Science of Stretching by Reid Alex

Author:Reid, Alex [Reid, Alex]
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
ISBN: 9781785002618
Publisher: Crowood
Published: 2017-05-10T16:00:00+00:00

A Hindu spiritual and ascetic discipline, a part of which, including breath control, simple meditation and the adoption of specific bodily postures, is widely practised for health and relaxation.

(Oxford English Dictionary [Oxford: OUP, 2015].)

DEFINITION OF CALLISTHENICS

Gymnastic exercises to achieve bodily fitness and grace of movement.

(Oxford English Dictionary [Oxford: OUP, 2015].)

Results of individual movements were summed to define four indexes (ankle and knee; hip and trunk; wrist and elbow; and shoulder) and total flexibility with the sum to create the Flexindex, as also discussed previously. The results indicated significant increases of total flexibility in the hatha yoga group (by 22.5 points on the normative scale) and the callisthenics group (by 5.8 points) and a decrease in the control group (by 2.1 points) after one year of intervention. Between group comparison showed that increases in the hatha yoga group were greater than in the callisthenics group for most flexibility indexes, particularly overall flexibility. Farinatti et al . conclude that the practice of hatha yoga (that is, slow/passive movements) is more effective in improving flexibility than callisthenics (that is, fast/dynamic movements and body weight movements), but callisthenics can also prevent flexibility losses observed in sedentary elderly subjects, as seen in the control group.

Tran et al . 83 looked at the effects of hatha yoga practice on the health-related aspects of physical fitness, including muscular strength and endurance, flexibility, cardiorespiratory fitness, body composition and pulmonary function. The study only used ten subjects, with an age range of between eighteen to twenty-seven years, but observed significant health-related fitness improvements from a minimum attendance of two yoga classes per week for a total of eight weeks, with the class duration being 1hr and 25min. Pre-class measurements were taken at baseline and reassessed after the eight-week block. All components of fitness improved significantly, with flexibility measures also improving markedly.

Flexibility was measured at the ankle, shoulder and hip joints. Three submaximal trials preceded three test trials for each movement. The average of the top two scores was used to represent maximal flexibility for that movement. Flexibility was assessed in a number of ways: a goniometer was used to measure the absolute range of motion at the ankle (plantar flexion and dorsiflexion). A measuring tape was used to measure shoulder elevation. In the trunk-extension test, the subject lay prone with feet and hips held down by researchers: with the hands clasped behind the head, the subject raised the trunk as far upward and backward as possible. Trunk extension was measured as the vertical distance between the mat and the chin. A sit and reach box was used to measure trunk flexion: while in the sitting position, with knees straight and in contact with the floor, the subject placed the index fingers of both hands together and reached as far forward as possible on the measuring tape, holding the position for 1 second. All flexibility measurements increased significantly, with ankle flexibility, shoulder elevation, trunk extension and trunk flexion increased by 13 per cent, 155 per cent, 188 per cent and 14 per cent, respectively.

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