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Tight Hamstrings?

Most of us think we have tight hamstrings. 
But here is a little something about a hamstring stretch.   We sort of have a tendency to accidentally cheat and stretch our back in addition to our hamstrings. And sometimes we are even stretching the back and barely getting to the hamstrings.  If you have long arms or a long torso it’s a little easier to get to your toes.  If you have long legs and shorter arms it’s going to be harder.  So the reach to the toes, while an easy standard, can be a bit deceptive.  If I only stretch my hamstrings as far as they can go without curling forward in my back, I can’t touch my toes.
Tight Hamstrings?2017-10-25T15:49:54-04:00

Bikram Yoga: Part Two

Heather was wise, she got there early and set us up near the door. The instructor seemed nice enough and told me that my only goal was to stay in the room for the full 90-minute class even if I didn’t do any of the poses. In Bikram Yoga you do 26 poses and two different breathing exercises and repeat everything twice. Her attempt at calming me didn’t really help because what I’d really wanted to hear her say was that it would be okay to leave if I felt uncomfortable at any point.

Another woman told me that she hated it her first time and then she came back and loved it. Then she looked at me and said, “But you look pretty fit. You’ll be fine.” I appreciate the comment, but it’s simply not true. I’m fit, but that doesn’t mean that without proper training I can run a marathon or ski or toboggan in the Olympics without killing myself. It’s an assumption people often make. I remember when I was younger and was a reasonably good field hockey player people used to be surprised to discover that […]

Bikram Yoga: Part Two2017-09-12T19:31:57-04:00

Bikram Yoga: Part One

Last Sunday, the morning it snowed about three inches, I tried Bikram Yoga for the first time. I was really nervous. I can only stay in a sauna or steam room for about 10-minutes and then I usually get a sudden urge to leave. The urge doesn’t creep up on me. I need out of the hot space immediately.

I never really wanted to try Bikram Yoga because I heard that they frown on you leaving, so I basically assumed I would hate it. But a lot of my clients ask me what I think of it, and I feel inappropriate saying that it didn’t seem good to me when I’d never done it.

Heather who teaches our Bloomfield classes and subs has done Bikram Yoga, so she agreed to go with me—this was a few weeks ago. We made a plan to go to a morning class on a Sunday in Glastonbury at Bikram Yoga. I didn’t set my alarm because I’m normally up by 6am at the latest and the class wasn’t until 8, […]

Bikram Yoga: Part One2017-09-12T19:31:57-04:00

Stretching Facts

Pilates incorporates stretching during the exercises, but unlike yoga we don’t sit and hold a stretch for a long period of time. Holding a stretch can be helpful, so if you’re taking Pilates and you’d like to stretch more at home, here are some insights about stretching that can help you stretch most effectively:

Two young women exercising on the beach

  • A stretch is most effective when held 15 to 30 seconds. Research suggests that holding for a longer period does not increase results.
  • A stretch should be repeated 2 to 4 times for best results.
  • People should stretch a MINIMUM of 2 to 3 days per week, but stretching everyday is not necessarily a bad option.
  • While there are lots of different types of stretching, all forms have been show to be effective.
Stretching Facts2017-09-12T19:35:24-04:00
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