Dynamic Warm Up Keeps You Safer and More Prepared

Gone are the days of a static stretching before a workout. Whether you are out for a run, on the court for a pick up game of basketball, or cycling your butt off, you will need your body to be ready for whatever you throw at it. When you start with static stretching, tiny tears are created in the muscle fibers which can increase the risk of injury. If you are an elite athlete, you really do not want to be sidelined for any of your events. A small tear from static stretching for a sprinter in the hamstring can lead to that pulled hamstring during a race. The same holds true for that pick up game of basketball. Don't perform a static stretch on your calf as it may lead to something serious when you explosively take off from the ground for a rebound or lay-up. A mountain biker needs a lot of power to crank up steep inclines, so static stretching should be avoided prior to shredding the trails.

Before exercise, one should perform a dynamic warmup targeting areas of the body that will need to be ready for what ever exercise or activity you are going to perform. Even still, involving the full body will ensure the best warm up. A proper dynamic warm up increases blood flow to those areas of the body that need it as well as increases muscle fiber recruitment. In other words, it wakes things up so that they are ready for action. Getting more muscle fibers to join the party will increase your performance.

Let's look at a power lifter. Power lifting is a very explosive sport and it is highly important to have the body ready or the risk of injury if high. Pretend we are at a competition and we have two athletes. They are getting ready for their big all out lift on the bench. Assume the two athletes are the same size, with the same bench max, and wearing the same clothing. Let's take Power lifter A, who does nothing to get ready for the lift. He lays on the bench, he has not invited all the muscle fibers to the party, he does not have the blood flow to safely perform this ultra explosive move and fails. Power lifter B, warm ups on a stationary bike. He also does his normal lunges, twists, arm swings, and gets on a warm up bench to lift a light weight, and works his way up to a good weight for muscle fiber recruitment. He does not fail but succeeds and do to the adrenaline and mind-set actually is able to lift more than was expected.

Make sure that you are including a dynamic warm up in your routine, you can see how beneficial it can be. See the video linked here to walk through some great dynamic exercises so that you are ready for your next bout of exercise!

Robert Jay Martin is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association and TRX certified. Improve your level of fitness and/or level of cycling with his success, knowledge, experience, & 4 year degree. Visit his website https://martinrj26.wixsite.com/robmartin or his blog at https://urbikelife.com/news/

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Stress Does a Body Bad

Stress - just hearing that word can conjure up negative feelings and emotions!

Stress itself is not necessarily an un-healthy thing, after-all, without our ancestors reacting to threats via their "fight or flight" instinct, we wouldn't even be here.

It's chronic stress that is the real foe.

When it comes to learning requiring the use of memory, chronic stress is a killer. It has devastating effects on both learning and memory with children being particularly affected.

Stress triggers negative reactions in the immune system and contributes to inflammation. Inflammation is linked to an array of health concerns and diseases - everything from diabetes to cancer, asthma and heart disease.

Past studies prove that the hippo-campus (the brain's memory center) experiences an 8 percent shrinkage - as the result of post-traumatic stress disorder.

Chronic stress not only affects the way we feel and act, but affects the way we look! Many physiological processes are negatively affected and some are actually turned off by the stress response. Breathing and heart-rate increase, glucose is released (for immediate energy) and adrenaline and cortisol (stress hormones) flood the body.

Lack of blood flow to the skin, immune system functions, digestion, growth and reproduction are all put on hold.

This lack of blood flow to the skin affects how old we look.

But even worse than loss of blood flow, is how chronic stress affects the aging brain.

Toxins, poor diet, no exercise or social connections and repetitive routines all contribute to the loss of brain cells as we age but chronic stress exacerbates the issue. It actually kills brain cells.

Weight gain can result from chronic stress because digestion is dialed down during a stress response, leading to a variety of digestive disorders. Constipation, cramping and diarrhea can all be the result.

It's very clear that if we want to age gracefully and enjoy stellar health, chronic stress must be managed.

Here's some stress relief help:

1. Increase social engagement. The mere act of sharing your daily woes with others is a great way to bring your troubles down to size and put them into perspective. Once you realize you are not the only person to have to deal with crazy situations and people you will feel a lot better about your lot in life.

2. Do more physical activity. Once again, exercise comes to the rescue. Adding moderately intense physical activity to your life is a great way to lower the level of circulating cortisol in your body and decrease stress.

3. Watch shows that make you laugh. It is very difficult to laugh and also be stressed out at the same time.

4. Get more sleep. Lack of sleep is a great way to amplify the little stresses in life and make them seem intolerable. If you are sleep deprived, look for ways to hit the pillow sooner. A great night of sleep can make a world of difference to your outlook on life.

5. Eat better. It may sound strange to hear nutrition mentioned when it comes to stress reduction. But one of the consequences of high stress is that your body prioritizes the production of cortisol over the synthesis of other important hormones that your body needs to properly regulate itself.

It's time to take command of your life, and control of your stress.

Carolyn Hansen -Your Go To Health & Fitness Specialist

"I help clients take charge of their health before circumstance removes the option. If your quest for a life of true physical and mental well-being is a journey I'll put you in the driver's seat."

Carolyn Hansen Fitness

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/10290565