Healthy happy you.
Whether you suffer from tight hips because you run, sit at a desk all day, are pregnant, or were just born with oh-so-tight hips, here are three yoga poses you can do every day to increase flexibility and reduce tension in this commonly stiff area. Mix up the sequence each time you do it to keep your muscles guessing. One of my favorite stretches after a run, Lizard will target your hips and hip Read more
When stretching out the lower body, the hips often get passed over in favor of the calves, quads, and hamstrings. Bad idea! Hip flexors are what help lift the legs while running, which means they are prone to tightness. Even if you don't run, but you sit a lot during the day, you're probably tight in your hips, so get a stretching! There's also an added bonus to incorporating some Pigeon Pose Read more
You know I am a big advocate of stretching, even before I learned that it can give you strength too. I thought I would show you all one of my favorite stretches for the hip flexors. The hip flexors are the four muscles that attach to the front of the pelvis that bring your thigh bone (femur) up toward your torso. These muscles get worked a lot in running and any variation thereof, like the stair Read more
Starting out snowboarding, whether new to the season or new to the sport altogether, is an incredible workout. I love finding additional fitness outlets during Winter months, especially things that are super fun. One thing to keep in mind, however, is you'll get the most out of the season if you hit the slopes already trained. Even if snow seems weeks away, I would start now so you'll be Read more
We all know that high heeled shoes are pretty, and pretty bad for your body. Yet, we all end up wearing them sometime or another - a big meeting, a wedding, or almost everyday. Basically the height of the heel pushes the weight of the body forward which interferes with your balance. The body likes to be in equilibrium so many muscle groups work harder to maintain your balance and keep you Read more
There's nothing like a good multitasking stretch to get your muscles ready for a workout. My trainer at Crunch has me do this stretch sequence to combat muscle tightness I have from sitting at a desk all day, but it's easily as useful for runners, cyclists, and anyone else who needs to stretch the lower body muscles. And if you like yoga, you'll love this sequence; each stretch uses the Read more
One of my favorite stretches to do after a run or bike ride is anything that targets my hip flexors, the muscles on either side of my legs, right below my pelvis. This is a variation of the Hip Flexor Lunge, but when your back foot is propped up against a wall, it intensifies the stretch even more. This move is great to do after Kneeling Quad Stretch. Fold up a towel and place it about eight Read more
After running suicide sprints at the park, my running buddy complained that sprinting often leaves her lower back tight. I had a notion that her psoas might be tight. This muscle is a major hip flexor (it draws the thigh toward the abdomen) and attaches to the five lowest vertebrae, the lumbar spine. When the psoas shortens and tighten from activities like sprinting or biking, it can yank on the Read more
I don't think I've ever met a runner who doesn't suffer from tight hips, hamstrings, or a lower back. The receptive movements and strengthening aspect of running can cause tight muscles that need extra attention. Of course you should never skip the stretching session after a run, but here are three lower-body stretches you should do every day — even on the days you don't run. Open Lizard What Read more
After your run, your legs are probably in need of a good stretch. But it's not all quads, hamstrings, and glutes. Don't forget these areas when stretching after your jog. Hip flexors: Combat all that forward propelling (and desk sitting) with stretches that open up and loosen those all-important hip flexors. Tight hip flexors can lead to back pain and a limited range of motion, so make sure you Read more
