Five Things You Should do After a Tough Workout

 

 

A tough workout can improve health and build strong muscles and bones. These types of workouts also take a toll on the body in the hours afterward. People can experience pain, swelling and even cramps afterwards. Fortunately, there are ways to prevent these negative effects. Five things should be done in the hours after a tough workout.

 

Stretch and Move

One of the first things to do is stretch and move gently. Stretching allows the body and the muscles to readjust to normal activity levels. Instantly moving into a state of rest can actually jar the muscles and increase soreness. Five to ten minutes of simple stretching followed by five to ten minutes of light activity like walking will reduce soreness and inflammation.

 

Eat and Drink Water

The muscles are damaged during a tough workout. The body needs nutrients like glycol in order to repair this damage and build new muscle tissue. It is important to eat a meal containing high amounts of protein and complex carbohydrates. These are essential for building muscle mass. Drinking water will replenish the moisture lost through sweating and exertion. Water also improves the metabolism so the body can remove lactic acid and other substances that cause muscle pain.

 

Avoid Strenuous Activities

The body needs to relax for at least one to four hours after a tough workout. This relaxation period should involve no strenuous activities. Lifting heavy items or pushing the body could turn normal tears in the muscle tissue into more serious injuries. The hours after a hard workout should involve mostly sitting, breathing and relaxing in a comfortable place.

 

Relax In a Hot Tub

A hot tub has a number of therapeutic benefits for anyone who just completed a tough workout. The heat from water will relieve inflammation and aching muscles. The different types of hot tub jets will soothe muscles and take away pain in the joints and back. A hot tub also increases blood circulation in the body. This allows more oxygen to reach muscles and organs so the body heals more quickly. It can help to visit a hot tub several times in the hours after a workout.

 

Nap for an Hour or More

After stretching and relaxing, it will help to take a nap for an hour or more. Sleeping comfortably releases important hormones into the body. These hormones accelerate the rebuilding of muscle and bone tissue. A simple nap can reduce pain and swelling. It also shortens the overall recovery time.

 

Categories: body, Hot Tub, muscle tissue, muscles, nbsp, strenuous, strenuous activities, stretch, tough, tough workout, Workout, workout nbsp

Running on Nothing: Best Ways to Protect Your Legs on Your Jogs

 

Running is one of the best and most effective forms of exercise, helping to burn calories, build muscle, strengthen joints, and improve mental health all at the same time. A simple one mile jog burns an average of 100 calories. Running is something most humans are able to do instinctively, with no real training or fancy equipment required. While the benefits of regular running are great, the impact does increase your potential for certain problems. There are some steps you can take to help protect your legs while out jogging.

 

Remember to Warm Up and Cool Down

Warm ups and cool down times are absolutely essential to helping keep you safe while running. Start and finish each work out with a 10-15 minute slower paced jog or fast paced walk. This gives your muscles time to loosen up and stretch out before too much is demanded of them, and relax once the workout is over.

 

Stretch

Stretching should be a vital part of your warm up and cool down routine. It is very important to take time to stretch all major muscle groups before working out to help prevent muscle strains or tears. In the event that you feel slight muscle aches and pains, try applying heat to the sore area before your workout. Remember to only stretch to where you are comfortable and hold each stretch for at least 30 seconds.

 

Ice

Many common running injuries  can start out as minor aches or inconveniences. Do not ignore them. Icing a sore area is a great way to reduce swelling and minimize injury to enable you to stay on the road to healthy running.

 

Wear Good Shoes

Good shoes may be different for everyone, but they are important for someone hoping to run regularly without injury. Take time to shop around and invest in well fitted comfortable shoes that can take you the distance. Proper fitted shoes will help prevent many common running issues such as shin splints, varicose veins, sprains, and blisters. Ivein in Provo Utah says if you already prone to these kind of veins, you should get varicose vein treatment to make sure your circulation won’t prevent you from running more.

 

Vary Your Route and Running Surface

The impact of day to day running on asphalt or pavement can cause serious strain on runner’s joints. Vary your route so you run some streets, but also gravel, grass, track, and trails. Softer surfaces tend to be easier on joints, so take a break from road running and run in the grass for a change.

 

Don’t Be Afraid to Rest

Listen to your body. If you are icing a sore knee, chances are you would benefit from a day or two break from running. Of course running for exercise will not always feel easy and pleasant, but it should not feel painful. If you have pain, it likely means an injury is on the way. Take time to rest and let your body heal.

 

Many people report that running makes them happier, healthier, and able to think more clearly. Take time to take the proper precautions, lace up a pair of well fitted shoes, do some stretching, and hit the road (or the grass beside it) for a run!

 

Categories: fitness, healing, ice, jogging, Protection, Running, stretch, Warm-Up

Stretching The Benefits: How to Stretch Properly

Stretching comes naturally to all of us. When you first get out of bed or after you’ve been sitting for a long time, you stretch without even consciously deciding to do so. It may surprise you, then, the hear that it is possible to stretch incorrectly – and doing so can harm your overall wellbeing. That said, if done correctly, stretching can provide a number of wellness benefits:

 

• Reduced muscle tension


• Increased range of movement in your joints


• Enhanced muscular coordination


• Increased circulation to various parts of your body


• Increased energy levels (due to this increased circulation)


• Delayed onset of muscle fatigue


• Enhanced performance in your daily life, sports, or other physical activity


• Improved posture


• Mental relaxation


• Added variety, enjoyment, and satisfaction to your fitness programme

 

According to Certified Personal Trainers Jen Mueller and Nicole Nichols, ‘Everyone should stretch, regardless of age, gender, or flexibility level. Stretching should be a part of your daily routine, whether you exercise or not. There are simple stretches you can do while watching TV, using the computer, or getting ready for bed… Ideally, most experts recommend that people stretch for 10-15 minutes per day. Hold each stretch for 15-30 seconds, repeating one or two more times, depending on how you feel.’ However, although stretching can be simple, you still need to do it properly to avoid serious damage. With that in mind, here are some helpful tips to ensure you are stretching safely:

 

1. Get Your Blood Pumping: Mueller and Nichols assert that you should ‘always warm up before stretching. Stretching a cold muscle increases the risk of pulls or tears. Think of your muscles like you would a rubber band. It’s easy to stretch a warm rubber band, but if you try to stretch a cold one, you risk cracking or breaking it. Don’t treat your muscles like a cold rubber band! Your best bet is to stretch after warming up or at the end of your workout.’

 

2. Keep it Bendy: ‘Do not lock your joints when you stretch,’ instruct Mueller and Nichols. ‘Keep joints like the elbows and knees slightly bent to avoid unnecessary stress on the joints.’

 

3. Don’t Forget to Breathe: Mueller and Nichols warn, ‘Never hold your breath while stretching. Try to breathe normally, in through the nose and out through the mouth. This will make your stretching a more relaxing experience.’

 

4. Go Slowly: ‘Take your time,’ say Mueller and Nichols. ‘The long-sustained, mild stretch reduces unwanted muscle tension and tightness.’

 

5. Do It Your Way: Mueller and Nichols advise, ‘Do not compare yourself with others. Everyone has different degrees of flexibility. Comparisons may lead to overstretching.’

 

6. Be Careful with Pre-Existing Conditions: Mueller and Nichols caution, ‘If you have had a hip replacement, do not cross your legs or bend your hips past a 90-degree angle during any of your stretching exercises.’

 

7. Keep Control: ‘Avoid ballistic stretching and other high-force, short-duration stretches that use rapid bouncing motions or momentum,’ Mueller and Nichols recommend. ‘You have far less control during this type of stretch and therefore a greater potential risk of injury. It does not allow your muscles to adjust to, and relax in, the stretched position. It may instead cause them to tighten up by repeatedly activating the stretch reflex.’

 

8. Know When Enough’s Enough: Mueller and Nichols urge, ‘Never stretch to the point of pain. If it hurts, stop.’

 

9. Get an Expert Opinion: ‘Talk to your doctor about any current or former musculoskeletal injuries or problems that might affect your ability to stretch safely and effectively,’ Mueller and Nichols advise.

Categories: Health Benefits, increased circulation, mueller, Muscle Tension, nbsp, nichols, nichols advise, rubber band, safety tips, stretch, Stretching

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

Bloated and Gassy? Stop Feeling Sofa-Bound and Try Yoga!

Feeling bloated and gassy is one health concern that affects everyone at some point in life, and, man, is it embarrassing. Gas and acid reflux can really have a negative impact on your overall sense of wellbeing, causing you to reach for the Tums and lie on the sofa until it goes away . However, according to Boston-based yoga instructor Zayna Gold, long-time Crohn’s disease sufferer and creator of Healing Through Movement, a more subtle, natural way to deal with that bloated feeling is yoga. ‘Fifteen minutes of yoga will help ease your pain,’ she says. But how exactly does yoga benefit your digestive wellness?

 

Gold points out that starting from a reclining position ‘gives you a chance to take a deep breath and feel energized.’ After this, she recommends that you progress from seated to standing positions, such as the bridge pose that stretches your body and stimulates your abdominal organs. Once you’ve done a few stretch poses, you should move on to twist poses that tone your abdomen – which is essential for eliminating gas, bloating and constipation. The other poses work and relax your nervous system, which is comprised of your back, neck and spine. Gold explains, ‘You will feel less stress when your nervous system is relaxed. The health benefits will spread to the rest of your body and ease your digestion.’ So which poses should you try?

 

1. The Apanasana: This is a great starting pose in which you lie on your back, relax, inhale and place your hands on your knees. From there, you exhale and hug your knees to your chest. To maximise the stretch, rock your knees from side to side and stay for five to 10 breaths before you release your knees, and repeat the movement a few more times. To vary the stretch, you can do one side at a time, leaving the other leg extended. This simple stretch is also known as the wind-relieving pose, as it helps you to gain relief from bloating and gas pains.

 

2. The Spinal Twist: You might want to try this pose if you need to soothe and tone your abdomen. Again, start by lying down, hugging your knees and breathing in. Then, as you exhale, drop your knees to the left, using your left hand to push them down gently. From here, turn your head and stretch your arm out to the right, staying for five to ten breaths. Once this is completed, inhale, return your hands and knees to centre and repeat on the other side. For variation, you can have a go at the one-legged seated spinal twist which, as you do it from a seated position, gives you more control over your stretch.

 

3. The Bridge Pose: Also known as the “Setu Bandha Sarvangasana”, a mild inversion like the bridge pose helps your blood flow, making you feel more energised and get over that post-dinner bloat. Lying on the floor with your knees bent, arms beside your body and feet flat on the floor, move your hips up so that you give your chest a good stretch. For an even better aid to digestion, Gold recommends the following variation, ‘Press one hip up and hold the pose. Take five breaths, then switch to the other side.’ However, this isn’t the only modification you can try. For another version of the Setu Bandha Sarvangasana or Bridge Pose, start as you did before but keep your hands under you as you arch your back and open your chest. It’s also a good idea to clasp your hands and interlace your fingers under your back.

Categories: bandha sarvangasana, bloating, bridge, bridge pose, gas, Knees, pose, setu bandha, spinal twist, stretch, 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