¶ … flexibility training has to offer in everyday life of people by helping them to function more effectively. Moreover I shall discuss constructing a class specifically for this kind of training and also shed some light on the ways music can help motivate and improve the performance of the people undergoing the flexibility training. BENEFITS OF FLEXIBILITY TRAINING:

Flexibility comprises full range motion of the various joints of the body and encompasses all components of the musculoskeletal system and specific neuromuscular pathways of the body. Flexibility varies from person to person depending on his age, gender, body temperature and the type of joint to be moved. It helps in the reduction of low back pain and injury (Bach, Green, & Jensen) and also helps improve the posture and muscle symmetry. (Corbin, C.B., & Noble, L). In addition to all this it decreases severity due to injury, delays the onset of muscular fatigue, increases muscular efficiency, promotes mental relaxation and provides personal gratification. Flexibility training is the best possible method today to attain the unification of one's mind, body and soul. (Anonymous)

CLASS OF FLEXIBILITY TRAINING:

In order to construct a class that emphasizes and teaches the various aspects of improving flexibility of the joints we need to first determine the pre-requisites. The trainer should himself be aware of the right flexibility techniques and it's importance in improving the stability and mobility of a person. The class I have chosen for this training shall comprise of a group of 25 people aged between 25 to 55.These people would be of moderate health and the goal would be to provide optimum functionality when it comes to joint and muscle movements. The class shall be of 45 minutes duration in which the participants will be trained to stretch the tensed muscles in their bodies through a time span of 10 -- 30 seconds in the furthest possible comfortable position. (Flexibility training)

In the class 5 minutes shall be allocated to warming-up before the exercise and 5 minutes to cooling down after the exercise as is essential in any workout. A good warm-up can be quite beneficial and its absence can spell drastic consequences. Warming up prior to an exercise can help increase the body temperature, heart rate and breathing and hence prepare the body both mentally and physically for the physical activity. Many coaches and trainers associate special significance with warming up before any physical activity as sometimes the exercise following it can be demanding and require the body to be in good working condition, something that a warm-up makes possible.

A warm-up includes low-intensity exercises such as skipping, jogging, walking, calisthenics, which can raise the temperature level of the body. It can also include exercises specific to the type of activity to be performed as in this case the various muscles of the body are stretched for a total of 10 seconds. This elevates the temperature of the soft-tissues and makes it the best time for increasing flexibility. (Patrick J. Bird)

Similarly after the exercise it is essential to cool down. This can help decrease the soreness and stiffness of muscles after exercise enabling them to return to their resting positions and also in reducing lower back pain. An effective cool down comprises of reduction in activity levels by a slow walk or jog and general stretching.

MOTIVATION OF THE PEOPLE:

During the stretching session the class can be motivated by use of verbal cues or musical cues where specific kind of rhythm is induced corresponding to specific changes. Long exercises can get very tedious and boring hence it is essential that the trainer should inculcate different kinds of interesting changes in the training techniques during the course of the training. This will keep the trainees interested and keep them coming back for more.

The class...

Creating enough opportunities for them to perform their activities together should encourage the social interaction between group members and make exercises more fun. Besides this constantly reminding the trainees that the training they undergo in this class would benefit them in the long run can be quite motivating. Instilling in them a sense of progress and showing them how their increased flexibility that they attained through this class can effect their daily routines in addition to illustrating their success rate can greatly improve their chances of being motivated and keep them interested. Praise and probably a prize or distinction of some kind for those who excel the training will help trainees focus on what is being said and done in the class. Letting those who are good volunteer the class and take a session or two would not only help increase their confidence in themselves but also induce in them the need to be the best. In this way competition can contribute towards increasing their motivation.
Sometimes it may so occur that a person may want to quit the class or pose some trouble in accepting the methodology used by the instructor. Handling such a case requires a great deal of patience and wisdom on the part of the instructor. He should try and first analyze the problem the person has and then act accordingly. Providing a warm and trusting atmosphere has in many cases solved the problem but if that does not help then the instructor should briefly analyze the extent to which he should compromise with the demand of the client. Listening him out and giving him the chance to express himself may lead to the identification of the problem. However whatever the case may be, whether the client is the compromising kind or not when the instructor explains the benefits of his methodology and the ways in which it would improve his health and longevity the client is certainly bound to be motivated and once he's motivated solutions to his problems become easy as his resistance is replaced by his determination to achieve the goal of physical fitness this training has promised to offer.

Music as a motivational tool:

Whatever the exercise maybe, enjoyment is always the key motivator for adherence and output. Sports psychologists are of the view that music is a great aid that improves the potential and competency of athletes. The researchers claim that music works as a distraction to make the athlete forget his pain and fatigue and hence in a way provides relief to him improving his sense of effortlessness and driving him to train more. Music takes the athlete to a whole new level of consciousness where he is so immersed in the activity he is performing that the world around him seems to diminish. According to a research the use of music increases the work output by 5-7%. It does so by synchronizing the movement with the music providing an effective training pace. (Lee Crust)

Now that the importance of music during physical training has been established it is also essential to find the type of music to be used.Only music that triggers positive emotions should be encouraged since slow and emotional songs may be lovely to listen but they cause a rush of negative emotions concluding in useless negative energy.Songs that are associated with sports such as the title song of the film Rocky etc. can have a very positive effect.However in our class I intend to use slow tempos under 100 beats per min for stretching and tempos of 100-120 beats per min for warm-ups and cool downs.Using sings that have lyrics like 'move your body' or 'keep on moving' in my view will enhance the effects of motivational self-talk and they can be used as powerful cues enabling the class to decipher when to switch from one position to another.It is also essential to stress upon the lyrics being heard carefully by the participants or music will loose it's effectiveness.It…