In general, people have the impression that flexibility = stretching. That flexibility is just as simple as stretching your muscles in order to lengthen them to get a bigger range of motion. People misconceive that after stretching, we can relax our muscles, and by doing this, prevent our injuries. This is what we have been taught, educated by press, articles and books in the fitness field. There is a long-standing misunderstanding of what flexibility is all about. FLEXIBILITY ≠ STRETCHING Flexibility Flexibility, (“flex” means “bend”, or ability to bend) as a bio-motor capacity, is the ability of your joints to…

I often hear long discussions about muscles, fibers, and their functions. And I can’t help but wonder – are people talking about doing something, or are they just talking about anatomy? If your goal is to study anatomy or satisfy a scientific curiosity, then exploring muscles, tissues, and fibers makes perfect sense. But if you are an athlete or a coach, that kind of knowledge, while interesting, will not make you better at your craft. Curiosity is natural, but practical application is what truly matters. Types of ‘Knowing’ In sport and training, there are things we need to know and…

What is muscle elasticity? If you were to stretch a muscle you would see it shrink back a bit. In plain words, it’s a natural ability to recover to original form upon the removal of the force initially applied. In physical activity it is the ability of muscles to perform work, specifically, to contract rapidly after and immediately prior to extension. A human body is a mix of physics, geometry, psychology and all that good stuff, so we should not talk about muscles and their function as separate from the whole. Muscles are a part of our entire system, and…

Calf soreness is a rather common occurrence but not a standard one by any means. Some get it and others don’t.