if you want to
lose fat, daily activity is recommended, but to develop strength, you only
need to exercise at least twice a week.
 Intensity refers to how hard you perform physical activity. If the activity is
too easy, you will build fitness however, extremely vigorous activity can be
 harmful. Intensity is determined by the type of activity you do and the
fitness you want to develop. For example, the amount of weight you lift is
used to determine intensity for building strength.
 Time refers to how long you do physical activity. The length of time you
should do physical activity depends on the type of activity you do and the
fitness you want to develop. Example, to build cardiovascular fitness, you
need to be continuously active for minimum of 15-30 minutes.
 Type refers to the type of activity you do to build a specific part of fitness
or to gain a specific benefit.

 Example: Stretching exercises for flexibility

Cardiovascular fitness for strength
and endurance of heart muscles.

3. The Principles of Specificity

The principle of specificity states that the specific type of exercise you do
determines the specific benefit you receive. Different kinds and amounts of
activity produce very specific and different benefits. For example, if you started
doing an exercise that stretches the muscle of the back of your legs, you would
 not build flexibility of the muscles on the front of your legs, unless you do
exercise designed to improve the flexibility of that specific area of your body.

Improvement of Flexibility Through Stretching

Most activities we engage in require relatively “normal” amount of
flexibility. However, some activities such as gymnastics, ballet, diving, yoga and
martial arts require increased flexibility for superior performance.
Flexibility may best be defined as the range of motion possible about a
given joint or series of joints.
Stretching benefits the person holistically, for not only it dine the muscles ,
strengthens the spine and increases flexibility, it benefits the minds and emotions
too, soothing the nerves, relaxes the mind, and replenishes vital energy to build a
foundation for total body health.
Static Stretching technique is still an extremely effective and popular
technique of stretching. This technique involves passively stretching a segment
of the body to the farthest point and holding that position for a certain period of
time. It is usually performed without a partner is called Passive Assisted
Stretching. This technique involves relaxing a specific body parts and just
allowing the partner to move the limb to gain a new range of movement. Just be
careful not to over-stretching the limb of the partner.

Benefits of Flexibility Exercise

1. Daily stretching keeps the muscles supple and promotes mobility in the
joints.
2. It improves blood circulation in specific body segment.
3. It stimulates all the body’s systems to keep us healthy and energized.
4. It reduces incidence of injury during major sport event.

Suggested Flexibility Exercises (Catapang, Muscles Involved

2000)
1. Neck Exercise – Neck muscles
Neck bend (Sideward right/left
 Forward/Backward)
2. Shoulder Exercise
-Shoulder extension-interlock your
fingers,
right thumb on top stretch your arms
forward
at shoulder level, palms out
-interlock your fingers, right thumb on
top,
stretch your arms upward
3. Trunk Exercise muscles of upper back
-side stretches (right/left) muscles of the waist
-trunk bending (forward,backward) Gluteus (buttock)
-leg cross-over Pectoral muscles
-chain stretch muscles of lower back
-lower back hip stretch muscles of lower back
-sit and reach
4. Hip Exercise Hip (front and side)
- lunge (front/back) back of hip
- sitting toe touch inner hip
- butterfly stretch

5. Thigh Exercise quadriceps/outer thigh

-hamstring stretch hamstring/back or thigh
- quadriceps stretch inner thigh
-Groin stretch
6. Leg Exercise calves/achilles tendon
- calf stretch
- raised leg stretch
Shoulder muscles, bicep,
7. Ankle exercise triceps
- Achilles heel cord stretch Achilles tendon, ankle

8. Full Body
-Standing Stretch-raised both arms
overhead
-Lying full body stretch

References:
Ryan, Ashlyn, Fitness for Life http://bit.ly/2X4nnN8, 2016
Dimapilis, Nenita J. et,al Physical Education 1 (Physical Fitness and Gymnastics), 2009