Ever wonder what true flexibility is and why it matters to your health?

Flexibility is a key component of physical fitness, but lots of folks don't understand what it is. They think you need to be a contortionist to be flexible. Fortunately that is not true!

It's the ability to move a  joint through its full range of motion. "Full range of motion" means the average range possible for the majority of humans. NOT the extreme ranges that some people obtain through training or natural hypermobility.

Flexible Joints

A joint is the space where 2 bones meet. The shape of those bones helps determine what directions of movement can happen at the joint

Consider your elbow versus your hip joint, they both can move but  do so in different ranges and directions. The possibilities are determined by the shape of the bones where they connect.

Each individual also has specific possibilities inherent in their unique body. So my hip range of motion not might match yours, even if we both train and work on increasing our hip flexibility. We just might have different ranges because our bones or connective tissue are shaped differently.

Why Flexibility Matters

Being able to move through your full range of motion has important fitness and health consequences. For instance, you need shoulder flexibility to be able to reach something on a tall shelf. Or you need to be able to fully move your hips, knees, and ankles to do a lunge properly and safely. Lastly, life is a whole lot easier when you can bend over and put on your shoes.

Join me in this episode to discuss all things flexibility!

In this episode we'll discuss:

• Details on what flexibility is
• How you can know if you're flexible
• Why it's important to your physical well-being
• How it relates to holistic wellness

Want to know more about all the components of physical fitness? Check out episode 8.

And let me know what you think about flexibility, and if it's something that you're currently trying to improve. Comment below!