As you know from reading your text, you can have flexibility in one part of the body but not in another. For example, you might have good flexibility in the legs and hips as measured by the back-saver sit-and-reach test but not have good flexibility in the shoulders. The shoulder stretch (also called the zipper) can be used to assess flexibility in the shoulders. It is sometimes included as an extra test when performing Fitnessgram.
- Work with a partner to do this assessment.
- Start with the right shoulder. Be sure to start with a general warm-up.
- Reach over your right shoulder with your right hand and arm. Reach as far down your back as you can (pretend you are reaching for a zipper on your back or that you are going to scratch between your shoulder blades).
- Reach behind the low back with the left arm and then try to reach up and touch your right hand. Reach as far as you can with both hands, trying to overlap your hands if possible.
- Your partner checks to see if you can touch the two hands together. If the fingers of the right and left hands touch together, you record a Y or yes—that you can do it. This is a good indicator of shoulder flexibility.
- Repeat with the left shoulder.
When you get into high school, you will have the opportunity to learn about other self-assessments of flexibility. The high school Fitness for Life program helps you perform the following flexibility self-assessments.
- Arm lift
- Trunk rotation
- Wrap around
- Knee to chest
- Ankle flexibility
