Master Your Body: Tips For Flexibility Training

Friday, November 9, 2012

Tips For Flexibility Training

When it comes to "The Big Three" of exercise--cardiovascular, strength and flexibility training--it’s pretty clear which one can get overlooked. After all, while we prize cardiovascular and strength training for their role in helping us lose weight, build muscle and get fit, the benefits of flexibility training are less immediately alluring.

However, as the population ages, more of us are learning to appreciate the rewards of stretching. Staying limber can offset age-related stiffness, improve athletic performance and optimize functional movement in daily life. Research shows that flexibility training can develop and maintain range of motion and may help prevent and treat injury. In fact, the American College of Sports Medicine has added flexibility training to its general exercise recommendations, advising that stretching exercises for the major muscle groups be performed two to three days per week.

How can you include an effective flexibility workout in your fitness program? Here are some guidelines:

1. Think in Terms of Serious Flexibility Training, Not Just Brief Stretching. Squeezing in one or two quick stretches before or after a workout is better than nothing, but this approach will yield limited results. What’s more, generic stretches may not be effective for your particular body. The more time and attention you give to your flexibility training, the more benefits you’ll experience.

2. Consider Your Activities. Are you a golfer? Do you ski, run or play tennis? Do your daily home or work routines include bending, lifting or sitting for long periods? Functional flexibility improves “the stability and mobility of the whole person in his or her specific environment,” says physical therapist Deborah Ellison. She recommends an individualized stretching program to improve both stability (the ability to maintain ideal body alignment during all activities) and mobility (the ability to use full, normal range of motion).

3. Pay Special Attention to Tight Areas. Often the shoulders, chest, hamstrings and hips are particularly tight, but you may hold tension in other areas, depending on your history of injuries and the existing imbalances in your muscle groups. Unless you tailor your flexibility training to your strengths and weaknesses, you may stretch already overstretched muscles and miss areas that need training.

4. Listen to Your Body. Stretching is an individual thing. Pay attention to your body’s signals and don’t push too far. Avoid ballistic stretching, which uses bouncing or jerking movements to gain momentum; this approach can be dangerous. Instead, slowly stretch your muscles to the end point of movement and hold the stretch for about 10 to 30 seconds. Older adults, pregnant women and people with injuries may need to take special precautions.

5. Get Creative. Varying your flexibility training can help you stick with it. You can use towels, resistance balls and other accessories to add diversity and effectiveness to your stretching.

6. Warm Up First. If you’re stretching on your own, don’t forget to warm up your muscles before you begin. Walking briskly for 10 or 15 minutes is a simple way to do this.

7. Find a Flexibility Class That Works for You. Classes that include stretching are becoming more popular and more diverse. Some combine cardiovascular and strength components with the flexibility training; others focus exclusively on stretching.

8. Stretch Yourself--Mind and Body. Did you know that your emotional state may affect your flexibility? If your body is relaxed, says Ellison, it will be more responsive to flexibility training. Listening to music and focusing on your breath can help you relax as you stretch. You may also want to explore yoga or exercise inspired by the work of Joseph Pilates. In addition to stretching, classes in these disciplines may include relaxation, visualization and other mind-body techniques designed to reduce stress and increase mindfulness.

9. It’s Not Just for Wimps. Forget the idea that stretching is just for elderly, injured or unconditioned people. Many Olympic and professional athletes rely on flexibility training for peak performance.

10. Do It Consistently. It does not help to stretch for a few weeks and then forget about it. Integrate regular stretching into your permanent fitness program. For inspiration, look to cats and dogs--they’re dedicated practitioners of regular stretching! :)

Abdominal Challenge #1

NO REST Between Exercises/Keep hands on your head at ALL TIMES when you perform each Sit-up/Keep your legs bent on all Sit-ups/Watch your form and make sure you engage your belly button AT ALL TIMES/Control your motion and DO NOT USE MOMENTUM!
Unassisted Sit-ups- 10x/Hold #10 at the Halfway Mark for 20sec
Core Plank- 30 seconds
Unassisted Sit-ups- 15x/Hold #15 at the Halfway Mark for 20sec
Core Plank- 1 minute
Unassisted Sit-ups- 20x/Hold #20 at the Halfway Mark for 20sec
Core Plank- 1 minute 30 sec
Unassisted Sit-ups- 25x/Hold #25 at the Halfway Mark for 20sec
Core Plank- 2 minutes

Abdominal Challenge #2

DO NOT REST BETWEEN EXERCISES UNLESS IT IS STATED/USE THE SAME RULES FOR ABDOMINAL CHALLENGE #1/Substitute One Crunch + One Sit-up Twist/Twist for Plate Stand-ups if needed/Substitute Roman Chair Leg Raises for Hanging Leg Raises if needed
Medicine Ball Sit-ups (Unassisted)- 25 times/Explosive on the UP- 10 second count on the DOWN/Keep M.B. on your chest AT ALL TIMES
Hanging Bent Leg Raises- 3x15/Rest 10 seconds between sets/DO NOT SWING
Plate Standups/25 times/DO NOT MOVE YOUR FEET/Tempo- Moderate Pace/The lighter the plate the harder the exercise...CHALLENGE/PUSH!
Side Core Plank- Hold 30 seconds/25 Ups and Downs/Do one side at a time
Hanging Straight Leg Raises- 3x15/Rest 10 seconds between sets/DO NOT SWING
Plate Stand-ups + Sit-ups/(2=1) 35 times/DO NOT MOVE YOUR FEET/Tempo- Moderate Pace/The lighter the plate the harder the exercise...CHALLENGE YOURSELF
Side Core Plank- Hold 1 minute/35 Ups and Downs/Do one side at a time

CONDITIONING DRILL #4

In order to MASTER this conditioning drill, each exercise must be performed with perfect form and without STOPPING!

**Be sure that the BURPEES are ALL EXPLOSIVE...JUMP AS HIGH AS YOU CAN AT THE START/LAND IN A LOW PUSH-UP POSITION/EXPLODE BACK UP, LEADING WITH YOUR LEGS

**Make sure that the SQUAT HOLDS ARE LOW (THINK OF AN L-SHAPE/DO NOT LET YOUR BUTT FALL TOO CLOSE TO THE FLOOR)...SIT BACK ON YOUR HEELS AND ALWAYS KEEP YOUR BACK STRAIGHT

1) BURPEES- 15 TIMES
2)LOW SQUAT HOLD (15TH BURPEE)- 10 SECONDS
3) BURPEES- 12 TIMES
4) LOW SQUAT HOLD (12TH BURPEE)- 10 SECONDS
5) BURPEES- 10 TIMES
6) LOW SQUAT HOLD (10TH BURPEE)- 15 SECONDS
7) BURPEES- 8 TIMES
8) LOW SQUAT HOLD (8TH BURPEE)- 15 SECONDS
9) BURPEES- 6 TIMES
10) LOW SQUAT HOLD (6TH BURPEE)- 20 SECONDS
11) BURPEES- 4 TIMES
12) LOW SQUAT HOLD (4TH BURPEE)- 20 SECONDS
13) BURPEE- 2 TIMES
14) LOW SQUAT HOLD (2ND BURPEE)- 20 SECONDS

DEFINITION OF EXERCISES/LANGUAGE IN EXERCISE

1) Straight-legged to Heels-to-Butt Sit-ups- lie flat on the ground with your legs straight and your hands on your head. As you start to do a sit-up bring your heels in to your butt and tap the floor (*the closer the heels come to the butt the harder). As you come out of your sit-up and begin to roll-down straighten out your legs and make sure the heels touch the floor. It should be a smooth, contolled one motion.
2) Burpee In Place-start by jumping straight in the air and then landing in a squat position with hands on the ground. Kick your feet back into the downward position of a push-up. Thrust the feet up and push up with the arms simultaneously.
3) Traveling Forward Burpee- the same concept as the Burpee In Place the only difference is jump forward instead of straight up.
4) Traveling Backward Burpee- the same concept as the Burpee In Place the only difference is jump backward instead of jumping straight up.
5) Burp- also known as a stripped down burpee. Start low and tucked toward the floor. Kick feet out to the bottom portion of a pushup. Then, push with your hands, while thrusting the feet back to the beginnning position (which is low and tucked toward the floor). It is only a half way motion minus without the jump in the air.
6) M.B. or Plate Stand-Ups- lie flat on the ground with your feet planted on the ground. Beginners should use two dumbbells and place on feet. Hold a m.b. or plate over your head (*the heavier the db/plate the easier...the lighter the db/plate or no weight the harder). Quickly move your arms forward and start to sit up. It is very important that you use your arms for momentum and engage your abdominals. Once your arms pass your knees, quickly push forward with your legs, moving into a standing position.
7) Mountain Climbers- start with your body in a push-up plank position. With the hands stationary, alternate the feet back and forth. One leg should be tucked with the knee coming close to your chest and the opposite leg extended. Make sure to place your weight on the balls of the feet.
8) Grasshoppers- your body will begin in the same position you used for mountain climbers. The movement starts by bringing your left foot underneath the body until it touches your right hand. After touching your hand, return the left foot to the starting position and repeat the movement by bringing your right foot across the body to your left hand. You will be on the balls of your feet but when you bring your foot toward your hand you will land on the side of your foot.
9) Wall Sit- place yourself up against a wall and squat down until the thighs are parallel to the floor. Think about forming an L with the bottom portion of your body. Your back is supported against the wall. Hold this position for time. Do not place your hands on your thighs because this takes off the pressure in your legs. Absolutely no movement with this exercise.
10) Bridge- a great exercise that will develop strength and flexibility. It is a static hold that helps improve lower back strength. Start by lying down on the floor with your knees bent and your hands on the floor close to your ears. Lift yourself up with your abdomen pointing upward and with only the hands and the feet on the floor. Your body should create an arched position and you will maintain the upright position for time.
11) Aerobic exercise- means with oxygen. An activity in which demands of muscle for oxygen are met by circulation of oxygen in blood. Distance running, cross-country, skiing, distance cycling are all examples of aerobic activities.
12) Anaerobic Exercise- means without oxygen. Activity in which oxygen demands of muscles are so high that they rely upon an internal metabolic process for oxygen. Short burts of "all-out" activities such as sprinting or weightlifting are examples of anerobic exercises.
13) Burn- also known as "going for the burn." For instance, in endurance exercise, working muscles until lactic acid buildup causes a burning sensation.
14) Concentric- when muscles contract or shorten.
15) Delts- an abbreviation for deltoids, the large triangular muscles of the shoulder which raise the arm away from the body and perform other functions.
16) Eccentric- when muscles lengthen while maintaining tension.
17) Fast-Twitch- refers to muscle cells that fire quickly and are utilized in anaerobic activites like sprinting and powerlifting.
18) Glycogen- can be referred to as a full tank full of stored carbohydrates. Some of it is stored in the liver and some of it is stored in the muscles themselves.
19) Hybrid Lift- is two or more exercise done in one single movement. It is the inverse of a combo lift. For istance, performing a bicep curl while lunging.
20) Interval Training- is a short, high-intensity cardio exercise alternated with longer periods of lower-intensity cardio. It allows you to burn more calories, increase your speed, improve your power, and much more. It is more effective at burning fat while maintaining muscle mass. Combine this type of training with intensity will also increase your metabolic rate to amazing levels. This is because the work you do utilizes a greater percent of the body's muscles.

POWER THOUGHT OF THE DAY

TRADE AFFIRMATION FOR ACCOMPLISHMENT: Accolades fade quickly, but your accomplishments have the potential to make a positive impact on the lives of others.

TRADE IMMEDIATE PLEASURE FOR PERSONAL GROWTH: It takes an oak tree decades to grow, but it takes a squash only weeks. Which do you want to be?

TRADE EXPLORATION FOR FOCUS: The younger you are, the more experimenting you should do. But once you have found what you were created to do, STICK WITH IT!

TRADE QUANTITY OF LIFE FOR QUALITY OF LIFE: Your life is not a dress rehearsal. Give it your best because you won't get another chance.