Flexibility

Flexibility

Flexibility is a health-related component of fitness.

Flexibility is the ability to move your joint through a full range of motion.

As your body ages, muscles, tendons, and ligaments will stiffen and become less flexible. If your shoulder muscles stiffen, it will hinder your ability to throw because your arm will not move through the entire motion. Staying flexible is crucial for health and performance. Improving flexibility decreases your risk of injury, prevents post-exercise pain, and helps relieve the effects of emotional tension.

Benefits of Flexibility

· Maintain health

· Maintain mobility

· Rehabilitation from injury

· Improved functions

Factors Influencing Flexibility

· Heredity

· Sex and Age

· Body Build

Muscles That Need the Most Stretching

1. Chest and front of shoulders to prevent poor posture.

2. Lower back to prevent soreness, pain, and back injury.

3. Front of hip joints and back of thighs prevent swayback posture, backache, and pulled muscles.

4. Calf to avoid soreness and Achilles tendon injury

Range of Motion Exercise

These exercises require a joint to move through a full range of motion, powered by either the body's muscles or by a partner.

Static Stretching: involves slowly stretching as far as you can, without pain, until you feel a sense of pulling or tension

Ballistic Stretching: requires a series of gentle bouncing or bobbing motions that aren't held for a long time

PNF Stretching: involves contracting muscles before you stretch them out to help the muscle relax, allowing them to be stretched easier

Unit 4 Skilled Activity: Lunges

Watch the video below to learn about the skill of the week!

Additional Unit 4 Exercises

FORWARD LUNGES VS. BACKWARD LUNGES VS. STATIC LUNGES:

Lunges can be performed by rising and lunging in place.

You can also complete forward lunges by starting with feet together, then stepping one foot forward into a lunge. Step back to return to the center.

Similarly, step backward for a Backward Lunge and then return to starting position.

A static lunge is where your feet are in a lunge position but don't move -lower the back knee, rise, and don't move your feet! Lower again, rise, repeat without moving your feet.

A side lunge: Stand with feet together. Step one foot out to the side so that the leg that did not move is straight and the other leg is bent slightly. Be sure your hips come back as you lunge. Step back to the center.

Lunge Workout #1 – Strength

Lunge Workout #2 – Cardio

Lunge Workout #3 – HIIT