Stretching Exercises for Flexibility and Mobility
September 30, 2012 by admin
Filed under Stretching
Article by Knut Holt
Stretching Exercises for Flexibility and Mobility – Health – Fitness
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Doing regular stretching exercises will make you steadily more elastic, flexible and mobile, and hinder you from getting physically rigid and stiff as you get older. Here are some principles for good stretching exercises:
– Take a thorough stretching session at least every second day. During this session you should stretch out all parts of your body: Your arms, neck, torso, pelvic area and legs.
– It is an old principle to stretch out after other types of training. This principle has been questioned in the last years. If you feel this is the best time to stretch out, then do so. If not, wait until you are less tired and do the stretching as a separate session.
– It is probably best for many to have a short stretching session after muscular training and a longer stretching session at a separate time every second day.
– When stretching out, you should bend or twist in the natural movement directions and movement angles for each body part, and for each body part you should flex in every natural direction.
– It is good to begin the stretching session with some active exercises with moderate stretching effect to make your muscles and joints warm. You swing, bend, twist and roll with your arms, legs, shoulders, torso and pelvic region so that every movement gives a moderate stretching effect.
– Then you do slow exercises with a stronger stretching effect. You swing, bend or twist each limb and your torso until you feel resistance and a little more so that you feel the stretch, and then hold the stretch in 30-50 seconds. You can make this stretching even more effective by doing it together with a friend and helping each other. Repeat each stretch at least 3 times with a pause between.
– When beginning a slow stretch you begin by emptying your lungs completely for air, and then breath deeply in when you go into the stretch. When holding the stretch you breath effectively, but in a calm manner. In this way the exercise vil also benefit your chest wall, lungs and diaphragm.
You can find descriptions of many exact exercises in specific books or web-pages. Classical hatha-yoga-exercises are a type of slow stretching exercises with a profound beneficial effect on the whole body. But you can also use your creativity and compose exercises that specifically fit you, as long as you use the principles listed above, and you can also improvise during each session.
About the Author
Knut Holt is an internet marketer interested in the health field. To read more about health topics and to find natural products for treatment of problems in the muscles, joints, windpipe, stomach, nervous system, circulation and hormonal system, please see his web-site.http://www.panteraconsulting.com/salg2.htm
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Knut Holt
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Knut Holt is an internet marketer interested in the health field. To read more about health topics and to find natural products for treatment of problems in the muscles, joints, windpipe, stomach, nervous system, circulation and hormonal system, please see his web-site.http://www.panteraconsulting.com/salg2.htm
Use and distribution of this article is subject to our Publisher Guidelines
whereby the original author’s information and copyright must be included.
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Strength Training For Seniors: Regain Mobility
June 9, 2012 by admin
Filed under Strength Training
Article by Dave Tabern
Strength Training For Seniors: Regain Mobility – Health – Fitness
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Strength fitness training is important for seniors to gain or maintain the use of the muscles. When people neglect to incorporate any type of regular movement into their life, the result is decreased mobility and lack of balance. By exercising the muscles through resistance exercise, mobility and balance can be restored and improved.
The most important muscles to begin training are your leg muscles. Incorporating walking into your weekly routine is a good start. Then specific exercises such as squats will further develop your legs. It’s a good idea to add exercises for your entire body as you get more and more fit. When you include a variety of exercises for your body you enhance good posture and overall mobility as well.
Resistance training can be in the form of weight training at home or at a gym. It can also be done with resistance bands. Or you can perform exercises with just your body weight. If you are just starting out with resistance training, using your body weight is an excellent place to start.
You don’t have to use a lot of exercises to start. Just pick one or two movements for each body part. Start with your biggest muscles(legs) then work to the smaller muscles. Repeating each exercise after a brief rest. Try to establish a workout at least twice each week. Eventually working up to twenty or thirty minutes each session is the goal.
A combination of cardiovascular exercise and strength training is ideal. Doing resistance training two to three days a week(for example:Monday-Wednesday-Friday), then doing cardio such as walking, biking, swimming, etc. on two to three other days, is a great way to schedule your exercises.
The importance of strength training for seniors can’t be emphasized enough. It can mean the difference between a low quality of life as opposed to a higher quality of life. In many cases, older adults just simply need to get moving again. The fact is that it doesn’t even take a great deal of time or effort to see improvement in mobility once an exercise routine is established. The key is to set a few goals and keep it simple.
Here are some other exercises you can try which also help to improve your muscles. Tai Chi is a low-impact exercise form that can be a gentle way to get back into shape. There are videos and books available that are just for seniors. Pilates is a form of exercise that can strengthen and improve flexibility. Pilates can be done in a gym setting or you can also find instruction on video and in books. Yoga is yet another low-impact activity that also can improve strength. Yoga can also improve balance as well as flexibility.
Improvement in overall health is the goal of an exercise program. Using resistance training and flexibility training should be done on a regular basis. As you put your routine together try some of the different types of exercise forms as part of your resistance exercise. This type of activity is important in your strength fitness training.
About the Author
My name is Dave Tabern. I have a degree in education with a minor in physical education. I have a lifelong interest in fitness and health. I believe that exercise is important for all ages, especially for older adults.
For more information on fitness and health tips please visit:http://www.fitness-for-fifty-plus.com or http://www.fitness-for-fifty-plus.com/strengthfitnesstraining.html
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Dave Tabern
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My name is Dave Tabern. I have a degree in education with a minor in physical education. I have a lifelong interest in fitness and health. I believe that exercise is important for all ages, especially for older adults.
For more information on fitness and health tips please visit:http://www.fitness-for-fifty-plus.com or http://www.fitness-for-fifty-plus.com/strengthfitnesstraining.html
Use and distribution of this article is subject to our Publisher Guidelines
whereby the original author’s information and copyright must be included.
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