Flexibility and Stretching Part 2: Corrective Flexibility

Flexibility is important. This is obvious in how we move everyday; if we have poor lower flexibility we can't bend over and touch our toes, and poor shoulder flexibility makes it harder to reach that top shelf. Too many people come into the training studio I work at and simply state that they want to be more flexible. This is fine, but understand that this does take time! Flexibility, like fitness, doesn't appear overnight, you do have to work for it. According to the method of practice most personal trainers use, there are three types of flexibility (usually practiced in this order): corrective, active, and functional.

Let's start with corrective flexibility. Corrective flexibility deals mostly with correct joint motion, increasing joint range of motion (ROM), and correcting muscle imbalances. As I've stated before these are all quite important concepts when it comes to fitness and flexibility. This type of flexibility tends to use something called self-myofascial release (in other words, foam rolling) which allows for muscle relaxation and is also used to handle knots found in the muscles. Corrective flexibility also used static stretching, which is when we hold one position for an extended period if time attempting to lengthen the muscles. This type of flexibility is most used for people who are just beginning flexibility training, when the client is working on stabilizing their muscles and joints.

The next level if training is active flexibility. This involves the same self-myofascial release, as well as active-isolated stretching. Active-isolated stretching is used for increasing muscle flexibility as well as increasing joint rang if motion. During this type of stretching, two different groups if muscles are stretched. For example, holding your leg straight out in front if you stretches your hamstrings but also works your quads and hip flexors as they hold up your leg in that position. If you were to use your arms to hold up your leg then you would still stretch your hamstrings but instead your shoulders and biceps would be working to hold up the leg. This type of flexibility is used mainly for clients working on their strength, who have mastered the stabilization phase if training.

The third and final type if flexibility is called functional flexibility. This type of flexibility is used once a client has enough control over their muscle moments so as to prevent possible injury.  Finctional flexibility uses again self-myofascial release and something called dynamic stretching. This is the type of stretching you see soccer and football (or other sport) players use before a game or match, when they walk down the field in a sort of line kicking their legs up or moving their bodies in a particular way. Dynamic stretching uses the force produced by a muscle movement (momentum) and moves that joint in whatever the full available rang of motion is. An example would be butt kicks or high knees or even high-knee skipping. This type of stretching is most often used before an athletic competition or in a training studio where the client has proved they have enough muscular control to not hurtthemselves.

As can be seen, working on flexibility is helpful but can also be risky if one does not understand what they are doing. As in any sort of exercise, the risk of hurting oneself is always there no matter what one is attempting when it comes to fitness. Now, I'm not trying to scare you away from this, I just want to make sure you understand that, as with any hobby, there are risks with exercising too. I do encourage everyone to do the best they can to take care of their bodies since we only get one. Good luck and stay safe!

Also, quick update: my CPT test is tomorrow morning! Wish me luck!!