Flexbility Training

Core exercises should focus on the entire torso, from head to feet, in order to develop strong, solid core strength

Today’s sedentary lifestyles—largely a result of advances in technology—have created a society plagued by postural imbalances. More people spend time in offices, at desks in front of computers, requiring individuals to sit for long hours. And then when they do get up to move around, their muscles are cramped and their posture out of balance. This is why flexibility training must be a key component of structural health; it is the key to rectifying neuromuscular deficiencies (balance issues) and decreasing the dysfunction caused by the work routines of modern society. Flexibility training is the key component for all training, correcting muscle imbalances (functional length of muscles) and improving full range of motion. This kind of training increases the ability of the nervous system to properly recruit the correct muscles to produce force, reduce force and stabilize the body in all planes of motion.

Without optimum levels of flexibility, it may not be possible for an individual to achieve their goals without being injured. Healthy flexibility affords normal extensibility of all soft tissues that allow for full range of motion in the joints of the body.

Physical characteristics of common lifestyle routines often create muscle imbalances in the body where one muscle or set of muscles tightens and “partnering” muscles or sets of muscles become weak. This instability leads to joint pain, inflammation and injury. It is important to have a proper range of motion through a joint as well as to have the control to balance the movement through a full range of motion. Neuromuscular efficiency is the ability of the nervous system to properly recruit the correct muscles to produce and balance force dynamically—this stabilizes the body structure in all three planes of motion. Something has to produce force to create movement, which calls the individual body to accommodate the motion with stability and balance though the joint and movement.

Musculature response is calibrated by something known as the kinetic chain. When there is abnormal structure or functional inefficiency in the kinetic chain, one muscle in a partnering arrangement becomes weak and the partner muscle overcompensates. Then the joint associated with the musculature becomes unstable and the body posture is stressed and unnatural. This pattern of dysfunction leads to chronic postural distortion patterns, decreased neuromuscular efficiency (balance) and tissue overload. 

If an exercise program does not address postural distortion the individual is not likely to reach their strength and power goals. Flexibility and movement variety within the re-education of partnering muscle groups are central to correcting postural distortion.  Working consistently through flexibility issues re-educates the kinetic chain. Flexibility training includes three types of movement:  static stretching with no movement, active stretching with little movement and functional stretching with a full range of motion.  Flexibility training should be systematic and progressive beginning with corrective movement and proceeding to create accurate functional and active flexibility.