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Lack of flexibility is now seen to be a major cause of general
health problems and sports injury and is being linked to everything
from stress, back pain, and even osteoarthritis. It also means
that nagging injuries, especially around your joints take
longer to heal.
Latest studies show that up to 60 percent of the general population
with bad backs and knees have tight hamstrings and hips and
the main cause is a lack of flexibility.
Active-Isolated Stretching (AI)
Olympians have been employing Active-Isolated Stretching (AI)
now for about 10 years, but it has only recently been brought
to the public’s attention.
I have used this technique on my clients for quite a while
now with great success, while adding renewed life and spring
to tired out muscles. AI stretching prevents injury, as conventional
stretching can cause real harm such as muscle pulls and tears.
AI stretching does what stretching is supposed to do; it transports
oxygen to sore muscles and quickly removes toxins so recovery
is faster. It also works as a deep massage technique because
it activates muscle fibres during the actual stretch.
How to Stretch
Before stretching, dress in loose clothing and try and acquire
a five-foot length of rope and tie a loop in the end. The
purpose of this is to loop the end of rope around the exercising
appendage to squeeze the last couple of inches of stretch
from the exercise.
Find a comfortable place to stretch either on your bed, a
carpeted floor or on a mat.
Isolate the muscle or group you want to stretch then contract
the muscle opposite. This causes the isolated muscle or group
to relax straight away and when it does it is ready to stretch.
Gently and quickly stretch the isolated muscle until it can’t
be stretched any further; now give yourself a gentle pull
with your hands or rope. Go as far as you can and then hold
the stretch for no more than 2 seconds then release, do this
for a total of 5 repetitions on the isolated muscle or group.
The reason for just a 2-second stretch is because when a muscle
realizes that it is being forced into a stretch it contracts
to protect itself from being overstretched.
If you can beat this contraction you’ll be well on the
way to a greater Range of Motion.
Remember to hold for no more than 2 seconds, release, return
to the normal position and repeat for the five repetitions.
Try not to have any hesitations between stretches and make
it as fluid as possible. Try to stretch every day if possible,
remember to:
• Work one target muscle at a time.
• Contract the muscle that is opposite the targeted
muscle, which will relax in preparation of its stretch.
• Stretch it gently and quickly.
• Release it before it realizes that it has been stretched
and goes into its protective contraction.
Below are two exercises that can be done straight away even
while you are at work to stretch that tension and stress from
of your body.
1. Lie down on the floor with your buttocks against a wall
and your legs straight up the wall. Slowly flex your toes
towards your knees, hold for two seconds and repeat five times.
This will loosen up your lower back and stretch your hamstrings
and hips giving instant relief for tired backs.
This exercise can be done while at the office anytime you
start to feel that stress and tension building up.
2. Sitting in a chair and putting one leg out straight, flex
your toes towards your knee, now lean towards that foot, stretching
your hands towards it and letting your head and shoulders
follow, hold for two seconds and repeat five times. This will
create a stretch right across your lower back and neck.
A flexible body is:
• More efficient
• More easily trained for strength and endurance
• Enjoys more range of motion
• Stays balanced more easily and is less prone to injury
• Recovers from workouts more quickly, and feels better.
Written By: Gary Matthews
Author of several ebooks, including:
"Maximum Weight Loss in Ten Weeks"
"Maximum Weight Gain in Ten Weeks"
http://www.maximumfitness.com
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