You may not think of being flexible, mobile and supple matters much to your ability to lose fat, but it does play a role. If you feel good, you will be more likely to want to do your workout routines, but if your body aches and you are in pain anytime you bend, jump or run, you will not want to do your workout routines. So find out the easiest way to stay mobile this article..
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First we need to talk about what it means to be mobile, bendy, flexible, etc. It does not mean that you can put your foot behind your head and turn into a pretzel. Everyone is going to naturally have a different level of flexibility and perhaps your goal IS to do a full split which is great, but there is no good or bad to bendiness. Ultimately you want to be able to get into some good positions without pain.
One may be touching your toes with only a minimal bend in the knees. One may be to clasp your hands behind your back. One may be to get into a full squat with your chest high. These are typical functional positions of the body that you want to be able to maintain without pain. Depending on the kind of exercises you do, you may have others. For squatting you need to be able to squat to full depth before you add weight. For deadlifting, you need to be able to get low enough to reach your weights with your heels flat on the floor before you add weight. These are just two examples…
This is important because if you do not feel good.. if your body aches.. if you have nagging injuries.. you are not going to feel good enough to want to do your workout routines. And if you want to lose fat, you have to do your workout routines.
So here’s how you do it..
It’s important to begin by getting the blood flowing with some light movement, like perhaps some core work, a jog or a walk. Next, you want to do some dynamic stretching. Leg swings, butt kicks, high knees, arm swings are examples of this. Basically, you are stretching while continuing to increase blood flow. You want to get into the positions your body is about to be in under load, like air squats before back squatting. Foam rolling prior to exercise to open up the body and increase blood flow is also a good idea. And then, getting your muscles to fire that you want to target that day. For example, glute bridges to get the glutes to fire before you squat, or some hollow rocks before you work on handstanding.
After you workout is when you want to do your static holding stretches. You are less likely to pull your muscles at this point because they are warm and filled with blood and more supple. You can hold any stretch for 30 seconds to 2 or 3 minutes to help increase flexibility and also possibly help release some of the lactic acid and help you recover faster for your next workout.
Lastly, if you are sore, foam rolling at the end of the day can help calm your CNS, break up some of the lactic acid in the muscles and increase blood flow which may in turn help you feel better, get you more mobile and ready to train again the next day.
Do you need help figuring out where you need more flexibility and how to fit it in?
Go to Commit2FitCoaching.com/freeassessment and let me help you.
Your Coach,
Kyra