Flexibility

Flexibility is the range of motion in a joint or group of joints or the ability to move joints effectively through a complete range of motion. Flexibility training includes stretching exercises to lengthen the muscles and may include activities like yoga or Tai Chi.

What Is Flexibility?

You probably know what it means when someone says they are flexible. It usually means that they can reach down and touch their toes or bend deeply into a squat.

But the definition of flexibility is more complicated than simply being able to do a single stretch.

According the the American Council on Exercise (ACE), flexibility is defined as "the range of motion of a given joint or group of joints or the level of tissue extensibility that a muscle group possesses." That means that each joint and each group of muscles in your body might have a different range of motion (ROM) or a different level of flexibility. Some areas of your body may be very tight, meaning that the muscles feel short and restricted. Some areas of your body may feel very loose and you may be able to lengthen and move those muscles freely.

For example, you might be very flexible in the hamstrings, allowing you to bend over and touch your toes. But your thighs (quadriceps) muscles might be tight (inflexible) so it may be harder for you to stand up straight or bend backwards. Many people who work in an office all day develop inflexible hips as a result of sitting all day.

This is one of the reasons that health experts recommend that you stand up and move for a few minutes every hour.

What Is Flexibility Training?

Stretching improves flexibility. But you don't have to do hours of stretching to enjoy the benefits of flexibility training. You can take a stretching class or do an online video that focusses just on stretching exercises to improve range of motion throughout the body.

These programs generally begin with a gentle warm up to increase your body's core temperature. Then, they progress through a series of stretching exercises to lengthen the muscles in your feet, your legs, your hips and torso, and finally up through the head and neck.

There are different types of stretching to improve flexibility.

• Static stretching. You move into a position that lengthens a target muscle and hold the position for 15-60 seconds. It's best to remember to breathe as you hold each stretch.
• Dynamic stretching. You move in an out of a position that lengthens a target muscle. Dynamic stretches often involve a gentle bouncing movement and are sometimes called ballistic stretches.
• Active isolated stretching (AIS). You move your joint through a complete range of motion, holding the end point only briefly, then return to the starting point and repeat. Many athletes and active exercisers use active isolated stretching to prevent injuries or muscle imbalance.

You don't have to take a dedicated class to do flexibility training. Many exercisers simply add a few minutes of stretching to the end of their daily workout to relax muscles and improve range of motion. Or you can take five to 10 minutes to stretch in the morning after you get out of bed.

Just a few minutes of flexibility training each day can provide benefits.

Another way to improve flexibility is to do a variety of different cardio and strength training exercises (also called cross training). For example, a lunge exercise strengthens the quadriceps on one leg but lengthens (stretches) the hip joint on the other. Different swimming strokes increase flexibility in the upper back and torso. And walking strengthens the lower body but also increases flexibility in the hip joint.

A Word From Verywell

Exercisers who include flexibility training as part of a balanced fitness program enjoy many benefits.

Stretching exercises can help to decrease stress and improve the way your body moves and feels throughout the day. Improved flexibility can even lead to better posture.  All of these benefits help you to move more often throughout the day and burn more calories. So if you're trying to lose weight, it's smart to include flexibility exercises in your weight loss program.

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Flexibility

Flexibility

Flexible and healthy joints

What strategies can you use to help keep your joints healthy and flexible?*

1. Exercise. There's a common urban legend that exercise is bad for your joints.
   Most people have little appreciation for how powerful exercise can be in supporting joint function. Vigorous low-impact exercise is beneficial – for your joints, as well as for cardiovascular, pulmonary, and other systems in your body.
   It's simply a myth that you can "wear down" your knees just from average levels of exercise – and/or normal activity. In fact, inactivity causes your muscles to become weaker and actually works against optimal joint flexibility and comfort.
   One caution, however, when using this valuable tool, you need to start slowly if you have not been exercising regularly, and build up to higher activity levels otherwise you risk incurring an injury that could really set you back..
   If typical vigorous exercise is not easy for you, try walking, tai chi, and yoga… as they are very low impact, yet offer many health benefits.
2. Achieve your optimal weight to improve your bio-mechanic function.
   One of the outstanding benefits of exercise is its ability to help you achieve and maintain your ideal weight – which is highly beneficial to your joints.
   Overweight and obese people compromise joint comfort more than those who are carrying their ideal load. Each additional kilogram (2.2 pounds) of body mass increases the compressive load over your knee by roughly 4 kilograms (nearly nine pounds).
   Research shows that a weight loss of as little as 11 pounds can have a positive effect on joint function. And those who are at their optimal weight experience increased joint health as compared to those who are obese or overweight.
   So you go full circle – losing weight reduces the load on your joints and makes it easier to exercise, and exercising helps you lose weight and supports your joint health.
3. Eat a higher quality diet.
   Eliminate sugar and starchy carbs from your diet. And definitely stop drinking soda. These foods do absolutely nothing to support healthy joints or a healthy body. In fact, their potential for damage is well documented.
   I believe you should limit your total fructose from ALL sources to no more than 25 grams per day, as it raises uric acid levels, which is hard on your joints. Now, chances are, you consume substantially more than 25 grams per day. Approximately ¼ of Americans consume a whopping 134 grams of fructose every day!
   Within your 25 grams of fructose, you could consider including some tart cherries or concentrated tart cherry juice. They contain anthocyanins and bioflavonoids, which help support a healthy immune response for your joints and whole body health.
   Also, in my opinion, you should base your food choices on your nutritional type to ensure you optimize your ideal macronutrient ratios.
4. Optimize your vitamin D levels.
   Vitamin D also supports a healthy immune response. Please recognize that during the fall, winter, and early spring in most of the U.S., Canada, and Europe, your vitamin D levels can drop precipitously. If your levels fall, you give up the support this vitamin offers for your joints and your whole body.
5. Get plenty of omega-3 fatty acids from krill or high-quality fish oil. Omega-3s support your joint health.
6. Try EFT – Emotional Freedom Techniques. EFT is an energy psychology tool that uses tapping and acupuncture meridians to help resolve the emotional factors that contribute to less-than-optimal health.

Read more

Keep your joints healthy and flexible

1. Exercise. There's a common urban legend that exercise is bad for your joints.
   Most people have little appreciation for how powerful exercise can be in supporting joint function. Vigorous low-impact exercise is beneficial – for your joints, as well as for cardiovascular, pulmonary, and other systems in your body.
   It's simply a myth that you can "wear down" your knees just from average levels of exercise – and/or normal activity. In fact, inactivity causes your muscles to become weaker and actually works against optimal joint flexibility and comfort.
   One caution, however, when using this valuable tool, you need to start slowly if you have not been exercising regularly, and build up to higher activity levels otherwise you risk incurring an injury that could really set you back..
   If typical vigorous exercise is not easy for you, try walking, tai chi, and yoga… as they are very low impact, yet offer many health benefits.
2. Achieve your optimal weight to improve your bio-mechanic function.
   One of the outstanding benefits of exercise is its ability to help you achieve and maintain your ideal weight – which is highly beneficial to your joints.
   Overweight and obese people compromise joint comfort more than those who are carrying their ideal load. Each additional kilogram (2.2 pounds) of body mass increases the compressive load over your knee by roughly 4 kilograms (nearly nine pounds).
   Research shows that a weight loss of as little as 11 pounds can have a positive effect on joint function. And those who are at their optimal weight experience increased joint health as compared to those who are obese or overweight.
   So you go full circle – losing weight reduces the load on your joints and makes it easier to exercise, and exercising helps you lose weight and supports your joint health.
3. Eat a higher quality diet.
   Eliminate sugar and starchy carbs from your diet. And definitely stop drinking soda. These foods do absolutely nothing to support healthy joints or a healthy body. In fact, their potential for damage is well documented.
   I believe you should limit your total fructose from ALL sources to no more than 25 grams per day, as it raises uric acid levels, which is hard on your joints. Now, chances are, you consume substantially more than 25 grams per day. Approximately ¼ of Americans consume a whopping 134 grams of fructose every day!
   Within your 25 grams of fructose, you could consider including some tart cherries or concentrated tart cherry juice. They contain anthocyanins and bioflavonoids, which help support a healthy immune response for your joints and whole body health.
   Also, in my opinion, you should base your food choices on your nutritional type to ensure you optimize your ideal macronutrient ratios.
4. Optimize your vitamin D levels.
   Vitamin D also supports a healthy immune response. Please recognize that during the fall, winter, and early spring in most of the U.S., Canada, and Europe, your vitamin D levels can drop precipitously. If your levels fall, you give up the support this vitamin offers for your joints and your whole body.
5. Get plenty of omega-3 fatty acids from krill or high-quality fish oil. Omega-3s support your joint health.
6. Try EFT – Emotional Freedom Techniques. EFT is an energy psychology tool that uses tapping and acupuncture meridians to help resolve the emotional factors that contribute to less-than-optimal health.

Read more