Test your flexibility

The following are three ways to test your flexibility. The idea of testing is to become aware that tightness in certain muscle groups can lead to injury if you are not careful during fitness workouts. Use these flexibility tests as a benchmark for your current range of motion and work on increasing it.

Test one: Hamstring flexibility test

Props needed: Tape measure and either a small sticky note or sticky tape.

Perform test: Sit tall against a wall with your legs straight out in front of you, trying to keep your legs as straight as possible. Legs are a couple of inches apart with your
knees and toes facing the ceiling. Place your hands on top of each other holding your sticky and reach arms out in front of body, extending your body forward leading with your breastbone first.
Place your sticky on the floor between your legs as far as you can reach forward, keeping good form.

Tip: Be careful not to round your upper back as you reach forward, as this will give you a false result.

Gauge: Measure from the wall to the sticky and record your result. Each week do the same test again and see how much your flexibility has increased.

The object of this test is to measure the flexibility in the hamstrings. Tightness of these muscles can cause lower back pain and quality of movement and function of your daily activities.

Test two: Upper body flexibility test

Props needed: Rolled up medium-sized towel and sticky tape.

Perform test: Standing with your feet hip-width apart holding a rolled up towel at each end of the towel. Reach hands straight overhead with a taught towel. Gently move your hands
slightly behind the body. Stop when you feel a comfortable stretch in the chest, biceps and shoulders.

Tip: Keep your arms as straight as possible.

Gauge: Wrap sticky tape around the towel exactly where your hands were. Measure the distance from each sticky mark and record your number. Practice weekly.

The object of this test is to see what range of motion you have as well as to increase flexibility in your chest, shoulders and biceps. The flexibility of these muscles plays a major role
in your posture. If any of these muscles are tight, they can cause you to be round shouldered and slightly hunchbacked.

Test three: Lateral side stretch and lower back flexibility test

Props: Sticky tape

Perform test: Standing tall away from the wall with your butt and back resting against the wall. Holding a piece of tape in your right hand, side bend over to the right without
collapsing on the underneath side. Place a sticky as far down the leg as you can whilst maintaining good form.

Tip: Think of reaching up and over as you bend sideways. 

Gauge: Measure from the floor to the tape on your leg and record your number. Repeat this in a week’s time with the same test and compare results to see if your flexibility has
increased.

The object of this flexibility test is to test the flexibility and range of motion in your lower back and obliques (side abdominal muscles).