Yoga

[IronLion]

I think flexibility is the single biggest injury prevention, and performance enhancing tool there is, I don't think anyone who has played sports at a high level would disagree. Being flexible has saved me from countless injuries, think about it if you can't do the splits and you get put into a position violently where you are doing the splits, something is gonna tear.

On another note being strong through an entire rom is more performance enhancing in almost any sport, than being strong only in specific joint angles...

 

[PlatnumKowboy]

I may not have been so clear on what I was trying to say. Look at this http://www.dragondoor.com/b09.html these are the people who sell the beyond streching collegiateLifter mentioned. I wasn't saying flexability has no place in sports simply that too much flexability can be dangerous. It's not necessary to be able to put both legs behind your head or be able to lick your elbow. In a physical sport like weightlifting, football, rugby, ect. if your in a strech position you would be compromising your safety. Not only will you be in that position but a person or weights will be giving force onto you as well.
People don't train streches with weights attached to the moving part. In a sport you will want reflex tension to get you out of any unsafe position, assuming normal addequate flexability. If you can't touch the back of your neck or keep your knees locked and even touch your shins that is not normal addequate flexability. Which would also pose potential dangerous situations. What I believe is the safest is a happy-medium or balance of flexability.

 

[collegiateLifter]

I may not have been so clear on what I was trying to say. Look at this http://www.dragondoor.com/b09.html these are the people who sell the beyond streching collegiateLifter mentioned. I wasn't saying flexability has no place in sports simply that too much flexability can be dangerous. It's not necessary to be able to put both legs behind your head or be able to lick your elbow. In a physical sport like weightlifting, football, rugby, ect. if your in a strech position you would be compromising your safety. Not only will you be in that position but a person or weights will be giving force onto you as well.
People don't train streches with weights attached to the moving part. In a sport you will want reflex tension to get you out of any unsafe position, assuming normal addequate flexability. If you can't touch the back of your neck or keep your knees locked and even touch your shins that is not normal addequate flexability. Which would also pose potential dangerous situations. What I believe is the safest is a happy-medium or balance of flexability.

there we go... can still pull stuff outta the book though if you guys are still skeptical. In short be flexible as will tangibly benefit you, don't work on flexability for the sake of being flexable nor for some abstract benefit that you perceive it to benefit you.

 

[IronLion]

I will never belive that there is such a thing as too flexible. I belive in developing dynamic flexibility and not just static. jmo