Wednesday, 19 November 2014

Flexibility

Flexibility is the range of movement across a joint. Many activities require good flexibility and having good flexibility prevents injury by reducing the chance of straining or pulling a muscle.
Flexibility can be static or dynamic.

A gymnast is holding her body still in a balance.

Static flexibility involves holding part of the body still, at its full range of movement. For example holding a balance in gymnastics.

Athlete performing in high jump

Dynamic flexibility uses the full range of movement across a joint, where a fast action is used but not held. For example arching your back during a high jump.

Benefits of flexibility to performance in activities

Able to stretch my leg/arm out to tackle/reach the ball/win the rebound.
Able to link movements together smoothly.
Reduce risk of injury when stretching.

Lower body stretching exercises

Hip/groin - I raised my knee up to waist height and then swivelled/rotated it fully around to the side, 10 times.
Quadriceps – Standing on my right foot, I bent my left leg behind, using both hand I gently pulled my leg up and close to my body. I made sure I kept my knees together and I held this for 10-20 seconds.

Upper body stretching exercises

Shoulders - With straight-arms I swung/rotated my arms around 360 degrees, 10 times.
Triceps – I bent my right arm over my head, reaching it down my back. I placed my left hand on my right elbow and gently pressed my right arm further down by back. Held for 10-20 seconds.

Lower body stretching exercise to improve skill or technique

Activity – Athletics
Skill/technique - hurdling
I went into a hurdling position with one leg out in front and the other bent out to the side on the ground and stretched forward for 10 seconds

Upper body stretching exercise to improve skill or technique

Activity – Basketball
Skill/technique – Javelin pass
I held/pulled my arm back fully in the javelin pass position and gently pressed back.

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