Stretch and flex - Workout

Stretch and flex - easy way to enhance any workout

Flexing and Stretching after completing sets of each body part is a proven and easy way to maximize gains. 

Let's say you just completed nine sets of bicep exercises. Usually you'd just move on to the next body part. Instead, flex the bicep muscles as hard as you can to create a strong mind/muscle connection, and hold for 30 seconds. Then stretch for 30 seconds.

The 'Flex and Stretch' technique will help educate your brain to activate more motor units with the muscle fibers which in turn will enhance your gains.

Try it out and you will be surprised how much faster you increase your strength and size.

Negatives- a simple way to add variety to your workout

Adding variety to your workouts has been proven to be of critical importance to assure continued progress toward your fitness goals. Doing exaggerated negative movements is a great way to add variety to any workout routine.

Negative movements, also called 'eccentric' movements involve increasing the time spent lengthening or 'relaxing' your muscle during an exercise. For example, when doing a bicep curl the contraction or concentric movement (flexing) is performed quickly and the lengthening or eccentric movement is done with a four count. Actively resisting the resistance during the eccentric movement has been clinically proven to create more micro 'tears' in the muscle fiber. These are the 'good' tears that lead to stronger muscles over time.

While not something you would do all the time, doing 'negatives' is a great way to add variety to whatever routine you are currently doing. 

Women and weight training

Weight training for women provides numerous benefits including fat burning and better muscle tone and body shape. It also helps to fight against osteoporosis and other bone diseases. As women age they can lose up to 2-4 kg of muscle/bone mass every decade so it is essential to do some weight training to help counter the effects.

Some women do not weight train because they feel it will make them look to muscular. This is just not the case for most weight training exercises. Women will gain muscle tone and definition but will not look muscular. Women whom typically look muscular have to work extremely hard with heavy weights and many times have to take steroids to get the muscles that you see in many men. 

The best way to weight train to avoid injury and to gain muscle and strengthen bones is to move slowly and progressively increase weight over time. It is important to vary the muscle groups that are worked out so as not to overdo that group and cause strain. Being balanced is also essential, meaning if an exercise is done on one side of the body then make sure to do it on the other side as well. The average number of repetitions should be around 15 and this should be done 3 times with about 1-2 minutes of rest in between each set. It is good to give at least a day break in between trainings for the body to rest unless there is a totally different muscle group that is being worked then it is okay to do it more frequently. The amount of weight to be used should be enough to make it difficult but not impossible. For example, the first 5 repetitions should be relatively easy with the next 5 repetitions being moderately easy and the final 5 repetitions being very hard but not impossible. The goal is to push your muscles to fatigue but not so far to cause injury.

Weight training can be very inexpensive. It can be done with just couple of sets of hand weights. Make sure to get more then one set of weights with varying weight amounts so there is enough to work all parts of the body (some areas are stronger then others) and for when increasing amounts on those areas that are getting stronger over time. For those that have the extra cash then buying a home gym or going to a gym are some great options.

Stretching and flexibility are key to muscle health and injury prevention

Hamstring stretch

In order for a muscle, and consequently your body, to function optimally it needs three things: Strength, Stamina, and Flexibility.

Flexibility is defined as the ability to move muscles and joints through their full range of motion. Flexibility is joint specific so a person can be flexible in one joint, and inflexible in another. Flexibility is in part the result of a muscle property called elasticity. Elasticity is the ability of muscle tissue to stretch and then return to its normal length without using cellular energy. This is similar to the way a rubber band stretches and then returns to its original length. If you are not flexible you have a much higher risk of injury and chronic pain, especially low back pain.

So how do you maintain flexibility? The answer, of course, is through proper stretching. Stretching muscles to maintain flexibility may be more important for many people then exercising their muscles to maintain strength and stamina, although all three are vital. Ideally, you should perform a full body stretching routine lasting approximately 30 minutes, about three times a week, separate from any workout you perform. If you do not have the time or desire to do this, stretch as often as you can following the tips listed below. You should especially concentrate on your hamstrings (back of upper leg) and low back as they are week points for most people.

Below are a few quick tips for stretching:

• When exercising it is much more important to stretch after exercising. A moderate stretching routine, especially focusing on muscles you worked out during your workout, is recommended after exercise.

• For maximum flexibility training, stretch separately from your workouts. A stretching routine conducted three times a week is ideal.

• It is not recommended to stretch cold muscles. If you do stretch when your muscles are not warmed up, do it very lightly.

• If you want to stretch before a workout you should do it after a 5 – 10 minute warm up. Also, the stretching routine should only be light.

• You can stretch lightly between sets of weight lifting if you wish. Remember, only light stretching is recommended during a work out.

• Increasing functional range of motion through stretching requires time. You cannot rush it.

• Stretching should not cause any pain.

• Hold your stretches about 10 – 20 seconds but no more than 30 seconds without special training and for a special purpose.

• If you experience any pain, STOP, and consult a professional.

Incorporating strength training into an exercise routine

Good physique, probably even better health!

Yup, another article about building muscles. This isn't about how to build muscles, butwhy it's important to strength train.

Strength training encourages the development of long, lean muscles, helping to replace the fat in the body and boost the metabolism. We're not talking about body building and working your way towards Stallone-like arms or a Mr. Clean-sized neck, though. (Ladies, it's actually quite difficult for you to achieve such a feat)

By increasing lean muscle mass, you:

Increase your stamina and muscle strength (heart included!) 

Protect your joints from injury

Develop higher bone density (sayonara, osteoperosis!) 

Improve sleep quality

Boost metabolism; muscle has a higher metabolic rate than fat does

Muscle is denser than fat, it takes up less room, but weighs more. Don't panic if you've begun a strength training regimine and suddenly the numbers on the scale go up. Assuming you are still following a healthy eating plan, the weight gain is more than likely attributed to the building of good, lean muscle mass.

There are many great health benefits to strength training that tend to get over-looked when aiming for a six-pack or sexy arms. Aesthetics aside, when done properly and safely, increasing muscle mass will do wonders for your long-term health goals.

Pole Fitness 101 Injury prevention Part II

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The popularity of pole fitness has prompted the opening of many pole studios world wide. And with the rise of this popular physical activity, new injuries are also on the rise, making injury prevention a priority.

There are a few ways that pole injuries can be avoided. Those include; warming up and cooling down the muscles, using proper form of active body parts, strengthening the muscles, proper diet and allowing the body to rest between workouts; and most of all listening to one's body.

As I mentioned in my last article cold muscles = potential injuries, so it is always important to do a warm up for a minimum of 10 minutes and a cool down stretch of 10- 15 minutes.

The benefits of doing a warm up are numerous. Some of the main benefits are that a warm up increases muscle temperature which decreases the work of contractions; and prepares the body for what is about to come. As well, there is an increase of blood flow and nutrients to the muscles.

The cool down after strenuous exercise, is equally important because it slowly lowers the heart rate, respiration rate; and helps prevent dizziness and potential pain. It returns the blood to adequate quantities which helps remove waste build up from the muscles. The cool down also helps circulate nutrients around the body to assist in recovery.

During strenuous exercise, the muscle gets a build up of a waste product called lactic acid. If exercise is stopped suddenly, 'blood pooling' occurs promoting waste products to stay in the muscle which can cause swelling, pain; and make you feel sick.

When performing on the pole, the active body parts being used to do a spin or trick should always extend to a full range of motion to help prevent pole injuries. Pole fitness requires its participant to use their own body weight, putting a lot of strain on the upper body, arms and wrists.

The wrist, arms and upper back are used every time a pole move is done. Therefore, wrist strain, carpal tunnel and rotator cuff injuries are on the rise. Not to mention that there are certain advanced pole tricks that require one to come out of the trick by landing on both feet. Over a period of time if the landing is not done with control so the feet lightly touch the floor (which requires core strength to execute a controlled landing) the lower back and ankles can be injured. These types of moves should not be performed in the beginning levels.

If wrist pain is detected after doing certain pole moves, it is time to switch arms and practice the move from the other side. It is always a good idea to try and build strength on both sides of the body or take a rest. This can also help prevent too much strain on the wrist. When it comes to rotator cuff injuries, using a full range of motion and gripping the pole correctly will further help prevent a lot of rotator cuff injuries. However, the number one reason for rotator cuff injuries is OVERUSE. This means it is time to stop, heal and proceed more carefully in the future.

When starting any new exercise regimen, it is always good to start with the basics and build up muscle strength. A couple of questions to ask yourself before starting a workout are: How long has it been since you've worked out? What condition are your muscles in? And what other exercise are you doing to build your muscles? Also, what is your diet like?

Pole dancing demands a lot of our muscles and bones, so knowing and listening to your body is important. Most reputable pole fitness studios will start everyone new at the basic levels and move them up to another level based on personal growth and readiness. Proper nutrition, one that feeds the muscles and bones is essential. Getting enough, calcium, protein and other strength building nutrients can give us the fuel we need to perform at our best.

The great thing about pole dancing is that there are different levels and styles of performance. A person may choose to stay in the beginning stages of pole fitness, which concentrates more on floor work and fun spins than moving on to the more advanced pole tricks that require more gymnastic type movements. Individual style is encouraged in most pole fitness studios.

The body is a beautiful work of art that can perform amazing beautiful movement for a long time, if taken care of properly!