Are You Flexible?

Can you bend forward and touch your toes? While you’re lying down, can you raise one leg straight up in the air with the other leg outstretched on the floor? In a seated position, can you bend forward from the hips and reach past your toes? These are just a few of the common “measures” of flexibility or the range of motion around a joint.

Now, you may not care if you can touch your toes or raise your leg. You’ve gotten along up to this point just fine the way you are. If that’s the way you feel, you’re not alone. Of all the fitness exercises done these days, stretching is the most overlooked. People go the gym and work on their strength and cardiovascular fitness but then seem to head for the showers when it comes time for the flexibility training or stretching portion of class. It’s true, stretching doesn’t offer the quick gratification in terms of weight loss or appearance that aerobics and weight training do. But it does offer some very real health and fitness benefits.

Why Should You Care About Stretching?

Stretching promotes flexibility and range of motion, which allows you to perform any physical activity with greater ease and fluidity. (Imagine your improved sweep stroke or telemark turn!)

With inactivity or age, muscles naturally lose their range of motion. The connective tissue, called fascia, loses its lubricating ability and tends to stiffen up and catch on the muscle tissue. Stretching can prevent this.

Stretching also enhances athletic performance, endurance and strength. Muscles are like springs. When they’re tight and contracted, they have less power to perform, to “spring,” than when they’re loose. Muscles also work in opposing pairs. When one muscle contracts, its opposing muscle relaxes and stretches. Think of your legs. In order for the quadriceps on the front of the thigh to contract, the hamstring on the back of the thigh must relax and elongate. The same is true for abdominals and lower back muscles, or biceps and triceps. Strength and resistance training require muscle contraction, so stretching can have a positive impact here, too.

Many other benefits can be gained from stretching, not the least of which is injury prevention. Stretched muscles act as shock absorbers for joints. Shortened, tight muscles are more easily torn and don’t provide as much cushioning to ankles, knees, hips and backssomething to think about before you get on your snowboard or mountain bike. Stretching also tends to reduce stress, heart rate and blood pressure, due to the steady breathing that accompanies it. And the best part? It makes you feel good!

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http://www.yogabodynaturals.com — I teach people how to double their flexibility using Gravity Poses & nutritional supplements to support limberness. Click on the link above to join my free, 7-day email course.

SIDE BENDING
Stand with legs apart and arms stretched wide apart and palm facing downwards. Bend towards one side with the hand on that side touching the foot on the same side and the hand on the opposite side curled over your head and pointing in the same direction as the other hand. Feel the stretch on the waist and hold the position for a few seconds. Repeat for other side. Repeat 8-10 times. This also increases the flexibility of the body.

COBRA POSE
Lie flat on your stomach with hands beside your chest, legs straight. Slowly raise the upper part of your body with your face towards ceiling. Try to maintain an angle of 70 degrees between the ground and the upper part of the body. Hold this position for a few seconds. Feel the stretch at your abdomen and the lower back. Concentrate on your breathing. Draw your breath in as you stretch and exhale as you come down. Slowly go back to the starting position. Repeat 3-4 times. After a few days, try to hold the stretch for as longer times. This is a yoga pose and is known to relieve back pain and work on the tummy.

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CALF STRETCH
Stand on a step on the front half part of your feet. Raise yourself and try to shift the weight completely on the toes. Feel the stretch on the calves. Slowly lower yourself and go slightly below the starting position and again feel the stretch on the calves. Return back to normal position. Repeat 3-4 times. This strengthens the calves.
Apart from the above there are various other techniques for various parts of the body. One is free to select the exercises one feels comfortable with. A judicious mix of these would make the body more flexible and boost the immunity.

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The baby cradle pose, in yoga, is a great hip opening exercise that beginners can perform with the aid of a blanket or block. Learn more about the baby cradle pose from a professional yoga instructor in this free yoga video.

Expert: Cathie Ryder
Bio: Cathie Ryder has been teaching yoga since 1983, and is the owner and operator of Yogamatters in New Hampshire.
Filmmaker: Christian Munoz-Donoso

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http://www.yogabodynaturals.com – Yoga Asanas (Yoga Postures) & their Benefits

Yoga was handed down by ancient Indian sages and is now widely popular in the western world because of its wide range of benefits. The word “asana” is derived from the Sanskrit word which means posture. Each asana has its own distinct name, form and a unique way of performing. Many celebrities regularly practice different yoga asanas and have benefited highly from it. Whether you want to loose that extra fat from your body or just want to enhance your concentration level or the flexibility of your body, yoga asanas will give you all round benefit. It helps in maintaining our body balance, which is of utmost importance as any disequilibrium within the body, could wreck havoc.

SURYA NAMASKAR (Sun Salutations)
Generally, every routine of yoga asanas should begin with Surya Namaskar, which is intended to warm the body for practice, unify the breath and body, and promote both strength and flexibility.

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BASIC YOGA POSTURE SQUENCES
Uttanasana (standing forward bend) provides strength to the spinal cord and helps to cure many back problems. Paschimothanasana actually stretches the back body, makes the spine more limber, and helps to keep you injury-free.

RESROTATIVE PRACTICE: Balasana or Child’s Pose
Balasana (child’s pose) helps to stretch and relax the shoulders, the neck, and the back of the body.

1. Sit on the floor on your knees
2. Bring your knees wide apart
3. Extend you hands in front of you on the floor, palm up
4. Rest your hips down toward your heels
5. Rest your forehead on the floor
*you can also practice this with your arms resting at your sides
6. Breathe gently and remain in that position for two minutes

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The one-legged king pigeon pose, in yoga, is an excellent stretch to help beginners open up their hips. Learn to perform the one-legged king pigeon pose from a professional yoga instructor in this free yoga video.

Expert: Cathie Ryder
Bio: Cathie Ryder has been teaching yoga since 1983, and is the owner and operator of Yogamatters in New Hampshire.
Filmmaker: Christian Munoz-Donoso

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http://www.yogabodynaturals.com — I teach people how to double their flexibility using Gravity Poses & nutritional supplements to support limberness. Click on the link above to join my free, 7-day email course.

Flexibility is generally defined as the range of motion of the joints. It is the ability to bend and stretch easily without too much effort. Flexibility depends upon various factors like the state of the joints, muscles, length and looseness of muscles, shape of bones, age etc. Some medical conditions like arthritis can affect flexibility.

This flexibility can be attained by effective exercise and also through yoga. Stretching is generally done to increase flexibility. Flexibility can be best gained by performing stretching exercises which may include exercises of back, neck, shoulder, wrist, legs etc. If exercise is done in a proper way it is observed that a person with a rigid body before starting exercise will have gained flexibility of almost every part of his body with regular practice of exercise.

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Some benefits of flexibility can be as follows:
- Flexibility allows the body to move freely without much effort for activities like bending, stretching, dancing etc
- Flexibility exercises help to reduce muscle soreness, tension and muscle tear if done with properly
- Flexibility exercises also help reduce the chances of injuries
- Flexibility exercise helps improve the join function
- Decreased recovery time

It is said that flexibility decreases with age but it is also true that flexibility can be attained at any age provided; the exercises are done in the right manner. With regular exercise, even a less flexible person can also achieve flexibility.

Learn more about how to become flexible and li

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There are a few helpful variations for performing the reclining big toe pose, in yoga, that help beginners to open and stretch their hips. Learn a variation for the reclining big toe pose from a professional yoga instructor in this free yoga video.

Expert: Cathie Ryder
Bio: Cathie Ryder has been teaching yoga since 1983, and is the owner and operator of Yogamatters in New Hampshire.
Filmmaker: Christian Munoz-Donoso

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Follow instructor Desi Bartlett through a Lunar Yoga sequence. The Lunar practice incorporates slower, deeper stretches to help you achieve a lean, long, graceful physique.

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Easy Yoga poses with basic stretching and simple body conditioning. After this 9 minutes session you will feel relax, restore and re-engerized! Get this video free at www.yoga4man.com Namaste~ Vicki

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