Brian Grasso graduated from the Fitness Management Program at George Brown College in 1997. As a professional in the sport and fitness industries, Brian has had an extremely diverse and successful career. He served as a conditioning coach at the High Performance Specialists in Toronto, and was later promoted to Director of Football Operations. As an expert in the realm of athletic development, Brian has presented lectures and seminars on the concepts of functional conditioning to various athletic based organizations and has also been published in various athletic based magazines throughout North America and Europe. For further information on Brian and the products and services he offers go to www.developingathletics.com.
Flexibility – Are We Hurting Kids?
Flexibility remains a mysterious avenue within the sport industry, cluttered with myths, half-truths and opinion. Questions purvey in many trainers’, coaches’, and parents’ minds as to the type of flexibility training one should perform, when they should perform it, and for how long. Of critical importance to this conundrum is the young player, and how flexibility training should be applied to this demographic. This article will not answer every question you may have, but it will shed some light on a few key points.
The scope of confusion regarding flexibility can be seen when considering the assessment tools most commonly used to test a players suppleness. The standard ‘sit & reach’ test is most often incorporated into pre-training assessments as the ‘flexibility test’. In fairness, many coaches and trainers I have worked with cite the fact that the sit & reach is an indirect assessment of flexibility at best, and does not give a truly accurate picture as to the ‘global’ suppleness a player may posses considering that flexibility is joint specific. Also, it does not allow us to assess any dynamic qualities, which is important because static flexibility is quite different than dynamic flexibility, and dynamic flexibility is critically more important in soccer.
The degree of flexibility a joint exhibits is not entirely determined by the tightness or pliancy of the muscles that act on that joint. While elasticity of the muscle is a key component to flexibility, so are the elasticity of the corresponding ligaments and even the emotional state of the individual. Additionally, the physical length of a muscle can play a very large role in determining the flexibility or ROM of a joint. Muscle length is largely determined by genetics, but can also be positively influenced through strength training. This certainly contradicts a common myth that strength or resistance training INHIBITS flexibility. Furthermore, as the elasticity of a muscle reduces with age (which we generally accept as true), strength training can also positively influence this concern. Yes… Strength training has a positive impact on flexibility and suppleness! In fact, when working with younger players, basic static stretching habits can increase the length of a ligament and lead to joint instability. This can lead to poor posture and increased dependence on muscles for joint stability. Strength and flexibility (through full ROM) must work hand-in-hand to ensure optimal development and decreased injury occurrence.
In terms of young players, flexibility develops in correspondence with growth. In terms of training, type, frequency and duration also change with age –
Ages 6 – 10:
Hip and shoulder mobility declines, resulting in the need for dynamic ROM exercises within these two joints (multidirectional raises and rotations). Maximum flexibility of the spine is reached by the age of 8 or 9 – increases beyond normal ROM can be made, but is unnecessary and considered potentially harmful.
Within this age group, STATIC STRETCHING SHOULD BE AVOIDED. Excitement within the nervous system is much more pronounced than inhibition, which means that kids this age cannot truly execute a held stretch. They cannot gain the appropriate feedback from their body needed to ensure the safety and optimal effectiveness of the stretch.
Additionally, Isometric stretches (as found in Yoga), should also be avoided completely in this age category. These kinds of stretches may increase the resting tone of a muscle, which can negatively affect movement skill and coordination. Remember – Fitness fads come and go, but the critical science of athletic development and human physiology is what it is. Yoga has its place to be sure (although I know many skeptics who disagree with that), but coordination and movement MUST dominate this age bracket.
Ages 10 – 13:
Children incur gains of body mass at a quicker rate than gains in height at this age, which leads to an increase in strength. Flexibility training should intensify in this age category. Increases in strength and changes in body mass can combine and lead to poor biomechanical habits – most critically in not using full ROM during movement. Ensure that kids incorporate full ROM, dynamic exercises into their training.
Ages 13 – 15:
Height can increase as much as one inch per month during the growth spurt. Muscles and supporting connective tissue do not grow as quickly as bone, which can result in general pain throughout the body. Flexibility training can and should target the areas most prone to pain – this would include quadriceps, hamstrings and muscles of the lower lumbar spine specifically. Poor posture, reduced movement skill and injury are all potential concerns of rapid growth, but can be limited with appropriate flexibility habits.
Ages 15+:
Now is the time to start adding sport-specific means of flexibility training into a players routine.
Flexibility, especially with young players, is not at all just a matter of“stretching out” before or after practice. Hope this article shed some light on a few things for you!
Resources:
Drabik, Joseph, Children & Sports Training, 1996
Siff, Mel, Supertraining, 2000