Quote:
Originally Posted by LadyNoir
Lisa, I was wondering what you consider too flexible? I don't think I'll ever be mistaken as a yoga expert  but I do stretch after every workout and have gained a lot of flexibility. Is there a point at which I should cut back? |
What is not flexible enough or too flexible depends on what you're training to be able to do. I elaborated it on this in another thread:
Lisa- Active Dynamic Warmup Question
It's called functional flexibility (or functional mobility), meaning that for whatever your particular sport or activity, there is a ROM that is superior to assist your function for that activity. A dancer or gymnast or martial artist needs a greater ROM than, say, a sprinter. But all of them need to be able to produce power out of their specific ROM. The sprinter is a good example because a tighter achilles tendon is actually superior for sprinting. It provides a spring to propel the sprinter forward. A big ROM at the ankle would not benefit a sprinter. If you think about squatting and deadlifting, being tighter in the hip joint provides stability and rebound; but being too tight reduces ROM and promotes injury from compensating movement patterns; but being too loose invites injury as well, from lack of joint stability. There's a right amount of mobility that works to produce the most effective movement. For each individual, that perfect functional mobility is what we're trying to achieve.
We also discussed the topic of functional flexibility in this thread:
Flexibility and Strength
I think those threads will answer your question and then some.