| To achieve true fitness any exercise programme | | | | With your feet firmly planted on the ground, bend |
| should include these 3 essential components, namely, | | | | forward with your arms hanging down loosely. From |
| strength training, stamina and endurance training and | | | | this position, gently swing your upper body and arms |
| flexibility training. Of these 3 components flexibility | | | | circularly first to your left, then as far to your back as |
| training is the most neglected or perhaps completely | | | | possible, then to your right and finally back to your |
| neglected component. What is flexibility training and | | | | front. Repeat this circular rotating trunk exercise for |
| what effects does it have on an athlete's | | | | the desired number of repetitions and then reverse the |
| performance? | | | | movement for the same number of repetitions. |
| Whenever we talk about flexibility training, the static | | | | Hip Rotating Exercise (to loosen up the pelvic joints): |
| stretching exercises that martial artists or gymnasts | | | | Stand erect with your feet about a shoulder's width |
| perform before their actual workouts always come | | | | apart and your hands resting on your hips. Now rotate |
| into our minds. But flexibility training does not just refer | | | | your hips first to your left, then to your front, then to |
| to those stretching exercises. As we all know, the | | | | your right, then to your back and finally back to your |
| human body is made up of joints, such as the joints of | | | | left. Repeat this circular rotating hip exercise for the |
| the neck and spine, the shoulder joints, the elbow joints, | | | | desired number of repetitions and then reverse the |
| the hip joints, the knee joints and the joints of the feet. | | | | movement for the same number of repetitions. |
| These joints need to be loose and not tight to enable | | | | Front Leg Raise (to loosen up the pelvic joints): |
| one to become a more mobile or flexible athlete. Static | | | | Stand erect with your feet about a shoulder's width |
| stretching exercises do loosen up these joints to a | | | | apart and your arms hanging loosely by your sides. |
| certain extent but their main purpose are more on | | | | With your knees straight simply lift up your left leg in |
| "stretching" the various individual muscle groups, thus | | | | front as high up as possible as though you are doing a |
| making them more "stretchable" and less prone to | | | | front kick. Repeat this for the desired number of |
| injury. So from here, we can deduce that flexibility | | | | repetitions and then switch legs. |
| training comes in two forms, namely static stretching | | | | Side Leg Raise (to loosen up the pelvic joints): |
| exercises and joints loosening up exercises. Some | | | | Stand erect with your feet about a shoulder's width |
| examples of joints loosening up exercises are given | | | | apart and your arms hanging loosely by your sides. |
| below. | | | | With your knees straight simply lift up your left leg as |
| Neck Circling Exercise (to loosen up the neck joints): | | | | high up as possible to your left as though you are |
| Stand erect with your feet about a shoulder's width | | | | doing a left side kick. Repeat this for the desired |
| apart and your hands on your hips. Now rotate your | | | | number of repetitions and then switch legs. |
| head in a circular fashion from left to back, then to right | | | | Back Leg Raise (to loosen up the pelvic joints): |
| and finally to the front. Repeat this for the desired | | | | Stand erect with your feet about a shoulder's width |
| number of repetitions and then do it the other way | | | | apart and your arms hanging loosely by your sides. |
| round, for the same number of repetitions i.e. from right | | | | With your knees straight simply lift up your left leg as |
| to back, then to left and finally to the front. | | | | high up as possible to your back as though you are |
| Shoulder Circling Exercise (to loosen up the shoulder | | | | doing a back kick. Repeat this for the desired number |
| joints): | | | | of repetitions and then switch legs. |
| Stand erect with your feet about a shoulder's width | | | | Some examples of static stretching exercises which |
| apart and your arms hanging loosely by your sides. | | | | are very popular among gymnasts and martial artists |
| Now without bending your arms raise them up in front | | | | are given below: |
| of you, then upwards and then press them as far | | | | Side Split Stretch |
| backwards as possible and finally lower them in front | | | | With your feet about 3 shoulder's width apart, slowly |
| by your sides. Repeat this circular motion of your arms | | | | bend forward until both your palms are resting on the |
| for the desired number of repetitions and then do it the | | | | floor. From this position slowly lower down your upper |
| other way round, i.e. first by throwing your straight | | | | body until your buttocks come into contact with the |
| arms as far to your back as possible, then upwards | | | | floor. Note that while you are lowering down your |
| and finally let them drop in front of you by your sides. | | | | upper body, both your outstretched legs will be forced |
| Bending Forward and Backward Exercise (to loosen | | | | to split further and further to the sides - hence the |
| up the shoulder joints, rib cage and the spine): | | | | name "side split". |
| Stand erect with your feet about a shoulder's width | | | | Side Split Side Bend Stretch |
| apart and your arms hanging loosely by your sides. | | | | This stretching exercise is a continuation from the side |
| Now without bending your knees, bend forward until | | | | split stretch. After you have achieved a side split, |
| your hands touch the floor. From this bent forward | | | | simply bend your upper body sideways to your left |
| position straighten up your upper body while at the | | | | until your face touches your left thigh. Be sure to |
| same time raising up both your straight arms in front of | | | | repeat this bending sideways movement on your right |
| you and then overhead. When your arms reach the | | | | side also. |
| overhead position, bend your upper body and | | | | Side Split Front Bend Stretch |
| outstretched arms as far to the back as possible. | | | | This stretching exercise is also a continuation from the |
| From this bent backwards position, swing both your | | | | side split stretch. After you have achieved a side split, |
| upper body and outstretched arms back to the front | | | | simply bend your upper body forward until your face |
| and then down until you are bending forward again | | | | touches the floor. Both your arms should be |
| with your hands touching the floor. Repeat this bending | | | | outstretched and resting flat on the floor. |
| forward and backward movement for the desired | | | | Front Split Stretch |
| number of repetitions. | | | | With one foot forward and the other backward (about |
| Bending Sideways Exercise (to loosen up the shoulder | | | | 2 shoulder's width apart), slowly lower your upper body |
| joints, rib cage and the spine): | | | | until your buttocks come into contact with the floor. |
| Stand erect with your feet about a shoulder's width | | | | You can use both your hands to assist you while you |
| apart and your straight arms outstretched to your | | | | are doing this by placing both your palms on the floor. |
| sides. Now without bending your knees or twisting your | | | | Note that while you are lowering down your upper |
| upper body, bend your upper body with your straight | | | | body, both your feet will be forced to split further and |
| and outstretched arms as far as possible to your left | | | | further apart from each other, one to the back and the |
| side until your left hand touches your left thigh. Do this | | | | other to the front - hence the name "front split". Be |
| movement for the desired number of repetitions and | | | | sure to alternate the position of the feet when doing |
| repeat it for the same number of repetitions for your | | | | this stretching exercise. |
| right side. | | | | Front Split Bend Forward Stretch |
| Trunk Twisting Exercise (to loosen up the neck joints, | | | | This stretching exercise is a continuation from the front |
| shoulder joints, rib cage and the spine): | | | | split stretch. After you have achieved a front split, |
| Stand erect with your feet about a shoulder's width | | | | simply bend your upper body forward until your face |
| apart and your arms hanging loosely by your sides. | | | | touches your front thigh. |
| Now without bending your knees and your feet firmly | | | | Bend One Leg And Stretch The Other |
| planted on the ground, twist your upper body as far to | | | | Begin by squatting down until your buttocks almost |
| your left as possible. Note that both your arms are | | | | touch the floor. From this full squat position, stretch out |
| flung out horizontally to your left while you are twisting | | | | your right leg to your right and straighten it while your |
| to your left. From this left twisted position twist your | | | | left leg remains bent. Be sure to do this stretching |
| upper body now as far as possible to your right - both | | | | exercise in the reverse direction also - by alternating |
| your arms are also horizontally flung out to your right | | | | the stretched out leg and the bent leg. |
| while you are doing this. Repeat this left and right | | | | Apart from the static stretching exercises as |
| twisting exercise for the desired number of repetitions. | | | | described above, Yoga is also a very good |
| Trunk Twisting And Rotating Exercise (to loosen up | | | | programme for flexibility training. There are dozens of |
| the neck joints, shoulder joints, rib cage and the spine): | | | | yoga stretches and poses and it would be impossible |
| Stand erect with your feet about a shoulder's width | | | | to describe all of them here. |
| apart and your arms hanging loosely by your sides. | | | | |