Flexibility Testing - Test How flexible you really are
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Knowing how flexible you are helps you evaluate your present flexibility levels, form a stretching routine for your lagging areas and improve on them. Use these simple flexibility tests for better assessment.
The Standard Flexibility Test
A standard test requires a standard sit and reach box. This is available in gyms and the trainer will help you perform this test. Since this website is for common people and not fitness professionals and since commonly we don't keep sit and reach box at home, i will skip this test and suggest you simple exercises to evaluate your flexibility levels.
Low Back region
Since this is the commonest area, I will address it.
Simple Stretching Exercises like side bends and forward bends will be difficult for people with lower back problems and inflexible lower backs. This may also be due to tight hamstrings.
5 REASONS FLEXIBILITY IS IMPORTANT FOR LIFE AND SPORTS
The body is made up a mass of muscles, other tissues, bones and vessels. Each of
these performs their different functions that work in harmony with each other to
give a body that is functioning correctly and without pain.
A simple test in body flexibility is to test how far you can reach without
causing pain, or how far you can bend without causing significant pain in your
back and arms.
The five important reasons why flexibility is important for life and sports
include;
You can go through duties and exercises pain free and unhindered
Being flexible gives you the possibility of performing all your daily activities
without hindrance. You can stretch, bend and lift without difficulty.
Body flexibility also relates to flexibility of the arteries
There has been significant correlation between the flexibility of the body and
the flexibility of the arteries in the body. It has been shown that exercises
that affect the flexibility of the body like stretches, also affect the
flexibility of the arteries that are responsible for carrying blood through the
body. Therefore there is less likelihood of high blood pressure or strokes in
individuals that are flexible.
Improvement of posture
Good body flexibility helps to keep the body in a good posture, and so prevent
sore muscles, joints and constricted vessels that may result in injury, bad
postures and restricted movements.
Reduce the risk of injury
When the body is flexible, it reduces the risk of injury in sports or in daily
life. It may happen by circumstance that the body becomes subject to a heavy
load, or a load that is pushing in a direction that is not anatomically healthy
for the body. The more flexible person may be able to withstand the stress and
be free from injury while a less flexible person might be injured in such an
event.
Reduces the risk of lower back pain and enables a better enjoyment of
exercise and other activities
One of the principal benefits of being flexible is that you are able to enjoy
your sporting activities, or other activities of life. Your body reacts more
readily to activities and movement and your performance is enhanced.
ExerciseGoals.com Recommends - The Stretching Handbook.
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135 Stretching & Flexibility Exercises. Take your Flexibility to the
next level with Click here to find out more on The Stretching Handbook. |
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