Today is the first class in our new four class set. We will begin class with unit 5 in our grammar book. Our reading this week is about flexibility. 

Click HERE for the in-class material

Test your Flexibility and Learn Why it Matters

We often hear about the importance of stretching, especially after exercise, to improve flexibility. Indeed, studies have found that regular stretching can increase flexibility in as little as four weeks. But getting results requires commitment: You need to stretch at least three days a week, ideally every day. Activities such as yoga and Pilates can improve flexibility, as well.

How flexible you are and how flexible you can become are also influenced by factors that you can't control, such as genetics and gender. As anyone who has ever observed a co-ed yoga class can attest, women tend to be more flexible than men. Injuries and certain conditions like arthritis can also limit flexibility.

Age plays a role, as well. Starting around age 30 or 40, flexibility continuously decreases, with men losing flexibility more quickly than women. But this decline doesn't occur uniformly throughout the body.

Research shows that the shoulders and trunk tend to lose flexibility more quickly than the elbows and knees, for example. At any age, you may be relatively flexible in one part of your body and have limited range of motion in another. Flexibility can also vary from one side to another.

As for how much flexibility is optimal, there's no definitive answer. We know that having poor range of motion can hamper athletic performance, increase the risk of injuries and make tasks of daily living more difficult. It's also true that a high level of flexibility can be beneficial if you do activities such as gymnastics, swimming or ballet. But this doesn't mean we should all strive to become human pretzels.

Just as extreme inflexibility can lead to problems, so can extreme flexibility. People who are double-jointed -- or have "joint hypermobility," as the condition is technically known -- are more likely to experience pain and sports-related injuries. Interestingly, they're also at higher risk of anxiety disorders.

Between the two extremes is a wide range of satisfactory flexibility levels. Being on the upper end of the range may impress your friends in yoga classes or games of Twister, but it won't necessarily confer any additional health benefits.

Instead of worrying about how your flexibility stacks up against that of others, you should focus on what's right -- and realistic -- for yourself. Assess what your needs are and how stretching might address them. For example, maybe a certain part of your body is especially inflexible and holding you back in your workouts. Or perhaps you want to improve your flexibility to help your tennis or golf game, or to get on the floor and play with your kids or grandkids.