Test Your Flexibility

FitnessTop Levelfalsefalsetruefalse3Test Your FlexibilityTest Your FlexibilityTest Your FlexibilityUnless you're a yogi or a Pilates student, stretching might not be part of an otherwise well-rounded workout—even if you're devoted to perfecting your serve, mastering a kick-turn, or clocking 50 miles a week on the bike.A loss of flexibility is rarely as noticeable as a decline in cardio fitness or muscular strength. You might notice the way you're newly winded after climbing a couple flights of stairs, or how the groceries feel heavier than usual, but a red flag doesn’t go up  when you simply bend a bit more deeply at the knees to pick up something you've dropped. And unless you're a yogi or a Pilates student, stretching might not be part of an otherwise well-rounded workout—even if you're devoted to perfecting your serve, mastering a kick-turn, or clocking 50 miles a week on the bike.1By Diane Vadino for MSN Health & FitnessMSN Health & Fitness Exclusive/74/743391E6E4CEF7F605DD4D2A8D5270.gif1044000false#000000© MSNPfalseA loss of flexibility is rarely as noticeable as a decline in cardio fitness or muscular strength. You might notice the way you're newly winded after climbing a couple flights of stairs, or how the groceries feel heavier than usual, but a red flag doesn’t go up  when you simply bend a bit more deeply at the knees to pick up something you've dropped. And unless you're a yogi or a Pilates student, stretching might not be part of an otherwise well-rounded workout—even if you're devoted to perfecting your serve, mastering a kick-turn, or clocking 50 miles a week on the bike.All the same, flexibility is a key element in overall physical fitness. Flexible muscles are healthier ones, less prone to injuries that can wildly disrupt long-developed workout programs. This test requires a little fiddling with equipment, but it's a fast and easy way to determine your flexibility. First, set up: Place a yardstick or a measuring tape on the floor, and then lay down some tape at the 15-inch mark. You'll sit with your feet about 12 inches apart, heels touching the tape, with the 0-inch mark of the yardstick between your legs. (In other words, if you're able to reach precisely to your heels, your final reading would be 15 inches.) Then, do some light stretching—the marvelous thing about flexibility is that even a bit of it goes a long way, so preparing for the test will help provide a truer gauge of your body's abilities. Try reaching toward the floor with your back straight, and then rounded; if you're unable to reach the ground, lay your hands on your slightly bended knees, and go as far forward as is comfortable. Now, for the test: Take your seat on the floor, with the yardstick between your legs. Gently pulse forward a few times, reaching as far as possible without discomfort; at your maximum distance, hold for a moment, and remember the distance covered.How Did You Do?Performance  Men WomenSuperior20 1/2 to 23 inches    23 to 24 1/2 inchesExcellent17 1/2 to 20 inches18 1/2 to 19 1/2 inchesGood15 1/2 to 17 inches18 1/2 to 19 1/2 inchesFair13 1/2 to 15 inches16 1/2 to 18 inchesPoor10 1/2 to 13 inches14 1/2 to 16 inchesVery Poor7 to 10 inches12 1/2 to 14Source: ACSM’s Health-Related Physical Fitness Assessment ManualDiane Vadino has written about fashion, travel and film for magazines like Nylon, Spin and ID. Her debut novel, Smart Girls Like Me, will be published in September.Format/ArticleKeywords/Diet and Fitness/Fitness/Cardio18falsefalsefalse197truefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1