What's the Deal with Stretching?

 Stretching is an important part of physical therapy, and many physical therapists will include specific stretches into their sessions. Strength and endurance are both undeniably important; however, stretching is a crucial part of anyone’s exercise regimen, whether you are an athlete or someone coping with aches and pains. Stretching helps in increasing flexibility, which can alleviate pain and make other aspects of treatment easier – even strength and endurance!

What does stretching do?


Stretching has a lot of benefits that we don’t always think about. Some of these benefits include:


Improving range of motion.
Range of motion consists of how well your joints can move in all directions. This influences every movement you make! If you have a constricting condition, such as arthritis or an injury, your range of motion can be hindered. Whether it’s turning your head to see behind you while driving, or bending your knee freely while running, range of motion is crucial for both daily life and for fitness pursuits. Stretching can help reduce stiffness and increase flexibility, therefore improving your range of motion.


Finding relief in unexpected places. Sometimes we forget how interconnected our bodies are. It is obvious that if we experience back pain, we should stretch out our backs. However, sometimes stretching your legs during physical therapy can provide unexpected relief to your back, as well. In fact, your hamstrings, upper thighs, and hips can all play a big part in creating lower back pain relief. Likewise, improving your posture through stretching your torso can provide the kind of support you need to keep your spine from compressing, which helps you avoid shoulder and neck pain. Essentially, stretching different parts of your body can provide relief to places you may not have considered!


Enhancing performance.
This point is especially true for athletes. The more you condition your muscles, joints, and ligaments, the greater advantage you’ll have in your sport. For example, bodybuilders recover from their reps much quicker when they stretch as a cool-down. Golfers can achieve a longer reach by increasing their range of motion in their hips and shoulders. Swimmers can even out their strokes by perfecting their balance through stretching. If you are an athlete, stretching can play a crucial role in your performance.


Preventing injuries.   

When muscles are tight or tense, the likelihood of injury increases. This occurs because that particular part of your body isn’t working at its peak performance, even though you might be. When you stretch, you’re loosening up your muscles, in addition to increasing range of motion and improving balance, which all factor into injury prevention. All of these factors can prevent you from making the types of moves that lead to injury, whether it’s coming down too hard on one foot, twisting your back further than you should, or taking a fall due to lack of balance.


Improving circulation.  

Stretching can reduce stress, but that isn’t the only reason it’s good for your heart and your musculoskeletal system. In fact, stretching plays a key role in almost every aspect of your physical abilities. Tight muscles constrict available oxygen supply, essentially robbing themselves of the nutrients they need. Stretches help reverse the process. When you stretch frequently, you’ll also get the benefit of increased blood flow to your joints and throughout the body.

Why Should I Take CBD?

 How CBD Functions in Your Body

When we take CBD, it interacts with a regulatory system within our bodies called the “Endocannabinoid System”. This system is pivotal in regulating all sorts of processes that affect our day-to-day experience from boosting the immune system, regulating everything from mood to blood pressure to even how we experience pain or hunger! While we can’t always control the variables that cause us stress in our bodies, we can use CBD daily to make the most of our endocannabinoid system. Give this amazing regulatory body the best chance to succeed!

“So... What does it feel like?”
We get asked this all the time. Simply put, CBD feels different to everyone because everyone is unique. The day-to-day needs of each person’s body are unique. This is one reason why you’ll see one person swearing by CBD to help them sleep while another is praising it as an anti-inflammatory. Because their individual endocannabinoid systems are working to help them with their own unique issues, they’ll each “feel” CBD in their own way!


Using CBD Daily
In our many years of working with CBD and our customers, we’ve seen a pattern emerge. While folks often come to us with a specific need in the beginning that they want CBD to address, many find themselves eventually taking it each day and become very used to the routine. When the product runs out and that daily routine is no longer happening, people tell us they really get an idea for how CBD was helping them. It might seem subtle at first, but the continual effect of CBD in our lives can really make a difference!


Find the Method that’s Right for You!
We make a wide variety of products to keep up with the wide variety of people that use them. Do you prefer the tried and true method of a dropper-full of CBD oil? Our Full Spectrum Daily line of oils should fit you perfectly. Do you like to take your CBD on the go in your vitamin caddy? Check out both of our lines of softgels! Maybe you would prefer to add CBD to your beverage of choice instead of taking it straight? We formulated our Water-Soluble Rapid Delivery 150 just for you. No matter the person, we can find the CBD product that’s right for you!

What is a Pood?

 This is common question for folks new to kettlebell, especially if you have been getting your workouts from Crossfit. 'Pood' originated in Russia along with kettlebells and is a unit of measurement for kettlebells in Russia. More specifically it is a unit equal to 40 funt (фунт, Russian Pound). A funt is a Russian pound

What is a Pood in Kilograms and Pounds?
It is approximately 16.38 kilograms. A kilogram is 2.2 pounds. So one pood is also 36.11 pounds.

Often times you will see a Crossfit workout call for 1 Pood, 1.5 Pood or 2 Pood. So, the common kettlebell weights closest to this would be a 16 Kg Kettlebell, 24 Kilogram Kettlebell and a 32 Kilogram Kettlebell respectively.



Bye Bye Pood, Hello Pood

Sadly, the good ol' pood was abolished by the USSR as a unit of measurement in 1924.

The term has had some resurgence as kettlebells have become more popular because it is still used in reference to sporting weights in Russia. That is it! Pretty simple!

Improve Your Overall Health with These 5 Stretching Benefits

 Some people think that stretching is an unnecessary part of exercising. The truth is that stretching is a necessary component of exercise. According to physical therapists, stretching is an important part of one’s daily routine, whether you’re exercising or not.

The 5 Benefits of Stretching

1. Stretching specific exercises prior to exercising helps the muscles to achieve maximum range of motion. It also helps strengthen the muscles. That is why during physical therapy stretching is a main focus.
2. Stretching helps reduce muscle tension. It’s a therapeutic treatment by a physical therapist. You’ll feel the rewards of stretching during your daily routine, walking or lifting.
3. Stretching enhances joint range of motion. It enables the body part to move easier. For more dynamic movement, stretching increases muscular coordination. Some physical therapy sessions focus on a muscle group instead of just one muscle for stretching.
4. Another benefit of stretching is increased blood circulation. Muscles require sufficient oxygen and nutrients in order to perform well. Stretching ramps up blood flow and transports oxygen and nutrients.
5. Lastly, a benefit of stretching is heightened energy levels. The increased circulation increases energy levels. Learning to stretch properly will lead you to a more active lifestyle. “According to results of a new systematic review, moderate-grade evidence seems to support strengthening and stretching exercises to help ease chronic neck pain.”

Types of Stretching Exercises in Physical Therapy

Stretching involves stretching connective tissue, a muscle or a tendon. The goal of stretching is to improve range of motion, flexibility and muscle elasticity. The five most common stretching exercises are:

• Ballistic
• Dynamic
• Static
• Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF)
• Low Load

Ballistic stretch physical therapy is a rapid bouncing motion to stretch a muscle. Dynamic stretching by a physical therapist entails stretching with motion at different speeds and distances. These movements are performed in a controlled and slow manner. Examples include torso swings, arms swings and leg swings. Static stretch physical therapy involved stretching the muscle and holding it for a few seconds. PNF entails holding and controlling techniques to activate specific receptors in muscles. This technique improves muscle length and decreases muscle tension. The low load stretching technique is gradual application of tension to enhance connective tissue remodeling.

A physical therapist will determine the best stretching exercises for your affected area and implement them into your treatment plan. They will also give you home exercises. These stretching exercises may include groin stretches, quadriceps stretches, knee stretches, calf stretches and more. They will also show you how do easy stretches with a towel at home. Knee stretches are very common in all age groups. That’s because knee injuries are common due to overuse or athletic injuries. Activities like running and biking can result in tight quadriceps muscles. Keep in mind that tight muscles can predispose you to injury. If so, quadriceps stretches will be implemented into a treatment plan.

Movement Review Sauna Guide

How To
• 150-175 degrees in a dry sauna
• On average, 15-20 minutes per session
• 3-4 times per week – up to daily
• Optional: Cold contrast shower following


Benefits
• Increases circulation, which is great for organ health and the lymphatic system
• Activates heat shock proteins (linked to longevity through the mechanisms of protein replication,
autophagy and DNA repair)
• Upregulates detoxification mechanisms in the body
• Increases growth hormone
• Increases BDNF (brain derived neurotrophic factor), a significant player in Alzheimer’s prevention
• Decreases stress and improves sleep quality
• Reduces risk of heart attack and stroke by lowering blood pressure
• Improves cardiovascular conditioning by increasing heart rate levels: The High temperatures can
drive heart rates to levels often achieved by moderate-intensity physical exercise.


Recommended Saunas
• Serene Life 1-Person Sauna ($): here
• Clearlight Premier IS-1 (one person far infrared, $$$): here
• Dynamic 2-Person Far Infrared ($$$): here
• Aleko 4-Person Dry Sauna ($$$$): here
• Clearlight Y 4-person With Yoga Space ($$$$): here



Cautions
• If you have experienced a recent heart attack, consult with your healthcare provider before using a
sauna.
• If you have unstable angina (chest pain, narrowing of coronary arteries), consult with your healthcare
provider before using a sauna.
• If you feel dizzy after sauna use, drink some salt water (using 1⁄4 tsp of salt for 8 oz. of water).
Sauna and Longevity
• The idea here is to “stress” the body to produce a hormetic response. A hormetic response is focused
on the concept of “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” A level of adversity stimulates a repair
process that provides cell protection and survival.
• According to the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (from David Sinclair’s book Lifespan), a
study was conducted out of Finland which showed that heavy sauna users (up to 7x/week) showed a
two-fold drop in heart disease, fatal heart attacks, and all-cause mortality over those who used the
sauna only once per week.

To Read:
• https://www.greatplainslaboratory.com/gpl-blog-source/2016/12/12/how-to-maximize-the-benefits-of-
sauna-for-detoxification


Sources:
Sinclair, David. Lifespan. Simon & Shuster, 2019.

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/sauna-use-linked-longer-life-fewer-fatal-heart-problems-201502257755

Tips for Getting Stronger with Gymnastic Rings

 Today’s article explains a technique that will radically change your strength on the rings, on the pull-up bar and using free weights.

We’re talking about hanging from a bar or your rings. One of the simplest and most accessible of all exercises is often one of the most under utilized in people’s day to day training. It’s something children do any chance they get, and something you should do too.

This “skill” is one of the primary biological functions our bodies are designed to perform. Our genetic legacy comes from apes 🦍which are nature’s hanging, swinging, kings of the canopy. Although your iPhone makes you think you’re some how far removed from your hairy ancestors... you’re body doesn’t know that to be the case. Your shoulders are rare in the animal 🦒kingdom and they need to be treated with the respect they deserve; and they deserve a constant diet of hanging and swinging.

Spending a dedicated amount of time each day, or several times a week hanging from a bar or rings will help strengthen your hands, shoulders, decompress your spine and hips as well as build a powerful neural connection which will help to improve any exercise involving your grip.

(Learn more by finding related articles such as: http://www.j2fit.com/articles/passive-hang-stretch )

Gymnasts and climbers know and understand the importance of racking up TUT (time under tension) through hanging. Their sports depend on them being able to suspend their body weight during extended periods of time.

However, the day to day fitness enthusiast, beginner or even long term veteran with a desire to break that training barrier will massively increase their performance by filtering in more hanging.

Whether strength is your goal or just overall well-being, plan to put a few days a week of dedicated work into this skill.

There are numerous ways to hang and some, depending on what style or strength adaptation is desired can change depending on the complexity of the hang that fits your needs.


A very useful beginner protocol is to start by trying to accumulate 3 minutes of time hanging from a bar or rings. Grab the bar, squeeze your hand tightly and have a stop watch or clock nearby to be conscious of how long you hang for each time.

It’s preferable to be completely suspended and hanging in a straight line, but if you need to bend your knees, don’t worry, you can still benefit tremendously.

For truly rank beginners hanging with the feet touching the ground to help displace body weight is a great option to get going. With this method even the extremely elderly or weak con begin to improve their upper body strength and health.

As strength progresses, more challenging variations can be performed.

Hanging with knees raised, or legs extended in L-sit are very challenging next steps.

Hanging and switching from one hand to another further pushes the grip envelope.

Later, one arm hangs and one arm L-sits can be performed as our strength to weight ratio gets higher and higher.

Even bent arm hangs can be used to advance our skills and strength.

When looking at health and well-being, passive hangs to decompress the spine and hips make a big difference in the mobility and quality of our shoulders, vertebral discs and pelvis.

Another great variation is the inverted hang which tractions our shoulder and cervicales spine by turning the body upside down.

Whatever level of strength or desire to improve you find yourself at, working in a schedule to hang with regularity will be one of the best choices you ever make. Start today and in one week you’ll begin to notice a difference in your hand and body strength.

Content courtesy of Happy Fat Rings - HFR

What About The Lunge?

 In sport, athletes display a high variance of movement potential. To build athleticism, strength trainers must select exercises that improve speed, power, and strength. In traditional strength training, the squat reigns supreme for improving lower body power and strength. But what about the lunge?

Since the squat directs force vertically, the lunge takes precedence in directing force horizontally. In running sports, acceleration and change of direction are paramount. Lunging can touch on athletic components that the squat alone cannot.

Why Lunge?
In looking at the athlete’s sporting demands, we see that movement happens in large part on one leg. This unilateral movement demands the athlete to have enough strength to both produce and resist force in the sagittal, frontal, and transverse planes.
Lunging variations serve to integrate and load multiple planes of movement that help the athlete’s proprioception and timing. Further, multi-planar lunging can help safeguard problematic and injury-prone areas like the groin, hips, lower back, hamstrings, and knees.
Although strength trainers cannot ultimately prevent injuries from happening, they can provide exercises that build multiplanar hip, knee, and ankle stability to make the athlete more robust and resilient. Since tight musculature and lack of mobility often contribute to injury potential, lunging provides an inbuilt mechanism for safeguarding against these risks.

The Lunge is Foundational
An assessment of the athlete at play is vital in determining which exercises to include in their training program. It is appropriate for a tennis player or fencer to train the lunging pattern, as their sports are almost entirely based on lunging and striking movements. However, swimmers, rock climbers, and gymnasts may not need the same training volume or intensity.

Since athletes from all sports must be able to move with precision, the lunge is as prudent as it is pragmatic. If the athlete is able to comfortably cross the midline of their body during cutting, acceleration, and deceleration, their chances of injury lessen while their performance increases.
In programming for strength and athletic performance, exercise selection ultimately comes down to the primary action of the athlete. Both bilateral and unilateral movements are important for the athlete, but the application of when and why to use each is paramount.

The Squat vs. Lunge
In human evolution, the squat is more of a rest position than an exercise, but that doesn’t mean that it shouldn’t be loaded for strength and power development. When loading the body with a barbell, kettlebell, or other implement, the squat trains the lower body’s maximum force development in the vertical plane
However, the lunge is advantageous for the athlete that must make a change of direction in sport. Further, athletes with prior injuries to the knees, low back, or hips may find loading lunging patterns easier than loading squats. In order to understand the necessity of lunging, we must look at the role the feet play in the squat and lunge:

Squat: The feet remain in a fixed position. The feet do not move during the movement.

Lunge: The feet move in a stepping motion in any direction. The feet return to the starting position or to a new position.
Since moving into a squat is a downward motion of the athlete, it’s wise to see how a bilateral squat can help improve an athlete’s overall power and vertical jump. However, lunging provides a stimulus for the athlete that must make a sudden forward thrust of the body like in sprinting, cutting, or attacking an opponent.

The Lunge Improves Athletic Ability
There are several progressions that I give to my athletes when learning to lunge. In order to progress, the athlete should demonstrate precision in each movement, loaded and unloaded.

Lunging Continuum
Split Squat  > Reverse Lunge > Walking Lunge > Forward Lunge > Power Lunge