Your high school gym coach - if he or she was good at their job - probably said you needed to stretch to maintain good flexibility. But coach probably didn't take the time to sit your class down and answer a very basic question: what is flexibility?

Without going into too much detail, flexibility, as defined by the American Council on Exercise, is the range of motion within a joint along the various planes of motion. It is one of the main components of fitness.

There are two kinds of flexibility. Static flexibility is demonstrated by a dancer or gymnast "sitting" in the splits or a yogi holding a Downward Dog posture. The emphasis of static flexibility is not on movement, but on holding a given muscle or muscle group in a stretched position. Dynamic flexibility involves movement, speed and force. A dancer doing a high kick, battement or jete leap is an example of dynamic flexibility.

Why should you care about flexibility? I'll answer that question with a question: do you value being able to move your body when you are 30, 50 or 80?

Beyond having a healthy range of motion, maintaining a good level of flexibility will decrease the risk of injury and muscular tension and increase coordination and muscular balance and postural awareness. It also helps with recovery after a strenuous workout or daily activity.

So now that you know what flexibility is, I encourage you to learn more - learn how to stretch yourself. And if coach skips the conversation, tell your kids what flexibility is and why it is an important part of keeping well.

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Labels: flexibility, kinds of stretching, stretching