Functional Flexibility
Posted by
Redefined Fitness
Friday, September 28, 2012
Friday, September 28, 2012
Whether training for golf, football, baseball or any other sport, athletes today understand the benefits they derive from a consistent, ongoing strength training program.
Flexibility training today is a bit like strength training -- before strength training gained universal acceptance. Less successful Athletes do not pay attention to flexibility training.
Yet, flexibility begins the foundation of all successful Athletes. Without flexibility the body cannot achieve optimal power, strength, cardiovascular fitness or muscle endurance. Flexibility also helps rehabilitation and injury prevention.
Flexibility training has not gained popularity because so few trainers know anything about flexibility. Not having studied flexibility training or using flexibility training themselves, these trainers cannot clear up the confusion about flexibility training. Professionals choose technique and determine what programs to create for their clients through principle-based approaches specific to each client's intended need.
The Movement Specialists at Redefined Fitness explore principles to assess and understand each client's functional flexibility.
The Principles and Strategies used:
Flexibility training today is a bit like strength training -- before strength training gained universal acceptance. Less successful Athletes do not pay attention to flexibility training.
Yet, flexibility begins the foundation of all successful Athletes. Without flexibility the body cannot achieve optimal power, strength, cardiovascular fitness or muscle endurance. Flexibility also helps rehabilitation and injury prevention.
Flexibility training has not gained popularity because so few trainers know anything about flexibility. Not having studied flexibility training or using flexibility training themselves, these trainers cannot clear up the confusion about flexibility training. Professionals choose technique and determine what programs to create for their clients through principle-based approaches specific to each client's intended need.
The Movement Specialists at Redefined Fitness explore principles to assess and understand each client's functional flexibility.
The Principles and Strategies used:
- Understand the individual and the tasks they perform
- Assess movement in three dimensions
- Determine mobility and stability capabilities of the client
Functional Flexibility uses the tasks needed by that client to see that they function better, optimally and efficiently. General stretching (the kind the few that do stretch employ) does not provide the optimal functional outcome.
When you understand the function of the muscles during the tasks you will perform, you can then determine the appropriate stretches to achieve optimal performance.
When a body moves in the real world, it moves in three dimensions. The body changes angles and positions. When the body changes positions function changes. Movement Specialists at Redefined understand how the muscles, fascia, tendons, ligaments, nerves, joint capsules and joints move three-dimensionally during the exact task. Specialists look at how much motion the client needs and how well you perform the motion.
Looking at your motion and stability for your intended task based on your current performance then together we build a strategy to lead you in the right direction as quickly and safely as possible. You will progress through appropriate levels based on your body, mobility and stability for your goals.
Level One: Task Specific
Assess your ability to perform the exact task.
If this produces pain, discomfort, a lack of confidence we create support to assist you in the task.
In three dimensions we assess what happens when the height or angle of the movement changes.
Same discomfort, more or less?
Your Movement Specialist will change your body angles, positions, heights, etc before moving on from your intended task. Together we will find a way to gain success for what you want and need to do.
Level Two: Task with Outside Support
Where you cannot perform the task at the highest level, your Movement Specialist will add outside support or points of stability to the intended function. Outside support such as True Stretch will allow you to position yourself in the specific range of motion that apply authentic drivers. Understanding where your weakest link occurs using the motion-stability principle.
Level Three: Structure Specific
Provides an environment for a structural assessment. Your motion specialist uses the structure to understand the deviation from the exact functional task, to figure out how to achieve the desired outcome.
The exact function dictates how far away from the function is necessary and move into isolated structure to achieve the necessary performance. Function feeds function. Your Movement Specialist will simplify the function to improve your well being. By applying the principles of Applied Functional Science (the convergence of physical, biological and behavioral science) you will understand the meaning of flexibility.
Functional Flexibility recognized you as a whole. By understanding your needs as a whole, we then break down the properties and patterns of your parts. Your Movement Specialist will use Applied Functional Science to help you move better, feel better and perform better.