Best Fitness Blog

... by Karli Taylor

Let's talk about stretching. Why do we stretch? Some people think that it will prevent injury. Some people think it will prevent soreness. What if I were to tell you that the only thing stretching does is make you more flexible? Yup- that's it. So if you participate in a sport that requires flexibility- like gymnastics or even golf, then stretching will help your performance. But runners, skiers, baseball players- unless you are tight or imbalanced, stretching will not help your game.

Now Stretching does have its place- I don't want to be known as the anti-stretch trainer. If you are recovering from an injury, you should surely stretch. Why? Put simply, a healing muscle tends to be tighter than a normally functioning muscle, and like I mentioned earlier, if you are tight- STRETCH!

But when should you stretch? Every time I go to a race or a sporting event I see people lined up before the start stretching. I want to grab a microphone and scream at everyone! Stretching before an event will make you weaker. It will loosen up a muscle that is about to produce power- not a good thing. Think about a rubber band. When will a rubber band give the hardest snap back? When it is new or when it has been stretched out a few times? Make sense?

Before any event, warm up by moving dynamically. A dynamic warm-up is not a mile jog or walking a bit before the start. It consists of a series of exaggerated motions that take all of the joints about to be used through their full range of motion. Unlike stretching, dynamic warm ups do not require that you hold any one position for more than a second or two. For example, before a run take 10 or 15 steps each time lifting one knee up and pulling it into your chest. Turn around and walk back kicking your straight leg out in front of you each step. Follow that up by walking with a butt kick. Doing these 3 simple warm-up drills will prepare your body for the stress of hip flexion, knee flexion, hip extension and knee extension- the primary joint actions used while running or walking!

Static stretching, or holding a stretch for 30 seconds, comes after you run or work out. Can you ever stretch during a workout? Again, if something becomes very tight- go for it. Or, in the case of weight lifting, stretching the opposing muscle to that which you are training will actually make you stronger! Try it if you don't believe me. The next time you are weight training, stretch your biceps in between sets of a tricep exercise, or your quads in between sets of a hamstring exercise. Let me know what happens!

... by Karli Taylor

Do you have trouble motivating yourself to get out of bed in the morning to get to the gym? Or maybe you say you’ll go on the way home from work, but somehow you get sidetracked?  Have you ever thought about arranging to meet a friend at the gym or the local track to work out together?

Experts say that pairing up with a work-out buddy  can make your workout easier to stick with and harder to miss.  Whether it's a running partner, a spotter in the gym, or a friend to break the ice with you and try that first yoga class, having a cohort not only makes you accountable, but can add a social element that many people lack in their busy days.

Though people do not typically start exercising for social reasons, it’s often the social factors that keep them working out. Stopping your evening gym time becomes more difficult when you have people there waiting for you.

The bond created between workout partners is strengthened due to shared goals and challenges.  It helps to have someone going through a similar experience- especially when the road is more difficult than you had originally thought.

Sound like a good idea, but you don’t know how to find a workout buddy?  If you don’t already have a pal in mind that has similar fitness goals, start taking group fitness classes at your gym.  Too shy to speak up to a stranger and ask them to work out with you? Tell the instructor what you’re looking for, he or she may have been asked by someone else already. 

Have a partner ready, but don’t know where to start? Set up a few sessions with a certified personal trainer to teach you how to exercise with each other and make the most of your time.  The trainer can give you exercises that you can do together and can teach you the proper way to spot each other when things get tough.

Regardless of how you choose to use the buddy system, the extra accountability, motivation and support will help you reach your fitness goals in an efficient and enjoyable way!