If you stop the average person on the street or in the grocery store and ask them What does it mean to be fit? or better yet What are the five components of physical fitness? youll get quite a variety of answers. Some will say aerobic health, strength training or even endurance are key components of physical fitness. And those are three of the five components of physical fitness, but almost no one will mention flexibility. Why is it that the average person does not think of flexibility as a key component of physical fitness? And when you tell them that flexibility and body composition are the other two fitness fundamentals they are completely surprised. Part of the answer lies in the lack of proper education about fitness and part in the emphasis placed on aerobic and strength training by most fitness programs and products. Now dont get me wrong, I am not saying that aerobic and strength training are not an important part of a well rounded physical fitness program they are. However, when most people think of flexibility and stretching they only remember it as something thats recommended before and after an aerobic or strength training workout.
And, if you ask people, most will say they dont follow the recommendation.So, why is flexibility important in and of itself? Before I answer that question why dont we answer the question What is flexibility? Flexibility is the ability of a limb to move freely about a joint through a full range of motion. Range of motion is specific to each joint and dependent upon: (1) Strength of the muscles surrounding the joint, (2) joint surfaces and the degree of movement required for the joint to function, and (3) muscles, tendons, ligaments and connective tissue associated with limb movement around the joint. In addition, genetics, gender and body type are factors that can impact an individuals range of motion.There are two basic types of flexibility static and dynamic. Static flexibility is what most of us think about when pondering flexibility or stretching exercises. Static stretching involves holding a muscle in a stretched position for a short period of time (usually between 10 and 60 seconds depending on current flexibility and the muscle group being stretched).
Dynamic stretching refers to the speed attained within a range of motion during a physical performance. Examples include swinging a golf club, throwing a baseball or performing a martial arts kick.Lets answer the question Why is flexibility important? Increased flexibility through proper stretching techniques provides a host of benefits including:(1) Reduced muscle tension and relaxing the muscles(2) Improve oxygen flow and intake of essential nutrients(3) Improved coordination(4) Helps in managing stress(5) Increases blood circulation(6) Improves your posture(7) Helps to alleviate lower back pain(8) Reduced potential of injury during physical activities(9) Reduced muscle sorenessYou may think that only athletes need to increase their flexibility. And if you do, you couldnt be more wrong. The average person sitting behind a desk all day with little or no physical activity will receive the maximum benefits from increased flexibility through a program of regular stretching. So are you ready to get Wholesale Hydraulic Parts started with a regular stretching program?
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