I was flipping through a fashion magazine recently and was happy to hear that there is finally a real effort on the part of designers, modeling agents and editors to change the model hiring ideal size from a 0 to a 4. Small step but a start. Many of us have adolescent, teenage or young adult females in our lives and this is a quietly growing problem that now goes way beyond a size and is a huge influence in their lives. Through TV, movies, print, and the internet girls are bombarded with what is “perfect” in the eyes of society. It is not an easy task to pass through puberty and ever be a size 0 not to mention the pressure to fill a bra, have the perfect body, perfect teeth, a flawless face, spotless skin and luxurious hair. What ever happened to embracing the genetics within a family and the uniqueness that makes us all a bit different? This quest for universal beauty isn’t a new thing but it is so “in your face” now that it can take over a personality, it can takeover a life. It is way too much for a young girl (or boy!) to put into perspective. The more we let our children, or ourselves, dwell on the physical exterior we are losing the chance to become a better person on the inside. For those that don’t see the beauty in themselves it is a dangerous road that leads to self-doubt, alienation, depression and worse. And the hard reality is it doesn’t get any easier as you age. Life is so much more than studying oneself in a mirror looking for flaws, shop ‘til you drop and finding the newest “fix” treatments. Don’t get me wrong I believe in self- improvement on all levels or I wouldn’t be in this business. I simply feel that the focus on betterment and change should go way beyond the physical and material. And as adults we also need to look closely at the messages we send to the children around us by how we view and speak about ourselves.
Haven’t you noticed that living with imperfection, whether real or perceived, often makes a person try harder and excel in other areas? This opens the door wide for developing a compelling personality, amazing people and/or work skills, broad intelligence, a sense of humor and the ability to laugh at oneself before others. And most important, in my opinion, it allows you to become a person rich with understanding, acceptance and compassion for the feelings of others. Beauty is a gift, not something an individual somehow earned at birth. If you have been lucky in this area, be thankful and humble and notice how doors may open easier for you. And never, ever be judgmental of others who may not be so lucky. I have always felt “be careful what you wish for.” Sometimes the road you think you want forks the wrong way.
In the meantime, get fit, get strong and maximize the gifts you have right in front of you.
Share the message of how commitment, work and accomplishment enhances living and self-worth. Celebrate an efficient heartbeat and the ability to move. There is no better feeling than making the most of what is the real, healthy YOU!
~ Kari
Monday, May 24, 2010
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Changing Behavior
This is the perfect time of year to revaluate how you are managing your life. The winters are always challenging for many reasons and spring, along with the hints of summer, give us some relief, some hope.
If you are at all like me you may have somewhat of an “addictive” personality. I easily develop patterns of behavior (typically in response to circumstances) that tend to gain momentum as time goes by. The patterns then become reinforced as I find they are successful, comfortable or highly enjoyable. The bad news is sometimes the evolving change is not in my best interest. Feel free to plug any of your own in here! This could be diet/nutrition, excessive or non-existent exercise, smoking, drinking, drugs, negativity, risk-taking, apathy…withdrawal from friends or family…or any number of things.
I have been through this before and at one time had to address a problem that I feared I would never overcome. From that experience that spanned several years I now know it is possible to attack and conquer the perceived impossible.
The most important thing is to acknowledge that something is affecting the quality of your life negatively and then look at the ways to begin a process of change. The biggest obstacle in my opinion is thinking too large, rather than looking at the option of mini-steps of behavior change. Rather than using the words “I will start now and never again…” consider beginning with a smaller commitment. Why not just start with TODAY and see how it goes? By knowing that your immediate commitment is short there is peace in the process. By experience I know that that one day often becomes another day, then a week, then a month, then years and before you know it what was a pattern is now only an option that you can choose to ignore. New behaviors breed new reinforcements and change can happen.
When a pattern is truly an addiction or illness… or is life-threatening and more than you can handle on your own it is critical to seek help. There is no shame in being in need, it is human and we all go through it to some degree at one or many points in a lifetime. The shame is when a life is wasted because you feel alone in your struggles. Look around yourself at the gym. You are surrounded by people who have both struggles and triumphs. We are lucky to be in a physical environment that is all about change and empowerment. Spend a moment today thinking about what you want for yourself and how today can be a new beginning. That first step is the best… and who knows you may affect many other people you care about in the process.
~ Kari
If you are at all like me you may have somewhat of an “addictive” personality. I easily develop patterns of behavior (typically in response to circumstances) that tend to gain momentum as time goes by. The patterns then become reinforced as I find they are successful, comfortable or highly enjoyable. The bad news is sometimes the evolving change is not in my best interest. Feel free to plug any of your own in here! This could be diet/nutrition, excessive or non-existent exercise, smoking, drinking, drugs, negativity, risk-taking, apathy…withdrawal from friends or family…or any number of things.
I have been through this before and at one time had to address a problem that I feared I would never overcome. From that experience that spanned several years I now know it is possible to attack and conquer the perceived impossible.
The most important thing is to acknowledge that something is affecting the quality of your life negatively and then look at the ways to begin a process of change. The biggest obstacle in my opinion is thinking too large, rather than looking at the option of mini-steps of behavior change. Rather than using the words “I will start now and never again…” consider beginning with a smaller commitment. Why not just start with TODAY and see how it goes? By knowing that your immediate commitment is short there is peace in the process. By experience I know that that one day often becomes another day, then a week, then a month, then years and before you know it what was a pattern is now only an option that you can choose to ignore. New behaviors breed new reinforcements and change can happen.
When a pattern is truly an addiction or illness… or is life-threatening and more than you can handle on your own it is critical to seek help. There is no shame in being in need, it is human and we all go through it to some degree at one or many points in a lifetime. The shame is when a life is wasted because you feel alone in your struggles. Look around yourself at the gym. You are surrounded by people who have both struggles and triumphs. We are lucky to be in a physical environment that is all about change and empowerment. Spend a moment today thinking about what you want for yourself and how today can be a new beginning. That first step is the best… and who knows you may affect many other people you care about in the process.
~ Kari
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Ready, Set….Prepare….Go
Spring is here and it’s time to rev things up!
This month I want to talk a bit about progression because as the days get longer and warmer we tend to jump into activities, sometimes at a high level, without training appropriately. Any of you that are in your 40’s, 50’s, 60’s and beyond have probably noticed a greater tendency towards injury. Sometimes these annoying injuries seem to happen without much effort and it leads one to think that those great days of being active are over. Not!!
Too often I’ll meet men and women who admittedly do little daily basic training for a sport and then go out and play for the first time in years and try to perform like they are still in college shape. Muscles have great memory, unfortunately they need to be used regularly in order to stand up to forceful loads. The brain remembers how you used to perform and sends that signal to the body to go for it. The human body is a big load and put into motion can create tremendous force on joints, muscles, tendons and ligaments (not to mention cardio-respiratory system)…and your body may not be conditioned for the stress. If you are not doing consistent training for strength, endurance, flexibility, cardio, speed or agility than it isn’t a good idea to go out and play a highly competitive game of tennis, basketball or soccer. These are all examples of sports that require “reaction”, not a whole lot of time to decide if you should “go there”. Explosive power does not come without training. Power, speed and agility require training and diminish over time when not challenged on a regular basis. When a muscle contracts with force, another part of the body may not be able to handle that force.
Of course there are physiological aspects of aging that we all have to address and respect but it IS possible to remain quite competitive for many, many years. Your bones may not be as strong as they once were and soft tissues of the body may not be as elastic or responsive. A recent report in Sports Health suggests that bone mineral density can increase significantly in older athletes who participate in high impact sports. But there is always increased risk with increased intensity especially for older adults so it’s important to look at training as a process. Progressive training allows you to make smart decisions as to what your body is capable of doing and how far you can go. You will develop confidence that you are training smart and it makes all the difference in performance. This will inspire you to keep as active as you can for as long as you can!
So gang, make a list of all the physical things you want to do this spring and summer and get the body ready specifically for that. If possible progress from walk, to run, to sprint, to jump. Keep whatever vertical range of motion you can by reaching high and going low. Train the body on all planes of motion so you can move forward/back, side/side and rotate….creating great body balance. Develop a strong core so that all movement is controlled. Find a functional balance between upper and lower body strength and motion. We all have limitations to some degree; our individual journey is to make the most of what we have to work with. And then….we win!!
~ Kari
This month I want to talk a bit about progression because as the days get longer and warmer we tend to jump into activities, sometimes at a high level, without training appropriately. Any of you that are in your 40’s, 50’s, 60’s and beyond have probably noticed a greater tendency towards injury. Sometimes these annoying injuries seem to happen without much effort and it leads one to think that those great days of being active are over. Not!!
Too often I’ll meet men and women who admittedly do little daily basic training for a sport and then go out and play for the first time in years and try to perform like they are still in college shape. Muscles have great memory, unfortunately they need to be used regularly in order to stand up to forceful loads. The brain remembers how you used to perform and sends that signal to the body to go for it. The human body is a big load and put into motion can create tremendous force on joints, muscles, tendons and ligaments (not to mention cardio-respiratory system)…and your body may not be conditioned for the stress. If you are not doing consistent training for strength, endurance, flexibility, cardio, speed or agility than it isn’t a good idea to go out and play a highly competitive game of tennis, basketball or soccer. These are all examples of sports that require “reaction”, not a whole lot of time to decide if you should “go there”. Explosive power does not come without training. Power, speed and agility require training and diminish over time when not challenged on a regular basis. When a muscle contracts with force, another part of the body may not be able to handle that force.
Of course there are physiological aspects of aging that we all have to address and respect but it IS possible to remain quite competitive for many, many years. Your bones may not be as strong as they once were and soft tissues of the body may not be as elastic or responsive. A recent report in Sports Health suggests that bone mineral density can increase significantly in older athletes who participate in high impact sports. But there is always increased risk with increased intensity especially for older adults so it’s important to look at training as a process. Progressive training allows you to make smart decisions as to what your body is capable of doing and how far you can go. You will develop confidence that you are training smart and it makes all the difference in performance. This will inspire you to keep as active as you can for as long as you can!
So gang, make a list of all the physical things you want to do this spring and summer and get the body ready specifically for that. If possible progress from walk, to run, to sprint, to jump. Keep whatever vertical range of motion you can by reaching high and going low. Train the body on all planes of motion so you can move forward/back, side/side and rotate….creating great body balance. Develop a strong core so that all movement is controlled. Find a functional balance between upper and lower body strength and motion. We all have limitations to some degree; our individual journey is to make the most of what we have to work with. And then….we win!!
~ Kari
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Get to the Core…
One important aspect of your journey to great fitness should be a thorough evaluation of your core strength. Even professionals and researchers debate what constitutes the core and you have probably heard it cued or described in different ways. One of the common ways to look at it is to include all the muscles and connective tissue that connect the pelvis/hip region with the spine. When all tissues are activated and working together they essentially act as a brace, or a girdle, keeping the body stable, more centered and more powerful. Understanding “neutral posture” is essential—both during your workouts
and throughout your day. Complete awareness of this at all times will also help you conserve the integrity of spinal discs, ligaments and joints, The core is often referred to as the “powerhouse” because that is essentially what it functions as. It becomes the center of the body’s kinetic chain. The more powerful your core the less stress you put on the rest of your body. If your core is weak the potential of your movement is compromised and whatever your intended result is it may not happen as planned. With a strong and awakened core you gain more control of arm, leg, and torso movements because you have developed active stabilization between the pelvis and spine. Your body is now able to distribute force more effectively throughout the body no matter what position you are in.
As instructors/trainers we see all too often individuals putting focus on the movement of the extremities without the conscious thought put into how the body should be prepared to accomplish the task. This results in flailing limbs, movement from momentum, instability at joints, loss of balance and sometimes injury. Everyone needs to approach his/her fitness routine from the inside out. A variety of movements should be used to optimally strengthen the trunk region. These may include mover-type exercises, isolation trunk exercises and isometric held positions. These held positions allow the individual to experience the importance and discipline of static strength. When performing some exercises you may not even feel incredible muscle fatigue but you do experience a deep warmth within tissues and a better understanding of the role your powerhouse plays. Your fitness gains will be far greater, broader in scope and longer lasting. Whether you are swimming, running, cycling, playing team sports, climbing rocks, skiing, walking, lifting…this bracing effect must become second nature, always in place. Once you are aware of it and begin getting stronger you are more efficient in everything you do and you will find you use it constantly.
Remember don’t just think “abs” because it goes way beyond that. Work with your trainer or instructor on finding the ways to improve where you are now. You will feel more solid, more in control, stand taller and have a new sense of what your body is really able to achieve!
~ Kari
and throughout your day. Complete awareness of this at all times will also help you conserve the integrity of spinal discs, ligaments and joints, The core is often referred to as the “powerhouse” because that is essentially what it functions as. It becomes the center of the body’s kinetic chain. The more powerful your core the less stress you put on the rest of your body. If your core is weak the potential of your movement is compromised and whatever your intended result is it may not happen as planned. With a strong and awakened core you gain more control of arm, leg, and torso movements because you have developed active stabilization between the pelvis and spine. Your body is now able to distribute force more effectively throughout the body no matter what position you are in.
As instructors/trainers we see all too often individuals putting focus on the movement of the extremities without the conscious thought put into how the body should be prepared to accomplish the task. This results in flailing limbs, movement from momentum, instability at joints, loss of balance and sometimes injury. Everyone needs to approach his/her fitness routine from the inside out. A variety of movements should be used to optimally strengthen the trunk region. These may include mover-type exercises, isolation trunk exercises and isometric held positions. These held positions allow the individual to experience the importance and discipline of static strength. When performing some exercises you may not even feel incredible muscle fatigue but you do experience a deep warmth within tissues and a better understanding of the role your powerhouse plays. Your fitness gains will be far greater, broader in scope and longer lasting. Whether you are swimming, running, cycling, playing team sports, climbing rocks, skiing, walking, lifting…this bracing effect must become second nature, always in place. Once you are aware of it and begin getting stronger you are more efficient in everything you do and you will find you use it constantly.
Remember don’t just think “abs” because it goes way beyond that. Work with your trainer or instructor on finding the ways to improve where you are now. You will feel more solid, more in control, stand taller and have a new sense of what your body is really able to achieve!
~ Kari
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Happy New Year to Everyone!
I can hardly believe I have been saying that to ProRobics members since 1982. I want to welcome all of the new members who are trying out the gym this month. I love January especially for this reason. I sincerely hope you are able to find the support, encouragement, equipment and classes you need to keep coming back as the weeks go by. It is our goal that your commitment to fitness becomes a life-long passion that you simply can’t live without. Please make a point of sampling everything here. We have been around for a long time and because of that we hope you experience the heightened sense of community and family within our gyms.
I want to take a moment to address our Group Ex classes because I strongly believe participating in these is the best way to meet other members, develop friendships and simply feel a part of a wave of movement. Here are some tips to guide you to the right class.
Some classes are truly geared for the person new to group exercise. Those would include:
1) All mind-body classes (Yoga, Pilates, Reach, Beam) These are slow, controlled full-body workouts that give you the time and the tools to progress at your own pace. These classes are a fantastic way to improve your mindfulness and movement technique while working on strength, flexibility and balance.
2) All muscle strength/endurance classes (BodyPump™, CUT, FIT, Core/Ball, Abs Only, Ball 360, Gravity™) These classes offer excellent instruction and progression using varied types of in-studio equipment such as barbells/plates, dumbbells, tubing, bands, balls. Some of these workouts include cardio intervals so you get both aerobic and muscle training.
3) Basic Cardio Workouts (Cycle, BodyStep™, ForeverFit, Zumba®, CardioMix) When your goal is to get that heart rate up but not be too worried about getting the moves these are the workouts for you. The emphasis is on keeping you moving, burning calories and pushing yourself as hard or as easy as you want.
As you progress and confidence builds, OR if you are new to the gym but not new to Step or Aerobics these classes offer that next level of challenge and fun…
1) Advanced cardio/choreography workouts (HiLoDance, HiLoChallenge, Step Challenge) We are one of the few gyms that offer this level of complexity to go with your cardio workout. The emphasis is not only on the heart rate but also on improving movement skills, memory, transitioning and in many cases dance skills. The HiLo (stands for Hi and Low Impact combination) classes are faster paced, directionally challenging and amazingly fun if you have the patience to be mentally pushed in your workout.
In closing I want to say a BIG Happy New Year to our long-time loyal members!! You are what make this gym what it is. Thank you for always being so welcoming to new members. Thank you for being patient and informative when they may not understand certain procedures within a class or around the gym. We all remember how hard it is to step into a room full of strangers. So thank you everyone for being true ambassadors to ProRobics. This will be another great year!
~Kari
I want to take a moment to address our Group Ex classes because I strongly believe participating in these is the best way to meet other members, develop friendships and simply feel a part of a wave of movement. Here are some tips to guide you to the right class.
Some classes are truly geared for the person new to group exercise. Those would include:
1) All mind-body classes (Yoga, Pilates, Reach, Beam) These are slow, controlled full-body workouts that give you the time and the tools to progress at your own pace. These classes are a fantastic way to improve your mindfulness and movement technique while working on strength, flexibility and balance.
2) All muscle strength/endurance classes (BodyPump™, CUT, FIT, Core/Ball, Abs Only, Ball 360, Gravity™) These classes offer excellent instruction and progression using varied types of in-studio equipment such as barbells/plates, dumbbells, tubing, bands, balls. Some of these workouts include cardio intervals so you get both aerobic and muscle training.
3) Basic Cardio Workouts (Cycle, BodyStep™, ForeverFit, Zumba®, CardioMix) When your goal is to get that heart rate up but not be too worried about getting the moves these are the workouts for you. The emphasis is on keeping you moving, burning calories and pushing yourself as hard or as easy as you want.
As you progress and confidence builds, OR if you are new to the gym but not new to Step or Aerobics these classes offer that next level of challenge and fun…
1) Advanced cardio/choreography workouts (HiLoDance, HiLoChallenge, Step Challenge) We are one of the few gyms that offer this level of complexity to go with your cardio workout. The emphasis is not only on the heart rate but also on improving movement skills, memory, transitioning and in many cases dance skills. The HiLo (stands for Hi and Low Impact combination) classes are faster paced, directionally challenging and amazingly fun if you have the patience to be mentally pushed in your workout.
In closing I want to say a BIG Happy New Year to our long-time loyal members!! You are what make this gym what it is. Thank you for always being so welcoming to new members. Thank you for being patient and informative when they may not understand certain procedures within a class or around the gym. We all remember how hard it is to step into a room full of strangers. So thank you everyone for being true ambassadors to ProRobics. This will be another great year!
~Kari
Monday, December 14, 2009
Easing the Pressures…
As December ends and January begins I always like to do a short review of the last year and how it affects our family and community as we move forward into the next. We have had a challenging year full of unexpected obstacles, problems, concerns, all of which have made us pause often and reflect on the total picture. It has also made me realize it is an important time to single out all of the blessings that may have gone unrecognized during the focus on struggles.
This brings me to two things I want to bring up which may or may not be issues for you but may affect you through others: control and perfection. Both of these pursuits can be toxic to life happiness. I often find myself trying to anticipate any possible thing that can go wrong and then spend countless hours finding the available avenues to control the outcome before it happens. I am noticing that this comes in a package with an unyielding amount of dread and worry and the absence of the joy of living in the moment. We are constantly bombarded with the disasters that can befall us so it’s difficult not to live in a semi-constant state of potential panic. Maybe it is just a sign of the times and will pass but I for one have realized my “control” is often wasted effort that ends up only driving me down.
Control and perfection seem to be evil sisters. What is it that drives us to seek perfection in ourselves and in others (sometimes more of one than the other) and honestly who gets to decide how it is defined? How far do you go to be the perfect daughter/son, the perfect wife/husband/girlfriend/boyfriend, the perfect parent, the perfect sister/brother, the perfect boss, the perfect employee, the perfect friend...the list is endless. Being perfect is such a slippery slope, and ever changing as years come and go. It can become such an obsession that it takes over every aspect of your happiness and contentment. Whether this drive to perfection manifests itself in appearance, behavior or expectations it is always healthy to step back and allow yourself to be forgiving to yourself and others. Being judgmental serves no great purpose and isn’t a positive catalyst for anyone. I’m not saying don’t care, I’m just saying be happy in your skin, make the necessary changes that serve the larger purpose and live life by your own realistic high standards. This positive energy will affect all those around you.
This Christmas won’t be perfect, neither will the New Year…our gyms will never be perfect. Communication may not be perfect. Response may not be perfect. But you can count on this: we do listen and will always try to make constant improvements. All of our energies go towards this business, our communities and making the gyms the place you want to be to see friends and work on being a healthier you. Happy Holidays and Happy New Year 2010!!
~Kari
This brings me to two things I want to bring up which may or may not be issues for you but may affect you through others: control and perfection. Both of these pursuits can be toxic to life happiness. I often find myself trying to anticipate any possible thing that can go wrong and then spend countless hours finding the available avenues to control the outcome before it happens. I am noticing that this comes in a package with an unyielding amount of dread and worry and the absence of the joy of living in the moment. We are constantly bombarded with the disasters that can befall us so it’s difficult not to live in a semi-constant state of potential panic. Maybe it is just a sign of the times and will pass but I for one have realized my “control” is often wasted effort that ends up only driving me down.
Control and perfection seem to be evil sisters. What is it that drives us to seek perfection in ourselves and in others (sometimes more of one than the other) and honestly who gets to decide how it is defined? How far do you go to be the perfect daughter/son, the perfect wife/husband/girlfriend/boyfriend, the perfect parent, the perfect sister/brother, the perfect boss, the perfect employee, the perfect friend...the list is endless. Being perfect is such a slippery slope, and ever changing as years come and go. It can become such an obsession that it takes over every aspect of your happiness and contentment. Whether this drive to perfection manifests itself in appearance, behavior or expectations it is always healthy to step back and allow yourself to be forgiving to yourself and others. Being judgmental serves no great purpose and isn’t a positive catalyst for anyone. I’m not saying don’t care, I’m just saying be happy in your skin, make the necessary changes that serve the larger purpose and live life by your own realistic high standards. This positive energy will affect all those around you.
This Christmas won’t be perfect, neither will the New Year…our gyms will never be perfect. Communication may not be perfect. Response may not be perfect. But you can count on this: we do listen and will always try to make constant improvements. All of our energies go towards this business, our communities and making the gyms the place you want to be to see friends and work on being a healthier you. Happy Holidays and Happy New Year 2010!!
~Kari
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Standing Tall and Moving Large
There’s one part of the ideal workout program that typically gets the short end of the stick, or is nonexistent, and that is stretching. I think all of us have been guilty of finishing a great cardio or strength training session and then simply rushing off to the rest of our day. The very least we should do after every workout is stretch the muscles we targeted in that workout. In group classes instructors are trained to do this effectively even in a short window of time. Unfortunately we often see a good percentage of members leave immediately after the “work”. We know how short “me” time is and it’s hard to fit everything in but if you leave you should plan on doing your own stretching series. If by chance you don’t see flexibility as too important you will eventually pay for the oversight. Here are a couple of things to keep in mind as you consider putting some focus on this area this month.
The most common type of stretching we do is assisted or passive stretching. This is when you use some sort of outside assistance to achieve the stretch, which might be your hand, a strap, your body weight, gravity, maybe even another person. One concern with this is it is easy to apply too much force and cause injury so you must always be aware of the amount of tension being applied and how your body is responding.
Unassisted stretching is when you contract one side of the body in order to stretch the opposite muscle group. You probably do this after working on the computer when you contract your upper back muscles to sit straight, which in turns stretches, the muscles of the chest, front shoulders and abs. This type isn’t as popular since you can’t achieve as much force in the stretch but the great thing is you can actually make gains in your strength at the same time you stretch.
Another concept to keep in mind is the difference between static and dynamic stretching. Static stretching requires holding a position to allow the muscle time to respond and lengthen. We typically recommend holding a stretch for 10 to 30 seconds for best results. Dynamic stretching happens when you move through a range of motion at a joint with control and purpose. This method has fantastic performance benefits since it often happens automatically in sports. As fitness trainers we still discourage the use of ballistic or bouncing stretches because of the associated risks. It may seem like a faster more energetic method but it isn’t worth it in the long run.
Stretching can reduce the tension in the muscles, which can actually help you build strength and endurance and keep the joints mobile and lubricated. It is important to balance your stretch sequence from front to back, right to left, and include some rotational movement. Moving through multiple plane positions will be ideal in finding tightness and imbalance. So go for variety and mix it up. Try doing a stretch type, for instance hamstring stretch, in different positions: on back, kneeling, sitting and standing. Each position will offer different support and help you learn how to stabilize the stretching joint and other parts of the body. Stretching for balanced flexibility, top to bottom, will become a huge benefit and perfect addition to your training program. See you on the mats!!
~Kari
The most common type of stretching we do is assisted or passive stretching. This is when you use some sort of outside assistance to achieve the stretch, which might be your hand, a strap, your body weight, gravity, maybe even another person. One concern with this is it is easy to apply too much force and cause injury so you must always be aware of the amount of tension being applied and how your body is responding.
Unassisted stretching is when you contract one side of the body in order to stretch the opposite muscle group. You probably do this after working on the computer when you contract your upper back muscles to sit straight, which in turns stretches, the muscles of the chest, front shoulders and abs. This type isn’t as popular since you can’t achieve as much force in the stretch but the great thing is you can actually make gains in your strength at the same time you stretch.
Another concept to keep in mind is the difference between static and dynamic stretching. Static stretching requires holding a position to allow the muscle time to respond and lengthen. We typically recommend holding a stretch for 10 to 30 seconds for best results. Dynamic stretching happens when you move through a range of motion at a joint with control and purpose. This method has fantastic performance benefits since it often happens automatically in sports. As fitness trainers we still discourage the use of ballistic or bouncing stretches because of the associated risks. It may seem like a faster more energetic method but it isn’t worth it in the long run.
Stretching can reduce the tension in the muscles, which can actually help you build strength and endurance and keep the joints mobile and lubricated. It is important to balance your stretch sequence from front to back, right to left, and include some rotational movement. Moving through multiple plane positions will be ideal in finding tightness and imbalance. So go for variety and mix it up. Try doing a stretch type, for instance hamstring stretch, in different positions: on back, kneeling, sitting and standing. Each position will offer different support and help you learn how to stabilize the stretching joint and other parts of the body. Stretching for balanced flexibility, top to bottom, will become a huge benefit and perfect addition to your training program. See you on the mats!!
~Kari
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