The Importance of Stretching for Flexibility

When people consider their diet and exercise regimen and how they can improve it, they very rarely consider the benefits of simple stretching. Stretching can help you increase your balance, strength, and flexibility - all of which are important for maintaining fitness and avoiding injury. Stretching for flexibility is beneficial in all aspects of your active life.

Why You Shouldn't Overlook Stretching
Stretching has so many benefits. At all levels, there are stretches that can be done to help increase your flexibility and strength, and even your balance. This can help you avoid injuries, feel limber, and give you more range of motion and energy.

How Stretching and Flexibility Helps Your Workouts
Stretching your muscles is a great way to prepare them for workouts of any kind, and is also a great way to cool down from a workout. Stretching before and after workouts helps work out lactic acid, prevents injury, and helps you feel less sore. Not to mention that the added flexibility will help you get the most out of your workouts. Hold each stretch for 30 seconds to 1 minute per side.

Great Stretches for Flexibility

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* Behind the Head Elbow Stretch - In either a sitting or standing position, simply reach one arm behind your head. Using the opposite arm, grab your elbow and press to increase the stretch. Hold the stretch and repeat on the opposite side.

* Lunge Stretches - Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and your hands on your hips. Step out wide with one foot, and then bend that knee, bringing the back leg down against the ground. Get as close to the ground as you can, trying to touch your shin to the ground. Hold this pose and then repeat on the opposite leg.

* Seated Twists - Sit on the ground with your feet out in front of you and then twist your torso to one side. Then bring your arms around to help pull your torso into a good twist. Hold this pose and then repeat on the opposite side. You can also do a second variation of this stretch with your legs folded “criss-cross”.

* Folding Stretch - Stand up straight with your feet just slightly apart. Keeping your posture straight, bend at the waist and try to hug your knees. If you are not quite at that level, just try to touch your toes or use blocks or the bottom stair to stretch as far as possible. Don't force it - just hold the pose and let your body stretch naturally.

* Butterflies - Sit on the floor with your legs out in front of you. Bring your legs in and touch the bottoms of your feet together, knees bent outward. Keeping your knees as flat on the ground as possible, grab your feet and try to bring them closer to your body. Without straining yourself, bounce your knees up and down a bit.

* Yoga Poses - There are a huge amount of yoga poses that are aimed specifically at increasing your flexibility. Two of these poses are called “baby cobra” and “downward facing dog”.

* Baby Cobra - Lie face down on the ground with your arms near your head, palms on the ground. Use your hands to push the top portion of your body off the ground, curving your spine backwards and looking up to the sky.

* Downward Facing Dog - Start in push-up position, and then push your hips up, folding your body in half so your bottom is up in the air and your head and arms are down. Your heels should be flat on the ground, stretching your entire body. If you can't get your heels flat on the ground with your knees straight, straighten your knees and let your heels lift up. Gradually work on getting your heels closer to the ground.

Stretching for flexibility will help you will all facets of your healthy lifestyle and exercise regimen. These stretches alone will be beneficial for your whole body and daily life, and when paired with your exercise routine will make a huge difference in your overall fitness and health.

Does Fitness Depend Mostly on Will-Power?

You have probably achieved some of the fitness goals you have set during your life. But you have probably failed to reach certain levels of physical fitness as well, haven't you? You are the same person, so why did you succeed in one physical endeavor and fail in another? Was it because you were not "mentally tough" when you needed to be? Was your mindset to blame? And if it was, how can you change that?

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Dr. Jim Loehr is a globally recognized performance psychologist. He wrote a wonderful book titled Mental Toughness Training for Sports: Achieving Athletic Excellence. In it he discusses and defines mental toughness, revealing that it is made up of the following 7 components:

• self-confidence
• attention control
• minimizing negative energy
• increasing positive energy
• maintaining motivation levels
• attitude control
• visual and imagery control

He uses the word energy twice and the word control 3 times in defining the 7 dimensions of mental toughness in physical endeavors. And while the actual meaning of mental toughness may vary from one expert to the next, controlling your energy has a lot to do with your ability to accomplish any physical fitness goals.

By controlling and directing your mental and physical energies, you are able to set a habitual course that improves your ability to achieve the physical goals you set. But let's get back to our original question.

Does fitness, and your state of physical health, rely mostly on mental toughness?

Research in the past few years has shown that 60% to 80% of your physical appearance and fitness will be determined by your diet. So nutrition is obviously very important.

But let's take two identical individuals. They are the same age, same height and weight. They both enjoy a healthy diet. But after work, Subject A heads straight for the couch and the remote control. They watch television until bedtime, go to sleep late, wake up tired and start the process all over.

Subject B exercises in the evening. She makes sure that she drinks plenty of water throughout the day, goes to bed at a decent hour, and gets plenty of rest. In the morning before heading off to work, she exercises. On her lunch break she goes for a walk outside her workplace rather than spending that time stuck to her office chair.

Which one of these two individuals is going to be in better physical shape? It is obvious that subject B will enjoy a healthier and more physically fit body. And it's because she programmed her mind to consciously adopt a healthy lifestyle, which over time becomes an unconscious habit.

However you define it, mental toughness has to be present to some degree for you to reach your physical goals.

But you cannot simply sit on your couch and think about the level of physical fitness you want to achieve. You have to take action. You have to exercise. You have to adopt a healthy diet, drink lots of liquids and get plenty of rest.

Take all of the actionable steps you need to create the body and lifestyle you desire, and combine them with a persistent and confident mental focus. You may just find that the physical barriers of your past become the physical achievements of your future.

Tip #4: Add It To Your To-Do List

We all know the power of the never-ending to-do list. If you add exercise to that to-do list, you are more likely than not to adhere to accomplishing that task. Even if you have to put it in red pen, and add it to your calendar, make sure that you put it in writing. There is more of a commitment there when you put it down on paper.

Interestingly enough, educated people - who are more likely to make a to-do list - are more likely to exercise as well. The higher a person’s education level, the more likely he is to participate in physical activity. 23% of those who hold a bachelor’s degree or higher engage in sports or exercise activities on an average day, compared to 14% of those with some college or an associate’s degree, 11% of high school graduates and 10% of those who did not graduate high school. http://www.bls.gov/spotlight/2008/sports/data.ht

And remember that even small amounts of exercise are beneficial. A 2011 study found that just 15 minutes of exercise a day can reduce mortality risk by 10%, and each additional 15 minutes reduces the risk by an additional 4 percent. http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2811%2960749-6/fulltext

So add a bit of exercise to your to-do list today, and get moving!

Should Teenagers Join A Gym?

Getting fit is important for everyone regardless of age - and that includes teenagers. But does that mean that they need to join a gym? Healthy teens become healthy adults, and habits established in the teenage years will carry over into adulthood - whether good or bad. But is joining a gym the answer?

There are pros and cons to teens joining a gym. Keep reading to find out more about making the right decision for your teen when it comes to exercise.

Pros

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1. When it comes to working out, it is more fun and motivating in groups. When you can bring a friend, both of you can feed off each other and get the work done.

The gym setting can be great for that. Those gyms that offer family memberships allow everyone to unwind from their day and exercise together. Larger gyms do offer these memberships and a wide variety of activities to participate in. Not only are there weight machines but also cardio fitness like treadmills, elliptical machines and stationary bicycles.

2. Personal training is also a good feature of gyms. For the teen who has never done exercise before or who doesn’t know what to do, a personal trainer can help. They can tailor a program to the needs of someone your teen’s age. Be sure to check to see if they have trainers who are certified to work with young people effectively.

Your child can get individual attention each week to help them combine the right amount of cardio and weights for their health. A personal trainer can also help them to set personal weight loss or fitness goals that they can follow from that point on.

3. Many gyms have a wide range of fun exercise classes. Classroom settings are great because they have done all the thinking for you. For example, if you take a yoga class, your job is to follow the instructor. Depending on your fitness level, he or she will guide your through the moves necessary to achieve success in the class, and your teen may feel less awkward when surrounded by others performing the same activity.

Cons

1. Gym memberships can be expensive. For an individual it can cost around $50 or more. When you throw in a family membership, you are looking at about $100 or more per month. Some families can’t pay that much in an effort to allow their teens to work out in a gym. And, contracts are often for three years. If your teen decides not to go or gets interested in something else, the parents are still paying that fee each month.

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2. Not all gyms are equipped the same. They don’t all have instructors that can teach you how to use the equipment. For a teen, that can lead to walking around feeling bored, or doing a little but not really staying motivated.

3. You have to get there to work out. If your teen doesn’t drive, that means that they have to get mom or dad to drop them off. If it is an inconvenient time, then they won’t get to use their membership that much.

Should teens join a gym? If the family is going regularly, then it won’t be much of a stretch to get your teen participating. How much there is to do will depend on your gym. But, once locked into a contract it will be hard to break if your teen changes their mind later. Assess these factors when looking into joining a gym for your teen, and make sure it is a good fit before you sign anything.

Tips For Hiring a Personal Trainer to Meet Your Fitness Goals

More and more people are turning to the experts to help them get in shape and lose weight. Personal trainers are able to guide you to the right fitness program for your personal needs and goals. It’s a great way to get motivated, eliminate fitness mistakes that can stall your success, and focus on your long term goals.

Personal trainer with client. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

However, it's important that you hire the right personal trainer. They’re human just like you which means that they have personality quirks, fitness philosophies, and their own style. Additionally, like any industry there are some great trainers and some not so good trainers. A little screening and knowledge will help you hire the right personal trainer for your needs. Here are some things to look for when hiring a personal trainer:

Education
When hiring a personal trainer make sure they’re certified with a reputable training organization. For example, the ACSM, American College of Sports Medicine, and the ACE, American Council on Exercise are both good programs.

You also want to make sure that they have CPR and first aid certification just in case something should happen while you are working out.

Experience
In addition to education, personal training experience is helpful. Yes, everyone has to start somewhere and if you get a really good feeling with a new trainer that’s fine. However, a more experienced trainer who specializes in your goals and fitness needs may be a better way to spend your time and money.

Also, if you have any specific medical problems or needs then it’s helpful to have someone who is experienced and knowledgeable in that area.

Personality and Style
Ideally, your trainer will listen to your needs and goals and create a program just for you. Some trainers have programs that they’ve created already and they are looking for clients to fit to their mold. That’s okay, just be aware of what you need and make sure it’s a good fit.

Personal trainer assessing a client's goals and needs as they write a fitness program. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It’s also important for your trainer to be focused on you during your sessions and to be involved. You don’t want a trainer who puts you on the weight machine and then walks away. Ask your trainer if they’ll be tracking your progress and assessing the program as you go. Hopefully they answer with a quick yes. Ask them how they assess and what their policy is. 

Pay attention to their personality and style. Does it seem motivating? Will you enjoy working with this person? Do you trust them? If not, then they’re not the right trainer for you.

Finally, it’s important to compare the price of your potential trainers. Personal training can be expensive but it’s also a great way to ‘cut to the chase’ and start reaching your fitness goals right away. If price is an issue you may be able to find a better rate if you participate in group training sessions.