Flexibility training integrates various stretches in all three planes of motion to produce maximum extensibility of tissues. You may have to undergo some corrective flexibility training based on your postural assessment or based on previous injuries incurred.

Here are 3 ways you can improve your flexibility:

1. Static Stretches – These stretches are performed without movement. The individual gets into and holds the stretched position for 20-30 seconds. The different types of static stretches are:

a. Passive
b. Active
c. Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation(PNF)
d. Isometric

Static stretches should generally be done after your workout to return your muscles to their normal length. They are also useful if you are in rehabilitation from an injury.

2. Dynamic Stretching – An effective dynamic warmup is a MUST before your workout or game. A dynamic warmup will prepare your body best for practice or games.

Do static stretches after your workout (when muscles are warm) to increase your range of motion.

Accomplish the following during your dynamic warmup:

a. Make sure your “power center” is flexible. Your “power center” consists of the glutes, hips, quadriceps and hamstrings. This area of your body is prone to some hard-to-recover-from injuries!

b. Your hip flexors need to flexible. Tight hip flexors cause many problems, including problems with your glutes and hamstrings.

c. When you warmup, practice relaxing your face, shoulders, arms and torso. You will perform better when you are relaxed and you want your body to work like a “well oiled machine.”

Some good dynamic warmup exercises are back pedals, lunges, step ups, cariocas, form running, medicine ball exercises, shuffles and jump rope.

3. Massages – Massages will help your body perform better.

a. Sports massages are a must for women who exercise regularly. Typically, lifting weights, training with medicine balls, increasing speed, etc. are thought of immediately as ways to improve performance.

Sports massage is also an important tool that you can use to help you perform better while exercising. It can be used before, during and after workouts. Stress, tension and adhesions build up in your soft tissues (muscles, skin, tendons, etc.) during intense exercise and overuse.

The benefits of sports massage include improved flexibility, tension release, relieving of swelling, alleviation of fatigue and prevention of injuries.

b. Self Myofascial Release (SMFR) is like getting a massage (self massage). The foam roller is one of the most effective techniques for releasing tension while improving mobility.

Foam rolling exercises will release and organize your muscles, as well as release and align your skeletal system. Muscle injuries such as strains and tears and broken bones can be avoided with proper flexibility and skeletal alignment.

Keep your body flexible all year to perform better during workouts and avoid injuries.

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“Exercise is not my life…..exercise makes my life better!”

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My Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as a Top Health Blogger! Quite an honor coming from that institution!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody—including athletes!

I will limit the discussion to static stretching, which is basically holding the stretch for 20-30 seconds at the point of moderate tension in the muscle. Stretch each muscle group for 2-3 sets.

You should stretch your muscles every day to help prevent injuries, maintain normal joint range of motion, relieve stress and improve circulation. Stretch the major muscles in your body (shoulders, arms, gluteals, quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, back, etc.) and the minor muscles such as those in the neck.

It is also important to stretch smoothly and slowly (never bounce) and breathe normally during the stretching motions. You can stretch in the morning, during your work day and at night.

When you exercise, warmup 5-10 with your favorite cardio activity at a moderate pace. This is known as a dynamic warmup (use your muscles to warm up your muscles). It’s okay if your body doesn’t respond to physical activity and exercise as it once did when you were 20 or 30 years old! You can’t change your age but you can slow down your biological clock.

You don’t have to significantly decrease your activity level as you grow older. You just might need to change the type of exercises you do, such as doing low-impact exercises to decrease wear and tear on your body. Do your static stretches after your exercise program to restore your muscles to normal length.

Need more exercise and nutrition tips? Subscribe to my FREE Fat Blaster eNewsletter and get a FREE Special Report: “10 Must Know Fat Loss Tips” and Free Fat Loss Workouts!

“Exercise is not my life…..exercise makes my life better!”

Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women! Her Fitness Hut has also been named in the Top 50 Personal Training Blogs by Physical Therapy Assistant Schools!

Check out my other great blogs:

My Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as a Top Health Blogger! Quite an honor coming from that institution!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named one of the 50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody—including athletes!

Accomplish the following during your dynamic warmup:

1. Make sure your “power center” is flexible.  Your ”power center” consists of the glutes, hips, quadriceps and hamstrings. This area of your body is prone to some hard-to-recover-from injuries!

2. Your hip flexors need to flexible. Tight hip flexors cause many problems, including problems with your glutes and hamstrings.

3. When you warmup, practice relaxing your face, shoulders, arms and torso. You will perform better when you are relaxed and you want your body to work like a “well oiled machine.”

Some good dynamic warmup exercises are walking lunges, bodyweight squats, form running, jumping jacks and jump rope.

Need more exercise and nutrition tips? Subscribe to my FREE Fat Blaster eNewsletter and get a FREE Special Report: “10 Must Know Fat Loss Tips” and Free Fat Loss Workouts!

“Exercise is not my life…..exercise makes my life better!”

Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women! Her Fitness Hut has also been named in the Top 50 Personal Training Blogs by Physical Therapy Assistant Schools!

Check out my other great blogs:

My Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as a Top Health Blogger! Quite an honor coming from that institution!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named one of the 50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody—including athletes!

Massage yourself with self myofascial release with foam rolls (SMFR).  Flexibility is important in order to maintain elasticity in your muscles to help prevent injuries. SMFR should be a part of your flexibility program. The foam roller is one of the most effective techniques for releasing tension while improving mobility. Foam rolling exercises will release and organize your muscles, as well as release and align your skeletal system. Muscle injuries such as strains and tears and broken bones can be avoided with proper flexibility and skeletal alignment.

Here is an example of a SMFR hamstring exercise:

1. Place hamstrings on the roll with your hips unsupported.

2. Crossed your feet to increase leverage.

3. Roll from knee toward posterior hip.

4. If a “tender point” is located, stop rolling, and rest on the tender point until pain decreases by 75%.

You’ll immediately feel the effectiveness of SMFR and its something you can do every day at home.

Summary of the benefits of SMFR:

1. SMFR releases tension in your muscles due to overuse, tightness and aging.

2. The SMFR process restructures and realigns your skeletal system.

3. The SMFR process improves balance and body awareness.

4. SMFR can be used in the rehabilitation process and massage therapy.

5. SMFR can be used for Pilates exercises.

Start today massaging yourself!

Need more exercise and nutrition tips? Subscribe to my FREE Fat Blaster eNewsletter and get a FREE Special Report: “10 Must Know Fat Loss Tips” and Free Fat Loss Workouts!

“Exercise is not my life…..exercise makes my life better!”

Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women! Her Fitness Hut has also been named in the Top 50 Personal Training Blogs by Physical Therapy Assistant Schools!

Check out my other great blogs:

My Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as a Top Health Blogger! Quite an honor coming from that institution!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named one of the 50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody—including athletes!

Most ACL injuries occur when the athlete decelerates, comes to a sudden stop or lands with improper technique while placing too much stress on the knees.  The athlete should dominate the hamstrings, hips and glutes during movement. 

The hips are often under-used during sports competition.  Another common mechanical breakdown is when the knees protrude far in front of the feet when decelerating, landing or squatting.  This puts undue stress on the knees and often causes injury.  Also, when the quadriceps are much stronger than the hamstrings, this can cause an ACL injury.  Research has shown that the hamstrings play an important role in stabilizing the knee and protecting the ACL during deceleration.

Females injure their ACLs at six times the rate of males.  Females demonstrate a lower hamstring to quadricep ratio.  This means they typically have weaker hamstrings compared to males.  They also demonstrate different muscle activation patterns compared to males. 

Females are typically quadricep dominant athletes which means they use their strong quadriceps muscles and do not use their weak hamstrings enough.  Strength training for females should be adjusted to adequately strengthen the hamstrings.

Try these flexibility and strength exercises for your hamstrings:

Hamstring Flexibility – walking lunges, resistance band eccentric stretch, hamstring PNF Stretch and static stretch (static stretch should be done after workout or game).

Hamstring Strength – lying or standing hamstring machine curl, deadlift, good morning exercise (with or without weights), reverse hamstring curls and glute/hamstring drops.

Lateral lunges and lateral bounding teaches you how to move correctly while dominating movement with the hips.

You should also learn proper jumping and landing techniques using exercises such as vertical jumps, broad jumps and depth jumps.

Surgery is necessary for a tear of the ACL.  Usually, the tear is repaired by using a part of another healthy ligament to replace the damaged ACL. Rehabiliation for a torn ACL takes about 3-4 months and it takes 8 months or more before the athlete can return to competition.

Need more exercise and nutrition tips? Subscribe to my FREE Fat Blaster eNewsletter and get a FREE Special Report: “10 Must Know Fat Loss Tips” and Free Fat Loss Workouts!

“Exercise is not my life…..exercise makes my life better!”

Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women! Her Fitness Hut has also been named in the Top 50 Personal Training Blogs by Physical Therapy Assistant Schools!

Check out my other great blogs:

My Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as a Top Health Blogger! Quite an honor coming from that institution!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named one of the 50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody—including athletes!