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Flexibility
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Which Part of Your Body Is Least Flexible?
Since I teach yoga, people are always asking me which poses they can do to stretch the least-flexible parts of their bodies. Swimmers complain of tight shoulders, runners continuously have tight hamstrings, and people who sit all day experience have tight hips. Stretching your muscles every day, throughout the day, can definitely increase your range of flexibility.
Dos and Don'ts of Stretching
Have you been stretching? Stretching is one part of exercising that a lot of us let slip out of our routine. The thing is that stretching is actually really, really good for injury prevention as well as calming you (and your muscles) down after a good workout.
Yoga and Running: Opposites Attract
Yoga is great for stretching and toning your muscles, and increasing flexibility, but as far as a great cardio workout for your heart, it doesn't quite cut it.
That's why running is the perfect complement to yoga. It's practically the opposite of yoga on the exercise scale.
Strike a Yoga Pose: Cobra
Some yoga poses require a ton of strength such as Crow, and other poses involve balance such as Standing Hand to Big Toe. Then there are those poses that are all about relaxing and gently stretching your muscles. Cobra is one of those poses that's all about feeling good and breathing.
Not Everyone is Naturally Flexible
When I took my first yoga class 7 years ago, my ego took a huge slap in the face. I went to fold forward, and I couldn't touch my toes - everyone could do it (really, even the old guys). Of course comparing yourself to others isn't the point when it comes to yoga (and can cause injury when you try to copy others), but I hadn't leaned that yet so I pushed myself really hard.
Strike a Yoga Pose: Camel to Child's Pose
Doing stretches for your back not only feels good physically, but they are also energetically stimulating. Backbends open the muscles near your heart. This is the location of your 4th chakra which is associated with love and compassion.
Do you find it easier to stretch when the weather is hot and humid?
Stretching is one of my favorite activities and warm weather really inspires me to work on my flexibility. The heat seems to make me more pliable and the stretching even more enjoyable. Does the warm weather have that affect on you too?
5 Things Every Workout Should Include
Here are five simple things to include in your workout if you want it to be safe and effective:
Hilary Duff Hearts Pilates
Pilates has been all the rage for a while now, but now the younger generation of Hollywood hipsters is getting hip to working their core. Could Pilates be how Hilary Duff went from being self described as too skinny to being in the best shape of her life? She credits her long and lean body to doing Pilates 3 times a week.
The Skinny On: Stretching
You push yourself to your limits when doing cardio, but do you stretch yourself to the limit afterward? Many trainers agree that people neglect regular stretching as part of their fitness plan and they're sorely (pun intended) missing its benefits.
I am here to tell you that a little stretching goes a long way.
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