stretch

Limber for Life

It is so easy to skip stretching. I skip it myself after many workouts. What gives? We all know stretching is beneficial. Why do we brush it aside so easily?

To encourage ourselves to stretch more we need to 1) enjoy it and 2) recognize it has value. Even if we don’t love exercise, many people make themselves do it because they know it’s good for them. Why isn’t it the same for stretching?

Why We Stretch:

Range of Motion

We don’t need to be the newest member of Cirque Du Soleil, but it’s beneficial to maintain our mobility. Ultimately that’s what stretching does. It helps you keep your full range of motion (ROM) at every joint.

When we lose range of motion and flexibility, it limits what we can do. Maybe you’ve noticed you can’t get up and down off the floor anymore, it’s hard to get your sock on, or you can’t scratch that itch on your back in a spot you used to be able to reach.

Reduce Pain

Also, limited ROM can lead to pain and discomfort. If joints are clamped down and restricted it can lead to injury or pain. This works at the other extreme too. People who are hypermobile often […]

Limber for LifeMaggie Downie2024-03-08T16:38:15-05:00

Achey from Raking

This time of year we want to be carving pumpkins, picking apples, sipping cider, and leaf-peeping. But at some point, we’ve got to rake the yard and sweep up leaves that work their way into the house

Since raking only has to be done once a year our body isn’t always in shape for it, and we can get sore during or after. Luckily the very tool making us sore (that rake) can help us do some great stretches.

Try the chest opener, side bend, and standing cat stretch in the video below.

And if you want to add a few warm-up moves before you start raking, do some marches trying to tap the rake with your thighs.

Household items like a rake or a broom can become your friend. Use them to your advantage. They can actually deepen the sensation of certain stretches in a beneficial way. Try for yourself:

Keep Reading

Looking for more exercises to boost strength? Check out Maggie’s recent blog on the importance of Grip Strength!

Click here to learn more ways to boost arm strength!

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Achey from RakingMaggie Downie2023-11-01T18:25:41-04:00

Tips for Healthy Hiking

Hiking is one of my favorite pastimes. And it feels so much better when your body is ready to trek up a mountain. So how do you train for a hike? Here are some tips:

Pack Your Weight

Wear your pack when you train and put some weight in it. If you know how much weight you’ll be carrying on hike day, build up to that quantity. Getting a pack filled with weight can take time and extra effort. If that’s getting in your way of prepping, start moving without the pack.

Trekking Poles

Trekking poles are a lifesaver. If you want to hike into your 70’s and 80’s you want to get trekking poles today. Not only do they save your knees, but they turn the hike into a more full-body workout. On a typical hike, the arms aren’t that involved. Add trekking poles and now your arms and shoulders get a workout too.

Cardio

Any hike will feel better if you are ready for the cardio it will require. You can build up by hiking, biking, running, or picking up the pace when you go for a walk.

Core

It’s easy to forge

Tips for Healthy HikingMaggie Downie2023-08-01T14:00:29-04:00

Tight Calves?

Tight calves? Feel like you stretch and stretch but get nowhere? We live in a world of tight calves. This stiffness probably comes from wearing high heels or shoes with a heel lift (even men’s shoes tend to have a slight heel lift). Our choice of footwear can alter the length of the muscles of our lower leg, shortening both the muscles and our Achilles tendon. Sometimes we just feel tight. Sometimes this tightness can spread to cause other problems in the body like plantar fasciitis or discomfort elsewhere in the body. Stretch the calf muscles with a bent and a straight leg.

You are probably familiar with one of your calf muscles—the gastrocnemius. It’s the muscle you can see when think of a calf muscle. But underneath the gastroc is another muscle, your soleus. They both connect to the Achilles tendon so they both affect it. And they both can shorten and feel tight. The gastroc gets a good stretch when we flex our foot (toes toward your nose) with the leg […]

Tight Calves?Maggie Downie2017-12-29T20:09:54-05:00

What Can You Relax Right Now?

Our bodies need to relax as much as they need to workout. (Note: I’m writing this blog for me as much as for you because I’m not good at relaxing) But there are a numbers of ways or parts of the body that we can relax throughout the day without adding relaxation time to our already busy lives.

For example be a little more self aware. I often notice that when I brush my teeth my shoulder is shrugged up to my ear and I can relax it. The other day, I was driving when I noticed I was arching my low back in a very alert position. My low back was tight. I relaxed. I think when we start to pay attention there are a lot of moments during the day like this. It’s not necessarily hard to relax, but we do have to think about releasing the tension that creeps in.

Today, when you get into bed check in with your body. Are you really at ease? Have you sunk as deeply into the mattress and pillow as you can? Is your jaw tight? Are your eyebrows furrowed? Is there a part of your body you can relax?

When you exercise, […]

What Can You Relax Right Now?Maggie Downie2017-09-12T19:31:12-04:00