Let’s dig into the benefits, how to practice it, and modifications of this pose.

Benefits of Downward Dog-

• This pose stretches your lower body. It helps to stretch the hamstrings, calves, and ankles fully.
• Downward dog is a weight-bearing inversion. So, it helps to strengthen your shoulders and upper body.
• This pose promotes blood circulation throughout your body.
• Downward dog can improve posture by opening the chest muscles and lengthening your spine.
• It stretches the small muscles in your feet and can relieve the plantar fascia pain.

How to Get into Downward Dog Pose-

• Get into a quadruped position with hands stacked under your shoulders and knees under your hips.
• Lift your knees. Tuck your toes under your heels and lift your knees. Extend your legs to lift both knees in the air.
• Lengthen your spine, pressing through the palms of your hands and balls of your feet.
• Pike and push your pelvis up toward the ceiling.
• Hold the pose for as long as you are comfortable breathing deep.

Modifications-

• Bend your knees if your hamstrings and calves are tight.
• If your heels are more than a couple of inches from the mat and you can’t hold the downward dog due to tight lower leg muscles, place a rolled-up towel under your heels to get into this pose.
• If your wrists bother you, hold onto blocks or drop your elbows under your shoulders and balance on your forearms.

Downward dog is a peaceful, refreshing, and blissful pose. Try adding a downward dog to your yoga practices to reap all these amazing benefits.

The post How and Why of Downward Dog! 0 (0) first appeared on Tone & Strengthen.

Stretch is when the muscle fibers and tendons are extended and lengthened, leading to increased joint range of motion (ROM), decreased muscle tightness, increased muscle length, and better circulation. There are many different types of stretching. This blog post is discussing the static stretching technique. This type of stretching technique is considered safe for inactive or untrained individuals.

Muscles and Range of Motion

To make the case in favor of stretching, it doesn’t actually lengthen your muscles permanently but trains the nervous system to tolerate a large degree of muscle extension. In the long run, it improves your movement pattern and muscle firing. The nervous system is responsible for pain tolerance.

Each individual has a different ROM. A big misconception about static stretching is that muscles are in charge of our ROM. They are not. Skeletal muscles assist bone and joints, which determine the ROM. Human movement is dependent on the amount of ROM available in synovial joints. ROM is dictated by two anatomical units: joints and muscles.

Human movement is dependent on the amount of ROM available in synovial joints. In general, ROM may be limited by two anatomical entities: joints and muscles. There are various factors for reduced joint ROM. Tight muscles is one of the reasons. Muscle tightness can be the result of active or passive reasons. Passively, muscles can become shortened through postural dysfunctions and habits. Actively, muscles become shorter because of spasms.

How Does Static Stretching Work?

Mechanically, static stretching affects the viscoelastic component of the neuro-myofascial tissue. Muscle tightening involves the viscoelastic properties of muscle and connective tissue and the neurological reflex and voluntary components of muscular contraction.

Golgi tendon organs (GTOs) are proprioceptors that are located in the tendon’s junctions. The GTO sensory ending is enclosed in connective tissue. GTO sends force information to the spinal cord, where interneurons receive input from the brain that specifies the amount of force that a muscle should produce. If the muscle’s force level exceeds a set point for muscle, the GTO inhibits that muscle from having that much force.

When we lift weights, the GTO is the sense organ that tells how much pressure the muscle is applying. If there is too much load on the muscle, the GTO will inhibit the power from creating any force. This is a protective mechanism of the body to prevent the muscles from injury.

Static stretching is another example of how muscle tension creates a GTO response. When a stretch is held for more than a few seconds, the increase in muscle length activates the GTO, which briefly stops muscle spindle activity which allows the muscle to stretch more.

Closing Thoughts

Neurologically, stretching a muscle to its end ROM increases the stretch tolerance through the inhibitory effects of the GTO. Most research has shown that regular static stretching does not produce adaptations in muscle architecture. Every person has a healthy ROM of their joint. Taking your joints and muscles beyond a healthy ROM and hyperextension of the joints can lead to osteoarthritis and other joint issues. Stretching should be pain-free. It’s best to avoid stretching beyond a slight lengthening sensation in the muscle.

The post The Science Behind Stretching 0 (0) first appeared on Tone & Strengthen.

Here are some tips for creating a stretching routine and avoiding injury.

Do’s of Stretching

Do it daily- Stretching can be done every day. The more regular you are, the better results you will see. That means aiming for a minimum of five days per week.

Talk to your doctor- If you have a chronic disease or a joint/muscle injury, getting your doctor’s approval is a good idea.

See physical therapist- It’s essential to get an assessment of your posture, muscle strength, and range of motion before starting a stretching program. They can use that assessment to help you develop a stretching routine that will address your muscle tightness and postural dysfunction.

Correct your technique- Just like any other exercise, correct technique is a top priority. Work closely with a trainer or a physical therapist, when possible, to perfect your form.

Focus on the major muscle groups- Major muscle groups such as the upper back, lower back, shoulders, chest, hamstrings, hips, and thighs should be stretched.

Pre and post-workout- Bookend your workout with stretching. That’s right! Make sure to incorporate a dynamic stretch in the warmup. After the workout!

Know your limits- Always practice moderation. It’s better to stretch lightly and never go beyond a comfortable stress sensation. You will notice right away that stretching puts stress on your muscles and joints.

Don’ts of Stretching

Avoid ballistic stretches- Ballistic stretching is the forceful bouncing of muscles and joints. His type of stretching uses the force to push muscles beyond the normal range of motion and can lead to injury.

Be discouraged- Postural dysfunctions can take many years to decrease mobility. Restoring the full range of motion in such cases cannot be done overnight. Patience and consistency are key.

Overdo the stretch- Certain types of stretching techniques, such as ballistic stretching when done without supervision, can cause you to overstretch and make your muscles and tendons vulnerable to injury. Stretching should feel like slight tension but shouldn’t be painful.

Give it up- stick with the stretching routine. Once you begin getting back some flexibility, stay with the stretching in your daily routine. You might feel better after some sessions. It’s essential to trust the process and continue the journey.

There are many different types of stretching techniques. Scheduling a few minutes for stretching in your daily routine can enhance flexibility, increase range of motion, and reduce your risk of injury. Stretching helps recover faster after workouts and improves sports performance. Unroll your yoga mat and start stretching!

The post Tips For Starting a Stretching Routine 0 (0) first appeared on Tone & Strengthen.

Static stretching isn’t the only way to stretch and reap these benefits to get all these benefits. Static stretching comes to mind when you think of stretching like a runner holding his leg up on the bench or fence to stretch the hamstring muscles. The more I researched about this topic. I learned that there was more to stretching than just static stretches.

Suppose you are like me. Maybe you have heard different things about stretching. Don’t stretch before your workout, or you will get injured. While stretching, you can extend your muscles beyond their normal range of motion, leading to an injury. Well, these myths are partially true because these characteristics belong to different kinds of stretches.

In this blog today, I will be talking about five different types of stretches and busting some stretching myths. Read on to find out more about stretching. In this blog, we’ll discuss the five different types of stretching, their benefits, and differences, and a few simple tips for starting a new stretching routine.

Types of Stretching

There are different types of stretching, just the way there are different types of cars. The primary purpose of all the stretches is to elongate the muscles and increase flexibility, but the way to get there is different with different types of stretches. Each type of stretching has different benefits and should be practiced at different times around the activity.

Static Stretching

Static stretching is the oldie but Goldie. This is the type of stretching most of us are most familiar with. Static stretching assumes a position that elongates a particular group of muscles and holds it for 30-45 seconds. There are two types of static stretching:

Active stretching is just you and your body. Dynamic stretching involves contracting one muscle group to lengthen the opposing muscle group, such as contracting your biceps to stretch your triceps in the overhead triceps stretch.

Passive stretching involves using an object or person to aid the stretch, such as bands, a wall, bench or a partner. This type of stretching can significantly improve flexibility and range of motion, but it can lead to muscle injury if stretched beyond the safe extension levels.

Static stretching should ideally be practiced after physical activity. Try not to skip it after the activity.  Research shows that static stretching before the workout can reduce muscle strength and power for a brief period. After the training session, static stretching is beneficial as it enhances the parasympathetic, or rest and digest branch of the nervous system.

Dynamic Stretching

Dynamic stretching is composed of large controlled, repetitive movements that move your joints an extensive range of motion. Dynamic stretching incorporates exercises to loosen your muscles while warming them up for the physical activity. Dynamic stretching is moving in and out of a particular stretch, like accelerated yoga flow practice. Dynamic stretching helps warm up the muscles and get them ready for exertion.

Research suggests that this kind of stretching increases Range of Motion (ROM), flexibility, and the risk of injury due to overextension.

Ballistic Stretching

Ballistic stretching encompasses intensive movement patterns in the warm-up routine. It’s most popular among athletes. This stretching technique uses force and speed to move the joints beyond their normal ROM. It’s essential to do these stretches safely and mindfully to minimize the risk of injury. Ballistic stretching has been shown to decrease muscle and tendon tightness. But due to the high velocity of stretching and the chances of injury associated with it, this form of stretching might not be as helpful for the non-athletic population.

PNF Stretching (Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation)

PNF stretching is mostly used in physical rehabilitation. This type of stretching involves contracting a muscle group for about five seconds and holding it with an opposite resistance like a partner or wall. PNF Stretching increases ROM and neuromuscular efficiency. It also helps regain strength lost after an injury. Every joint has an active and passive range of motion, as described above in the static stretching section if the difference between an active and passive range of motion of a joint is significant the chances of injury increase. With proper training and PNF stretching that focuses on increasing your dynamic range of motion, the risk of injury can be reduced.

It’s recommended to perform PNF stretching under the supervision of a trained professional after exercising.

Myofascial Release

Myofascial release massage therapy is a gentle hands-on massage technique that is used to release fascial tightness. It appears like a massage, but in reality, it’s stretching and releasing myofascial tissue—the connective tissue made up of collagen. It is shown to reduce pain, remove knots/trigger points, improve flexibility, and enhance circulation. The most commonly accessible form of myofascial release is foam rolling. Foam rolling helps release any lactic acid buildup in your muscles and tendons from exercise.

As simple as stretching sounds, it covers a broad range of activities. All these different types of stretches play an essential role in optimizing fitness, no matter which sport or fitness modality you love. By incorporating the proper stretching into your workout routine, you can increase mobility, athleticism, and range of motion – all of these are essential components of a balanced fitness program.

The post Building Flexibility Five Different Ways 0 (0) first appeared on Tone & Strengthen.

Backbends are vital to incorporate in your practice if you have a desk job or have low-back pain.

There are many different forms of backbends like standing, kneeling, and lying down. When performed properly with a good form, backbend help with a strong stretch through the front chain of the body. Backbends are really good for many of us who work on the computers with a hunched posture.

According to the Jenny Savage, a yoga instructor at EkhartYoga, backbends open the chest and upper body. Backbends stimulate the Heart chakra which allows us to be open in our lives to emotions, experiences and relationships. This means that backbends can release strong emotions like fear, frustration, anger, joy and happiness.

Besides just opening the Heart chakra and opening our emotions, backbends have many other benefits. Read on to find out the benefits and how to practice a backbend safely.

Benefits of Kneeling Backbends-

• improves posture
• increases spine mobility
• stretches muscles
• decreases stress and anxiety
• infuses energy
• improves oxygen intake
• makes you receptive to experiences
• helps to alleviate back and neck pain

How to Practice Kneeling Backbends-

• Kneel on a padded level surface. Place your hands on your waist.
• Engage your core so that it supports your back by pulling the belly in and up, make sure your tailbone presses down.
• Lift your chest and rib cage up.
• Inhale as you arch up and back, placing your hands your heels.
• Open your chest proud and keep pressing the tailbone down.
• Keep the neck long with an even arch over the whole spine.
• Hold the pose for three breath cycles.

Modifications – If this full expression of kneeling back bend doesn’t work for you, a few modifications can be helpful. Place yoga blocks next to your feet to have a better reach or place your hands on your back instead of reaching for your heels. For knee discomfort, placing a rolled blanket or pad is helpful. If you are in the office and want to get the benefits of this stretch, you can practice it standing up while keeping your hands on your lower back.

Always consult a doctor before practicing any new exercise regimen. Don’t practice back bends without professional supervision if you had neck or back injury. Some of the things to avoid while practicing this pose are – don’t overextend your neck, keep the extension even throughout the spine and don’t practice this pose if you experience any pain.

The post Kneeling Backbend 0 (0) first appeared on Tone & Strengthen.