Flexibility - the capacity of a joint or muscle to move through its full range of motion. Flexibility is specific to a particular movement or joints, and the degree of flexibility can vary around the body.
The test for flexibility is the sit and reach test
How to conduct the test
- The athlete warms up and then removes their shoes
- The assistant secures the ruler to the box top with the tape so that the front edge of the box lines up with the 15cm (6 inches) mark on the ruler and the zero end of the ruler points towards the athlete
- The athlete sits on the floor with their legs fully extended with the bottom of their bare feet against the box
- The athlete places one hand on top of the other, slowly bends forward and reaches along the top of the ruler as far as possible holding the stretch for two seconds
- The assistant records the distance reached by the athlete’s finger tips (cm)
- The athlete performs the test three times
- The assistant calculates and records the average of the three distances and uses this value to assess the athlete’s performance
Advantages
- Minimal equipment required
- Simple to set up and conduct
- Can be conducted almost anywhere
Disadvantages
- Specialist equipment required
- Assistant required to administer the test