Superhero Workout Series: Flexibility Like Mr. Fantastic

I know what you’re thinking, No John Krasinski (Jim Halpert) has not been casted as Mr. Fantastic of the Fantastic Four for Marvel Studios but although it would be great.

Or maybe you’re thinking, what’s the difference between flexibility and mobility? Yesterday’s post was all about mobility and moving like Spider-Man. But there are differences with flexibility.

Flexibility

• The range of motion in a given joint you have when someone moves your joint.
• The ability of your soft tissue to stretch
• Can be described as length of a muscle

Mobility

• The range of motion in a given joint you have when you move your joint.
• The ability for you to move through a range of motion under control
  • Mobility is influenced by the nervous system and motor control
• Can be described as how a joint moves

With that being said, while Mr. Fantastic can move stretch like no one else’s business when he fights evil.

The benefits of having improved flexibility can be similar to that of having improved mobility.

• Can help you become a stronger athlete
• Can help improve your durability as an athlete and help prevent injuries
• Can help improve your recovery
• Can help improve your mobility

As previously mentioned in other posts, these stretches aren’t the only stretches out there. They won’t work for everyone in the pursuit to improve their flexibility. Since flexibility is a passive response, improving your flexibility is not limited to just stretching other modalities such as:

• Foam Rolling
• Tennis Ball/Lacrosse Ball Rolling
• Massage Therapy
• EMS/TENS

Start with three to four rounds of 15 seconds. You don’t want to stretch into pain or push past a bony block. You need to start with what you have and work into it. Eventually you can work a day of stretching into your workout routine and build up to four or five sets of 45-60 seconds or better yet work Yoga into your training routine.

Pigeon Pose

Downward Dog

Hip Flexor Stretch

• Make sure you are not arching your low back
• Push forward with your hip and not through your low back

Posterior Chain Stretch

Happy Stretching. Remember we are looking to change of the muscles and influence the length of the muscle. It’g going to take time, but the benefits certainly are worth the investment. Stretch like Mr. Fantastic!