Stretching: What Are You Missing Out On?

When you’re hitting it hard in the gym, chances are you aren’t thinking about stretching as part of your routine. But you could be missing a trick. Stretching is easily forgotten about, even in the adverts for gyms, but it’s as crucial as any other part of your routine, despite being ignored by so many people. Like many things in life, you need to avoid extremes. Stretching is no exception to this rule and what research tells us is that the extremes of too much and too little flexibility are likely to lead to injuries and problems in your body. There’s never been any proof that stretching prevents injury – this is a myth  - but there are still benefits to it, and you should be adding to all of your workouts as a warm-up and cool-down segment to your routine. At the very least, it enhances your post-workout recovery and decreases the chance of soreness the next day.

You should aim to reach an average or ‘normal’ level of flexibility, but if you don’t stretch regularly enough then your range of motion will be lower. But if you’ve never done it before, where do you begin? You should aim to stretch after your workouts, when your muscles are warm and less prone to injury. Exercises gets the body warmed up and loosens the joints and muscles, so they will be primed for stretching. It’s no surprise that exercises such as yoga are so successful in increasing our wellbeing and flexibility – these sort of activities focus almost entirely on stretching and moving the body into different positions so that the circulation can be increased and the muscles can be more flexible.

 

You should try to hit every muscle group when you’re stretching, but the real key is knowing how far to go – there should only be a slight level of discomfort, but certainly no pain. If you are feeling pain from the stretch, you’ve gone too far and you need to release. You should begin by inhaling deeply then, as you exhale, slowly and smoothly stretch to a point of moderate tension. Never bounce or jerk around, and you should feel a warm burn but not pain in doing this. Hold the stretch for 15 to 30 seconds and breathe deeply during the stretch. Don’t hold your breath and be sure to stay relaxed. Slowly return to your starting position and relax for a couple of seconds. Repeat the stretch two more times if you choose to, and if possible try to stretch a little bit further each time – don’t go beyond your limit though.

 

You can also stretch your back by sitting on the floor and performing a torso twist. Keep your back straight, with your shoulders down and your abs engaged, with your legs extended in front of you. Bend your right knee to place your foot flat on the floor, then wrap your left arm around your right leg and twist to the right side. Breathe deeply and hold the position, then repeat on the opposite side. Stretching post-workout helps to get your muscles more relaxed and increases circulation to your joints and muscle tissues. It also helps your body remove unwanted waste products, reducing the soreness and stiffness as a result.Doing these exercises before and after your workout could help to improve your fitness and flexibility, opening up your body to a better result in the gym overall.

Categories: body, breathe deeply, fitness, flexibility, muscles, Post-Workout, stretch, Stretching

Pilates Perceptions: Six Myths You Should Reconsider

There are a lot of wellness myths about Pilates, but believing them could really put your wellbeing at risk. Either the misconceptions reduce your chances of success with this exercise, or they make you miss out on the fitness benefits of Pilates altogether. According to Master Pilates Trainer Kathy Corey, ‘When I tell people that I’m a master Pilates trainer, I get a lot of interesting reactions. People who practice and love Pilates are quick to ask their burning questions…but many people who are less familiar with the popular form of exercise ask a lot of questions—and make a lot of assumptions. They say things like, “Oh, I could never do Pilates,” (and then allude to an injury, health issue, or the fact that they don’t think it’d be challenging enough). Some show confusion, thinking Pilates is the same as yoga. And still others mention having tried Pilates once or twice, but never really “getting” it.’ Let’s take a look at the top six myths about Pilates.

 

1. Pilates is just for women: Corey details, ‘Pilates was originally designed by a man (Joseph Pilates) and for men.  Pilates himself was a boxer and circus performer, and he trained both Scotland Yard and the Hamburg Military Police in self-defence and physical training.’ While Pilates is more popular with women than men these days, more and more male sports teams are incorporating Pilates exercises into their cross training programmes.

 

 2. Pilates is like yoga: ‘Yoga and Pilates approach movement differently; have different breathing styles; and utilize very different exercises—although there are some overlaps in these movements,’ Corey explains. ‘In contrast to yoga, Pilates offers more than just mat-based work; Joseph Pilates invented several pieces of equipment (such as the reformer, Cadillac, tower, barrel and more) in the early 1900s that are still used in Pilates classes today.’

 

3. Pilates is too easy: ‘Pilates is only easy if you aren’t doing the exercises properly,’ Corey asserts. ‘If you are going through the motions without applying the principles of control, centring, concentration and precision, it may feel easy—but you are not really doing Pilates.  Properly performed, the exercises should be challenging and rejuvenating for all fitness levels.  Because the exercises engage the deepest core muscles, you need to understand how to do them properly to get the most benefit. That’s why it’s great to take a class with a qualified instructor who can watch and correct your form as needed.’

 

4. Pilates is too hard: On the other end of the scale, even people who are in good shape find Pilates to be a very humbling experience. However, even though Pilates can be difficult at first, that is not to say that you shouldn’t give it a go. Corey points out, ‘A good Pilates class will include instruction for every level of fitness and a breakdown of how to properly perform the movements for your body.’

 

5. Pilates only works your core: Corey admits, ‘While Pilates does build core strength, Mr. Pilates always emphasized that his exercises were for the whole body. He believed the more muscles you use to perform a movement, the more efficient the movement would be. This creates a system of functional strength that applies to all movements.  The Pilates system teaches a balance of strength and flexibility.’

 

6. Pilates is only for flexible people: ‘Flexibility is an inherent part of Pilates training, so you will gain flexibility by doing Pilates regularly,’ says Corey. ‘The exercises are geared to improving flexibility for a more limber body with greater ranges of motion.  And for those people who are overly flexible, the core conditioning creates joint stability so the goal is a balance of strength and flexibility. All exercises can be modified or adapted to suit each individual’s flexibility level.’

Categories: corey, exercises, flexibility, joseph pilates, master pilates, Myths, people, Pilates, pilates trainer, yoga

Five Post-Workout Stretches Every Runner Needs to Perform

Stretching is an important component of any fitness routine, but this is especially the case if you’re a runner. You might do a few stretches before you go out running, but then you’re really not in the mood to stop and stretch when you arrive home after a 10-mile run. Stretching has many benefits to your wellness, including increased range of motion and improved muscular coordination. Research shows that the more flexible your muscles are, the more quickly they will recover and fuel your next run.

 

However, if you’re worried about taking time out for extra exercise, Certified Personal Trainer Jen Mueller notes, ‘Your flexibility routine doesn’t have to take a lot of time. Just five or 10 minutes is all you need at the end of your workout. While any full-body stretching routine will do, there are some specific stretches that can help improve your running performance and prevent the aches and pains runners commonly experience. Because running, while good for you in many ways, does put stress on your body—especially the lower limbs and joints.’ Mueller warns, ‘The most important thing to remember is to only stretch warm muscles…fitness experts recommend stretching after you workout; this is when your muscles are warmest and your joints are lubricated, and therefore primed to stretch. While it’s OK to stretch after your warm-up (but before your run), doing so might actually interrupt or negate the warm-up process, which is more likely to result in injury or problems.’

 

So, let’s take a look at the stretches you need to incorporate into your post-running routine:

 

1. Hamstrings Stretch: According to Mueller, ‘Runners are notorious for tight hamstrings that can cause lower back problems and lead to pulled muscles. Tight hamstrings also limit your range of motion, which can affect running stride, form and speed. To improve hamstring flexibility, try [a] lying hamstring stretch, which keeps the spine neutral whereas basic toe touches (forward bends) do not, thereby reducing risk of low back pain.’

 

2. Quadriceps Stretch: ‘Stretching the quads forces your hamstrings to contract, helping them get stronger,’ Mueller explains. ‘It’s important to have strong and flexible quads since these muscles help lift your knees and increase your speed.’

 

3. Piriformis Stretches: Mueller details, ‘Your piriformis muscle is responsible for the rotation of the hip. Although it’s very important in activities that frequently change direction, it tends to tighten up in runners. If the piriformis becomes too tight or spasms, it can irritate the sciatic nerve, which causes pain in the glutes, lower back and thighs. To prevent these issues, try asking your trainer about piriformis stretches.

 

4. Calf Stretch: ‘Flexible calf muscles can improve your ability to increase the length of your stride, which results in increased speed,’ says Mueller. ‘Loose calf muscles also take some of the burden away from your shins as you bring your trailing leg forward when running, helping prevent shin pain or shin splints. A basic calf stretch is an easy one to incorporate.’

 

5. Iliotibial (IT) Band Stretch: Mueller comments, ‘The illiotibial band is part of a muscle that runs along the outside of the knee and can create pain when it starts to rub on the kneecap. This is typically an overuse injury (trying to do too much too soon or not giving your body adequate time for rest and recovery). Stretches that target the IT band can reduce pain and prevent future knee problems.’

 

Try incorporating these stretches into your post-running routine after you’ve cooled down, and see what a difference it makes to your flexibility and overall performance.

Categories: calf muscles, calf stretch, flexibility, nbsp, piriformis stretches, post running, problems nbsp, Running, running routine, stretch, Stretching, tight hamstrings

Can’t Think of a Fitness Resolution? Try One of Ours!

With New Year’s Eve just around the corner, now is the time to take a look at what you want for your wellbeing. Do you wish you could burn more fat? Or do your aims lie in building more muscle or gaining flexibility? If you’re struggling to think of what you want to do to take your wellness to the next level, or you don’t know what to do in order to achieve your goals, we’ve got the five most common fitness goals, as well as the expert advice you need to reach them.

 

1. Burning More Fat: According to Scott Weiss, DPT, ATC, CSCS, a New York based physical therapist and athletic trainer, you need to burn more calories overall if you want to burn more fat. The way to burn a higher percentage of fat calories is to take up long, slow distance exercise, but if you kick up the intensity you can burn the highest total number of calories and total fat overall. The “afterburn” effect of interval training – also known as excess post oxygen consumption (EPOC) – helps you to burn more calories, so Weiss recommends alternating 20-30-second sprints for every five minutes of running at your normal pace.

 

2. Running Faster: Whether you want to beat your friend in the next 10K or just top your personal best, you need to improve your stride length and frequency (or the distance you take with each step and how fast your legs move. Founder of Inspire Training Systems Neal Pire, CSCS, author of Plyometrics for Athletes At All Levels, explains, ‘Ultimately, running speed is based on the product of stride length and stride frequency. This involves increasing the strength and power of your hip extensors, especially your glutes and hamstrings.’ For this you need squats, step-ups, single-leg Romanian squats and calf-strengthening moves in your workout.

 

3. Lifting Heavier Weights: Pire notes that gaining strength requires two things: pushing yourself past your comfort zone and using weight that fatigues you at no more than six reps. Research suggests that doing two to six sets of six repetitions, and having two- to five-minute rest periods in between each set, will get you the best results. Pire adds, ‘Get rest between sets so that you can repeat your performance the following set.’

 

4. Increasing Your Endurance: Strengthening your heart, increasing your ability to uptake oxygen in the muscles and dealing with the by-products of exercise such as lactic acid is essential if you want to win out against your athletic opponents. Weiss notes, ‘You want to use a combo of long slow distance and high intensity interval training (HIIT)…Not only does HIIT help strengthen the heart muscle, but it stimulates a greater uptake of oxygen in working muscle. Plus, the more hydrated you are, the less likely you are to feel a burn while you work out – so drink up.’

 

5. Improving Your Agility: When you’re agile, this translates into dodging puddles on a rainy day or sidestepping a hole in the pavement when walking or running. Weiss comments, ‘Agility is the ability to start, stop and change direction efficiently.’ To improve your agility, Weiss recommends ladder drills, the 5-10-5 football shuttle test and figure-eight cone drills along with box jumps for advanced exercisers.

 

6. Increasing Flexibility: There are four kinds of stretching in which you need to take part if you want to increase your flexibility. Firstly, you need to take up static stretching, or lengthening a muscle and holding it for 30 seconds and focusing on one specific muscle. For passive stretching, you need to use a strap, gravity, body weight or another person to apply force while you relax. Then you need to incorporate PNF (proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation) stretching, which involves a relax and contract method often used by athletes. Finally, Weiss recommends two to three sets of 20 dynamic stretches, which ‘includes multiple muscles and joints and provides the best crossover for exercise and sport.’

Categories: burn, calories, fat-burning, flexibility, Interval Training, Muscle, nbsp, strenght, stride length, weiss, weiss recommends

Can You Get Your Cardio Requirements from a Yoga Class?

For the sake of simplicity, fitness professionals usually divide training into three categories: cardio, strength and flexibility. But do activities ever overlap? Sure, yoga can improve your flexibility wellness, but can it also serve as a cardio workout? In reality, activities exist on a continuum.

Seeing as most activities use oxygen as fuel, they are all considered cardiovascular. The exception to this rule is high-intensity exercises lasting less than two minutes, but generally, some activities just fall farther along the continuum, offering more of a cardiovascular challenge than others. This depends on the type of activity, and the intensity and duration of which you do it. Therefore, yoga counts as cardio, but walking and running tend to put progressively more cardiovascular demands on your body then a yoga class.

However, that works as an overall rule but what if you looked at individuals? Say you were to put a heart-rate monitor on a slow walker and another on a power-yoga participant, the yoga participant may maintain a higher heart rate for longer, and therefore stress their cardiovascular system more. If you think you may be able to get your cardio needs from your yoga class, try wearing a heart-rate monitor during a session. You need to see whether your heart rate rises to 60 to 85% of you max, and if so, for how long.

If your yoga class doesn’t help you maintain an elevated heart rate for 30 minutes, don’t worry; yoga still offers other equally important health benefits such as increased strength, mobility, flexibility and relaxation. Remember, you can’t really do anything within your class to amp up your cardio benefits, as different types of yoga will elicit different results, rather than your level of individual effort.

As a general rule, you should be aiming to achieve low-intensity movement that adds up to 60 minutes of movement per day, which many yoga classes allow you to accomplish. If you’re concerned you’re not moving enough, a great way to increase your movement is with a pedometer. You should aim to accumulate 10,000 steps per day. Also, try to do three weekly workouts in which you maintain a heart rate of 60 to 85% of your max for 20 to 30 minutes – you may be able to do it with power-yoga classes.

Categories: flexibility, heart-rate monitor, yoga

A beginner"s guide to Yoga

Yoga is an ancient art and one in which many people feel anxious about starting, due to the many positions and techniques involved. While it is a complicated exercise, there are positions which anyone can do and which are easy to learn. If you want to learn yoga from scratch, it’s best to start off with the simply meditative poses to begin with, before building up to the more complex poses – this is the way it has been taught for centuries, so you will be following the techniques of thousands of years worth of yoga teachers. Once you have perfected these movements, you can then progress to more advanced stages of yoga for the therapeutic gains that yoga can offer. Don’t be put off if you find that these simple poses are difficult to begin with – it’s just a case that your muscles are not flexible enough at this stage, but this will improve with time. For this reason, it’s advised that you warm up your joints and muscles beforehand to make the poses more easy to perform.

The Sun Salutation is a common position associated with yoga and is a Surya Manaska method for people who have never performed yoga before. This is a simple and easy-to-perform workout which uses a combination of energy, form and rhythm. The Sun Salutation stimulates your neuro-muscular system and keeps the balance between your body and mind. You should practice this for at least 15 days before moving on to other meditative postures.

You begin by standing with your palms folded in Namaskara Mudra in front of your chest, keeping your feet closed together. Keep your breathing normal and try to relax, in order to calm your mind.

The second position involves raising your hands upwards whilst keeping your palms in the same position, so that your hands are now touching your ears – now stretch your hands and abdomen upwards as far as you can, inhaling as you do so.

Bend forward and keep your palms at the side of your respective feet, making sure that your forehead is touching your knees and exhale.

In the fourth position, you need to sit down on your toes and push your right leg backwards – this will mean your left leg is automatically in front between your palms. Look straight ahead as you do this and inhale, as well as raising your head a little.

Take your left leg back, which was in front of you, then raise your hips upwards, making them align with your head – support this action with your hands and exhale, remaining calm all the while.

In the sixth position, you can now lower your body with the support of your palms onto the ground, ensuring that your knees, head and chest are touching the ground. If you can, try to hold your breath here before moving on to the seventh position.

Keeping your waist lower and raising the upper parts of your body, keep your hands straight and inhale again. The breathing techniques in yoga are important to balance the body and mind, and to maintain a sense of calm.

Bring your head down to the ground and raise your hips in a V-like shape, looking towards your heels and exhaling. You can then move on to repeating the previous movements, like so - for the ninth position, repeat the fourth pose and draw air in. In the tenth position, repeat the third pose and exhale. Repeat position number two and inhale, before returning to the initial pose and breathing normally once more.

Yoga is a complex art, but this is a relatively simple workout which can revitalise you in the mornings and improve your flexibility before moving on to more advanced poses.

 

Categories: beginner, Breathing, flexibility, yoga