Expanding the body's range of motion through static and dynamic stretching, mobility drills, and recovery techniques to move freely, prevent injury, and support athletic performance.
Flexibility is the capacity of muscles, tendons, and joints to move through their full range of motion. Training flexibility involves static holds, dynamic movements, PNF patterns, and targeted mobility work. Progress spans from learning basic stretches safely to designing sport-specific mobility programs, coaching others, developing evidence-based methodologies, and advancing the science of human movement.
You are new to intentional flexibility training. You can identify the major muscle groups and perform simple static stretches with verbal or visual guidance. You understand the difference between stretching and pain, and you know that cold muscles should be warmed up before deep stretching. You are building the habit of including stretching in your weekly routine.
What Comes Next
If you've checked off most of this list, you're ready for the Endurance stage, building a consistent 3x/week stretching routine and learning foam rolling basics. Fitts & Posner(1967)'s Motor Learning Stages theory suggests repeating each stretch's form and breathing pattern until they can be performed without conscious attention.
Provides corrective exercise protocols and movement screening techniques from the CES curriculum, serving as direct evidence for L5 movement assessment and L6 coach education checklist items.
Defines the FRCms protocol as the industry standard for joint range-of-motion (ROM) assessment, providing checklist design criteria from L3 joint mobility measurement through L6 individualized programming.
Covers stretching science from foundational anatomy and physiology through special-population program design, defining level boundaries and learning scope from L1 basic knowledge through L6 specialized programming.
Systematic review and meta-analysis of static, dynamic, and PNF stretching effects on performance and injury prevention, providing evidence basis for stretching type selection in L1-L4 checklists.
