Flexibility and Body Composition

Group 4
What is Flexibility?
Flexibility is defined by Gummerson as "the absolute range of movement in a joint or series of joints
that is attainable in a momentary effort with the help of a partner or a piece of equipment." This definition tells
us that flexibility is not something general but is specific to a particular joint or set of joints [1]. In addition, it
is the ability for a muscle to lengthen. Muscles can't physically stretch themselves out, therefore, a person
must physically stretch the muscle out [2].

Types of Flexibility and Stretching [3]

1. Dynamic flexibility — the ability to perform dynamic movements within the full range of motion in the
joint. Common examples include twisting from side to side or kicking an imaginary ball. Dynamic
flexibility is generally more sport-specific than other forms of mobility.
2. Static Active flexibility — this refers to the ability to stretch an antagonist muscle using only the tension in
the agonist muscle. An example is holding one leg out in front of you as high as possible. The hamstring
(antagonist) is being stretched while the quadriceps and hip flexors (agonists) are holding the leg up.
3. Static Passive flexibility — the ability to hold a stretch using body weight or some other external force.
Using the example above, holding your leg out in front of you and resting it on a chair.

Factors that Limit Flexibility [4,5]

1. Exercises - some of us are busy at work or studies which lessen our time for exercises. Particular exercises
can make a person more flexible than others, such as yoga, pilates and stretching exercises.
2. Muscle Elasticity - this can be achieved through stretching exercises. The muscle elasticity refers to
muscles and tendons working together which makes the body to stretch and return to normal state during
and after activities.
3. Age - as time passes by, we're getting older which makes us tend to lose some of our muscle elasticity.
4. Gender - women are said to be more flexible due to their capacity to give birth, which allows female
anatomy to expand easier, especially in the hip part.
5. Anatomy - every joint in the body has a different structure which affects the range of motion of a person.

Benefits of Flexibility [6]

1. Fewer Injuries - flexibility will help our body withstand physical stress and will be able to reduce muscle
imbalances which will lessen the chances of injuries.
2. Improved Posture and Balance
3. Greater Strength - the more flexible you become, the greater the strength one needs in order to have the
right amount of tension to support movements.
4. Less Pain - you’ll experience less aches because your muscles will loosen and become less tense.
5. Improved Physical Performance
6. A Positive State of Mind

Exercises to Improve Flexibility [7]

1. Standing Hamstring Stretch – stretches the neck, back, glutes hamstrings and calves.
2. Lunge with Spinal Twist – it is noted by Atkins that it is commonly known as the World’s Greatest Stretch
in the fitness community. It stretches the hip flexors, quads and back.

3. Triceps Stretch – stretches the neck,

shoulders, back and triceps.
a) standing hamstring stretch b)
lunge with special twist c) triceps
stretch

What is Body Composition?

Body composition is a method
that describes what makes up the body.
This depicts weight more accurately than
Body Mass Index (BMI). In addition, body composition analysis shows accurate changes in muscle mass, fat
mass, and body fat percentage [8].

Body Composition Two-Component Model [9]

1. Fat Component
A. Essential Fat - this fat is located in bone marrows, lungs, liver, heart, and lipid rich-tissues throughout
the central nervous system. This is necessary for bodily functions and is known to be more abundant
in females because of its sex-characteristic fat related to child bearing.
B. Storage Fat - this fat is located around the internal organs. This provides protection for the body and
serves as an insulation for conserving body heat.
2. Fat-Free Component - this is also known as “lean body mass;” which represents the weight of a person’s
muscles, bones, ligaments, tendons, and internal organs.

How do we define a healthy body composition? [10,17]

Types of Body Composition Measurements
1. Skin Caliper - the technician pinches the skin and then uses the skin caliper device to measure the
thickness of the skin fold for each site.
2. Bioelectrical Impedance - works by sending tiny electrical impulses through the body and measuring
how quickly those impulses return.
3. Hydrostatic Weighing - compares a subject’s normal body weight (outside the water) to their body
weight while completely submerged.
4. Air-Displacement Plethysmography (BOD Pod) - measures how much air is displaced by the
individual, technicians can determine body density.
 5. DEXA (Dual-Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry) - by measuring the absorption of each beam into parts of
the body, technicians can get readings for bone mineral density, lean body mass and fat mass.

Body fat percentage for men and women

Types of Body Composition [11]

Body type, also known as Somatotype, is inherited and is based on one’s skeletal frame and body
composition. Being aware of it leads to more effective fitness plans and healthy lifestyle. The three different
body types are the following:
1. Ectomorph - individuals with this body type have a slender frame because of their narrow shoulders, hips,
chests and abdomens, small bone structure in general. They have a very fast metabolism and it is hard for
them to gain muscles.
2. Mesomorph - those who have this body type are described as medium build and have a rectangular or
wedge body shape because of their wide broad shoulders. They also have a very strong body because they
can gain muscles easily.
3. Endomorph - people with this body type are usually short. They have bulky physiques and round bodies
because of their wide shoulders and hips. They also tend to have a hard time losing body fat, but they can
gain it easily as well as the muscle.

Problems with Having Too Much or Too Little Body Fat

1. The most probable problems with having too much body fat involve health risks and these are:
A. Becoming Diabetic — Type 2 - diabetes is a disease in which blood sugar levels are above normal.
High blood sugar is a major cause of heart disease, kidney disease, stroke, amputation, and blindness.
B. High Blood Pressure - high blood pressure is linked to having too much fat in several ways. Having
a large body size may increase blood pressure because the heart needs to pump harder to supply
blood to all the cells.
 C. Heart Problems - these health problems include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and high blood
sugar. In addition, excess weight may cause changes to the heart that make it work harder to send
blood to all the cells in a person’s body.
D. Pregnancy Issues - pregnant women who are overweight or obese may have an increased risk for
babies of overweight or obese mothers are at an increased risk of being born too soon, being stillborn
(dead in the womb after 20 weeks of pregnancy).
E. Sleeping Disorder - sleep apnea is a condition in which a person has one or more pauses in breathing
during sleep. A person who has sleep apnea may suffer from daytime sleepiness, difficulty focusing,
and even heart failure [12].
2. Having too little body fat also attacks the status of health.
A. Heart Problems - having an extremely low body-fat percentage can affect the cardiovascular system’s
ability to function normally. Too-low heart rates, called bradycardia, can lead to dizziness, passing
out, and cardiac arrest.
B. Plummeting of Energy Levels - when a person is fat-depleted, this person has no reserve energy
stores and the body can’t perform at optimal levels due to the fact that it’s starving of energy
C. Sudden Coldness - fats play a role in helping your body maintain its temperature and also providing
insulation for organs.
D. Constant Hunger - dieting down to low body-fat levels decreases circulating levels of leptin, a
hormone produced by body-fat cells. Leptin receptors in the hypothalamus sense this drop and
increase appetite so that you’re hungry all the time
E. Brittle Bones - when a person’s body-fat percentage and weight drop too low, this may interfere with
the body’s ability to properly absorb and use calcium and vitamin D [13].

Exercises to achieve and maintain healthy body composition and its significance
1. Push-up (strengthens your shoulders and your core) - an exercise in which a person lies facing the floor
and, keeping their back straight, raises their body by pressing down on their hands [14].
2. Burpees (target your core, shoulders, and thighs) - it is a full body exercise used in strength training and as
an aerobic exercise; the basic movement is performed in four steps and known as a "four-count burpee
[15]
“.
3. Jump Squats (target your quads and glutes) - Jump squats help tone the calves, glutes, hamstrings, core,

and quadriceps [16].

a) push-up b) burpees c) jump squats

References:
[1] https://people.bath.ac.uk/masrjb/Stretch/stretching_3.html
[2] https://trainingwithmatt.com/flexibility/types-of-flexibility.html
[3] https://www.jenreviews.com/flexibilitytraining/
[4] https://orthotoc.com/why-are-some-people-more-flexible-than-others/
[5] https://alexanderorthopaedics.com/why-are-some-individuals-more-flexible-than-others/
[6] https://www.healthline.com/health/benefits-of-flexibility#stretches
[7] https://www.self.com/gallery/essential-stretches-slideshow
[8] https://inbodyusa.com/general/what-is-body-composition/
[9] https://www.unm.edu/~lkravitz/Article%20folder/underbodycomp.html
[10] https://www.crossfitinvictus.com/blog/whats-the-best-way-to-measure-body-composition/
[11] https://mport.com/blog/know-your-body-type-somatotype/
[12] https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/weight-management/health-risks-overweight
[13] https://www.webmd.com/diet/obesity/features/impact-of-weight-on-your-bo
[14] https://www.google.com/search?q=push+ups&oq=push+ups&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l3.1994j0j4&client=ms-android-
vivo&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8
[15] https://www.google.com/search?client=ms-android-vivo&ei=PopSXYSLM5jl-Abpn6CIDA&q=burpee&oq=burpee&gs_l=mobile-gws-
wiz-serp.3..0i67l2j0i131i67j0i20i263j0l4.175569.179611..180123...2.0..0.436.1576.0j5j0j1j1......0....1.......8..0i71j35i39.z55Djla8TA0
[16] https://www.google.com/search?q=squat+jumps&oq=squat+jumps&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l3.1966j0j9&client=ms-android-
vivo&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8
[17] Jackson, A. S., & Pollock, M. L. (1985). Practical assessment of body composition. The Physician and Sportsmedicine, 13(5), 76-90.