Tag Archives: stretching

Saturday Morning Drills: Stretches for Your Upper and Lower Body

Whenever I workout, especially after a hard workout, I always make sure to spend some time stretching. For me, stretching is like the dessert of my workout, it’s my favorite part. I love feeling my heart and breath slow down while I lean into a deep stretch. It helps me wind down both physically and mentally.

So, how important is it to stretch? Some benefits of stretching include decreasing pain and soreness after exercise, improves circulation, range of motion, and posture. It also decreases muscle tension and soreness.

If you lack time, you do not need to stretch after every workout. However, if you’ve just finished a hard workout or a new workout, make sure you allow time for it.

Before starting any kind of stretch make sure your body is warmed up. You will increase the risk of injury if you try to stretch “cold” muscles.

During your stretching it is important to keep a couple things in mind. Always stretch slowly (even if you’re in a hurry) and always stretch both sides of the body. Hold each stretch for at least 15 seconds and make sure you are breathing! People tend to hold their breath while stretching and this could lead to injury, and also prevents the muscles from getting the oxygen they need. Never bounce or jerk while stretching and avoid over-stretching. Never push your stretch to the point you are feeling sharp pain or discomfort. (more…)

Posted on April 14, 2024 by Kristina

Golfers Get Into the Swing With Yoga

Unless you live in a warm climate and are lucky to golf all season long, springtime means tee time; a time to dust off the irons and get your body ready for 18 holes of swings, putts and chip shots.

Smacking the ball at high speed plus staying calm and focused during a crucial putt all take a certain amount of skill and practice to master. Power, torque, flexibility, and concentration are all key components in the game of golf, and yoga can help.

The following yoga suggestions will help your golf game. Designed to give you an advantage prior to golf season, these pointers will also teach you how you can loosen up before the game, stay calm and centered while on the putting green, and enjoy a revitalizing stretch before heading to the clubhouse.

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Posted on March 7, 2024 by Jill

3 Yoga Poses for Pain Free Snow Shoveling

Just like a tough weightlifting routine at the gym, shoveling snow is also hard work. Treat it as you would any hardcore yet safe and effective workout and you will gain the benefits just as you would a carefully designed exercise program.

The following yoga poses and shoveling tips can help keep you strong, fit and protect your body from injury when the sidewalk is knee-deep in snow.

Recline Twist

A flexible spine is a healthy spine, especially when it comes to shoveling heavy snow. Practice this twist before and after shoveling.

Lie down on your back with your right knee pulled into your chest and your left leg extended on the floor. Reach for your right knee with your left hand and roll onto your left hip. Extend your right arm out to the side. Hold for 10 deep breaths and switch sides.

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Posted on December 15, 2023 by Jill

Controversial Study Suggests Yoga’s Mindfulness Doesn’t Matter in Relieving Low Back Pain

Researchers at Seattle Washington’s Group Health Research Institute lead a study funded by the National Institutes of Health’s National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. The results, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine are creating quite a buzz.

This study was conducted to determine whether yoga is a more effective method of relieving low back pain versus conventional stretching or the use of a self-care book for primary care patients with chronic low back pain.

Of the 228 adults that participated in this study, all had a type of low back pain that was not a result of a spinal disc problem or any other specific cause. In twelve weekly classes, 91 patients practiced stretching and 92 practiced yoga. The other 45 patients used the self-care book.

A back related functional status questionnaire and test of pain level was conducted before, during and after the study. The testing concluded that the outcomes in the yoga group were superior to those in the self-care group, however yoga was not superior to the conventional stretching method group in related back function and low back pain.

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Posted on November 9, 2023 by Jill

Yoga Poses to Help Restore Your Back on Thanksgiving Day

Planning on standing at the kitchen counter for hours preparing the Thanksgiving meal? Or perhaps you will be sitting in front of the television for hours while someone else prepares the Thanksgiving meal. Either way, your back is going to take a beating. The following gentle yoga inspired poses and stretches will help smooth out the kinks and restore your spine for a second helping of holiday fun.

Kitchen Counter Stretch

Place both hands on the edge of your kitchen counter. Take one big step back and fold forward from your hips, keeping both arms straight. Reach your hips back as you lower your chest in between your arms. Take five deep breaths and then stand up. Repeat as often as needed between mashing up the potatoes and stirring the turkey gravy.

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Posted on November 7, 2023 by Jill

Yoga for the Relief of Afternoon Sluggishness

Whether you are a high-powered executive or a stay-at-home mom, some afternoons inevitably make you feel like crawling back into bed. Instead of reaching for a cup of coffee to remedy your post-lunch sleepiness, how about reaching for your yoga mat? Practicing yoga on a sluggish afternoon can revitalize you.

Mountain Pose to Energize

Remove your shoes and stand up as straight and as tall as you can. Reach both arms overhead and stretch vigorously from your feet to your fingertips. Hold for 20 seconds, and for the last five seconds lift your heels up to balance on your toes. Immediately feel light and vibrant.

Standing Twist to Invigorate

Cross your right foot over your left and place it to the outside of your left foot. Stand equally on both feet with your ankles crossed. Straighten both arms directly out to the side. Begin to reach your left arm forward and your right arm back, twisting from the hips. Turn your head and look out over your right arm. Hold for five deep breaths and then switch sides. Notice an energizing tingle through your spine.

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Posted on September 21, 2023 by Jill

Yoga for Chefs, Prep Cooks and Other Kitchen Workers

Standing for eight hours while hovering over a counter with a butcher knife in one hand and a sauté pan in the other can put the kibosh on the kebobs.

Chefs, prep cooks and other kitchen workers will find the following yoga poses helpful in maintaining vitality so their energy doesn’t sink like a tired soufflé.

Poses to Practice in the Kitchen

For a tight lower back, place both hands shoulder width apart on the edge of a clean and solid counter. Step back about a leg length in distance from the counter and fold forward from your hips so that your spine is parallel to the floor with both arms straight. Hold this stretch for up to one minute while breathing deeply. Repeat as often as you can throughout your work shift.

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Posted on September 20, 2023 by Jill

Yoga for Inflexible Men

I see it quite often. Women drag their reluctant husbands to yoga only to find them wilting in a puddle of sweat. At the end of class, while the women glow and prance nimbly out of the studio, the men, hobbling to the door, are left feeling defeated.

Men are typically so much stronger than women, yet some struggle gravely in yoga. So why is this?

Flexibility vs. Strength

While men might be stronger overall, women tend to be more flexible. Many yoga poses require less brawn and more give to finesse. Often, men are programmed to muscle through physical challenges, relying on rote strength and manliness to get the job done. In yoga, women take the path of least resistance, using their litheness as an advantage.

When the bones of the body are correctly aligned in a yoga pose, little effort is needed to maintain the pose. However, bones can only be aligned properly if the muscles surrounding them are limber enough to permit it. Tight muscles tend to pull bones out of alignment, therefore causing one to use more energy to hold the pose for an extended amount of time. And since yoga poses are often held for durations of up to three minutes, wasting energy due to improper alignment can sap anyone’s strength in a hurry.

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Posted on September 13, 2023 by Jill

Yoga for Traveling

If going on a vacation or traveling for work has one major drawback, it’s getting out of the healthy fitness habits we have worked so hard to maintain while at home. Nothing beats taking a trip to the beach or visiting a new city, but by the third day our bodies begin to feel like they have been left behind, neglected, and ultimately not part of the fun.

Being in a different environment, sitting or standing more than usual, wearing brand new work shoes or cheap vacation flip flops can all increase muscular stress on our bodies, especially if we’ve ditched the exercise routine. It is no wonder we often feel as if we need a vacation after a vacation; our bodies are stiff, tired and worn out from skipping our workouts.

Whether you practice yoga regularly or have yet to try it, these pose suggestions will help you at least save your lower back, hips and attitude from going south while you are away from the comforts of a healthy routine at home.

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Posted on September 2, 2023 by Jill

Yogabytes to Reboot Your Booty

Lack in muscle tone, a stiff neck, a couple of aching wrists and two tired eyes are what our modern day life is plagued with as a result of sitting at a computer for hours on end. If you fall into this category, help is on the way. All it takes is a few moments of computer yoga to feel refreshed, revitalized and ready to take on a new assignment. Aches and pains have nothing on you when you practice this simple yet effective routine during long stretches of time on your computer. Be the first to share this with your friends.

Facebook Fanny Firmer

Place both feet flat on the floor, hip width apart. Squeeze your gluteal muscles (a.k.a. your rear) and hold for five deep breaths. Release, and repeat up to ten times. Feel your fanny firm right up as you type about computer yoga in your status update.

Twitter Tummy Tightener

Take a deep breath in and with your exhale draw your lower belly toward your spine. At the very end of your exhale, engage your abdominal muscles just a little bit more, and hold your muscles firm for as long as it takes you to tweet this article!

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Posted on August 29, 2023 by Jill

Yoga for Arthritis

Arthritis is a condition defined by inflammation in one or more joints, coupled with stiffness, soreness and a limited range of motion. According to the Center for Disease Control, arthritis affects nearly 50 million Americans, and that amount is expected to rise. There are over 100 types of arthritis and the causes include but are not limited to obesity, lack of exercise, improper auto immune response, and the overuse of a misaligned joint.

However the painful condition has come about, the treatment and management of it is very important. Doctors recommend that arthritis sufferers get some moderate exercise and eat right to maintain a healthy weight.

Yoga, because it is a non-impact activity, is a very beneficial way to get some moderate exercise. Yoga poses strengthen the muscles surrounding the joints in a gentle way so the rate of progression of arthritis is slowed and moving becomes less painful. As a result, the symptoms of soreness and stiffness are more properly managed.

Read on to learn about a few basic guidelines to adhere to when practicing yoga with arthritis. Always remember to check with your doctor before embarking on a new type of exercise. In addition, speak with your instructor to learn about modifications you might find useful.

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Posted on August 23, 2023 by Jill