Flexibility of strength training practitioners with focus on muscle’s hypertrophy

Abstract

The following work concerns a program of exercises practiced regularly aiming develop the muscle’s strength and flexibility or even work out other physical qualities, which plays an extremely important role for the corporal integrity related to health. The objective of the investigation was to evaluate the flexibility level of strength training practitioners focused on muscle's hypertrophy. The research, qualified as descriptive, took place in two different gyms where three tests were applied: Flexitest, angular and linear (test of sitting and reaching). The tests were applied using the total extent of the joints from people’s ankles, knees, trunk, wrists, elbows and shoulders. Thirty men aged from 20 to 30 years old participated of the research. One important point to consider is that they have all been practitioners of strength training aiming muscular hypertrophy for at least three months, in addition they did not have any neuromuscular damages. After collecting the necessary piece of information, it had been noticed through the Flexitest that most of the practitioners had reached the Positive level. Also, every person who was assessed on the angular test had reached the average proposed by the literature, differently from the linear test in which the results were unsatisfying. From the comparison of the results it became possible to notice that what happened was a larger extent of the joints where the muscular hypertrophy work had been emphasized. Therefore, it is concluded that the strength training aiming muscular hypertrophy does not limit the flexibility if it is executed with the correct extent of movement in a balanced way between agonist and antagonist muscles and limbs.