FitSugar

Favorite Excuse For Not Doing Yoga: I'm NOT Flexible

FitSugar — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 08:45:00 -0700

When people find out that I teach Pilates and yoga, they often immediately disclose the reasons they don't practice either exercise form. I hear this excuse most often, "I could never do yoga, I'm so inflexible. I can't even touch my toes."

This is not the first time I've heard this excuse, and I actually love that people confess this to me. It gives me a chance to explain that inflexibility is not an excuse, but rather a reason to do yoga.

Most people aren't naturally flexible, but doing yoga can increase your flexibility almost immediately. Even after just a few classes, you will begin to notice a change in your body. You just have to get over that mental block that tells you you can't do it, and you just have to try.

If you can commit to a couple of classes every week, I guarantee that your muscles will become longer and suppler. That's what is so great about yoga. Our bodies were made to move, and your muscles crave it. Not only does yoga relax your mind and reduce stress, but the increased flexibility you'll feel can alleviate chronic pain and prevent injury.

So go ahead and take a yoga class. It's like with any new thing you try, whether it be playing an instrument or running a marathon. That amazing sense of pride and accomplishment you feel can only come when you witness yourself improving. No one is instantly great in the beginning, but as you practice, you'll get better and better.

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Not Everyone is Naturally Flexible

FitSugar — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 07:30:00 -0700

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.

The teacher came up to me and whispered very sweetly, "These folks have been practicing for years. Everyone's body is different, so don't compare yourself to others. When they started, they couldn't touch their toes either. It takes time to open our muscles, so don't be so hard on yourself." I'll never forget that little pep talk and how much she inspired me. I started going 3 times a week, and I have to say that my flexibility improved very quickly. She was right, it just took time.

Some people tend to be naturally flexible (like contortionists), and others have to work hard to increase their flexibility. Just because you aren't flexible at the present moment, doesn't mean you'll never be. Your muscles, tendons and ligaments are screaming to be stretched regularly, and all you need to do is devote time every week to make it happen.

Want to hear some tips for increasing your flexibility, safely? Then read more

Only stretch when your muscles are warm. This will ensure that you don't pull a muscle. I love to stretch after a run because I'm all warmed up already. Plus stretching prevents soreness later.
Don't push yourself too hard. Know your own limit and listen to your body. If you try to stretch deeper, and you begin to feel pain or strain, back off.
Muscles are like chewing gum. When they are warm and stretched slowly, they'll respond much better. So move with complete awareness, and gently move deeper into poses.
Be consistent. In order to experience any progress in your flexibility, you must stretch regularly. This means you should stick to doing your stretching routine at least 3 times a week. You'll be surprised how soon you see your body changing.
Stay in yoga poses for a while. I'm not talking torturing yourself, but sometimes holding a pose for just 5 breaths might not be enough. Give your body a chance to settle into poses, especially ones that may be hard for you. I love to hold Pigeon pose, Butterfly, and Seated Straddle for at least 3 minutes. I feel so open and light afterwards.
Don't compare yourself to yourself. Just because you could touch your forehead to your knee in Head to Knee pose yesterday, doesn't mean your hamstrings will be psyched to do it today. Since your body changes everyday, just concentrate on the present moment and what your body is capable of doing right now.

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Flexibility Is Healthy in Many Ways

FitSugar — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 07:30:00 -0800

Flexibility in the workplace could be just as good for your health as flexibility in the body, new research has found. A flexible work life, including telecommuting and job shares, is good for your health as researchers found that if people have the ability to work from home and to compress work weeks, they are more likely to make healthier lifestyle choices, to exercise more and to sleep better.

It makes sense to me, but it's sad that most of us do not have this flexibility without quitting our jobs completely. So maybe, just maybe, you should print this out and leave it on your boss's desk and see what happens (wink, wink).

If you're interested in increasing the flexibility of your muscles while you are at work, then check out these desk stretches.

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Which Part of Your Body Is Least Flexible?

FitSugar — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 09:00:00 -0800

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. So which part of your body could use the extra attention?

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Now Is the Time to Get Ready For the Slopes

FitSugar — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:00:41 -0800

Even though we're in the middle of Fall and I've yet to see any real signs of snow, experts say now is the time to get your butt in gear for Winter sports. Days on the slopes can be long and require a good amount of endurance, especially if you're the type who likes to visit the mountains for an extended weekend or even longer.

Veteran Winter Olympic athletes like ski racer Daron Rahlves and snowboarder Elena Hight recommend doing specific training for Winter sports six to eight weeks before the season starts. They say the key to lasting all day, weekend, or week on the slopes is to work on flexibility, strength, and cardio. A good mix of this will ensure you can snowboard from sunup to sundown. Being in tip-top shape will also help cut down on injuries.

An article in the San Francisco Chronicle asked a group of Winter Olympians and trainers their advice on getting in shape for Winter sports. Here's some of their advice.

Stretch for 15-20 minutes every day or do 10 minutes of sun salutations. Skiers should focus on their lower bodies, while snowboarders should focus on their upper and lower areas.
Two to three times a week, focus on strength training with emphasis on your quads, hamstrings, and core muscles. Keeping your legs and core strong helps with balance and endurance, and helps cut down on ACL injuries. If you can, use kettlebells and also make sure to do tons of squats, leg curls, and lunges.
Do some sort of aerobic activity for at least 15 minutes every day, keeping your heart rate elevated the entire time.

Sounds doable to me. Who's hungry for powder?

Don't Forget to Stretch

FitSugar — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 14:30:00 -0800

Have you been skimping on your stretching? When pressed for time, most people skip the stretching portion of their cool down, but that really is a fitness no-no. Keeping flexible is important for staying injury free. You work your muscles and they tighten up. Then you stretch them so your joints stay mobile decreasing the chance of hurting yourself.

After every workout, be it strength or cardio, you should take five minutes to stretch out. Here are the muscle groups you should stretch and why:

Calves: Tight calves can lead to Achilles tendinitis and plantar fasciitis, since the calf muscles connect to the fascia that lines the bottom of your foot.
Quads: Tight quads can lead to knee pain and often mean that you've underworked your hamstrings, which are important to knee stabilization.
Hamstrings: When the back of the legs are tight, the pelvis tucks under, leaving the low back vulnerable to injury and weakening the spinal muscles.

There are a couple other areas that most often require stretching after a workout, so read more.

Hip flexors: Tight muscles at the front of the hop joint can can pull the pelvis out of alignment, making it more difficult to engage your abs and tightening the low back as well.
Chest: When the chest is tight, the upper back excessively rounds and the neck compensates by jutting forward - both unattractive and painful.

Hopefully, you are now inspired to stretch. If you need help figuring out how to stretch the body parts I have listed, click on the links above to learn appropriate moves to loosen your tight muscles.

Yoga and Running: Opposites Attract

FitSugar — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 11:45:00 -0700

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. Nothing gets the blood flowing and your heart pumping like a good run. On an average mile run, your foot will hit the ground 1,000 times. The force of impact can be 3 to 4 times your weight, so it's no wonder that many runners complain of lower back and knee pain, tight hips and hamstrings, and sore feet.

Running works your lower body brilliantly, but it leaves your upper body in the dust. This imbalance is what can cause so many problems for runners, so that's where yoga comes in. Yoga works your upper body (another reason I love vinyasas) and stretches out tight muscles. It also increases flexibility, which can prevent injury, so you'll be able to run for many years to come. Running and yoga can work as a team to keep your muscles strong and supple, and your bones in alignment.

Although both can be quite meditative and relaxing, neither one is a substitute for the other. Whether you focus more on running or yoga, try to strike a balance since the two compliment each other so well.

Fit's Tips: If you are a die-hard runner, try to remember to make time for stretching before or after your runs. You might even want to throw a weekly yoga class into your routine. On the other hand, if you are more into gentle exercise like yoga and stretching, you've got to remember to work your heart too. Add 20 minutes of heart pumping exercise (it doesn't have to be running), 2-3 times a week. Incorporating cardio and yoga will make your body and mind stronger and more balanced.

Strike a Yoga Pose: Cobra

FitSugar — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 04:00:00 -0700

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. As you increase flexibility in your spine, you are also opening your shoulders and chest (heart), which makes you feel light and ready to give and accept love.

Sanskrit Name: Bhujangasana
English Translation: Cobra Pose
Also Called: Snake

Lie on your belly, on either a thick yoga mat, cotton rug, or a carpeted surface. Since your hip bones will be on the ground, you want to make sure they are padded and won't bruise. If you were doing some standing or seated poses before this, feel free to take a vinyasa to get back to Downward Facing Dog, and then come to lie on your belly.
Bring your legs together so your knees are touching. Then extend your arms straight out in front of you.
As you lift your head up off the ground, begin to slowly walk your hands in, keeping your hips and thighs on the ground, but gently arching your lower back. Walk them in as far as you want, keeping your elbows slightly bent. If your back is really flexible, you can begin to straighten your arms.
Actively roll your shoulders back and down away from your ears, elongating your neck. Keep looking in front of you, or if you want more of a stretch, drop your head back between your shoulder blades.
Stay here, opening through the chest, making sure to relax all your muscles (don't clench your butt). Take deep breaths, at least 5 or more, and then slowly lower your chest back to the ground. Lay your arms next to the sides of your body and bring one cheek to the ground.
When you're ready, you can bring your hands by your shoulders, press into your arms, bend your knees and come into Child's pose to release your lower back and neck.

Strike a Yoga Pose: Camel to Child's Pose

FitSugar — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 03:00:00 -0700

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. It allows us to feel peace and a sense of being centered.

Backbends also open your hips, where your 2nd chakra is located, which is associated with sex and creativity. This chakra is all about having a strong personal identity and the ability to accept change. Poses like Camel (Ustrasana in Sanskrit) are great if you are feeling lonely, sad, bored, or tired.

Backbending poses can feel really intense, so after you do one, it's great to do a forward bending counter pose like Child's Pose.

Kneel at the front of your mat, keeping your knees under your hips (hip distance apart). Look back and make sure your shins, ankles and feet are parallel to each other.
Put both hands on your hips, and gently arch back, just beginning to warm up your lower back and quads.
When you're ready, reach your right hand down towards your right foot. If your back is less flexible, stay here for 5 breaths and then switch to the left side.
If your back is feeling good, bring your left hand down, so that both hands are reaching for both feet. Stay here for 5 or more breaths, pressing your hips forward, and dropping your head to look behind you. Try to keep your knees under your hips (they tend to slide out wide).
Come up slowly, sit on your heels, and lean forward into Child's Pose. You can do it with your hands by your feet, or stretch your arms out in front of you.
Repeat this series (Camel to Child's Pose) a few times to give you energy and increase flexibility in your back, chest, hips and quads.

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Stretching Tips

FitSugar — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 04:00:00 -0700

Stretching is the most overlooked part of a fitness plan. Since I love stretching and since I don't really understand why people avoid flexibility training, I have decided to act like the Ambassador of Stretching. So as ambassador I am going to give you a few tips and reminders and hopefully they will inspire you.

The goal of a post-workout stretching session is to relax and lengthen your muscles to prevent injuries. When done correctly, stretching can relieve chronic pain caused by tight and over used muscles.

When to Stretch:

While you want to stretch warm muscles that have been working, you do want to make sure you have cooled down properly after cardio before stretching. Let your heart rate slow to 100 beats per minute before you start stretching. Placing your head below your heart before your heart rate and breathing slow down can cause nausea, dizziness and possibly fainting. Dealing with those things would really kill your desire to stretch. So take that extra 5 minutes on the elliptical to allow your heart rate to slowly lower.

How to Stretch:

Do not bounce while you are stretching. This is called ballistic stretching and muscles just don't like it. You can tear muscles, ligaments and tendons by bouncing when you stretch.
Breathe in a nice smooth and controlled manner and DO NOT hold your breath. Think of feeding the muscles oxygen while you lengthen them,
Hold stretches for 20 seconds to a minute, but do not force a stretch. Allow the muscle to slowly lengthen.
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