Flexibility


Bold Fitness Physical Therapist Dr. Allen Letgolts, Ph.D.,
is a strong advocate of yoga and flexibility.

Regular stretching and consistently focusing on
lengthening chronically tight muscles is the path to a safer
and more comfortable body. However, the process can
be "emotional golf ", the harder you try the worse it gets.
This is one of my favorite quotes and a great metaphor for
learning to relax, especially while stretching. Adapting muscles
to new ranges of motion can be challenging for anyone.

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RELAXED EFFORT

'Forcing' muscles to lengthen is not only dangerous but also ineffective.
Active and passive stretching regimens are easy to learn and
even easier to apply... if one keeps a calm focus. Excessive and aggressive
stretching can eventually cause instability and potential improper joint
alignment. This leaves the joint susceptible to injury
and wearing that can lead to arthritis.

PAIN RELIEF

Adaptively shortened (tight) muscles can create somatic tension around
the joints and spine. This subtle but constant antagonism inhibits energy
flow and over all circulation. Inflexibility also creates multiple stress areas
and leads to bad posture which in turn causes those all too common
cramps in the back of the neck and lower spine. I have been able to help relieve
pain in numerous clients by simply 'releasing' a tight muscle. Through massage,
pressure-point technique, heat, passive, and active stretching, many a chronic
pain can be readily eliminated. Acquiring a minimum range of motion in every
part of the body is necessary to help prevent muscle cramps, injury,
and chronic pain syndromes. There is no need to become a human pretzel.




This is an advanced range of motion developed with time and patience.
Please do not attempt without professional supervision.

COMMON SENSE

My observations supported by information from numerous doctors have
lead me to the opinion of common sense. Stretching regularly with proper form
and intensity is a necessary component for joint health and athletic performance.
However, I personally know of dozens of relatively inflexible, pain-free athletes
(and non-athletes) over fifty whose bodies have adapted to their particular activities.

If it isn't broken do not fix it.
Attempting to increase bodily ranges with too much additional
and/or aggressive stretching may potentially cause numerous
problems that do not exist presently.

FLEXIBILITY & STRENGTH

With most of my clients I incorporate a variety of stretching routines before,
during, and after their exercise regimens.This is not just for function, it also
helps to eliminate boredom and paces the intensity of a strength training routine.
Taking the individuals ability and health history into consideration, the principles
of yoga can be functionally applied to a weightlifting routine. Try a chair pose for
thirty seconds while holding an eight pound ball in front of your face. Then, without
resting, spread the feet and do squats until the quadriceps 'cry uncle.' Posture, balance,
breathing, and mental focus are also key components in the gym.



BODY BALANCING

Plenty of seemingly flexible athletes are not complete in their
stretching/body balancing regimens. Training consistently with constrictions
and/or unperceived muscle imbalances typically leads to joint pain down the road.
Cyclists and rock climbers are my favorite subjects. The development of an internally
rotated shoulder posture is both a similar and common occurrence resulting from
two very different activities. Many distance athletes tend to roll their shoulders internally
and have tight/overused hip flexors and hamstrings (especially cyclists like myself).
Many reject my observations and proceed to give me a demonstration of their flexible joints.
Yet, when I have them neutralize their spines and stabilize their scapulas the adaptively
short muscles show obvious inflexibility while the adaptively long/over-stretched,
opposing stabilizers expose weakness. This does not mean that these
particular sports are flawed.

There is not one complete all-encompassing
sport or activity in the world.

That is why the Decathlon in the Olympics is considered to be ‘the event' for the
greatest all-around athletes in the world. Mastering those ten events will definitely
develop and test every range of fitness. Like a good diet, we all need an assortment
of activities to pick and choose from. There is nothing wrong with having a main
staple in a fitness program ...just be sure to add a little variety to stay balanced.

Staying flexible helps keeps your energy levels set to 'fun'.


SPORT SPECIFIC DEVELOPMENT

For a few athletes (especially yoga enthusiasts, dancers, and gymnasts),
stretching excessively is required for achieving 'optimum performance' in their
chosen endeavor (see Sport-Specific Development). A small percentage of people
(typically young females) are even inherently too flexible for their own good. A
resistance program that emphasizes joint stability is the best medicine in both cases.

Gymnasts and dancers have been known to dislocate shoulders and even hips
(ouch, that has to hurt in the morning). I like to make this point because there
are always the few who go to the extreme. I am sure most of us do not stretch half
as much as we know we should... am I wrong? Yet there is an excuse, being
slightly tight has been shown to help some athletic performances,
especially in endurance sports.

 

COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH

Spine Neutralizing, Joint Stabilizing, Core Conditioning,
and flexibility overlap one another.

They are co-dependent, inseparable, and equal in importance. These are primary,
muscle-balancing, fundamental development pre-requisites for every single
person (active or sedentary). Ever play paper-rock-scissors? Take a distance runner
who can barely touch his toes, add a power lifter who can not safely throw a wiffle ball,
and mix in the yoga instructor who can not carry her own luggage. These are just
real life examples of imbalances among athletes.

After mastering one aspect of an athletic endeavor, many athletes develop
adaptively shortened (tight) and/or lengthened, over-used, and/or over-stretched
muscles. This can lead to potential injury and chronic pain syndromes. Ironically,
sedentary people tend to have similar symptoms for the opposite reasons. There is
a minimum requirement of balanced body focus necessary for each individual,
athletic or otherwise. Obviously a naturally flexible woman does not need as much
stretching as the powerfully built but tight football player. However, if she happens
to be a professional dancer she 'needs' to stretch anywhere from one to four hours
or more every day! The time and intensity requirements for optimum performance in a
specific endeavor are ten-fold more than what is necessary for
being a healthy, well-rounded, active individual.

COMMON SENSE
Striving to become stronger (endurance, speed, and power), increasing flexibility,
and eating properly should be the focus of every healthy, active person. Yet, just because
someone has the ability to bench press 500lbs. or the stamina/willpower to run
100 miles in 20 hours, does not mean it is 'healthy' for them to perform these
extreme events. I have seen too many beginner, amateur, and professional athletes
seriously injure themselves from doing way too much.




"The hill of woe!" ~ Judge Reinhold. Here we are in deep contemplation about our
next sprint up a steep and deep sand hill. Deep sand is a non-impact exercise. It is
probably the safest form of intense outdoor cardio: Sand eliminates momentum and
utilizes all of the core muscles as it requires non-stop balance.
Just north of Point Mugu, Ventura County.

SUCCESS STORY

As a direct result of his consistent stretching and strength training, Mr. Reinhold
can now sprint hills weekly without suffering back pain. After decades of developing
an improper (kyphosis) posture and suffering countless back sprains, Mr. Reinhold
has put in the time, focus, energy, and especially the patience (with himself) to
lengthen his adaptively short hamstrings and hip flexors. Long term active and
passive stretching is still necessary to further correct and maintain his new found
pain-free, stabilized, neutral spine.

Unfortunately for Judge there is a 'catch-22' to becoming stable, stronger
and more flexible. Since the spring of 2002 we have progressed from an extra cautious
fitness program into a full-blown, truly athletic, cross-training regimen. On consecutive
training days Judge is now flexible, strong, and lumbar stable enough to lift heavier
weights (along with pull ups & dozens of push ups), sprint stairs, and increase his
running pace (up some serious mountain trails). He volunteers for all
of this (and he is wearing me out on the trails).

Please
see
Cardiovascular Conditioning
Core Conditioning
Motivation
Weight Loss
Post-Physical Therapy Regimen

Jeff Archibald
ACE Certified Trainer
310 890 6783
24 hour voice messages
jeff@boldfitness.com