Summary

The key points discussed in this chapter include:

• Flexibility training improves the range of movement available at the

joints/muscles
• To improve flexibility we need to stretch the muscles regularly (between
2–7 days a week)
• The muscles need to be lengthened to a point where a mild tension is felt
in the muscle
• Static stretches are those recommended for general populations
• Flexibility is influenced by age, gender, joint structure, body type etc
• The different methods of stretching include: static, active, passive,
dynamic, ballistic and PNF.
MUSCULAR FITNESS (STRENGTH
AND ENDURANCE)
4
Muscular fitness describes a balanced combination of muscular strength and
muscular endurance. Muscular strength and muscular endurance represent
polar ends of a continuum.
Muscular strength is the ability of our muscles to exert a near maximal
force to lift a resistance for a short duration (low repetitions). Muscular
endurance requires a less maximal force to be exerted, but for the muscle
contraction to be maintained for a longer duration (higher repetitions).
Muscular fitness represents an optimal level of fitness for functional
purposes (between the two polar extremes). Sports people and athletes may
need to train for either muscular strength or muscular endurance depending
on their fitness goals and the sport they participate in.
Different training regimes will bring about different benefits and
physiological adaptations. These are outlined in Table 4.1