Tag: mobility

  • Yoga for Lifters: How to Combine Stretching with Strength for Optimal Performance

    Yoga for Lifters: How to Combine Stretching with Strength for Optimal Performance

    Yoga for lifters is a game changer. Integrating the practice into a weightlifting routine might seem unconventional at first, but the synergy between stretching and strength training can significantly enhance your performance and overall fitness. Yoga not only increases flexibility and range of motion but also boosts mental focus and muscle recovery, making it a perfect complement to the demands of weightlifting.

    Related: 35+ free workouts for different goals and ability levels

    The Holistic Boost

    Yoga serves as more than just a tool for recovery, it’s key in transforming your strength training into a more holistic form of self-development. When you’re incorporating yoga into your regimen, you gain access to a broader range of motion, which is critical for executing lifts with impeccable form. Additionally, the mindful breathing and meditative aspects of yoga improve focus and reduce stress, allowing for more concentrated and effective workouts.

    Understanding Yoga and Its Benefits for Lifters

    Yoga Basics

    Yoga’s roots stretch deep into ancient Indian tradition, encompassing a rich blend of physical postures (asanas), breathwork (pranayama), and meditation. While commonly associated with flexibility and calmness, yoga offers robust benefits that are particularly aligned with the needs of weightlifters. For instance, dynamic styles like Ashtanga or Power Yoga bring a cardiovascular element to traditional stretches, which can be incredibly beneficial for lifters looking to enhance their aerobic capacity alongside muscle endurance.

    Physical Benefits

    Regular yoga practice increases flexibility and core strength, crucial for maintaining proper posture and alignment during lifts. By enhancing balance and stability, yoga can help correct the muscular imbalances often caused by repetitive weightlifting movements, leading to improved performance and reduced risk of injury.

    Mental Benefits

    Yoga sharpens mental focus and concentration through mindful breathing and meditative practices. This mental clarity can translate into more focused and productive workouts, helping lifters to stay present and engaged with their exercises.

    Why Lifters Should Incorporate Yoga

    Injury Prevention

    Yoga improves flexibility and enhances range of motion, which are vital for performing lifts with proper form. This not only helps prevent common injuries like muscle strains and ligament tears but also ensures the longevity of your lifting career by maintaining joint health and muscle elasticity.

    Strength Gains

    Flexibility gained from yoga can lead to better biomechanics during lifts. For example, deeper squats and improved shoulder mobility allow for more effective and safe workouts. This can lead to more significant strength gains as muscles can work more efficiently.

    Recovery

    Yoga promotes faster recovery by enhancing blood circulation to tired muscles, facilitating quicker nutrient and oxygen delivery, which aids in repair and growth. The gentle stretching and relaxation techniques in yoga help reduce muscle soreness and stiffness post-training.

    Related: A perfect day of recovery for high performers

    Integrating Yoga into Your Lifting Routine

    Frequency and Timing

    Incorporating yoga two to three times per week on rest days or as part of your warm-up or cool-down routine can maximize its benefits without overtaxing the body. Even 10-20 minutes of yoga before or after lifting can significantly impact flexibility and recovery.

    Specific Poses for Lifters

    • Child’s Pose: Releases tension in the back, shoulders, and chest.
    • Pigeon Pose: Opens up the hip flexors and lower back, areas often tight in lifters.
    • Warrior Series: Strengthens and stretches the legs and core while improving balance.
    • Cobra Pose: Enhances spinal flexibility and strengthens the lower back.
    • Downward Dog: This pose stretches the entire back and improves the flexibility of hamstrings, which is beneficial for deadlifts and squats.
    • Twisted Lunge: A great pose for opening the hip flexors and improving the rotational mobility, crucial for maintaining form and balance during complex lifts.

    Addressing Common Concerns and Misconceptions

    Many lifters worry that yoga might decrease their muscle gains or isn’t challenging enough. However, yoga complements strength training by improving muscle elasticity and joint health, which are crucial for long-term strength and performance. Yoga can be as challenging as you make it, with advanced poses and sequences that can significantly enhance physical conditioning.

  • Improving Flexibility and Mobility for People Over 40

    Improving Flexibility and Mobility for People Over 40

    It’s widely accepted that flexibility and mobility for people over 40 declines significantly. While it’s an unfortunate reality, it can be managed and slowed. In this piece, we’ll look at the importance of staying flexible and mobile, the causes behind declining flexibility and mobility, and the types of exercises that can help people over 40 stay active and healthy.

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    The risks associated with decreased flexibility and mobility

    As you get older, the effects of decreased flexibility and mobility starts to creep in more and more. From decreased joint mobility to weakened muscles, decreased flexibility and mobility can have an immediate and long-term impact on your overall health. In particular, people over 40 years old are at an increased risk of developing a number of health issues as a result of decreased flexibility and mobility, such as:

    1. Joint Pain

    As flexibility and mobility decrease, so too do the range of motion and stability of your joints, increasing pain and discomfort.

    2. Weakness

    As flexibility and mobility decrease, so too does the strength of your muscles and ligaments, leading to a drop in performance.

    3. Injury

    As flexibility and mobility decrease, so too does your ability to move safely and quickly, increasing your risk strains and tears.

    4. Posture

    Poor flexibility and mobility can also lead to a poor posture, which can exacerbate the effects of decreased mobility, as well as lead to back pain, neck pain, headaches, and more.

    It’s important to recognize that decreased flexibility and mobility can have serious effects on both your physical and mental health so it’s important that you take steps to maintain flexibility and mobility as you age.

    What causes declining flexibility and mobility

    We know that with age, flexibility and mobility decline, but what causes the decline, exactly?

    One of the main contributors to decreased flexibility and mobility is the decrease in muscle mass that naturally occurs as people age. As we age, our bodies produce less collagen and elastin, which are important proteins in maintaining muscle structure. This lack of collagen and elastin can cause our muscles to become stiffer, contributing to a decrease in our ability to move freely.

    Another cause of decreased flexibility and mobility is a decrease in connective tissue health. Connective tissue, such as tendons and ligaments, is responsible for stabilizing and supporting our joints. As we age, our bodies produce less of the nutrient and hormone-rich fluid that nourishes our connective tissue, and this decline in fluid can lead to a decrease in our joint stability, making it more difficult to achieve and sustain certain movements.

    Lastly, reduced flexibility and mobility can be caused by an increase in inflammation in our bodies. Inflammation can cause stiffness in our joints, leading to a decrease in our range of motion. Inflammation can also cause our muscles to become weaker and slower, further impacting our ability to move freely.

    Fortunately, by taking the proper steps we can maintain a high level of flexibility and mobility even as we get older. Regular exercise, stretching, and using the right mobility and flexibility tools can help to improve our range of motion, reduce inflammation, and maintain muscle and connective tissue health.

    Benefits of staying flexible and mobile

    One of the key benefits of staying flexible and mobile is that it can help to reduce the risk of injury. As we age, our muscles and joints naturally become stiffer and less able to support us. Stretching and movement can help to restore some of that lost flexibility, which in turn helps to reduce the risk of sprains and strains.

    Maintaining flexibility and mobility also helps to improve posture. As we get older, our posture can suffer as a result of our sedentary lifestyle and lack of activity. Being flexible and mobile helps to ensure our muscles, joints, and bones work in harmony, which can help prevent back pain, neck strain, and postural problems.

    Staying flexible and mobile can also help to improve overall fitness levels. By engaging in regular stretching, yoga, and other forms of low-impact exercise, we can help to improve our overall strength, endurance, and stamina. This increased fitness can help to make everyday activities, such as walking and climbing stairs, easier and less tiring.

    Finally, staying flexible and mobile can help to improve mental health and wellbeing. Regular physical activity, such as stretching and yoga, can help to reduce stress levels, improve mood, and even help to reduce the symptoms of depression and anxiety.

    From reducing the risk of injury to improving overall fitness levels, regular physical activity and stretching can be a great way to maintain a healthy body and mind as we age.

    Types of exercises to improve flexibility and mobility

    Stretching should be part of everyone’s routine, regardless of age. Dynamic stretching, which involves moving the body in specific patterns, is especially important for those over 40, since it helps to improve the range of motion and reduce the risk of injury.

    By committing to regular exercise and making lifestyle changes, those over 40 can dramatically improve their flexibility and mobility. Stretching, yoga, and bodyweight exercises all help to improve the range of motion and reduce the risk of injury. With a little commitment and dedication, anyone can become more flexible and mobile, regardless of age.

    Here’s six of our favorite exercises for improving flexibility and mobility:

    1. Deep squats

    2. Cossack squats

    3. World’s greatest stretch (WSG)

    4. Thread the needle

    5. Cobra pose

    6. Scorpion

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    Increasing flexibility and mobility is not just about exercise, however. Eating a nutrient-rich diet, getting enough sleep, and managing stress are also important. Eating foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants can help to reduce inflammation and promote overall health. Getting at least seven hours of sleep each night can help to improve energy levels, while reducing stress levels through activities such as mindfulness and meditation can help to promote relaxation.

    Need more help with your fitness? Let us know. Give us a follow on Instagram (@humanfitproject).

  • The daily office routine: exercises to do at your desk

    The daily office routine: exercises to do at your desk

    I’ve worked in an office my entire professional career, but about 10 years ago I was walking around a golf course doing loops with two bags on my shoulders. It was probably one of the best jobs a high school and college student could have. You learn how to communicate better, build a rapport, cultivate relationships, and get to make some analytical decisions with some accountability to go along with it. A laser-sharp short-game also naturally comes with the territory.

    With all of those great life and pre-degree business experiences aside, it’s also almost impossible to get out of shape. However, when it is possible to fall off the wagon is when you’re working 10+ hour days at a desk with a modest commute on top.

    Is your gym reopening? Looking for a new plan? Check out our 4-week Restart workout plan.

    Instant solution: land a job where you can negotiate deals during a round of golf 5 days a week and couple that with a strength-training routine at night along with a low-to-moderate carb diet. You’d be a physical monster, I can almost guarantee it. Although, the likelihood of landing that is a bit of a long shot.

    Resetting expectations… what you realistically can do is strength train at night, stay heavily active on the weekend, follow a low-to-moderate carb diet, and perform these simple, office-friendly moves.

    While these won’t get you ripped—and they aren’t meant to do so—they will help alleviate aches, pains, and stiffness that’s associated with sitting for extended periods of time. Staying loose and mobile will extend your athleticism and keep you doing the things you love (and keep you in shape).

    Your new marching orders

    First and foremost, get a standing desk and get up periodically throughout the day. Let’s not labor over the specifics of when and for how much, but if you’re new to this, I’d shoot for a cumulative duration of 2 hours. After a couple weeks, progress to 4 hours.

    Secondly, when you are seated, be much more conscious about sitting upright with your shoulder blades back. Favor sitting on the front of your chair and away from the back rest.

    Execute the following moves either: 

    a. during the first 15 minutes you arrive at work and the last 15 minute minutes before you leave.
    b. for 30 minutes around lunchtime

    1. Seated hip stretch

    2. Standing hip stretch

    3. Standing torso rotations

    4. Overhead shoulder retraction

    5. Chair crunch or seated isometric

    6. Wrist stretch

    *7. Neck rotation

    In an upright seated position rotate your neck to the left as far as possible without moving your shoulders. Hold for 5-10 seconds. Switch to the right side. Rest 10 seconds. Repeat for 5 reps on each side.

    There’s no reason you can’t do these while reading or emailing or conducting phone calls.

    Finally, don’t ever, ever, ever, quit your passions. If you play golf, surf, bike, hike, or are a semi-professional competitive alligator wrangler or bull rider, don’t quit.

  • FAQ: Why does my low back ache?

    FAQ: Why does my low back ache?

    You’re not alone, low back pain or ache is one of the biggest complaints people ask about. 

    Did you sleep weird? Maybe. Did you work out too much or too hard? Maybe. Did you squat or deadlift or run with questionable form? Maybe. Is there something structurally wrong? Well, that’s a maybe too. 

    The real culprit is most likely a weak core and poor mobility. Here’s why: your core is exactly what it sounds like, it’s your core, and as you could imagine, you want a strong core to support your daily life and sport. 

    Related: 25 ways to give your core a great workout

    Before diving deeper into the core and mobility discussion, first things  first: Definitely get checked out by your doctor to make sure there is nothing structurally wrong. If you’re all good there, then chances are it’s the tightness and weakness. 

    If you have a desk job, or you sit a lot, your core muscles get weak, your hips and hamstrings get tight. You might even notice that your low back has a big arch to it. That’s called lordosis, and it’s usually caused by the issues listed above. 

    So what can you do about low back pain?

    Mobilize your hips and spine, give your hip flexors and hamstrings a good stretch regularly, and strengthen your core muscles with a variety of different exercises—that’s the high-level plan. 

    How do you get that done?

    Try doing core-specific exercise at least three days per week. This might mean something like a plank (which is a static stabilizing exercise), a chopping exercise (which is rotational), a basic crunch (which is a flexion exercise), a Superman (which is an extension exercise), and a bird dog or bird dog row (which is sort of a combination). Some experts would say you want to move in all “three planes of motion.”

    Related FAQ: What’s the best way to work out my abs?

    Basic hip flexor and hamstring stretches like the child’s pose or sit and reach could be done daily. Giving the hip joint some love with 90/90 openers and ankle lifts could be a good daily move too. 

    Need an example? Try this low-intensity mobility-enhancing workout. You could also try this one. 

    You should also use a foam roller or lacrosse ball around your hip joints and glutes daily, if you can. Even as little as 5 minutes can make a difference. 

    This won’t be a cure, but if you haven’t been focusing on any core or mobility work, it would be a surprise if you didn’t start to see some relief. 

    And remember, consistency is key. A couple days of stretching and crunches isn’t going to cut it. You’ve got to get with a regular routine. 

    If you want a great customized plan to strengthen and alleviate more aches and pains, check out our new exclusive service at ‪DigitalFitnessAdvisor.com‬