Dave Schmitz

The emphasis on developing strength and cardiovascular conditioning is often provided far more attention than the area of dynamic flexibility.  Yet in function, if an athlete can not neuromuscularly lengthen, they are not able to optimally load, which in turn means they are not going to produce the force needed to explode.  

Flexibility training has long been looked upon as that necessary evil you as a coach or athlete felt compelled to do prior to practice or an athletic event. Remember those painful, contortionistic positions that were suppose to warm you up and prepare you for competition while helping prevent injury. Well there are better ways to lengthen out the body and traditional flexibility is definitely not the answer. 

Flexibility is often misunderstood simply because the terms are not well understood.

Anatomical Range of Motion is defined as the range of motion (ROM) available to a particular joint.

Functional Range of Motion is the ROM of a particular joint an athlete optimally needs to perform movement

Traditional Flexibility is the maximum a muscle can passively be lengthened to without functional influence of gravity, momentum or ground reaction forces

Dynamic flexibility is the maximum length a muscle can neuromuscularly lengthen in all 3 planes of motion as a result of gravity, momentum and ground reaction forces.

Instability is excessive ROM at a particular joint that is not neuromuscularly controlled and creates excessive stress to ligaments and joint soft tissue leading to potential injury.

Traditional flexibility training is often characteristic of long holds and slow gradual movement performed in non-functional athletic positions that do not replicate athletic movement or require a need for stabilization. In dynamic flexband stretching, long hold and slow movement is replace with aggressive overpressure stretching performed in a controlled highly active contract -- relax exercise,  repeated 10-15  times in multiple joint positions.  Dynamic flexband stretching maximizes muscle length by challenging the individual to work hard against a resistance and than allow an accommodating elastic band to take them further into the range of motion

 Dynamic flexibility is obtained 2 ways.  Some athletes need to perform active assisted overpressure, through the use of accommodating elastic resistance, to maximize joint ROM and muscle length.   Than utilizing fundamental movement patterns, such as lunges, squats, walking, crawling, and reaching, the athlete retrains the body to neurologically begin to control this newly gained muscle length and joint ROM.     

So exactly when is the best time to incorporate traditional vs. dynamic flexibility?

Is one method more effective than the other?

Can someone be too flexible?

Is being "tight" necessarily bad? 

These are questions as a coach or trainer you want to know so you can provide your athletes with the best option to gain flexibility.  It has been shown that traditional stretching programs relax the muscle and decrease neuromuscular response time. This is exactly what an athlete involved in high speed change of direction sports does not want occurring prior to competition or practice. Dynamic flexibility with a gradual increase in speed and intensity, while not sacrificing control, will excite the nervous system and prepare the athlete more effectively for competition.  Traditional stretching still has its place at the end of practice, when the body temperature is high and muscles are fatigued. These are exactly what you want in order for the muscle tissue to effective elongate and go into a state of relaxation.

Traditional flexibility training  may increase joint ROM. Dynamic flexibility training creates increased ROM along with increased trunk stabilization strength, improved movement coordination, and excitement of the neuromuscular system. Also because dynamic flexibility training requires constant movement and muscle contraction, individuals perceive it as part of the workout and not just something they have to do prior to their actual workout.

I often refer to increasing flexibility as your body's way of increasing its' "margin for error". "Tight" athletes have a very small "margin for error" and can subsequently be more prone to injury if awkward movements that require greater ROM should occur.  Athletes that compete in high velocity movement sports like football, soccer, wrestling, basketball must develop optimal functional ROM and dynamic flexibility in all 3 planes of motion, not just one plane, in order to avoid gravity, momentum and ground reaction forces from taking them beyond their joint or muscle end range.  Continual pressure applied at the end range of motion will lead to overuse microtrauma or potential acute tearing of ligament or tendon soft tissue.  In other words, the greater their dynamic flexibility and functional ROM, the less likely they will be stressing their joint or muscle integrity.

"Loose" athletes have a greater "margin for error" with regards to range of motion but often demonstrate poor muscle deceleration control.   Therefore as a result of momentum, gravity, and ground reaction, "loose" athletes take their joints beyond normal anatomical ROM and predispose the joint and surrounding soft tissues to excessive strain and potential injury because they can not decelerate the movement.   In this case aggressive over pressure stretching is not the answer but rather incorporate functional movement retraining that create neuromuscular control with gradual muscle lengthening.

Ideally an athlete wants the ability to dynamically stretch the joint beyond what will be needed in their athletic event so the joints never reach full end range.   A gymnast, football player or marathoner will not require the same need for dynamic flexibility training within their overall training program.  However any athlete that is required to change directions quickly and spontaneously definitely needs to maximize their dynamic flexibility and not just slowly lengthen out.  There is nothing slow about sports like football, basketball, soccer, tennis, or baseball.  Your approach to flexibility needs to replicate that type of spontaneous movement.

In part II of this article, I will cover ways to create fun and effective dynamic flexibility programs that can be used as an individual or team warm-ups. 

Download the complete article here: