Be honest now. When it comes to your training, how much time do you spend working on your wrists? There’s a good chance the answer is, "Not at all." Most of us don’t think much about warming ... Continue Reading
7 Parts of the Body That Need More Stretching
The debate about stretching—dynamic versus static, when and how long, and so on—may never be solved. The debate about stretching—dynamic versus static, when and how long, and so on—may never be ... Continue Reading
Reset Your T-Spine With This Simple Stretch
This simple stretch for the mid-to-upper portion of your spine will help to reduce tension, and leave you feeling taller and more open through the chest and shoulders. To do it, you will need a chair and a ... Continue Reading
Stretching Doesn’t Work (the Way You Think It Does)
Does stretching make you more flexible? I know the obvious answer to this question, based on what we’ve all been told about the merits of stretching, is, “Duh! Yes!” But it turns out that might not be the ... Continue Reading
Gaiam Restore MultiGrip Stretch Strap (Product Review)
When I was younger, I was mildly obsessed with ballet and did everything I could to help me get more bendy. I would even pull my leg up over my head and tie it to the bedpost at night to try to get my ... Continue Reading
Why Stretching and Warming Up Are Not the Same
Stretching and warming up are not the same thing. People thinking that stretching is a warm up is a common mistake. But this is not the reality, and in fact, stretching before an activity is not doing much ... Continue Reading
Flexibility Is Like Any Other Discipline – It Takes Discipline
Flexibility is one of those things that people seem to believe you were either born with or you weren’t. As if there is some wonder-gene that allows you to do the splits. That’s just not the case, and I’ll ... Continue Reading
Passive Stretching Makes Experienced Lifters Weaker
One important question to consider when reading studies involving responses to exercise is the extent to which they affect people of different fitness levels. Many more studies are done on novice lifters ... Continue Reading
How Often Do I Need to Stretch?
Tight hamstrings are a frequent occurrence for athletes, but what's the best thing to do about it? A study was recently conducted to evaluate the effects of four different weekly stretching protocols on ... Continue Reading
Passive, Active, and Dynamic Stretches Don’t Help Power
A recent study examined the acute effects of three different stretching methods combined with a warm-up protocol on vertical jump performance. The study consisted of sixteen young tennis players, and the ... Continue Reading
Static Stretching Reduces Muscle Strength and Force
Active stretching, dynamic stretching - there is always a debate about stretching. A study recently conducted in Brazil investigated the influence that active stretching had on maximal isometric muscle ... Continue Reading
To Static Stretch or Not to Static Stretch: That Is the Question
William Shakespeare spin-off quotations aside, static stretching (SS) of your muscles is the topic. It has been around for a long, L-O-N-G time. Bend forward, grab your toes, hold it, get those ... Continue Reading
Dynamic vs. Static Stretching In Soccer Players
If you participate in any physical activity, odds are you do some sort of warm up that involves a form of stretching. Two common stretching protocols are static stretching and dynamic stretching: ... Continue Reading
Can Lifting Weights Make You Flexible?
To stretch or not to stretch? Should I stretch before and/or after training? Is static stretching better than dynamic stretching? Does resistance training increase or decrease flexibility? Why has ... Continue Reading
Dynamic Stretching – Does It Help or Harm Before Sprinting?
As a coach or an athlete, you know stretching has been a long and hotly debated topic. Should you do it before or after a workout? How often and how long? And should it be dynamic stretching or static ... Continue Reading
4 Great Tools for Stretching and Mobility
As a fitness coach I am constantly talking to my clients about the importance of stretching and working on mobility. These are not necessarily the “fun” things to practice when it comes to your health and ... Continue Reading