Flexibility and extension. Everything that we have to know

Flexibility call ability of a joint to move in full amplitude. This ability is important for full functioning of joints, prevention of injuries of muscles, ligaments and bones, ensuring various movements of a torso and extremities. For example, the flexibility of a joint of a back and legs helps us to hold a correct posture and preserves against painful feelings in a back. If you regularly carry out necessary exercises, at mature age you will have no problems with joints. Besides, elastic, well extensible sheaves will help you to master the most difficult exercises of fitness and bodybuilding.

For development of flexibility experts recommend to carry out full-amplitude movements with participation of each joint. Stretching has to be harmonious. Some sports mean development of certain zones of our body, at the same time other sites kind of lag behind. So, at gymnasts the increased flexibility of a backbone is observed, professional tennis players have a readiness of a shoulder joint.

The long absence of trainings (at the shortage of free time, treatment of injuries, etc.) leads to reduction of flexibility of joints, decrease in their functionality. This problem can become chronic if you in due time do not return to regular trainings by physical culture.

In certain cases achievement of full-fledged flexibility can be difficult. For example, at obesity (especially with localization of fatty tissue in certain parts of the body), sharp increase in volume of muscles, owing to intake of proteinaceous additives or some medicines, some hereditary diseases therefore even regular trainings will not result in desirable result. This problem can be solved gradually if by means of a diet to reduce body weight to a normal amount and also to refuse chemical medicines and to pay more attention to occupations on exercise machines.

For ensuring full-fledged flexibility of joints it is necessary to be engaged in an extension of muscles. It is known that muscles consist of the cages collected in elastic fibers. They are capable to increase in length at the regular dosed extension. Trainings have to be gradual, with strict control of daily loading, otherwise fibers will not manage to adapt and are injured. Length of muscles is controlled by special receptors. At conscious stretching of fibers from them signals come to a brain which in turn signals about need of reduction of a muscle. Constant trainings improve conductivity of nervous impulses, form resistant conditioned reflexes, provide full supply of all cages with oxygen and nutrients owing to strengthening of a blood-groove.

Sharp, powerful movements (especially with burdening) lead to fast reflex reductions of the muscles participating in work. Similar trainings can be recommended only to the prepared people having solid experience of occupations in gym. This technique carries the name "ballistic extension", carry out it only under the leadership of the experienced trainer. If just before reduction the muscle was excessively stretched, the sharp movement can lead to its trauma. For this reason the beginning athletes are recommended to begin with a static extension — after the muscle reaches the maximum length, it is necessary to be late in this pose, and then to return slowly to initial situation.

The receptors which are responsible for the maximum amplitude of an extension it is possible and it is necessary to train. If to repeat the special stretching movements during each training, it is possible to increase length and elasticity of muscles gradually. After a while you will be able already to carry out more difficult exercises, without being afraid of traumatizing.



The experienced trainer will help to choose technology of extension of muscles. Selection of a set of exercises depends on a set of individual factors of training — features of a constitution, elasticity of fabrics, readiness of joints, body weight, presence of some diseases, etc. Correctly picked up option of an extension will be effective and low-traumatic.

The most popular option is the static extension. It does not demand application of considerable efforts, does not cause overfatigue. Slowly stretch the trained muscle, be late in such situation for half-minute, then accept an initial pose. At the same time receptors of extension will react to the movement very poorly, reduction of a muscle will also happen gradually that will reduce trauma probability. Usually application of a static extension is recommended to the beginning athletes as it is effective and safe. Stretch joints and muscles to feeling of easy tension, but not morbidity. Pain signals that you were overzealous, and you need to reduce intensity of trainings.

Very widespread mistake is carrying out an extension just before a training, especially if during the occupation it is supposed to use exercises with burdening or exercise machines. Extension temporarily weakens muscles therefore it is expedient to carry out it after the training, and as the first stage to use the warming techniques.

Ballistic extension — dynamic option of increase in elasticity of muscles. Means active movements at which muscles stretch very sharply and fully. For example, exercise during which the person has to touch quickly by fingers of socks of legs at inclinations forward is very popular. Such movements help to get rid of excess calories and to increase inflow of blood to muscles. But at the same time getting injured probability increases.

The passive extension demands participation in the assistant's trainings. Similar exercises are recommended to people who for any reasons cannot control own body or wish to increase amplitude of the movement of joints as soon as possible. This method is effective, but its application demands some care. Your partner has to be rather trained to control each movement and to prevent mistakes.



For what do we seek to reach the maximum flexibility? First of all — to avoid injuries during the trainings, to increase amplitude of the movement in joints. If you correctly do all exercises, you will have an ease in movements soon, your health considerably will improve.

The flexibility helps to keep joints healthy. It is known that each joint is surrounded with muscles, ligaments and soft fabrics. During the trainings all of them have a noticeable stress. For example, when forming volume bicepses and quadriceps of legs load of knee joints sharply increases that can lead to emergence of painful feelings in patellae. Excessively developed muscles of a humeral belt quite often squeeze sensitive nervous fibers, causing shoulder joint pain and some restriction of their mobility. The lack of full-fledged flexibility leads to reduction of volume of the sinovialny liquid which is in a joint and necessary for greasing of mobile intra articulate surfaces. Respectively, friction of cartilaginous tissues leads to strengthening of painful feelings and can even provoke articulate diseases.

Also the flexibility is the important factor providing full functioning of a spine column. It is known that back pain is very widespread among professional athletes, especially bodybuilders. Smoothing or strengthening of natural bends of a backbone can become the reason of this pathology. At the same time pressure upon back nerves increases, their conductivity worsens. If you have inactive knee and coxofemoral joints, you have to draw the closest attention to a muscle strain in these areas.

The developed muscles and joints will allow you to master further new, more difficult complexes of gymnastic exercises. Your joints will move in wide amplitude, providing a full-fledged training of muscles.