Saturday's Stretch & Flexibility -- Yoga Hip Openers

After a day of gardening and planting flower pots, I need these hip openers!

From another new YouTube channel called Leslie Fightmaster.  Here is an intermediate class. Do what you can, only take poses as far as your body wants to go.

Saturday's Stretch and Flexibility -- Meditation Music

Today, rather than post a stretching video, I decided to post a link to some great meditation music that you can do your own stretching routine to.

Saturday's Stretch & Flexibility -- 20 Minute Full Body Stretch for Flexibility and Pain Relief

Today's workout comes from Psychetruth.  It is a yoga routine that concentrates on stretching the muscles starting with your feet and moving upward through the body.

Remember when stretching, go only as far as your body wants you to go.  She is very flexible, don't force anything or you could end up hurting yourself.

I suggest that you do a quick, simple warm up first, nothing too intense, just enough movement to get the blood flowing to the muscles first.

Saturday's Stretch and Flexibility -- Relax with Me

It's Saturday!  Time to stretch!!!  Today's routine comes from blogilates.  I usually post her crazy challenges, but thought this would be a nice change.  

She's exactly where I want to be...on the beach, soaking up the sun (sigh)....

Remember, when you are stretching, take it only as far as your body wants to go, do not force it.

Saturday's Stretch and Flexibility -- Yoga for Lengthening and Opening

I found a new channel on YouTube today called plumtv.  The workout today comes from Yoga with a View.

It is a 20 minute routine designed to help you to lengthen the sides of your body, allowing you to open up your heart center thereby giving you more energy.

If you didn't see it earlier, I also shared a link on my Facebook page for a free 21 day Meditation series with Chopra Deeprak and Oprah.  Here's that link again:  https://chopracentermeditation.com/home

Saturday's Stretch & Flexibility -- Lining Up Hips, Knees, Ankles and Feet

I have been having some pain in my right knee (something I get from time to time--I had surgery on this knee a long time ago--about 25 years ago).  I fear that I'm developing arthritis in it.

So, this week's workout is a bit selfish on my part.  I'm hoping that if I do some knee specific stretching/strengthening exercises it will help.

The routine comes from Dr. Melissa West.  It is Namaste Yoga Episode Number 119.

The description from YouTube:

This yoga class is all about lining up your hip, knees and ankle joints. This class is excellent for anybody suffering with knee issues or arthritis in their hips or knees. In this class imagine your hip, knee and ankle joints as three dots that create a straight line. This simple movements will traction the joints to create lubrication and safe movement in your joints. We will combine these movement with breath and mantra. Drawing on Thich Nhat Hanh's beautiful manta's "In, Out. Calm, Smile. Present Moment, Beautiful Moment." these beautiful mantras will combine with movement to create a simple yet meaningful yoga class. Enjoy.

Saturday's Stretch/Flexibility - Deep Hip and Leg Stretch Flow -- Part 3

Here's part 3 of the Deep Hip and Leg Stretch Flow from sadienardini.  It is a continuation from part 2.   It is only 3 minutes long.

Saturday Stretch/Flexibility -- Deep Hip and Leg Stretch Flow -- Part 2

Here is video number 2 from the Deep Hip and Leg Stretch Flow series from sadienardini.

Again, listen to your body.  Only take the stretches as deep as your body wants to go.

Saturday's Stretch/Flexibility -- Deep Hip and Leg Stretch Flow Part 1

I found another new channel on YouTube called sadienardini.  It is mainly a yoga channel.

Today's routine is part 1 of a 3 part series that I will be posting for today and the next two Saturdays.  It is about 10 minutes long and focuses on opening up and stretching the hips, legs and lower back.

It's very important in stretching that you only take your body as far as it wants to go--you should feel a good stretch with some resistance, but it shouldn't be painful.  After holding a stretch for a while, you will be able to feel the muscle relaxing and lengthening.  If you feel it tightening, you are taking it too far.

With regular practice, you can gain flexibility in these joints and muscles so that you may be able to go further in the future.

Saturday's Stretch/Flexibility -- Full-Body Rolling Out Routine

I received a foam roller for Christmas.  It is such a great piece of equipment.  It allows you to do myofascial release to your own muscles.  It's like giving your muscles a deep tissue massage.

So, what is myofascial release?

From Wikipedia:

"Myofascial release is a soft tissue therapy for the treatment of skeletal muscle immobility and pain. First described by Andrew Taylor Still and his early students,^[1] the therapy relaxes contracted muscles, improves blood and lymphatic circulation, and stimulates the stretch reflex in muscles.

Fascia is the soft tissue component of the connective tissue that provides support and protection for most structures within the human body, including muscle. Osteopathic theory proposes that this soft tissue can become restricted due to psychogenic disease, overuse, trauma, infectious agents, or inactivity, often resulting in pain, muscle tension, and corresponding diminished blood flow. Although fascia and its corresponding muscle are the main targets of myofascial release, other tissue may be addressed as well, including other connective tissue.^[2]

The term myofascial was first used in medical literature by Janet G. Travell in the 1940s in reference to musculoskeletal pain syndromes and trigger points.^{[citation needed]} In 1976, Travell began using the term "myofascial trigger point" and in 1983 published the reference Myofascial pain & dysfunction: the trigger point manual.^[3] There is no evidence she actually used what is now termed "myofascial release".^{[citation needed]} Some practitioners use the term "myofascial therapy" or "myofascial trigger point therapy" referring to the treatment of trigger points, usually in medical-clinical sense. The phrase has also been loosely used for different manual therapy techniques, including soft tissue manipulation work such as connective tissue massage, soft tissue mobilization, foam rolling, Rolfing, and strain-counterstrain techniques".

Myofascial techniques generally fall under the two main categories of passive (patient stays completely relaxed) or active (patient provides resistance as necessary), with direct and indirect techniques used in each.

Today's routine comes from LiveStrongWoman's Ashley Borden.  She takes you through how to roll through the following muscles:  quads, IT band, TFL, inner thigh, piriformis, hamstrings, calves, shins, upper back, lats and triceps.

From the YouTube description:

"Loosen tense muscles, increase flexibility, and improve your workouts! Ashley Borden's amazing Full-Body Rolling Out Routine is the perfect complement to any workout. Use this rolling out routine before or after your regular workout or on days off from the gym. Learn how to release uncomfortable sticking points and open up the entire body. For more advanced users, go with a denser foam roller or even a PVC pipe to target trouble spots."

Saturday's Stretch/Flexibility -- Easy Strala Stretch

Today's stretch video comes from Tara Stiles.  She calls this an easy 5 minute stretch routine that can be done anywhere, however, some of the poses are advanced.  If you have back or neck issues, please skip doing plow pose (feet up and over your head).

Remember she is very flexible.  Only take the stretches as far as your body wants you to go.

Saturday's Stretch and Flexibility -- Lower Body and Upper Body Active Stretch

Yay!  I love Saturdays!  It means stretching and I sooooo need to stretch more!!!

Today I'm posting two stretch routines from FitnessBlender .  They are a little bit different from most stretch routines. The first one is lower body specific.  You will actively stretch some muscles as you contract and tone others (usually the opposing muscle).  Balance is key factor here as well, which is something that is always good to work on.  There are 8 stretches total.  Each stretch is held for 60 seconds with a 15 second rest in between.

The second one is upper body specific plus lower back.  There are also 8 active stretches in this routine.  It is done the same way.

Saturday's Stretch/Flexibility -- Benefits of Yoga -- Hormones/Endocrine System

Today's workout comes from Melissa West and her Benefits of Yoga Series.  It is all about how yoga can benefit your hormones and endocrine system.

Here's the text from the workout:

"Your endocrine system secretes hormones directly into your bloodstream. Your endocrine glands run through the central channel of your body balancing your chemical makeup. As many of you know if any of your hormones are off a bit, it can throw off your whole being physically, emotionally, and mentally. You've heard that quote, "I love it when my brain chemicals and hormones are just right and I can actually just enjoy life." 

Starting from the base of your spine you have the sex glands, the testes for men and the ovaries for women. Moving up to the area of your solar plexus are the adrenals and the pancreas. At your heart center is your thymus and your artial heart glands. At your throat are your thyroid and parathyroid. And at your third eye are your pineal gland and pituitary gland. 

In women the sex glands are two almond-shaped ovaries located roughly in the middle of the pelvic cavity. The ovaries secrete estrogen and progesterone. Estrogen and progesterone create women's female sexual characteristics and influence behaviour. For men their testes secrete androgens, testosterone, androsterone stimulate and maintain sexual characteristics and influence behaviour. 

Many people have heard about adrenal glands because of adrenal fatigue. Your adrenals sit on top of your kidneys at the base of your ribs on the back of your body. The main part of your adrenal glands activate your fight or flight response through epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine. This increases your blood pressure and respiration and gets your muscles ready for action, not to mention slow down your digestion. 

Your pancreas is a 6-inch long tongue-shaped gland. If you put one hand slightly above your navel and another around the left side of your waist, this is basically where your pancreas sits. Your pancreas produces insulin and glucagon. Insulin lowers your blood sugar levels by increasing the transport of glucose across cell membranes (especially your liver and muscle cells) therefore giving your body energy. Glucagon raises your blood sugar levels. The pancreas produces about a liter of pancreatic enzymes which are delivered to the duodenum through ducts for the digestion of food. 

Your artial heart also secretes hormones to regulate body fluids. Your thymus gland sits behind your sternum on top of your heart. It is extremely important for your immunity. 

Your thyroid sits at the base of your neck. Your thyroid gland has a tremendous effect on your body's metabolic rate. Your parathyroid sits right behind the upper and lower part of your thyroid. It controls the levels of calcium and the concentration of phosphate in your body. 

Your pituitary gland is a small pea-sized gland that is connected by a stalk to the hypothalamus. It lies behind your nasal cavity, slightly in front of the midline of your head. Your pituitary gland controls blood pressure, some aspects of pregnancy and childbirth including breast milk production, sex organ function in both males and females, thyroid gland function, conversion of food into energy (metabolism), water regulation in your body, water balance by your kidneys, temperature regulation, and pain relief. 

Your pineal gland is located slightly behind and above your pituitary gland. The pineal gland is affected by exposure to light and so helps with your sleep/wake cycle. It is responsible for secreting melatonin which helps you to sleep at night."

This is considered an Intermediate class--modify or use props when needed.  You can use pillows if you don't have blocks.

Saturday's Stretch and Flexibility - Yoga for Holiday Meal Digestion

With Thanksgiving being next week I thought this would be a good yoga routine to post.  Even though we don't mean to, most of us overindulge on Thanksgiving because there is so much on the table that we don't eat every day.  It's a special day that revolves around family and, well, food.  

Now I'm the first one who always tells my students not to get all freaked out about it, it's one day--enjoy it and the food!  There is one exception, don't eat anything that you know is going to make you really sick--that's just not worth it to me.

My trick to not overdoing it is simple--I eat the foods that I don't get regularly and skip the ones I do.  I don't eat the mashed potatoes or rolls, but eat the stuffing and gravy--and the pecan pie that my son makes--YUM!!!

This routine is called "Yoga for Holiday Meal Digestion"  Maybe instead of napping on the couch, you can get your guests to do this together---hahaha, I can just see my brothers....

Saturday's Stretch and Flexibility - Relaxing Bedtime Yoga

Today I posted two yoga videos from The Yoga Solution with Tara Stiles that will help prepare you for bed.

The first is called Relaxing Bedtime Yoga.

Remember, listen to your body and go only as far as it wants to go.  Don't force your body into any pose that isn't comfortable.  Keep in mind that she is very flexible.  Since she flows from one pose to another, you might want to watch the video through first so you can become familiar with what is coming next.

The second video is called Routine for a Deep Sleep.

They can be done separately or together, in either order.  If this is all you are doing, it would be a good idea to warm up your body just a bit before starting.

Saturday's Stretch/Flexibility -- How to Test & Improve Flexibility

Today's video comes from Dena Maddie at Today I Will Be Fit.  It's also part of the Psychetruth channel on YouTube.

In this video, she demonstrates how you can easily test the flexibility in your chest, shoulders, calves, obliques, lower back, hamstrings inner thighs and hips.  She also provides stretches for each of these areas.

On her website, she provides scores for good (3), fair (2) and poor (1).  Add up your points at the end to see how you are doing--what areas are good, and what areas need improving.  Follow the link provided to see how you rate.

How Flexible ARE you...?

Make sure you are warmed up before doing these tests and stretches.  They can easily be done after a workout, or alone after you've warmed up your muscles for a few minutes.