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This week
we cover an article on Top 10 Everyday Must-do
Stretches to re-align your body and do away with
unwanted physical pain. Reference used is an excellent
book by Tim Noonan & Chris Watts named Stretch Your
Life. Check out the article to learn more... |
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When stretching, it's vitally important that you pay attention to ALL the major
muscle groups in the body. Just because your particular sport may place a lot of
emphasis on the legs, for example, does not mean that you can neglect the
muscles of your upper body in your stretching routine.
All the muscles play an important part in any physical activity, not just a
select few. Muscles in the upper body, for example, are extremely important in
any running sport, as they play a vital role in the stability and balance of the
body during the running motion. Therefore it is important to keep them both
flexible and supple.
Every muscle in the body has an opposing muscle that acts against it. For
example, the muscles in the front of the leg, (the quadriceps) are opposed by
the muscles in the back of the leg, (the hamstrings). These two groups of
muscles provide a resistance to each other to balance the body. If one of these
groups of muscles becomes stronger or more flexible than the opposing group, it
is likely to lead to imbalances that can result in injury or postural problems.
For example, hamstring tears are a common injury in most running sports. They
are often caused by strong quadriceps and weak, inflexible hamstrings. This
imbalance puts a great deal of pressure on the hamstrings and usually results in
a muscle tear.
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Fighting Procrastination
When something needs to be done, go ahead and do it as soon as possible.
Putting it off until later only adds to the energy and effort required of you.
The less you procrastinate, the more you'll get done and the more effective
you'll be.
So how do you conquer procrastination? First, think of all the undesirable
things that will happen if you don't get the job done. It's easy to
procrastinate when you refuse to even think about the negative consequences of
not taking action. So fight procrastination by focusing on the
undesirable things it would surely bring.
Beyond that, think of the positive consequences that will come when you do take
action. Strengthen your own desire and motivation to get the job done.
Get it done. Do it now. You know it needs to be done. Keep in mind what will
happen if you don't, and compare that to what will happen if you do. Make the
choice that will bring the best results. It's your life. Stop putting it off.
Move it forward right now.
Learn more |
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"Our
limitations and success will be based, most often, on
your own expectations for ourselves. What the mind
dwells upon, the body acts upon." ~ Denis Waitley |
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Lemon Potatoes
Serves: 8 servings
Ingredients:
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1-1/2 pounds new potatoes
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1 teaspoon non/low fat margarine
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1-1/2 teaspoons lemon peel, grated
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1-1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
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2 tablespoons green onions, chopped
Direction:
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Steam potato's for 12-15 minutes. Rinse under cold water and peel.
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Melt margarine in a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add remaining
ingredients and potatoes and stir until potatoes are coated with mixture and
heated.
Nutritional Information:
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Top 10 Everyday Must-do Stretches
According to Dr. David Musnick and Mark Pierce, A.T.C.
(in their book "Conditioning for Outdoor Fitness"), "The
goal of stretching is to lengthen a muscle and move the
corresponding joints through the full range of motion,
thereby allowing both the contractile (muscle and
tendon) and the noncontractile (ligament and joint
capsule) structures to lengthen."
Stretching exercises:
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relieve muscle tension
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keep muscles flexible, which can help your posture
and balance
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lengthen muscles and increase range of motion, which
helps lengthen your stride
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help prevent muscle and joint injuries by elongating
and relaxing muscles
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flush lactic acid out of your muscles.
Do a walk or slow jog for 5-10 minutes, and then
stretch.
Stretch 1
Neck, Scalene and Upper Trapezius
This stretch helps to re-align the cervical spine and is
good for posture. It improves breathing and alleviates
neck pain. Office workers constantly on computers can do
this stretch five or six times a day, and people who
carry bags over one shoulder should also do it
regularly.
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Place a hand on the side of your head and breathe
in. The hand is used only as a guide and does not
drive the motion.
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Active the opposing scalene muscles by flexing the
neck to the side until you reach your barrier. Once
your barrier has been reached, gently pull and hold
for two seconds while breathing out, then return to
neutral (the starting position). Repeat 10 times.
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There are three scalene muscles that move the neck
in slightly different directions. Scalene are used
in breathing but also stabilize the neck.
Stretch 2
Pectoralis Minor (chest)
This stretch will help pull your shoulders back into
their rightful spot, reduce rounding of your shoulders
and improve your breathing. Your lungs get compressed if
your shoulders are rounded; you can't breathe in
properly because your ribcage is also compressed. This
stretch will help bring your center of gravity back into
alignment.
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Breathe in and place your hands in a position like
you're under arrest.
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Pull your shoulder back and breathe out, extending
the elbows and contracting the muscles in the back
(rhomboids, middle trapezius). When you reach the
end point, lift your shoulders at a 45-degree angle
to target the pictoralis minor. Hold for two seconds
and release back to neutral. Repeat 10 times.
Learn more about this article |
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