The best test for developing flexibility at home. Flexibility Test

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Walter Norton, trainer Olympic champions and director of the Institute physical culture and sports in North Reading (USA), in the first lesson asks each of his clients to complete these simple exercises. This helps him understand the client’s physical condition and the degree of his preparation for training.

"Spider-Man"

What we check: How elastic are the thigh muscles?

Get into a push-up position. Make sure your arms are parallel to your shoulders.
Place your right foot level with your palms. The right knee should be bent at a right angle, and the left knee should touch the floor.
Retract smoothly right shoulder down, bending your arm at the elbow and placing your right palm on your left. Feel the pull in your thigh. Hold this for a couple of seconds. Breathe deeply.
Return to the starting position and repeat the same with your left leg. Repeat three times.

There is a problem in that case, if the right or left leg is at a different level with the palm or if one leg stretches better than the other.

What is the danger?

“The reason for lack of stretch is muscle weakness,” says Walter Norton. - The hip that stretches the hardest is the weakest. This causes serious balance problems, forcing all other muscles to compensate for the misalignment and become overexerted. Overexertion can lead to muscle fatigue and serious injuries" For example, if your right hip is weaker than your left, it means you are relying more on your left leg while walking. If this is not corrected, over time it can lead to “wear and tear” of the muscles in the left knee and ankle.

"Caterpillar"

What we check: shin and hamstring.

Get into a push-up position. Then start taking tiny steps towards your hands. Keep your back, arms and knees straight. Gradually you should turn into the letter "A". Stay in this position for a few seconds.
Then begin to gently move your arms, returning to the original position. Don't bend your knees or elbows.
Repeat this exercise three times.

There is a problem in that case, if you cannot do this without bending your knees and elbows.

What is the danger?

Excessive tension in your shins and hamstrings can mean your legs aren't working properly. “I see this a lot with treadmill enthusiasts,” says Walter Norton. - They run, forgetting to raise their knees, and for each new step they stretch their feet forward, injuring their muscles back surface legs. Poor footwork can also mean putting too much stress on your back, which can lead to serious injury.”

"Perpetual motion machine"

What we check: how well your hips can move together.

Get on all fours, lean on your elbows. Spread your knees as wide as you can.
Without lifting your elbows and forearms from the floor, begin to move your hips back and forth. Hold each position for a couple of seconds.
Each time, try to increase the range of motion.
Repeat ten times.

There is a problem in that case, if you can't spread your knees wide enough or you can't increase your range of motion.

What is the danger?

If there is tension in your hips, then there is a high probability that all the muscles in your body are in the same tension. “You're probably leading a sedentary and overly immobile lifestyle,” explains Walter Norton. - As soon as you start playing sports or at least walking more, your whole body will begin to move more easily. This problem is often found in older people, who, as a rule, repeat only one movement (“sit down and stand up”) during the day.” A sedentary lifestyle is dangerous because it can lead to heart disease and high blood pressure.

"Pretzel"

What we check: gluteal muscles.

Sit on the floor with your legs as wide apart as possible and your knees bent.
Bend towards your right leg, while trying to place your left knee on the floor without bringing your legs together. When you bend over, turn your torso and place both hands with outside right leg.
Now try to touch your chest to the floor. Go down to the highest possible height. Stay in this position for a few seconds.
Return to the starting position and do the same with your left leg.
Repeat the exercise twice on each side.

There is a problem in that case, if you can’t touch the floor with your knee or bend low enough.

What is the danger?

When your gluteal muscles are tight, they are unable to move as they should. And then your back takes on additional stress, which can lead to strain and pain. Train yourself to stretch equally well on both sides, even if you feel more tension in the unstretched muscle. Otherwise, there is a high risk of injury due to uneven load distribution.

How to fix the situation?

“Of course, all the problems voiced sound unpleasant, but there is a solution, and it is very simple,” reassures Walter Norton. -Move more. If you are driving sedentary image life in the office, walk more. If you go to the gym regularly but still struggle with flexibility, try to give yourself a balanced workout without focusing on the same muscle group all the time. Don't forget to stretch! Stretch 3-4 times a week, and within a month everything will change.”

For more information, visit The Huffington Post website.

Tests to assess physical qualities

muscle strength

Kraus-Weber test

1. To determine the strength of the abdominal muscles and hip extensors, use the exercise “squat from a supine position, hands behind the head.” In the event that a student cannot rise, he receives 0 points; if he performs the exercise partially with the help of a teacher, he receives 5 points; if performed correctly independently, he receives 10 points.

2. To determine the strength of the abdominal muscles, use the exercise “squatting from a supine position with bent knees". Scoring is done in the same way as when performing the first exercise.

3. To determine the strength of the hip flexor muscles and abdominal muscles, the exercise “raising the legs from a supine position” is used. The student being tested must raise his feet 10 inches (25.4 cm) above the floor and hold them there for as long as possible. One point is awarded for every second. The maximum number of points awarded is 10.

4. To determine the strength of the back muscles, use the exercise “raising the torso from a prone position.” The person being tested lies on his stomach on a special pillow and places his hands behind his head.

The partner fixes his legs, after which he raises his torso and holds it in this position for 10 s. Scoring is carried out as in the previous exercise.

5. Starting position next exercise- “raising the legs while lying on your stomach”: - the same as in the previous one. Partner records top part his torso, after which the subject raises his straight legs above the floor and holds them in this position for 10 s.

Scoring is carried out in the same way as in exercise 3.

6. Last exercise- bending the body - is performed to determine the level of development of flexibility. The test taker must touch the floor with his fingertips - in this case, the exercise is considered completed. If it does not reach the floor, then the result is the number of centimeters from the floor to the fingertips with a minus sign.

The total number of points is calculated. Kraus believes that individuals who are unable to meet these minimum requirements cannot be considered sufficiently physically developed.

Tests to determine speed

a) Sitting at the table, hand on the table. Performing movements only with a brush, in 10 seconds apply the maximum number of dots on a sheet of paper with a pencil.

b) Standing, bent at a right angle right hand Hold the ruler vertically so that its zero mark is level with your little finger. Unclench, releasing the ruler, and immediately clench your fingers again as quickly as possible. The shorter the distance from the bottom edge of the ruler to the palm, the better.

c) Run in place for 10 seconds. The more steps you can take during this time, the better the result.

Endurance tests

1. We measure the pulse

Take your pulse. In a healthy person it should be about 60–80 beats per minute. Start squatting at at a relaxed pace. After you have squatted 20 times, take your pulse again. If it increases by more than 20 beats per minute, it means that your the cardiovascular system does not respond quite adequately to small physical activity. Therefore, it makes sense to think about being examined by a doctor - firstly, and secondly, that you do not have enough physical activity in your life.

2. We measure the pressure

Almost the same way to assess your endurance exists with measuring blood pressure. A healthy person's blood pressure is about 120 over 80. After measuring the pressure, take a new measurement. If your blood pressure rises by more than 20 millimeters of mercury, you need to examine your blood vessels: your cardiovascular system is not ready for such stress.

3. Get on the path

A more difficult way is to go to Gym and stand on treadmill, turn on the speed of 6 kilometers per hour and see how long it takes for your heart rate to increase by 20 beats per minute. If this happens after 3-4 minutes or earlier, this is also a reason to think about the state of your cardiovascular system.

4. Measuring your breathing

You can evaluate your endurance by counting the number of inhalations and exhalations. Typically, a person makes 14–18 breathing movements per minute (inhalation and exhalation). Then give yourself a load - the same 20 squats or 5 minutes of walking on a track at a speed of 6 kilometers per hour and see how fast your breathing increases. If you experience shortness of breath, if you find it difficult to breathe, or if your breathing rate has increased by a third or more, it means that you have problems with the endurance of your respiratory system; it does not adapt well to physical activity.

Tests to determine flexibility

1. Mobility in the shoulder joint. The subject, holding the ends of a gymnastic stick (rope), twists his straight arms backwards. Mobility shoulder joint assessed by the distance between the hands when twisting: the smaller the distance, the higher the flexibility of this joint, and vice versa. In addition, the smallest distance between the hands is compared with the width shoulder girdle test subject. Active abduction of straight arms upward from a position lying on the chest, arms forward. The greatest distance from the floor to the fingertips is measured.

2. Mobility of the spinal column. Determined by the degree of forward tilt of the body. The subject, standing on a bench (or sitting on the floor), leans forward to the limit without bending his knees. The flexibility of the spine is assessed using a ruler or tape based on the distance in centimeters from the zero mark to the third finger of the hand. If the fingers do not reach the zero mark, then the measured distance is indicated by a minus sign (-), and if they fall below the zero mark, by a plus sign (+).

"Bridge". The result (in cm) is measured from the heels to the fingertips of the subject. The shorter the distance, the higher the level of flexibility, and vice versa.

3. Mobility in the hip joint. The subject strives to spread his legs as wide as possible: 1) to the sides and 2) back and forth, supporting himself on his hands. The level of mobility in a given joint is assessed by the distance from the floor to the pelvis (tailbone): the shorter the distance, the higher the level of flexibility, and vice versa.

4. Mobility in the knee joints. The subject performs a squat with his arms extended forward or his arms behind his head. A full squat indicates high mobility in these joints.

5. Mobility in the ankle joints. Various parameters of movements in joints should be measured based on compliance with standard testing conditions: 1) identical initial positions of body links; 2) the same (standard) warm-up; 3) repeat flexibility measurements at the same time, since these conditions somehow affect mobility in the joints.

Passive flexibility is determined by the greatest amplitude that can be achieved due to external influences. It is determined by the greatest amplitude that can be achieved due to an external force, the magnitude of which must be the same for all measurements, otherwise an objective assessment of passive flexibility cannot be obtained. The measurement of passive flexibility is suspended when the external force causes pain.

Agility Tests

1. Shuttle run 3 times 10 m (determines the ability to quickly and accurately adjust your actions in accordance with the requirements of a suddenly changing situation).

The child stands at the control line, at the signal “march” (at this moment the teacher starts the stopwatch) three times covers a 10-meter distance, at which cubes (5 pieces) are located in a straight line. The child runs around each cube without touching it. The total running time is recorded.

2. Static balance (the test reveals and trains children’s coordination abilities).

The child stands in a stance - toes behind standing leg closely adjacent to the heel of the leg in front - and at the same time trying to maintain balance. The child completes the task with his eyes open. The time required to maintain balance is recorded with a stopwatch. Of the two attempts, the best result is recorded.

3. Tossing and catching a ball (dexterity and coordination test). The child takes the starting position (feet shoulder-width apart) and with both hands throws up a ball with a diameter of 15-20 cm as many times as possible. The child is asked to make 2 attempts. The best result is recorded.

- Veronica, what was the starting point for you to be sent to gymnastics as a child - were you a gutta-percha child?

I was absolutely not flexible, as if I was made of wood. I did not have natural qualities, which, as a rule, are the basis for girls being accepted into the studio. But at the age of 5, my mother sent me to a circus studio. Unsuccessful attempts to stretch me, to somehow develop flexibility in me lasted for two years. But the teacher’s efforts did not lead to anything good - my health worsened. And my mother, seeing my condition, took pity and took me away. But I returned to classes a couple of years later, when I already went to school.

- Did your mother really want to make you a gymnast?

No, everything is much simpler. Mom signed me up for music school, but there was a long break between classes at a regular school and a music school, and so that I wouldn’t hang around idle, I was enrolled in a circus studio - this just filled the “gap” in time. And that's all. But when I came to the studio again, it was as if I had a second wind - everything started to work out, I fell in love with the circus.

- That is, if a child is not flexible at 5 years old, this does not mean that abilities cannot be developed?

I guess, yes. Everything is possible. Everything is achievable.

- But they say that sports are figure skating, to gymnastics, should you bring your children as early as possible?

This is the trend now. The sport is getting very young. In my opinion, they artificially rejuvenate him, and now they bring children into sports from the age of 3.

- Veronica, how many children do you have?

Three. Prokhor is 12 years old, Lisa is 8, and Fedenka is 3 years old.

- Are there any external characteristics for doing gymnastics, what exactly should mothers pay attention to?

I can say about my children. I noticed that Lisa has very good natural flexibility, stretch and beautiful feet. This is exactly the case when a gifted child was born with certain inclinations. My daughter is studying rhythmic gymnastics, but he’s eager to join the circus, into the air, and wants to perform in Aquamarine, like me.

- And if a child doesn’t have very good turnout, a low rise, and he has a club foot, is there no point in doing gymnastics?

It is best, of course, to show the child to a specialist who will immediately tell you whether it is worth loading him with professional services. gymnastic exercises. Provided that if the child has a congenital clubfoot, you need to pay attention to this in time and start working. An example is my personal story. I was terribly clubfooted from birth. Thanks to the fact that my mother noticed this in time (I was six years old), she took me to a specialist, and I underwent a course of treatment: massage sessions, special exercises, and, one might say, I learned to walk again. There were probably tears, I just don’t remember, but all the efforts were worth the result: they straightened me out. What I have become trapeze artist- this is not so much a merit human nature, how much hard work on yourself.

- What signs show whether a child is plastic or not?

By gait, for example, or by the manner of sitting on the floor: one child will sit in a “frog” and calmly put his knees on the floor, and it’s comfortable for him, he will sit for so long. Such a child can easily stretch into a split. And the other one will never sit in the “frog”, because it is physically uncomfortable for him. Some children never sit down like that at all. But the best thing, of course, is not to experiment on your own, but to show your child to a coach.

- Your professional flexibility and good physical form helped you get through pregnancy and childbirth easier? And how long did it take you to recover before you could get back into the arena?

As for childbirth, I had a cesarean section all three times. After giving birth, especially the first one, it took me the longest to get into shape – about a year. I just didn’t know how to behave after the operation, as with a child – what was possible and what was not. But gradually she began to rehearse, warm up, and went out into the arena again. My recovery periods after the birth of my second and third children were shorter. Just three months after Fedya was born, I started working. So it all depends on desire - does mom want to stay at home, or does she choose active image life. Flexibility, of course, without training, is lost very quickly. You can't let yourself go. At least little by little, training is necessary. Pregnancy is not a disease; there is no need to lie in bed, unless, of course, we are talking about pregnancy or some special cases. A young mother just needs to carve out at least 20-30 minutes in her schedule for some exercises: bend over, stretch her arms and legs. The main thing is not to be lazy. When the baby grows up, you can do the simplest exercises together with him, and it will be beneficial and joyful for both.

Now you can easily test your flexibility level! We offer you four simple tests that allow you to assess flexibility in different areas of the body (the most important, in the opinion of a professional fitness instructor).

Flexibility test number 1 (snatch test)

This exercise is perhaps one of the most visual tests of flexibility of the entire body. Its peculiarity is that when performing it, you willy-nilly must demonstrate your physical abilities, which are directly related to the normal physiology and anatomy of the human body. If the exercise cannot be performed correctly, it means that you really have something to work on, even if you easily do any splits and do incredible bridges.

And the whole point of this test is the combination of strength the right muscles(core muscles) and flexibility in hip joints, chest and thoracic region spine.

Starting position: Take a long gymnastic stick (or a barbell) in your hands and stand up straight. The grip width should be about 1 meter. Gently swing the stick into an overhead position (like a weightlifter lifting a weight).

Place your feet slightly wider than your shoulders and toes A little (!) spread apart. If you spread your toes too far apart, you will disrupt the biomechanics of the exercise, making it useless as a test.

Gently bend your knees and, holding the stick above your head, try to squat as low as possible. If this was successful, and you did not skid forward or backward, and did not have to lift your heels off the floor, then the test was passed. If not, then you should start doing this exercise every day until you start to succeed. And I know that you will appreciate the effect when you achieve the correct execution!

And just in case, a couple of photos:

I usually use a similar exercise in power complexes for people with weak backs and poor flexibility. And, if you have already tried this exercise, then you know why.

Flexibility test number 2

Sit on a chair with your back firmly pressed against the back so that it does not lean back. Be sure to tense your lower back and lift chest. Your hips should rest completely on the chair, and the seat should end under your knees.

Now, without changing the position of your body relative to the chair, straighten your right leg. If you managed to straighten it as much as possible and it became parallel to the floor, then the flexibility of your right hamstring is normal.

Follow the same procedure for the left leg. If it was possible to straighten it completely, then the left biceps of the thigh is stretched quite well.

Flexibility test number 3

The test evaluates the degree of stretch in the hamstrings and buttocks, as well as the strength of the back muscles.

Stand straight, with your feet about 25 cm wide. Next, keeping your back straight and bending at the lower back, bend forward smoothly, trying to reach your fingers to the floor in front of you. When bending over, you should feel a stretch in rear parts thighs, buttocks and possibly under the knees. When bending over, only two joints should work - the left and right hips.

If, following the technique, you were unable to reach the floor, then you have lack of flexibility in the hip joints.

If you managed to reach the floor with your fingers using proper technique, then you have normal flexibility in the hip joints.

If you managed to touch the floor not only with your fingers, but also with your knuckles or even your palms, following the exercise technique, then let me congratulate you! You have simply excellent flexibility in your hip joints. However, this does not mean that you are as flexible in other places of the body. This is an axiom of stretching - flexibility in some joints does not mean flexibility in others.

Flexibility test number 4

This test evaluates the degree of stretching of the pectoral, anterior deltoid muscles and biceps.

For the exercise you will need gymnastic stick or a rope about one and a half meters long.

Grasp the stick at a width of about 110 cm (the distance between your thumbs). Hold it in front of you. Then smoothly lift it up without changing or relaxing your grip and, carrying it over your head, bring it behind your back.

If you succeeded easily, return the stick to its original position, slightly reduce the grip width and repeat the exercise. Do this until you reach a grip width at which you cannot move your hands with the stick back. Write down or mark directly on a stick the last successful distance between your thumbs. Now this is a measure of your flexibility in the muscles of the chest and shoulder girdle. As you stretch your pectoral muscles, this number should decrease.

The norm is considered to be 80-90 cm.

Hello, dear ones! Do you want to check how well you are stretched, whether all parts of your body are flexible and mobile, or whether there is something to work on? Then take this flexibility test.

It doesn't matter if you're involved in sports, fitness, or just lead an active lifestyle, you probably come across stretching exercises. Stretching, or as it is otherwise called, stretching, is an integral part of any workout.

Why do you need a flexibility test?

Regardless of whether you want to conquer mountain peaks, water surfaces, or play any other sport, you cannot consider yourself well-trained if you do not stretch.

Take a look at athletes before competitions: football players arch their backs and pull their palms toward the floor; runners sit on to stretch leg ligaments, etc.

The fact is that flexibility is the ability of joints to move through their full range of motion. The less flexibility, the greater the likelihood various injuries muscles and joints.

In addition, it has been proven that an inactive lifestyle contributes to the development of all kinds of chronic diseases. Therefore, the easiest and surest way to avoid this is stretching.

Part 1

Warm up for 20 minutes and start the test. Do test exercises.

1. Tilt towards the feet

Stand straight, put your feet together, bend down.

Fingers do not reach the ankle joint – 0
Fingers touched the floor - 1
You can touch the floor with your palm - 2

Sand this test a little. Stand in front of the mirror sideways without bending your knees. Follow the line of your legs in the area of your knees.

If your knee is slightly bent backward (as the kids say, “knees back”), the joint is hypermobile. If bent forward, its flexibility is insufficient.

If the line of the leg is absolutely straight, everything is normal.

2. Side bends

Stand straight with your feet shoulder-width apart. Stretch your arms along your torso, place your hands on your thighs.

Lean to the sides so that your palms slide along your legs, being careful not to turn your torso or lean forward or backward.

Fingers touch knee – 1
You can't reach your knees with your fingers - 0
You can touch your calves with your fingers – 2

3. Plow: legs behind head

Lie on your back, cross your legs over your head.

You can't touch the floor with your feet - 0
Straight legs touching the floor - 2
You can touch the floor, but your knees are bent - 1

4. Sit on the floor, stretch your legs straight in front of you. Lean forward.

You reach your toes with your fingers - 1
You can only touch ankle joints – 0
You curl your toes - 2

Now let's count the points and find out the result.

Less than 3 points. The former flexibility has been completely lost. To quickly do the splits, you need to stretch thoroughly and not endure pain when stretching.

If the pain does not go away a few seconds after finishing the stretching exercise, you should reduce the intensity.

From 3 to 5 points. You have average flexibility and may well return to your previous capabilities. You just need to do it with caution. In order to quickly do the splits, you better do a dynamic type of stretching.

From 6 to 8 points. Congratulations, you have a great stretch. In order to quickly do the splits, it is better for you to focus on the static type of stretching exercises, working on the principle “there is pain - there is no pain.”

Part 2

If according to the test results you have good stretch, then there is no point in checking further, but if there are problems, then it is worth going further and finding out where you are still lame.

5. Deflection

Place both palms on the back of your lower back, fingers pointing down. Bend back, sliding your fingers along the back of your pelvis.

If your fingers reach the popliteal fossa, the flexibility of the spine is sufficient.

6. And now - a test for hand flexibility. Surely in childhood you were able to do this easily.

Bend your hand at the wrist joint and use your other hand to pull thumb hands to forearm.

Normally, the first finger touches the forearm or does not reach it by more than half a centimeter, or touches it.

7. The next test is finger extension. Extend the fingers of the other hand back with one hand.

Normally, the fingers bend back, but at an angle much less than 90 degrees.

8. Now - checking the elbow joint. Stretch your arm forward, palm up, and extend it as far as possible elbow joint.

If you managed to make the arm completely straight from the shoulder to the wrist, the flexibility of the joint is normal.

If the joint is hyperextended by more than 10 degrees, this indicates its hypermobility.

9. Test for the shoulder joint.

Raise your arm vertically, bend it at the elbow and place it behind your head. With your other hand, grab your elbow joint from above and try to move it behind your head.

Normally, the hand is slightly placed behind the head. All excess movements indicate hypermobility.

10. Sit on a chair. Extend your leg forward and pull your foot towards you.

The leg should be straight knee joint, without bending up or down.

The same test can be performed while standing.

results

I think you have already felt your weak spots. And if there are enough of them, perform these exercises daily, spending only a few minutes a day on yourself. You'll see, your body will thank you.