FITNESS TIPS BY NORBERT

Regular exercise strengthens your heart and lungs and it can strengthen bones, slowing down the process of osteoporosis. It can help you move easily by keeping your joints, tendons and ligaments more flexible. Can help you lose weight when combined with good eating habits or maintain ideal weight by burning excess calories and promote sense of well being.

STRETCHING FOR BETTER HEALTH

By Norbert D’Souza

Stretching improves flexibility and mobility, which helps prevent injuries (in sports and e v e r y d a y a c t i v i t i e s ) a n d m a i n t a i n s t r e n g t h a n d function later in life. If stretching isn't part of your regular health and fitness routine, you may be missing out. There are several different types, and each offers a u n i q u e b e n e f i t . S o m e common types of stretching include:

1 . PA S S I V E S T R E T C H I N G

Think gym class, when you used to bend over and reach

down toward your toes. For this type of stretching, an outside force (such as a towel, resistance band, gravity, or a n o t h e r p e r s o n ) h e l p s increase the stretch. Another example is a hamstring stretch with a towel or belt commonly done after a workout, and for relaxation.

2 . S TAT I C S T R E T C H I N G

involves extending a limb to create a stretch sensation and then holding it there — often for 20 to 45 seconds, the terms "static stretching" and "passive stretching" are often used interchangeably, Static and passive stretching are similar in that you're holding a stretch, but unlike passive s t r e t c h i n g , w i t h s t a t i c stretching you're in some way supporting yourself in the position of the stretch. For example, if you kneel on the floor and hold a position to stretch out your hip flexor (the muscle in the front of your hip), you're doing a static stretch. But, “if you lie on your side on a massage table and have a physical therapist pull your leg back to stretch the hip flexor that would be a passive s t r e t c h . L i k e p a s s i v e stretching, static stretching is

also commonly done after working out and for relaxation.

3.ACTIVE STRETCHING

is when you move a limb into a position to stretch a muscle and then hold it there under your own muscular power. For example, you lie on your back and use your leg muscles to lift one straight leg until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings; this technique can be helpful for people who are recovering from injuries, because it incorporates gentle strength work. Isometric stretching this method involves adding a static muscle contraction (the muscle doesn't change length) to a static or active stretch, There ' s some force pushing against the muscle you ' re stretching. An example is a calf stretch in which you lunge one foot forward, straighten you back leg with your heel pressing down, and push into a wall in front of you with your arms. Typically, you alternate between contracting the muscle for 10 seconds and stretching the muscle for 30 seconds, and repeat for three t o s i x r e p s . I s o m e t r i c stretching can be great for people who want to make reasonably rapid advances in flexibility, because it sends more signals from the nervous system that tell the muscles it's okay to stretch further.

4 . P R O P R I O C E P T I V E N E U R O M U S C U L A R FACILITATION (PNF) PNF

i s s i m i l a r t o i s o m e t r i c stretching, except that the contract-relax scheme might be done for a much shorter time (15-second stretch and seven-second contraction), This stretching technique also includes a contraction of the muscle opposite the muscle b e i n g s t r e t c h e d . S o , a hamstring stretch would look like this,: Lie on your back and have someone lift one leg toward the ceiling until you feel a stretch in the back of your lifted leg. Hold there for 15 to 30 seconds. Contract the hamstring for 7 to 15 seconds, a n d t h e n c o n t r a c t t h e quadriceps (the muscle in the front of your thigh) for 7 to 15 seconds. Relax and let your hamstring be stretched a little further. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds. Contractions are held for half the time of stretches.

5.DYNAMIC STRETCHING

You do controlled exercises to move your muscles through their full range of motion, which helps warm you up for a workout and tells your brain to get ready to move. With dynamic stretching, you ' re moving to extend the muscles, Walking lunges, leg swings, and torso twists are just a few e x a m p l e s o f d y n a m i c stretches.

6.SOMATIC STRETCHING

Unlike the other types, somatic stretching doesn 't require holding a stretch for a set length of time. You release muscular tension through gentle, natural movements, with an emphasis on tuning in to how the muscles feel. You might, for example, let your head hang and pay attention to the sensations that come with it — or arch your back and stretch upon waking.

HOW LONG THE STRTCHING EXERCISE TO BE DONE?

It depends on what you ' re h o p i n g t o a c h i e v e b y stretching. If you're warming up for a workout, 5 to 10 minutes of dynamic stretching is plenty, If you're stretching to relax, 10 minutes is probably the minimum, as it can take time for your body to calm down enough for your muscles to relax. Increasing flexibility via stretching methods like PNF and isometric can be m o r e t i m e - c o n s u m i n g because they cycle through periods of contracting and stretching. But 10 minutes should be enough time for you to work on one or two joints,