Flexibility Defined
Flexibility is a joint’s ability to move freely through a full and normal range of motion. Factors that affect flexibility include: genetic inheritance, the joint structure itself, connective tissue elasticity within muscles, tendons or skin surrounding a joint, strength of opposing muscle groups, body type, age, activity level and gender.

Flexibility Benefits

• Greater freedom of movement
• Increased physical efficiency and performance
• Increased balance and coordination
• Decreased risk of low back pain
• Increased relaxation and stress reduction
• Decreased risk of injury
• Decreases recovery time

How To Increase Flexibility
There are various ways to increase flexibility including:

• Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF)
• Static Stretching
• Strength Training
• Isometric Stretching
• Forced Relaxation
• Yoga
• Ballistic stretching (bouncing up and down and should only be used by certain athletes)

The most practical way to increase flexibility is to get stronger. It sounds strange but according to Pavel Tsatsouline, author of Relax Into Stretch, "Typically a stronger muscle does not have to contract as hard as a weaker one to exert the same amount of force and it more willingly relaxes into a stretch". The least complicated way to increase flexibility is through static stretching which requires that you slowly and gradually elongate a muscle through a full range of motion and maintain it elongated for 20-30 seconds. This is the type of stretching that most people are familiar with and feel comfortable doing.

The Best Way To Increase Flexiblity
Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Faciliation or PNF for short, is the most effective way to increase flexiblity. Also known as contract-relax stretching, PNF involves stretching a muscle slowly and gradually until you reach maxium resistance without pain. You hold this stretch for 6 seconds then contract the muscle you are stretching for a couple of seconds, release the contraction, and immediately take the stretch a little further. Anytime you stretch a muscle, the stretch reflex immediately contracts (tightens) the muscle to protect it against injury. The contract-relax action of PNF inhibits this stretch reflex and allows you to stretch further than you would if you used any other technique. If you want to take pnf to the next level incorporate reciprocal inhibition by contracting the opposing muscle then taking the stretch even further. ie. when attempting to increase hamstring flexiblity go through the pnf sequence and after you've completed it contract your quads and try to take the stretch even further. If you have really tight hamstrings you may want to try this first before starting with the pnf sequence. It works wonders.

When To Stretch
The best time to do it is after you’ve warmed up with 10-20 minutes of cardio or light weight lifting, between strength training sets, or at the end of your workout. Stretching before warming up could lead to injuries and has no real benefit. Should you stretch when you're injured? Most experts and trainers will say no but Pavel says "When a muscle gets injured, it retreats into spasms, atrophies because of limited blood supply, and loses flexibility. When a muscle spends much time in a shortened position, the stretch reflex becomes overly sensitive creating a shorter muscle length and excessive tonus. A weaker and tighter muscle is likely to get reinjured, and so are other healthy muscles as a result of imbalance or compensation. So stretch the damn thing!" But he advises to do it slowly and short of pain.

Get Started
Try one of Pavel's books which explain even more advanced techniques and have some unique and effective stretches that are easy to do.

Relax into Stretch : Instant Flexibility Through Mastering Muscle Tension