Keli Roberts
By Keli Roberts
Do your muscles feel stiff and inflexible? Can’t touch your toes? Not really certain when or how to stretch? Read on: You may find that you’ve been stretching incorrectly all along! Stretching for injury prevention and improved sports performance is misunderstood and steeped in tradition.
First off, you may be surprised to know that there are actually four different types of stretching:
1. Static -- A sustained stretch that is held and leveraged with another limb or against gravity in order to deepen the stretch. Example: Lying on your back and using your arms to pull your legs to your chest.
2. Ballistic -- Your body is placed in a stretched position and then followed with small bounces performed in an attempt to deepen the stretch. Example: Doing the last move and then gently bouncing your legs to your chest. This is NOT recommended, though, because it can cause micro tears in the muscle.
3. Active -- A stretch in which the opposing muscle group contracts and pulls the body into a stretch. Example: Reaching your arms up overhead and pressing back to stretch the upper body.
4. Dynamic – A stretch in which the body or a limb is moved through a range of motion. Example: Extending your arms and then moving them in full circles.
Previously, it was believed that static stretching before exercising would prevent injury. However, many recent studies have demonstrated that this is not the case. Furthermore, it has been established that performing a static stretch prior to any type of muscle contraction slows down and weakens the muscles involved, and thus worsens performance.
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By Keli Roberts
One of nature’s great little secrets is that exercise -- and consequently feeling better about your body -- is an absolute aphrodisiac. When you feel sexy, you feel like having sex! So for Valentine’s Day, I’ve devised a workout that will get you and your partner ready for some real action. Each move is aimed at working muscles that you use when you work out between the sheets.
Try the following 5 “sexercises” to feel fit and frisky. The first 2 moves require a partner to perform, while the last 3 can be done alone or concurrently with a partner.
1. Partner stretch. Promotes flexibility of the hips and thighs.
*Sit in a straddle stretch (legs straight out to the side as wide as comfortable) facing your partner with your feet touching.
*Hold hands (or the ends of a small towel) and sit tall.
*One person leans back and pulls the other person forward into a deep stretch.
*The other person then leans back and pulls the other person forward.
*Repeat back and forwards 10 times slowly.
2. Partner reverse curl. Targets the lower abdominals and enhances lower back flexibility and pelvic mobility.
*Person A stands with feet shoulder-width apart, while person B lies on his or her back holding person A’s ankles. Person A’s job is to provide an anchor for person B.
*Person B crosses the ankles and tucks the feet in close to the buttocks with the feet off the floor.
*Person B slowly curls the hips off the floor bringing the knees towards the elbows and hips to ribs.
*Person B pulses at the top for 2 counts then slowly lowers the hips back to the floor.
*Repeat for 15-20 repetitions, then swap positions.
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