Means and methods of developing flexibility

Being flexible means not only being able to take effective poses. Being flexible is, first of all, being healthy and dexterous. What is flexibility, its types and development methods, how to deal with it correctly - you can find out from our article.

What is flexibility?

Flexibility is one of the characteristics of the general physical condition of a person, along with other indicators:

• muscle strength
• endurance;
• coordination.

The quality of flexibility is characterized by the ability of a person to perform movement with the maximum possible amplitude. In addition, we characterize someone as having good flexibility if he:

• can take a certain position of the body (sometimes - obviously uncomfortable, for example, bring the leg to the ear);
• can be in this position for a fairly tangible period of time without experiencing pain (as they say, you can sit on the twine, but only once);
• performs the movement technically correct and does not experience any major difficulties.

The general condition of all the muscles and joints of the body is characterized as general flexibility or mobility. For athletes, special flexibility is often important - a characteristic of a certain group of muscles and joints, which plays an important role in professional activity. However, finger mobility for a pianist can also be classified as special flexibility. The main method for developing flexibility is the constant, disciplined practice of stretching exercises and joint development.

Flexibility as mobility

In addition to the concept of "flexibility" there is a separate term "mobility" - this is a characteristic of the condition of the joints. The more mobile the joint, the greater the range of motion and the more flexible we call a person. Joint mobility is determined by the shape of the bones and the condition of the cartilage tissue. If a person was not engaged in his joints and is not able to open them, the means and methods of developing flexibility can help him in returning mobility.

Distinguish between static and dynamic mobility - the ability to achieve the maximum possible amplitude of motion in statics and dynamics, respectively. Often we can sit on the twine only after a long static stretch, but unfortunately, we will not be able to jump into it like a ballerina. In addition to the immediate flexibility of the muscles, the achievement of amplitude in dynamics is also affected by the quality of strength and coordination. The main method for developing flexibility is repetitive - where exercises are performed as a sequence of several series.

What does flexibility depend on?

Whether we are flexible or not, it depends on a whole complex of factors. Understanding what exactly is hindering your progress will answer the question of which method is used in developing quality, specifically in your case.

The maximum possible flexibility of a particular person initially depends on his bone structure - the characteristics of the skeleton. The details of its structure determine the motor capabilities of the joints. Their mobility is not the same throughout the body: even if a person is very stretched, some articular groups may be limited in range of motion. If you cannot sit on the transverse twine due to the fact that the head of the femur rests on the bones of the pelvis, then stretching exercises will not change this. No means and methods of developing flexibility will put you on it - there will always be a few more centimeters or millimeters. Of course, this fact should not be an occasion to quit stretching - you just need to take it for granted and develop it within your permissible physiological norms. Another important factor affecting the ability to stretch is the very structure of muscle tissue. In the muscles of flexible people, elastin fibers predominate over collagen fibers.

Stretching depends not only on the condition of the muscles, but also on the nervous system. If you are very emotionally stressed, this will affect your physical condition - it will be more difficult to stretch. Additional factors:

• Body temperature and atmosphere - the higher both indicators, the easier it is to stretch. Therefore, stretching is best given in summer training or in a very warm room. Do you remember how the body feels after a bath? One of the methods for developing flexibility is even doing stretching exercises after a shower.
• Time of day - in the morning after sleep, the body “becomes stiff”, and in the evening it becomes more flexible again.
• The previous type of loads - depending on what preceded your training, the body will have completely different sensations when stretching. It's one thing - if you have run five laps in the stadium before, or, conversely, just moved from the sofa to the exercise mat.
• Gender - women are always more flexible than men, which is due to the characteristics of the body.
• Age - the younger the student, the easier it is for him to stretch.

How is flexibility developed?

It is often said that an indicator of not only flexibility, but also your overall physical well-being as a whole is a condition of the spine. A person with a healthy back will easily bend down and touch the floor with his hands and will also be able to easily raise his leg. If the cartilaginous tissues of the intervertebral discs lose their original elasticity, then this affects the overall ability to move.

Why flexibility?

The quality of flexibility is necessary for full bodily development. If a person has good strength and coordination, but does not work on flexibility at all, it means that he does not allow his body to reach its full potential. The development of stretching exercises will affect the remaining parameters: flexible muscles develop greater strength, and muscle effort to perform movement becomes more optimal. Flexibility also contributes to the following:

• general muscle mobility increases;
• posture improves, and hence the general state of health - because the spine indirectly affects the internal organs;
• movements become more graceful, coordinated and amplitude, which is important for athletes or actors;
• the risk of injuries decreases - muscles become more elastic and recover faster;
• the appearance of your body looks more attractive - the muscles acquire beautiful elongated shapes.

Active flexibility

If you stretch yourself, without the use of any devices or someone else's help - this is called active flexibility. The main method for developing flexibility in such active exercises is springy and swing movements and retention of static tension in the muscles.

Springy movements are based on the principle of quick muscle contraction. The secret is that with each subsequent stretching, the amplitude of the movement increases slightly. An example - this can be swaying in the lunges forward or the well-known “butterfly” waving its knees-wings.

Swing movements consist in turning the joint: swing with the foot is movement in the hip joint, with the hand in the shoulder joint. The larger the amplitude of movement, the more the joint is developed. To increase the load in the swing, it is sometimes recommended to use small weights - this will achieve a greater inertia of movement, which means that the amplitude will increase.

Retention of the end point is performed at maximum muscle relaxation - when we have “removed” the tension from the body as much as possible, it is easy to keep the fixation in the most accessible position. If relaxation did not occur, then the muscles react with a reverse reflex: they begin to contract to prevent a potential gap. Relaxation is achieved by proper work with breathing, and also largely depends on the emotional state - if you are very worried about something, then you will not have enough patience to reach the end point in stretching. On the other hand, this method often works in the opposite direction - to get rid of anxiety and nervous tension, you can perform several stretching exercises.

Passive flexibility

Passive flexibility is the ability of our body to achieve maximum amplitude in joint movements under the influence of external forces. The methods for developing flexibility in the passive mode are based on the task of overcoming external resistance.

With passive stretching, be careful. It is activated at the very end, when a person has already worked as much as possible independently. The one to whom passive methods of developing flexibility are applied must in no case be tense and actively resist. On the contrary, you should relax your muscles as much as possible - this will protect against injuries.

How to develop?

The main method for developing flexibility is to repeat the exercise multiple times in the form of a series of repetitions, and then fixation at the end point and conscious stretching. It is better to go into traction on the exhale and in the process of all work to control your breathing - try to make it smooth and slow.

Methods of developing human flexibility are based on the principles of muscle work. In our body there are muscle groups opposed to each other - muscle antagonists. They perform opposite functions in the body - for example, quadriceps bends the thigh, and triceps - extends. When we perform exercises on flexibility, then some muscles contract, and their antipodes are in resistance and stretch.

Stretching - a method of developing flexibility

The word “stretching” comes from the English stretching - “stretching” or “stretching”. Often exercises are done in the mode of several quick repetitions, and then fixation at the last point and conscious muscle extension.

In order to experience quick results, adults need to exercise a little every day, doing exercises in the morning. Each missed workout will recline your progress. You can and should add at least two full-time stretching workouts per week, lasting 40-60 minutes.

Flexibility training combined with other workloads

“The muscles must be warm,” stretch trainers say. Therefore, each flexibility training is preceded by a quick cardiosession. In addition, methods for developing human flexibility consider a combination of stretching training with preliminary strength loads. Moreover, those involved in power sports should definitely supplement their workouts with stretching to avoid excessive and permanent muscle contraction. And vice versa - stretching exercises should be supplemented by power loads, otherwise as a result we will get a flexible, but loose body.

There are various recommendations regarding the construction of the training itself: most often, a quiet stretching becomes the final stage of training in any sport - this allows the blood circulation to slow down and breathing to recover, as a result of which the body switches to its normal mode of functioning.

Some experts take out a session of light stretching exercises at the beginning of strength training in order to achieve greater amplitude when performing the latter. This method of developing flexibility should still be complemented by longer stretching workouts. There are also workouts with alternating exercises for flexibility and strength.

Methods of developing flexibility in children

Children are obviously more flexible than adults. But if you do not additionally engage in physical exercises, then over time, mobility decreases, and the physical form becomes worse. The ideal age for stretching exercises is from 7 to 14 years: regular exercises in this time period will subsequently affect the condition of the body at an older age. There are also recommendations to start generally from 2-3 years old, but there should be a special approach to very young students.

The method of developing flexibility in preschool children consists in alternating small loads with frequent pauses for rest. Since at this age the muscles are still unevenly developed, excessive force loads can only do harm. The smaller the child’s age, the faster he gets tired and loses interest. By the age of 7-8, children are already more able to hold attention, and loads can be increased. It is very important that the children have a good mood during the workout: positive emotions during classes allow you to achieve results much faster. And vice versa, if a trainer breaks down on his charges and forces them to practice more forcefully than voluntarily, this can discourage physical exercise for life.

Methods of developing flexibility in younger students should take into account not only the general characteristics of the group, but also the individual characteristics of the students. Learning the exercises must necessarily be accompanied by a personal example and demonstration. Children will also need the support of a trainer in mastering particularly difficult exercises. It is important that students try to perform more exercises in active mode, and apply passive stretching only to a well-heated body.

Game Stretching

Sometimes it is quite difficult to get young minds to do long stretching - and not all adults have the patience necessary to achieve good results. Therefore, there was such a direction as gaming stretching. The author of methods for developing flexibility in children, Elena Sulim, has published several books on children's fitness and physical education games.

Classes in game stretching are different from regular physical education. They are based on stories of fairy tales that children are invited to beat with the inclusion of stretching exercises. The game form of training does not let young athletes get bored.

Usually, the development of flexibility by the game method is applied at the age of 5 years. Each lesson lasts about 35-40 minutes and consists of preheating and, in fact, performing stretching exercises.

How to build an independent training?

Your training should consider all means and methods of development of flexibility. First, decide what exactly you want to work on: perhaps you are ready to sit on the twine, and someone will need to learn how to at least get to the floor with your hands in an inclined position. Choose the time at which it will be convenient for you to practice, and build a training schedule. In order to develop flexibility in adulthood, it is advisable for you to practice at least 15-20 minutes every day. When you reach the desired shape, you can do less often, but the frequency and intensity of the loads should still be high, because the main methods for developing flexibility are constancy and full return to training.

Your program should consist of a warm-up and a basic block of exercises. Depending on the task, the means and methods of developing flexibility within a training session may vary: independent work or the active participation of a partner to form passive flexibility. Choose 10-15 exercises: this should include both complex exercises that involve all large muscle groups (tilts, lunges), and exercises that specifically solve your task (increase the mobility of the shoulder girdle or pelvic section). After some time, the exercise program will need to be supplemented with new ones: the human body adapts to any loads, and the stress factor that makes us develop decreases.

Fixation at the last point should take about 30-60 seconds - you should leave it before the onset of pain, so as not to get injured. Also, you can’t enter the stretch abruptly - to your extreme point you have to walk slowly and gradually. Below we present a set of exercises for the development of flexibility by the repeated method, in which we cover the entire body from head to toe, using both individual isolated muscles and their large groups.

Exercises for developing neck flexibility

Neck exercises are usually performed at the beginning of a workout:

1. Tilting the head to the sides - try to fix the head at the extreme point, holding it with your hand to stretch the lateral muscles of the neck. To enhance the effect, extend your arm to the side (if you tilted your head to the right, you need to extend your left arm), and then lay it behind your back. Repeat the exercise on the other side.
2. Head tilted forward - gently grab your neck with your hands and, tilting your head forward, slide your hands lock on the back of the head. A pleasant extension should be felt in the neck.
3. Turning the head from side to side - at the extreme point of rotation, you can nod your head several times.

For the development of mobility of the shoulder joints

Despite the fact that the shoulder joint is one of the most mobile, do not forget about safety during exercise. Pre-do a few circular rotations with your shoulders or exercise “mill” - swing your arms.

1. Stretching arms - the right arm is extended to the side at shoulder level. Stretch it well to the right side, and then, while maintaining tension, move your hand to the left and lock it with your left hand. . .
2. . . . - , . .

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1. Raise your hands above your head, hook them into the castle and unfold your palms up. Start circular rotation with the casing with your hands. At the same time, your hips remain in place, and the chest section works.
2. Bends to the sides - legs spread a little wider than the shoulders and fix the pelvis. You can leave your arms extended above your head, as in the previous exercise, or lower them along the sides. Leaning to the sides, does not take the pelvis back.
3. Stretch your arms in front of you, hook them into the lock and turn it outward. Bending your knees, round your back and stretch your palms forward, and the point between your shoulder blades - back. The soft knees in this exercise are needed to compensate for the bend in the chest - the pelvis then takes a more natural position

Hip Joint Exercise

Before these exercises, it is good to do a few circular movements with the pelvis on the soft knees to bring the joints into working condition.

1. Stand straight, pull your right leg bent at the knee. Your stomach should be tightened. Try not to lean your body toward your leg, but rather - pull your leg toward you, feeling traction along the back of your thigh. This exercise also develops a good sense of balance. Be sure to repeat it on the other leg.
2. Rotations with the foot - also standing on one leg, bend the second at the knee and lift it to the body and take it to the side in a circular motion. Try to keep your leg moving at maximum amplitude. Do a few circles outward, then inward and repeat on the other leg.
3. Swing feet. This exercise is conveniently performed near the ballet machine or any support at chest or waist level. Turn to the support sideways, grab it with your hand and begin to swing the opposite leg. At first, the amplitude can be as natural as possible, then gradually begin to increase it. After that, stand facing the support and swing the leg from side to side. Repeat for the other leg.

For ankle joints

In order to beautifully pull the sock in any type of dance, it is necessary to develop the feet and ankle well. Methods for developing foot flexibility include both active and passive work.

1. Stand with your big toe on the floor. Make several rotations in both directions. Please note that the upper part of the foot should also be included in the work.
2. While standing, rest your toes on the floor so that the nails actually look at the floor. Move part of the weight forward on the leg, mainly using the thumb - this will increase traction. Be careful: if you are not used to kneading your feet, you may experience discomfort in the form of cramps.
3. Sit on the floor with your back straight - if you don’t have enough strength to keep it straight, you can lean on something. Lift your right leg and do a few rotations with your foot. Then, while weighing, pull the sock several times away from you and towards you. Repeat on the other leg. If desired, another person can take your foot and pull the sock down as far as possible.
4. Sitting on the floor with a straight back, as in the previous exercise, legs are stretched out in front of you. Stretch your socks as far down as possible, trying to touch them to the floor. Most likely, in this exercise you will also include other leg muscles and even abdominal muscles.

Comprehensive stretching exercises

Means and methods of developing flexibility briefly describe the following exercises as the most fully involving different muscle groups. They cannot be called just exercises for flexibility - here you will also need minimal strength training and the ability to find the optimal balance.

1. Lunge. To develop flexibility, this exercise is performed in a fixed position. Step forward with your right foot so that the knee is at an angle of 90 degrees. The knee of the left leg in the back should be pulled up and not sagging - this option of a lunge will make not only more flexible, but also stronger. The back foot is stretched, the heel as if pushing something. Here you can make several springy movements down and back and forth behind the heel.
2. Deep lunge. If you want to strengthen the stretch after the previous exercise, then put the back knee and leg lift on the floor, and then lower the pelvis as much as possible. Make sure that the deflection is not felt in the lower back, namely in the hip joints. If you feel uncomfortable here, you can take your pelvis back several times, stretching your front leg.
3. Tilt forward. For proper tilt, it is not straight legs that are important, but a good cranking in the hip joints. If you lean on straight legs and you have a round back, you will not benefit from such a lean. Bend your knees and begin to tilt the hip joints, gradually spreading the stomach to the hips. You can rest your hands on your knees and additionally pull yourself out of the pelvis through the spine. Then relax your back and just let it hang down. There is no collapse in the neck - before your eyes should not be the floor, but your knees. You should get up from here, slowly spinning and the vertebra after vertebra is building a vertical line.