WEEK 7

Flexibility: absolute range of movement in a joint or series of joints that is attainable in a

momentary effort with the help of a partner or a piece of equipment.

-not something general but is specific too a particular joint or set of joints.

-Being flexible in one area or joint Does not necessarily imply being flexible in another. Being
loose in the upper body does not mean you will have a loose lower body.

-flexibility in a joint is “also specific to the action performed at the joint”.

Dynamic flexibility (kinetic flexibility): Ability to perform dynamic movements of the muscles
to bring a limb through its full range of motions in the joints.

Static-active flexibility (active flexibility ): ability to assume and maintain extended positions
using only the tension of the agonists and synergists while the antagonists are being stretched.

(ex. lifting the leg and keeping it high without any external support)

Static passive flexibility (passive flexibility): ability to assume extended positions and then
maintain them using only your weight the support of your limbs or some other apparatus .
ability to maintain the position does not come solely from your muscles as it does with static
active flexibility. being able to perform the splits is an example of static passive flexibility.

-Some of the more common factors which limit ones flexibility are : bone structure, muscle
mass, excess fatty tissue and connective tissue, (and physical injury or disability)

connective tissue and flexibility

when connective tissue is overused the tissue becomes fatigued and meteor which also limits
flexibility. when connective tissue is unused or underused it provides significant resistance and
limits flexibility. the elastin begins to fray and loses some of its elastic city and the collagen
increases and stiffness and in density.
aging and flexibility

-with appropriate training flexibility can and should be developed at all ages. this does not
imply however that flexibility can be developed at the same rate by everyone. in general the
older you are the longer it will take to develop the desired level of flexibility.

-the main reason we become less flexible as we get older as a result of certain changes that
take place in our connective tissues. as we age our bodies gradually dehydrate to some extent.
it is believed that “stretching stimulates the production or retention of lubricants between the
connective tissue fibers thus preventing the formation of adhesions”. Hence, exercise can
delay some of the loss of flexibility that occurs due to the aging process.

strength and flexibility

strength training and flexibility training should go hand in hand. it is a common misconception
that there must always be a tradeoff between flexibility and strength. obviously if you neglect
flexibility training altogether in order to train first trans then you are certainly sacrificing
flexibility. performing exercises for both strength and flexibility need not sacrifice either one.
flexibility training and strength training can enhance one another.

static stretching

consists of stretching a muscle to its farthest point and then maintaining or holding that
position whereas passive stretching consists of a relaxed person who is relaxed while some
external Force brings the joint through its range of motion.

dynamic stretching

involves moving parts of your body and gradually increasing reach speed of movement or
both. consists of controlled leg and arm swings that take you gently to the limit of your range
of motion. There are no bounces or jerky movements. improves dynamic flexibility and is quite
useful as part of your warm up for an active or aerobic workout search as a dance or martial
arts. (ex. slow controlled leg swings arm swings are torso twists )

-ballistic stretches involved trying to force a part of the body beyond its range of motion.
PNF stretching

Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation. not really a type of stretching but a technique of

combining passive stretching and isometric stretching in order to achieve maximum static
flexibility. PNF stretching is itself a misnomer. initially developed as a method of rehabilitating
stroke victims. refers to any of several post isometric relaxation stretching techniques in which
a muscle group is passive stretched then contracts isometrically against resistance while in the
stretch position, and then is passively stretched against through the resulting increased range
of motion. employs the use of a partner to provide resistance against the isometric contraction
and then later to passively take the joint through its increased range of motion. more effective
with a partner's assistance.

Benefits of stretching

-enhanced physical fitness

-enhanced ability to learn and perform skilled movements

-increased mental and physical relaxation

-enhance development of body awareness

-reduced risk of injury to joints muscles and tendons

-reduce muscular soreness

-reduced muscular tension

-increased suppleness due to stimulation of the production of chemicals which lubricate

connective tissues

-reduced severity of painful menstruation in females

common mistakes made when stretching

improper warm up

inadequate rest between workouts

overstretching

performing the wrong exercises

performing exercises in the wrong sequence

warm up

-should raise your body temperature by 1 or 2 degrees Celsius (1.4 to 2.8 Fahrenheit)

-three phases

1. general warm up 2. stretching 3. sport specific activity

-not a good idea to attempt to stretch before your muscles are warm.

-active stretches and isometric stretches should not be part of your warm up because they are
often counterproductive.

-goals of warm up: increased awareness, Improved coordination, improved elasticity and
contract ability of muscles, greater efficiency of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems.

when to stretch

many of us have our own internal body Clock or circadian rhythm as, it is more formally called:
some of us are “early morning people” while others consider themselves to be “late-nighters”.
being aware of your circadian rhythm should help you decide when it is best for you to stretch.
most people are more flexible in the afternoon than in the morning (2:30pm – 4pm)

During any given day, strength and flexibility are at their peak in the late afternoon or early
evening. you may be better off performing your workout right after work rather than before
work.

Static stretch

immediately following your general warm up you should engage in some slow relaxed static
stretching. start with your back followed by your upper body and lower body stretching your
muscles in the following order:

1. back
2. sides (external obliques)
3. neck
4. forearms and wrists
5. triceps
6. chest
7. Buttocks
8. Groin (adductors)
9. shins
10. thighs
11. Calves
12. hamstrings
13. instep
dynamic stretch

after static stretches, engaged in some like dynamic stretching: leg raises, arms swings in all
directions. do as many sets as it takes to reach your maximum range of motion in any given
direction. do not work your muscles to the point of fatigue.

sport specific activity

last part of your warm up should be devoted to performing movements that are water down
version of the movement that you will be performing during your athletic activity. the last
phase of a warmup should consist of the same movements that will be used during the athletic
event but at a reduced intensity. Such sport specific activity is beneficial because it improves
coordination balance strength and response time and may reduce the risk of injury.

cool down

after you have completed your workout the best way to reduce muscle fatigue and soreness is
to perform a light warm down. this warm down is similar to the second half of your warm up
(but in the reverse order). sports specific activity followed by stretching can reduce cramping
tightening and soreness in fatigued muscles and will make you feel better.

Elements of a good stretch

-isolation

the fewer muscles you tried to stretch at once the better. you are better off trying to stretch
one hamstring at a time then both hand strings at once. by isolating the muscle you are
stretching you experienced resistance from fewer muscle groups, which gives you greater
control over the stretch and allows you to more easily change its intensity. as it turns out, this
splits is not one of the best stretching exercises. not only does it stretch several different
muscle groups all at once, it also stretches them in both legs at once.

-leverage

If you have good leverage not only are you better able to achieve the desired intensity of the
stretch but you do not need to apply as much force to your outstretched limb in order to
effectively increase the intensity of the stretch. this gives you greater control.

-risk

with ample leverage and isolation the potential risk of injury performing the stretch must be
taken into consideration. even an exercise offering great leverage and great isolation may still
be a poor choice to perform. some exercises can simply cause too much stress to the joints.
they may involve rotations that strained tendons or ligaments or put pressure on the disks on
the back or contain some other twist or turn that may cause injury to seemingly unrelated
parts of the body.
duration counting and repetition

-a good common ground seems to be about 20 seconds. children and people whose bones are
still growing do not need to hold a passive stretching this long. holding the stretch for about 7
to 10 seconds should be sufficient for this younger group of people.

-Setting of a definite goal for each stretching exercise performed is important. counting during
a stretch helps many people achieve this goal

-passive stretches should be performed in sets of 2 to 5 repetitions with a 15 to 30 second rest

in between each stretch.

With a partner

stretches performed with the assistance of a partner can be more effective than stretches
performed without a partner. this is especially true of isometric stretches and PNF stretches.
the problem with using a partner however is that the partner does not feel what you feel and
thus cannot respond as quickly to any discomfort that might prompt you to immediately
reduce the intensity of the stretch.

to increase flexibility

when stretching for the purpose of increasing overall flexibility a stretching routine should
accomplish at the very least two goals:

1. to train your stretch receptors to become accustomed to greater muscle length

2. to reduce the resistance of connective tissues to muscle elongation

if you are attempting to increase active flexibility you will also want to strengthen the muscles
responsible for holding the stretched limbs in their extended positions.

If you are very serious about increasing overall flexibility it is recommended religiously
adhering to the following guidelines:

-perform early morning stretching every day

-warm up properly before all athletic activities. make sure to give yourself ample time to
perform the complete warmup.

-cool down properly after all athletic activities

-always make sure your muscles are warmed up before you stretch

-perform PNF stretching every other day and static stretching on the off days.
stretching with pain

if you are already experiencing some type of pain or discomfort before you begin stretching
then it is very important that you determine the cause of your pain. once you have determined
the cause of your pain you are in a better position to decide whether you should attempt to
stretch the affected area. severe pain usually indicates a serious injury of some sort, And you
may need to discontinue stretching or exercising until you have sufficiently recovered.

overstretching

-if you stretched properly you should not be sore the day after you have stretched. if you are
then it may be an indication that you are overstretching and that you need to go easier on
your muscles by reducing the intensity of the stretches you perform. overstretching will simply
increase the time it takes for you to gain greater flexibility. this is because it takes time for the
same damaged muscles to repair themselves and to offer you the same flexibility as before
they were injured.

- one of the easiest ways to “overstretch” is to stretch “cold” (without any warm up). a
maximal college trench is not necessarily a desirable thing. just because a muscle can be
moved to its limit without warming up doesn't mean it is ready for this dream that a workout
will place on it.

splits

-doing a full split looks impressive and a lot of people seem to use it as a benchmark of
flexibility but it will not, in and of itself enable you to kick high. kicking higher requires dynamic
flexibility where as the splits requires passive flexibility. you need to discern what type of
flexibility will help to achieve your goal and then perform the types of stretching exercises that
will help you achieve that specific type of flexibility.
WEEK 8

Calisthenics

-are exercises that don't rely on anything but a person's own body weight

-are performed with differing levels of intensity and rhythm

-sometimes done with light handheld tools like rings and wands

-Allow for the development of strength, endurance, flexibility and coordination

-developed in ancient Greece and became popular again in the early 19th century

-today fitness training of athletes, military personnel, law enforcement officers, and people
trying to keep in shape used these exercises for warming up for strenuous sports or to help
build their bodies

-Scientists are also now studying the use of calisthenics to help treat various health conditions
from obesity to cryonic obstructive pulmonary disease (chronic bronchitis, emphysema etc)

Calisthenics vs weight exercises

-calisthenics exercise requires a person to use their own body weight to perform strength
training movements

-weight exercises on the other hand require a person to use dumbells or other weighted
apparatuses to perform strength and training movements

-both exercises produce similar physical results at least in the short term

Calisthenics exercises appear to increase physical fitness to a similar degree as weight based
training exercises. the benefit of calisthenics over weight based training exercises is that
calisthenics requires little to no additional equipment. all you need is your body.

example of calisthenics exercise: burpees, mountain climbers, alternating toe taps, squat
jumps,

Example of body weight exercise: push up, modified push up, dips, elbow lift, glute, shoulder
push press, crunches, squats, standing calf raise, seated bicep leg curl,
WEEK 9

Circuit training

-A typical circuit training workout includes about 8 to 10 exercise stations. after completing a
station instead of resting you move quickly to the next station.

-a muscular strength and endurance circuit alternates muscle groups, such as upper body,
lower body and core, so little or no rest is needed between stations.

advantages of circuit training

-boredom and time constraints are frequently cited reasons for giving up on a fitness routine.
circuit training offers a practical solution for both. it's a creative and flexible way to keep
exercise interesting and saves time while boosting cardiovascular and muscular fitness.

HIIT (high intensity interval training)

-HIIT is a physical training that consists of short intense or very energetic exercise with short
period of rests in between

-the whole point of high intensity training is to kick up the intensity of your cardio

sample workout : Tabata training

-Tabata training is a kind of HIIT exercise created by a Japanese scientist name Dr. Izumi
Tabata. True Tabata Rick outs combine 20 seconds of vigorous activity with 10 seconds of rest
in between

People often adjust the timing of intensity of interval workouts, but it's important to
understand the history behind the method Dr. Tabata’s research showed that even 4 minutes
workouts using his timing formula can have passed the results on a person's overall health.