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An Introduction to Flexibility and Functional Movement by Shaun Fulton The goal of this material is to establish the basis for lifelong functional fitness and long- term flexibility through corrective exercise, as it relates to long term flexibility training, and fundamental pattern reeducation. This class will focus on fundamental movement pattern training as it relates to functional fitness and improvements to motor competency and increases in flexibility.

An Introduction to Flexibility and Functional Movement · and rhythmic motion. In ballistic stretching, momentum of a moving body or limb is used to increase the ROM forcibly. Consequently,

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An Introduction to Flexibility and Functional Movement

by Shaun Fulton

The goal of this material is to establish the basis for lifelong functional fitness and long-

term flexibility through corrective exercise, as it relates to long term flexibility training,

and fundamental pattern reeducation. This class will focus on fundamental movement

pattern training as it relates to functional fitness and improvements to motor competency

and increases in flexibility.

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Physical Fitness, Flexibility, and Functional Fitness

Physical fitness, flexibility, and functional movement are terms widely used by many, too few

individuals properly understand what these terms mean and what how they inter-relate.

Physical Fitness

Physical fitness has been defined as “the ability to carry out daily tasks with vigor and

alertness, without undue fatigue and with ample energy to enjoy leisure-time pursuits and to

meet unforeseen emergencies” [4]. Physical fitness can also be subdivided into components:

“cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular endurance, muscular strength, body composition, and

flexibility” [4]. Each of these components are essential for maintaining a body that can move

without problems when called upon. It is important that when physical fitness is discussed that

all of the components are taken into consideration and not individually in isolation. Isolation will

result in an imbalanced understanding and body.

Flexibility

There are a vast array of definitions of what flexibility is:

“Flexibility is the ability to move muscles and joints through their full ranges of motion”

[1]

o “Static flexibility relates to range of motion (ROM) about a joint with no

emphasis on speed during stretching…”

o “Ballistic flexibility is usually associated with bobbing, bouncing, rebounding,

and rhythmic motion. In ballistic stretching, momentum of a moving body or limb

is used to increase the ROM forcibly. Consequently, the risk of injury is greater”

o “Dynamic or functional flexibility refers to the ability to use a range of joint

movement in the performance of a physical activity at either normal or rapid

speed…Dynamic or functional flexibility directly corresponds to the specificity of

the stretching process as it relates to the activity. Dynamic…flexibility has the

highest correlation to sport achievement”

o “Active flexibility refers to a ROM accomplished by the voluntary use of one’s

muscles without assistance”

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o “Research has proven that flexibility does not exist as a general characteristic but

is specific to a particular joint and joint action”

“Flexibility is the ability to move a joint or a series of joints through a ROM” [10]

o “Relative flexibility considers the comparative mobility at adjacent joints”

“The degree of movement that occurs at a joint is called the range of motion

(ROM)…Flexibility is a measure of ROM and has static and dynamic components” [2]

o “Static flexibility is the range of possible movement about a joint”

o “Dynamic flexibility refers to the available ROM during active movements and

therefore requires voluntary muscular actions.”

o “Dynamic ROM is generally greater than static ROM”

“Flexibility is range of motion around a joint” [3]

Flexibility, for this class will be defined as having sufficient ability to take a joint, or series of

joints, through its appropriate ranges of motion, devoid of pain. The key here is through an

appropriate range of motion. There is an appropriate range of motion for each joint and series of

joints and having too much (hypermobility) or too little (hypomobility) range of motion can

create problems for the individual such as pain, injury, disorders, etc…[8, 13].The problem with

most definitions of flexibility is that, taken alone, everyone should be able to perform the splits

since each joint along the way has enough range of motion. However, this is rarely the case.

This class will go beyond the typical stretching session, one joint at a time, and to re-

educate the body and mind to function the way it was intended. To quote Mark Verstegen, “We

want to improve the long-term mobility and flexibility of muscles. Rather than have them stretch

and go back to where they were…” [25]. It has been known since the 1940’s that if you simply

stretch a muscle without strengthening the opposite muscle group the muscle will return to its

original length [7]. If a muscle is “tight” there is a reason for this and needs to be corrected. This

is the foundation for corrective exercise: creating balance in an unbalanced individual which can

result in better posture and less pain. In short, there is a better way than traditional stretching.

Functional Fitness

Functional fitness, according to the Mayo Clinic, allows you to “train your muscles to

work together and prepare them for daily tasks by simulating common movements you might do

at home, at work or in sports” [23]. WebMD defines functional exercise as “building a body

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capable of doing real-life activities in real-life positions, not just lifting a certain amount of

weight in an idealized posture created by a gym machine. ‘Conventional weight training isolates

muscle groups, but it doesn't teach the muscle groups you're isolating to work with others,’ says

Greg Roskopf, MS, a biomechanics consultant with a company called Muscle Activation

Techniques who has worked with athletes from the Denver Broncos, the Denver Nuggets, and

the Utah Jazz. ‘The key to functional exercise is integration. It's about teaching all the muscles to

work together rather than isolating them to work independently.’ ” [22].

What functional fitness isn’t:

Functional training has received a bad reputation over the past 10 years due to some less than

stellar coaches implementing half conceived training programs to “improve function”. Many of

these are focuses on stability training on unstable surfaces. This is not functional exercise

training and often creates an increased risk for injury by performing exercises that are bizarre in

the name of functional (i.e. squatting on an exercise ball under load), loss of strength, balance,

power, muscle mass, and muscles activation [20].

What functional fitness is:

“Functional exercises tend to be multi-joint, multi-muscle exercises. This type of training,

properly applied, can make everyday activities easier, reduce your risk of injury and improve

your quality of life. Functional exercise training may be especially beneficial as part of a

comprehensive program for older adults to improve balance, agility and muscle strength, and

reduce the risk of falls” [23].

The purpose of this class is then to apply the principles of functional fitness to re-establish motor

patterns and create balance and symmetry. A byproduct of this will be an increase in flexibility.

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Types of Stretching

There are several ways in which one can elongate muscles and connective tissue relative

to stretching. Each has been shown to increase range of motion for the joint being addressed. The

main types of stretching, with their associated definitions are as follows.

Static Stretching – “is a method of stretching in which the muscles and connective tissue

being stretched are held in a stationary position at their greatest possible length for some

period” [9]

Ballistic Stretching – “uses quick movements that impose a rapid change in the length of

muscle or connective tissue” [9]

Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation Stretching – “These techniques seek to

capitalize on the use of the neurophysiologic concept of stretch activation. PNF stretching

techniques use a contract-relax (CR) sequence, an agonist contraction (AC), or a contract-

relax-agonist contraction (CRAC) sequence” [9]

Dynamic Stretching – “is a type of flexibility exercise where the limb is repeatedly taken

through a ROM actively by the participant” [9]

Stretching has been shown to acutely increase flexibility; however is has not been consistently

demonstrated in research to chronically adapt the flexibility of an individual [9].

What is important to note, is that it has been demonstrated that weight training increases

flexibility just as effective as stretching techniques [12]. It has also been shown that foam rolling

is just as effective, if not more, at creating increasing in flexibility as well as the benefits the

individual gets from the massage therapy. The key to understanding the need for stretching is

that there is a reason a particular muscle group is “tight”. Typically, a muscle is tight due to

muscular imbalance or altered reciprocal inhibition. Stretching merely takes a muscle, or group

of muscles, through a range of motion attempting to increase that range. This can attenuate the

muscles length, but does not address the reason for the tightness. Hence, the need for muscle re-

education and movement pattern training to keep the body balanced and incongruence with how

it was designed. Therefore, this class will not spend much time on stretch training in the

traditional sense as it is not as effective in long term attenuation of relative/global flexibility.

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The Janda Approach

Vladimir Janda was a Czech nuerologist, clinician, and researcher, who as a child

suffered from polio. Through his own experiences and work as a researcher/clinician, Dr. Janda

found that the effects of aging and polio were similar to one another. Both of these conditions,

aging and polio, affect the muscular system by either weakening or tightening.

Janda described all movers in the body as either tonic or phasic in nature. Tonic muscles

are desribed as being much older in our neurodevelopmental sequence and are dominant. Futher,

tonic muscles are typically used to ilicit flexion and are prone to tightness. Phasic muscles, on

the other hand, are described as being younger phylogenetically and work as postural stabilizers.

They are also primarily used as extenders and are prone to weakness or inhibition [18]. Below

is a list on tonic and phasic muscles (the ones in bold are the important ones to memorize):

Tonic Muscles Phasic Muscles

Suboccipitals Middle and Lower Trapezius

Pectorals (major and minor) Rhomboids

Upper Trapezius Serratus Anterior

SCM Deep Cervical Flexors

Scalenes Scalenes

Latissimus Dorsi

Upper-extremity flexors and supinators Upper-extremity extensors and supinators

Biceps Triceps

Masitcators Digastricus

Quadratus Lumborum Rectus Abdominus

Thoracolumbar paraspinals Transverse Abdominus

Piriformis Gluteus Maximus

Hip Flexors (Iliosposas and Rectus Femoris) Gluteus Medius/Minimus

Hamstrings Vastus Medialis/Lateralis (Quads as knee extensors)

TFL-IT band Tibialis Anterior

Short hip adductors Peroneals

Triceps surae

Tibialis posterior

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Even though Janda classified muscles in this system, he acknowledged that no muscle is

purely one or the other. When these classified muscles begin to demonstrate their properties, it

can lead to pain and/or dysfunction. The causes of pain can be due to acute trauma that results in

an abnormal movement pattern, muscles imbalances, lifestyle contributions (stress, fatigue, lack

of movement/variety of movement, or biomechanical mechanisms [18].

Dan John, an international lecturer and world reknown strength and conditioning coach,

spoke on Janda’s work as this: stretch what’s tightening and strengthen what’s weakening. If we

simpley stretch the muscle that is tight, without reeducating the muscle that is weak, there will be

no long term change for that muscle: there is a reason that muscle was tight in the first place.

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The Joint-by-joint approach by Gray Cook

Gray Cook, a physical therapist, author,

and certified strength and conditioning coach,

discusses movement in a terms of mobility and

stability. “Mobility is a broader concept [(than

flexibility: the ability to elongate a muscle)] and

involves the muscle and joint. Mobility is also

more inclusive when describing freedom of

movement… stability is the ability to control force

or movement. In most cases, stability is a precursor

to strength” [6]. These concepts, mobility and

stability, are then applied to the body as a whole, or more specifically, to each major joint

structure. Cook determined that each joint has a function as related to the joints in proximity to

itself: mobility or stability. Below is a list of the joint-by-joint approach with its needs:

Joint Primary Needs

Ankle Mobility

Knee Stability

Hip Mobility

Lumbar Spine Stability

Thoracic Spine Mobility

Scapula Stability

Gleno-humeral Mobility

The purpose of this list is to aid the practitioner in assessing the needs for each client. It is

also important to understand dysfunction. In the body, if one of these joint’s needs is reversed the

rest of the kinetic chain can be compromised and dysfunction becomes the result. For example, if

the hips become stable and movement is needed, the low back will become the place for

movement leading to an unstable joint and ultimately pain. This joint-by-joint approach is

important to understand for its relationship to movement patterns and how movement is learned

and should be performed.

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Movement Patterns and Functional Movement

Contrary to popular belief you cannot confuse a muscle; muscles can only do one thing:

PULL! That’s it, they pull. Muscles can be classified in the following ways of how they interact

in the system of the body: agonist, antagonist, etc… For the purposes of class we will label

muscles as either flexors or extenders. In the early 1970’s a researcher by the name of Dr.

Richard Schmidt began to publish literature on motor control/learning in humans, more

specifically how we as humans learn to move. Schmidt developed the most widely held construct

on human movement: schema theory. A schema is a set of rules that constitute a mental labeling

system. For example, you see a four legged fury animal with a wagging tail and someone tells

you that this is a dog, you now have a general schema for what a dog is. Schema learning works

by first choosing a generalized motor program, or GMP, and then adding the context specific

parameters that are needed to perform the task at that time [19]. A GMP is a general

classification for movements that hold a unique set of characteristics between trials [19]. From

the GMP movement is refined and new motor programs/schema are created for each desired

groupings of movement. It is these GMP that are the basis for all human movement. There have

been many strength and conditioning coaches and researchers that have taken these GMP

principles and have labeled them for movement classifications: Dan John, Mark Verstegen,

Alwyn Cosgrove, Paul Chek, Gray Cook, Mike Boyle, Dr. Stuart McGill, etc… These

classifications are as follows:

Push - A push can be defined as the ability of the upper body to exert force away from

the body. An example would be bench press. The GMP is pushing, the refined schema

would then be a barbell bench press.

Pull – A pull can be defined as the ability of the upper body to exert force toward the

body. An example of this would be a bent over row. The GMP is pulling, the refined

schema would then be the bent over row.

Squat – A squat can be defined as maximal hip and maximal knee flexion or the ability of

the lower body to exert force vertically pushing away from the ground. Some also

classify this as a lower body push. An example of this would be the barbell back squat.

The GMP is squatting, the refined schema would then be the barbell squat.

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Hinge – A hinge can be defined as maximal hip with minimal knee flexion or the ability

of the lower body to exert force pulling the load off of the ground. Some also classify this

as a lower body pull. An example of this would be a deadlift. The GMP is hinging/ lower

body pulling, the refined schema would be the deadlift.

Rotation/Anti-Rotation – A rotational movement would be considered a twist, throw,

etc… An anti-rotational movement would be resisting that movement. An example of an

ant-rotational movement would be a one arm dumbbell bench press; the body wants to

rotate due to the load, but the body must resist the rotation.

Loaded Carry – The ability to carry load for distance or time is an important component

for movement. Carrying rocks, logs, animals, children are all essential for growth and

development of humans. It is also a valuable training tool that works the entire body. An

example of this would be a farmers’ walk.

Ground work – Ground work encompasses any movement that requires one to have

integrity with the environment around them. The last classification is an important one

during maturation and during aging. When children are born they explore the world

around them by rolling, rocking, crawling, etc… These movements are important both to

develop the muscular system but also the nervous system. It is also important for older

adults to be able to get to and from the ground as falls are one of the greatest predictors

for mortality rates in America. These type of movements have been shown to decrease

the effects of learning disabilities, stroke victims, and autism as well as helping

individuals move and feel better. Ground work also consists of using the upper

extremities to create movement like monkey bars or climbing a rope. Examples of ground

work are: Turkish get-ups, brachiating, crawling, etc…

It is important to note that each of the main movement patterns (push, pull, squat, hinge,

rotational/anti-rotational, loaded carries) can all be performed both bilaterally and unilaterally.

One of the main reasons to utilize unilateral training is due to the phenomenon of bilateral

deficient. Bilateral deficient is, in essence, a reduced capacity of a two limbed activity when

compared to a combined one arm activity [11]. This is mostly seen in activities a standing

position. An example of this is an over-head press. If an individual can press with each arm 100

pounds, they typically cannot press 200 pounds with both arms at the same time. Dan John

explained it this way: “If you are pressing, you have two legs, one back, and two arms. The

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limiting factor is how much your back can handle. That is why you can press more each arm

combined at a time than you can both at the same time.” Performing both unilateral and bilateral

exercises also challenges the body in different ways and provides opportunity for better form

depending on the needs of the individual. Both should be utilized in a balanced program.

This class will facilitate mobility in the joints that need to be mobile, stabilize the ones that

should be stable, stretch what’s tightening, strengthen what’s weakening, and train the

fundamental human movement patterns (GMPs).

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Training the Core [16, 17]

There are many myths, half-truths, and full lies about proper core training. Dr. Stuart

McGill is the world expert in low back disorders, this section is a brief synthesis of his material

found on his website www.backfitpro.com and his books/articles. This section will attempt to

give a brief understanding of what the research demonstrates, as well as safe practices for

increasing core strength and endurance.

The core, for our purposes, can be defined as everything from the shoulders to the knees

in 3600. The main purpose of the rectus abdominus is to resist hyper-extension, not to crunch.

Flexion, repetitive and loaded, may result in disc herniation or prolapse and pain. This is

something to avoid and yet walk into most gyms and you will find many individuals performing

crunches, which is a mechanism of injury! There is a difference between flexion movement and

flexion moment. Flexion movement is the act of moving the spine forward. Flexion moment

occurs by the core having to create enough strength to resist that movement. Both are healthy to

perform, especially unloaded, however repeated and cumulative flexion movement results in

trauma that leads to injury. This occurs by each cycle of flexion on the spine straining the layers

of collagen in the spinal discs resulting delamination. Each individual is different in the amount

of load and cycles to cause injury. However, the greater the load and cycles the faster a disc

bulge will occur. It is this cumulative and compounding effect that many misunderstand and lash

out against the science of proper core training.

Here are some examples of poor core exercise selections and their effects on the body:

Exercise Effect

Back Extension 6000 N of compressive force

Bent Leg Sit Up 3350 N of compressive force

Straight Leg Sit Up 3506 N of compressive force

Hanging Bent Leg Raise 3313 N of compressive force

Curl up on ball 4000 N of compressive force

Prone Superman 4300 N of compressive force

*It must be noted that the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health has placed a cap

on movement load for individuals at 3400N per cycle.

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Most people with low back pain lack sufficient core muscle endurance and not strength.

Recently Childs et al. performed a study comparing sit-ups versus core stabilization exercises in

training as an exercise intervention to improve the sit-up test in the military. It was found that

those only performing sit-ups at the beginning and end of the 16 week study for testing while

performing the core stabilization exercises had the highest re-test numbers when compared to the

group who practiced sit-ups for the duration of the study [5]. This speaks to the value of flexion

moment training versus movement training.

Core training should focus on flexion moment endurance training. The four key goals for

creating proper core function are: to create proximal stiffness and stability for distal athleticism,

to create a guy wire system to facilitate successful load bearing, stiffness eliminates micro-

movements in the joints that lead to pain and tissue degeneration, and to build body armor.

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Self-Myofascial Release

Self-Myofascial Release (SMFR) is a method of massage therapy that individuals can

perform alone or with the aid of a partner. This is why many refer to it as the “poor man’s

massage”. The most widely used item for SMFR is a foam roller: a 36” long 6” in diameter piece

of hard foam, or pvc pipe covered in a thin layer of foam and clothe. Other items that are used

for SMFR are: The Stick, Tiger Tails, lacrosse ball, golf ball, softball, baseball, etc… The

purpose/goal of SMFR is to correct muscle imbalances, alleviate muscle soreness, relieve joint

stress, improve neuromuscular efficiency, improve range of motion, and restores proper balance

to soft tissue [14]. The SMFR technique involves small movements back and forth over a SMFR

tool beginning at one end of the area and going to the other. This applies pressure to the

treatment area, which then provides a stretch to the tissue and generates friction. This friction

heats the tissue up which results in fibrous adhesion break up and a restoration of soft-tissue

extensibility [15]. Foam rolling has been demonstrated to increase flexibility without decreasing

contractile properties or performance ability [15, 24]. Typically, individuals should practice

SMFR prior and post exercise, it can also be done throughout the day as needed.

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Warm-Ups

Imagine, for a moment, that each muscle in your body is a rubber band. Now consider what

happens to a rubber band when it is cold outside and it is put on stretch. The band will snap! This

is the reason that prior to exercise we should attempt to increase the blood flow and temperature

of the muscles to prevent the bands from breaking. There are two main ways of increasing

core/body temperature: active and passive. Active warmups are most easily seen in sport where

the components include: increase in pulse rate, dynamic flexibility drills, muscle activation drills,

etc… Whereas a passive warmup would include things like steam room, hot shower, sauna,

etc… In this class we will be following an active warmup prescription.

An active warmup should include the following components:

Increases the core temperature / increase the pulse [21, 26]

Activates the nervous system [26]

Lengthens, strengthens, stabilizes, and balances muscles [26]

o Mobilize the muscles and dynamic stretch and movement based-flexibility[21]

Prepares you for more challenging movements [21, 26]

Muscle re-education

Movement pattern re-education

For most individuals the emphasis for muscle re-education should be focused on the things we sit

on constantly, our glutes, and what has been named and renamed over the past forty or so years,

our core which consists of everything from our shoulders to our knees and in all 3600. In this

class the warm-up will generally consist of the following:

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WARM-UPS

Movement Load Reasoning

Crocodile breathing x5 Re-establish diaphragmatic breathing

Rolling x3ea Enhance core stability, rotational function,

and overall function of the upper and lower

extremities

Rocking w/head nod 2x5 Aide in finding proper squat mechanics and

CNS reset

Crawling 2x5 Shoulder health, improve core functioning,

restoration of movement

Six point t-spine rotation x5ea Improve thoracic mobility

Prone Batwings x5 10 sec Strength rhomboids

Shoulder taps x10ea Core strength

Rolling TGU x5ea Connecting the core

Glute bridges x10 Strength glutes

World's greatest stretch x3ea Stretch hip flexors, hamstrings, thoracic

mobility

Inch Worm x5 Shoulder and Core strength, hamstring

stretch

Windmill 3x5 Hip and thoracic mobility

SL RDL x5ea Hip mobility

Goblet squat 3x5 Patterning of squat

Marching Suitcase Carry 3x5ea Movement restoration and stabilization of

core

Bulgarian goat bag swings 3x5 Patterning of hinge

Add halos or kb arm-bars on days where pressing is utilized

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Recommended Reading

Author

Title

Dan John

Intervention: Course Corrections for the Athlete and Coach

Never Let Go

Fat Loss Happens on Monday

Mike Boyle Functional Training for Sports

Advances in Functional Training

Gray Cook Athletic Body in Balance

Movement

Mark Verstegen Core Performance (series)

Every Day is Game Day

Stuart McGill Low Back Disorders

Ultimate Back Fitness and Performance

Allan Collins The Complete Guide to Functional Training

Tim Anderson and Geoff Nupert Original Strength

STAC 125 - Flexibility and Functional Fitness

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Basic Anatomy

Muscles to know:

http://health-and-fitness- it- is.com/muscular-anatomy-physiology

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Basic Anatomy

Bones to know:

http://www.tutorvista.com/science/diagram-of- internal-organs

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Works Cited

1. Alter, M.J., Sport stretch. 1998: Human Kinetics. 2. Baechle, T.R. and R.W. Earle, Essentials of strength training and conditioning. Vol. 7.

2008: Human kinetics Champaign, IL.

3. Boyle, M., Advances in functional training. 2012: On Target Publications. 4. Caspersen, C.J., K.E. Powell, and G.M. Christenson, Physical activity, exercise, and

physical fitness: definitions and distinctions for health-related research. Public health reports, 1985. 100(2): p. 126.

5. Childs, J.D., et al., Effects of sit-up training versus core stabilization exercises on sit-up

performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 2009. 41(11): p. 2072-2083. 6. Cook, G., Athletic body in balance. 2003: Human Kinetics Publishers.

7. Cureton, T.K., Flexibility as an aspect of physical fitness. Research Quarterly. American Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation, 1941. 12(sup2): p. 381-390.

8. Engelbert, R.H., et al., Exercise tolerance in children and adolescents with

musculoskeletal pain in joint hypermobility and joint hypomobility syndrome. Pediatrics, 2006. 118(3): p. e690-e696.

9. Hall, C.M. and L.T. Brody, Therapeutic exercise. Moving Towards Function 2nd edition. Page-363, 2012.

10. Hall, C.M., et al., Therapeutic exercise: moving toward function. 1999: Lippincott

Williams & Wilkins Philadelphia. 11. Kuruganti, U., T. Murphy, and T. Pardy, Bilateral deficit phenomenon and the role of

antagonist muscle activity during maximal isometric knee extensions in young, athletic men. European journal of applied physiology, 2011. 111(7): p. 1533-1539.

12. Leite, T., et al., INFLUENCE OF STRENGTH AND FLEXIBILITY TRAINING,

COMBINED OR ISOLATED, ON STRENGTH AND FLEXIBILITY GAINS. Journal of strength and conditioning research/National Strength & Conditioning Association, 2014.

13. Lewkonia, R., Hypermobility of joints. Archives of disease in childhood, 1987. 62(1): p. 1.

14. MacDonald, G.Z., et al., Foam rolling as a recovery tool after an intense bout of physical

activity. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 2014. 46(1): p. 131-142. 15. MacDonald, G.Z., et al., An acute bout of self-myofascial release increases range of

motion without a subsequent decrease in muscle activation or force. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 2013. 27(3): p. 812-821.

16. McGill, S., Low back disorders: evidence-based prevention and rehabilitation. 2007:

Human Kinetics. 17. McGill, S., Ultimate back fitness and performance. 2009: Backfitpro Incorporated.

18. Page, P., C. Frank, and R. Lardner, Assessment and treatment of muscle imbalance: the Janda approach. 2010: Human Kinetics.

19. Schmidt, R.A. and T. Lee, Motor Control and Learning, 5E. 2011: Human kinetics.

20. Schoenfeld, B., Is functional training really functional. ACSM Certified News, 2010. 20(3): p. 5-6.

21. Scrivener, R., Warm-ups under the microscope. NSCA’s Performance Training Journal, 2010. 9(1): p. 8-17.

22. Shaw, G. Working Out for Real Life Functions. 2003; Available from:

http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/working-out- for-real-life-functions?page=2.

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23. Staff, M.C. Functional fitness training: Is it right for you? 2014; Available from: http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy- living/fitness/in-depth/functional- fitness/art-

20047680?pg=1. 24. Sullivan, K.M., et al., ROLLER‐MASSAGER APPLICATION TO THE HAMSTRINGS

INCREASES SIT‐AND‐REACH RANGE OF MOTION WITHIN FIVE TO TEN

SECONDS WITHOUT PERFORMANCE IMPAIRMENTS. International journal of sports physical therapy, 2013. 8(3): p. 228.

25. Verstegen, M. and P. Williams, The Core Performance: The Revolutionary Workout Program to Transform Your Body & Your Life. 2005: Rodale.

26. Verstegen, M. and P. Williams, Every Day is Game Day: The Proven System of Elite

Performance to Win All Day Every Day. 2014, 375 Hudson Street New York, New York 10014: Penguin Group.