| Research and experience have established beyond | | | | factors such as strength and stamina. |
| a shadow of doubt that flexibility is an essential | | | | Flexibility is an integral part of all training. No |
| component of all sporting fitness. Most training | | | | movement is possible without a certain degree of |
| programmes begin with a warmup and stretching | | | | flexibility. Movement constantly restricted to a |
| phase before progressing to the main training | | | | particular range produces a specific range of |
| exercises. Stretch and tone classes have become | | | | movement for the relevant joint. Increase in |
| popular in aerobics. Numerous books have been | | | | training range results in increased flexibility. In |
| written on stretching and stretching exercises. | | | | other words, the normal range of movement |
| Rehabilitation of muscular injuries often includes | | | | regularly used in normal training sessions will |
| stretching exercises. This universality of stretching | | | | produce its own characteristic range of flexibility. |
| would imply that it is a separate, specialised form | | | | One of the fundamental principles of |
| of physical conditioning and is quite distinct from | | | | physiotherapeutic PNF (proprioceptive |
| other forms of training. | | | | neuromuscular facilitation) is that appropriate, |
| It is almost heretical to question this stretching | | | | effective physical conditioning depends on |
| doctrine, yet it is important to disclose that there | | | | developing an optimal balance between mobility |
| is no research which proves categorically that | | | | and stability . Excessive flexibility can result in |
| there is any need for separate stretching | | | | reduction of stability; inadequate flexibility often |
| sessions, phases or exercises to be conducted to | | | | characterises a state of high stability, but low |
| improve performance or safety. To appreciate | | | | mobility. A fully functional range of static and |
| this fact, it is useful to return to one of the clinical | | | | dynamic flexibility is what is necessary for all |
| definitions of flexibility, namely that flexibility refers | | | | physical activity, where functionality depends on |
| to the range of movement of a specific joint or | | | | the amount of useful strength which may be |
| group of anatomical tissues. Moreover, flexibility | | | | produced from beginning to end of range. |
| cannot be considered separate from other fitness | | | | |