Fitness Tip of the Day: Saturday's Stretch and Flexibility -- Athletic Stretching

Not everybody feels comfortable doing yoga, so I decided to post a couple of  more athletic-based stretching routines today.

The first routine is a Dynamic Sports Stretch from BeFit in 90--this would be done after your warm-up.  It's about 9 minutes long.

These are the types of active stretches that I wrote about yesterday--always moving through the stretch.

The second routine from FitnessBlender includes static stretching (holding the stretch).  Each stretch is held for 30 seconds.  This is to be done after your cool down.

Fitness Tip of the Day: Friday's Facts and Findings-- Importance of Warm-Up, Cool Down and Stretching

Is it really that important to warm up and cool down with each workout?  I get that question all the time.  For the most part, the answer is "Yes."

From my AFAA textbook:  "All exercise sessions should be preceded by a warm-up.  A proper warm-up increases blood flow, oxygen and energy substrates to the working muscles, increases core temperature, gradually increases heart rate, and helps increase the metabolic rate from resting to exercising levels (Gutin, Stewart, Lewis U Kruper, 1976)."

From the ACE (American Council on Exercise) website:

"The purpose of warm-up activities is to prepare the body, especially the cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems, for the conditioning or stimulus phase of the exercise session. The cool-down phase assures that venous return to the heart is maintained in the face of significant amounts of blood going to the previously working muscles.

Light aerobic endurance activities, coupled with activities, provide the fundamental basis for both the warm-up and cool-down phases. The length of the warm-up and cool-down periods depends on several factors, including the type of activity engaged in during the conditioning period, the level of intensity of those activities, and the age and fitness level of the participant.

In general, the warm-up and cool-down phases should last approximately five to ten minutes each. If the individual has less time available to work out than usual, it is recommended that the time allotted for the conditioning phase of the workout be reduced, while retaining sufficient time for both the warm-up and cool-down phases.

Bryant, Cedric X. 101 Frequently Asked Questions about "Health & Fitness" and "Nutrition & Weight Control". Sagamore Publishing, 1999."

How long should the warm-up be?  

It really depends on the activity that you are doing.  The more intense the workout, the longer the warm up should be.  This will give your body time to do all the things listed above.  Most warm-ups are anywhere between 5 and 10 minutes.  It can consist of a slower/less intense version of your workout or simply walking or marching in place.

What about stretching?

While stretching/flexibility training is considered very important by the fitness industry, the need to stretch before cardio/strength training workouts isn't mutually agreed upon.

Some professionals believe that no stretching is needed before a workout, but if you are going to stretch before a workout, it should be active or dynamic stretching.  This means that you are moving through the stretch, not holding it (static stretching).  You should save your static stretching for the end of the workout when your muscles are warm. This type of stretching is very important, yet it is commonly skipped because we just want our workout to be over.  Warm muscles will gain the most flexibility benefits and stretching will reduce the risk of injury.  Static stretches should be held for at least 15 - 30 seconds, up to 60 seconds for the most flexibility benefit.

This being said, should you warm up before say a yoga class?  I found a video from Melissa West that addresses this topic.  She is only talking about the type of yoga that she teaches which is Hatha Yoga.  This type of yoga is basically static stretching, but she prepares your body through "preparatory poses."  I have done more dynamic type yoga or Vinyasa yoga that the body is warmed up through preparatory poses as well. 

Bottom line, warming up before any type of exercise isn't going to hurt you.

Here's what Melissa West said:
(click the link, not the picture)

http://www.melissawest.com/should-i-warm-up-my-muscles-before-doing-yoga/

I did find several yoga warm-up videos that could be done before any yoga or stretch workout.  Here's one I liked:

Cool downs are just as important as warm-ups!!!  Cool downs are done by gradually decreasing speed/intensity for 3-5 minutes especially after a cardiovascular workout (even intervals if your heart rate is up--you need to cool down).

Also from my textbook:  "This helps prevent blood pooling in the extremities, reduces feelings of dizziness, lowers heart rate and blood pressure to near-resting levels, helps dissipate lactic acid, and helps minimize potentially threatening cardiac arrhythmias" (this is why you are told during a cardiovascular workout to never just stop--walk around!).

Fitness Tip of the Day: Thursday's Total Body -- Strong Total Body Boot Camp

Even though I didn't post on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday, I hope you still did your workouts!!!

I took  the weekend off for some much needed R & R and I just couldn't get my act together to write scheduled posts to be published past Sunday.  We went to Cedar Point Amusement Park in Sandusky, Ohio.

This is one of the rides my husband and two of my sons rode.....called The Gatekeeper.
Unfortunately I strained my back, so I rode the Ferris Wheel :)    (where this picture was taken from)

So here it is Thursday--Total Body workout day.  Today's workout comes from Fitness Blender.

It is a total body workout entitled "Happy, Healthy, Strong Total Body Boot Camp -- Strength and Cardio Tabata Workout".

It is approximately 11 minutes long and consists of 11 exercises, 40 seconds on, 10 seconds off and done just once.

You will need a piece of wall (to squat against) and a set of dumbbells.  Please do a proper warm up and cooldown/stretch.

Fitness Tip of the Day: Sunday's Recipe Share -- Summer Slow Cooker Recipes

I'm one of those people who keep saying I'm going to use my slow cooker more, and then I don't.  I'm really not sure why.  I guess the main reason is that I'm not a morning person and a lot of slow cooker recipes have to be in that pot for 10-12 hours.  Most of the time, I'm planning dinner at 4:30 p.m.!!!

I also think of slow cooker recipes as Fall and Winter cooking--soups, stews, casseroles.  It makes much more sense to use it in the Summer instead of heating up the house with the oven.

So, when I saw these recipes from yeah, yeah, yeah, Cooking Light, I decided it was time to dust it off and plug it in.  I have to say the recipe that intrigued me most was for a dessert...

Amaretti Cheesecake

Cheesecake in a slow cooker, whodathunk????  It makes sense though--adding water to the bottom of the cooker and placing the cake on a rack creates that water bath and steam needed--it is a 3 hour cooking process.  I'm definitely going to try this one.  The 6 hour wait to eat it will be the challenge!

I also make a lot of pulled pork.  In the summer, I usually make it on the grill (I have a gas grill that I can keep the temp low on) but these sandwiches look good!!!  This is a long one -- 8 hours, I have to plan ahead for this one.

Rosemary Pork Sliders with Horseradish Aioli

I love the idea of the rosemary rather than the typical barbecue sauce.  I'm not a horseradish lover, but....

Last but not least, I make some sort of enchilada casserole every time we have leftover taco or fajita meat.  I never thought to make it in a slow cooker and this only has to be in there for 2 hours, hmmmm...

Chicken Enchilada Stack

Do you have a favorite slow cooker recipe?  I'd love to hear about it!

For all the recipes:  Summer Slow Cooker Recipes