Benefits of Flexibility and Importance of Flexibility in Sports
Increase the range of motion in a joint:
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It improves sports performance by decreasing the chance of injury and improving form. It also improves body awareness, especially proprioception, which is how you sense your body. Try using a foam roller to increase flexibility. It is cheap and easy to use.
To ease muscle tightness, lie down on it and move back and forth over the target area for about 30 seconds. You can use it on your hamstrings, quads, calves, glutes, and hip flexors.
Improve coordination:
Flexibility is also necessary to perform any movement efficiently. Consider running, for example; if you are very inflexible, you will probably run with a lot of tension in your body, which, over time, could cause injury.
However, if you are flexible, you can move efficiently and perform any movement without wasting unnecessary energy or effort that could lead to injury, especially in the areas where the joints meet, such as the hips.
Increased blood flow flexibility is necessary for your blood vessels to expand and contract as needed.
Increase muscle recovery time. Flexibility is necessary for each muscle to elongate and return to its resting state without stiffness or tension. If you are inflexible, it takes much longer for your muscles to recover after a workout. This can significantly affect your ability to return quickly to your everyday activities.
Increasing energy level flexibility is important because when you are inflexible, your muscles have to work much harder to perform simple movements such as walking. To compensate for this extra effort, your body starts using more energy, thus making you feel tired sooner.
When it comes to helping the body function at its best, all body systems must be in good working order. One such system is the musculoskeletal system, which comprises the skeletal muscles and bones.
When this system works optimally, everything from day-to-day activities to high-level sports performance can benefit. One of the most critical factors in keeping this system working at its best is maintaining flexibility.
Maintaining Flexibility:
Unfortunately, it’s common for adults to lose flexibility as they age. However, getting enough exercise that challenges your body’s range of motion can help keep you flexible even if you are over 30. Just like any muscle in your body, exercising your muscles and joints can help them maintain their flexibility.
Getting enough exercise that challenges the range of motion in your significant joints is essential for maintaining flexibility, especially as you age. Your hips, shoulders, ankles, and wrists are some of the more critical areas to focus on when maintaining flexibility. And not surprisingly, these areas can be more prone to stiffness and discomfort as you age if they aren’t exercised regularly.
Several different exercises will help keep your range of motion healthy. For example:
Walking:
While it’s often considered a simple activity, walking requires a lot of movement at the hips, ankles, and knees. Daily exercise is also one of the simplest ways to get fit. Make sure you walk with good form to get the most out of it.
Lunges:
Lunges are a great way to strengthen your legs while increasing flexibility in your hips and ankles. A basic lunge involves moving the leg you want to exercise out in front of your body, bending both knees until they are at a 90-degree angle, and returning to a standing position.
Swimming:
Swimming is a great way to get a full-body workout while increasing flexibility. It can benefit people who have trouble with other types of exercises due to physical limitations. To make swimming even more effective, try doing some dolphin kicks at the end of your stroke motion.
Yoga is another great option for increasing flexibility because it focuses on slow, controlled movements that are less likely to cause injury. It can also help you learn proper body alignment, which is key for maintaining flexibility.
Certain types of stretching exercises will help keep you flexible. One of the most important things to remember when exercising or stretching is to make sure your movements are slow and controlled. This helps avoid injury and decreases the risk of triggering any muscle spasm, which can tighten your muscles.
One of the most effective ways of increasing flexibility is proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation or PN. This type of stretch involves using a partner to apply resistance at specific points throughout the exercise, which helps improve its effectiveness.
The basic outline involves stretching for about 10 seconds, relaxing for about five to eight seconds, and then having a partner apply resistance for another 10 seconds. The process should be repeated two or three times.
Mental benefits of flexibility:
1. decreased anxiety
2. increased confidence
3. better concentration and memory recall
4. improved workout performance and endurance
5. injury prevention of muscles, joints, tendons, ligaments & spine
6. increased energy levels throughout the day
7 . reduces the risk of chronic diseases
8 . reduced stress levels
9. less tiredness in the day
10. greater calm in mind
Benefits of flexibility in the Workplace:
1. increased productivity
2. more excellent team spirit, morale, and engagement
3. improved health & wellbeing of employees
4. faster problem solving/reaction time
5. increased creativity among employees
6 . reduced absenteeism / high turnover rates
7. lower healthcare costs to the company due to ergonomic seating & workstations
8. increase morale and creativity among employees
9. increased productivity of team members
increased profits for the company due to:
1. increased workforce effectiveness and engagement
2. reduced absenteeism / high turnover rates
3. improved morale & creativity in the workplace
4 . increased team spirit, morale & engagement
5. increase in productivity of team members
6. less tiredness among the workforce (improved concentration & energy levels)
7 . faster problem-solving / reaction times
8. reduced healthcare costs to the company due to ergonomic workstations
9. increased profits for the company due to higher workforce effectiveness and engagement
10. more incredible speed and accuracy of all employees
How to improve flexibility:
1. breathing exercises & meditation
2. conscious muscle relaxation
3 . yoga/pilates
4 . stretching after a workout (stretching immediately before workouts can be detrimental to performance)
5. dynamic stretches (before workouts ) / static stretches
6. drinking enough water during the day to stay hydrated (most important)
7. adequate protein intake
8. correct posture at all times
9. sleep & fasting during the day to improve muscle recovery and repair
10. Stress management during the day is used to reduce anxiety levels, increase calmness of mind, and promote better sleep at night.
Importance of flexibility in sports:
1. decreased risk of injury
2. increased speed and power due to improved ability to utilize a more excellent range of motion
3 . improved balance, agility, coordination, and timing
4. increased endurance due to increased lung capacity from better oxygen utilization
5. improved workout performance and output
6. decreased stress on muscles & joints
7. greater mental focus and concentration due to increased relaxation during training sessions
8. improved sports performance and output
9. less likely to get injured
10. more incredible speed and power in bouts and training sessions due to increased range of motion & flexibility.