Flexibility is a joint’s ability to move freely through a full and normal range of motion. Factors that affect flexibility include: genetic inheritance, the joint structure itself, connective tissue elasticity within muscles, tendons or skin surrounding a joint, strength of opposing muscle groups, body type, age, activity level and gender.
There are various ways to increase flexibility including:
Static Stretching
Strength Training
Isometric Stretching
Forced Relaxation
Yoga
The most practical way to increase flexibility is to get stronger. Typically a stronger muscle does not have to contract as hard as a weaker one to exert the same amount of force and it more willingly relaxes into a stretch
When To Stretch
The best time to do it is after you’ve warmed up with 10-20 minutes of cardio or light weight lifting, between strength training sets, or at the end of your workout. Stretching before warming up could lead to injuries and has no real benefit.
Products related to stretching include:
Mats
Stretching Equipment
For more information from Totally Fitness, please visit our main articles page.
View my basket
