Tag: Stretch

Fitness

The importance of warming up and cooling down

by shelleyandmichelleLeave a Comment on The importance of warming up and cooling down
The importance of warming up and cooling down

Warming up and cooling down plays such an important role in your fitness routine, and may offer help in reducing the risk of injury and improving your athletic performance. Before you jump on the treadmill or lift those weights, do a short warm up first. And try following your workout with a quick cool down session. A warm up and cool down may add a few minutes to your exercise routine. But might also lower stress on the heart and other muscles.

Why you should warm up and cool down: Warm ups and cool downs generally mean doing your activity at a slower pace and lowered intensity. It helps get the body ready for aerobic activity. A warm up literally does what it says on the tin! It’s intended to prepare the body for the physical activity you are about to complete. This might be a gym session, cardio exercise, a sports training session or a competitive match. A warm up should always include some low-intensity aerobic exercise and stretching. To prepare your body for exercise a warm up should last from 5-10 minutes.

The cool down after your workout is all about lowering the body temperature and heart rate back to normal. A cool down will normally include very light aerobic activity and stretching. It will help the muscles to further relax and return back to their normal range of movement.

(Photo Credit: Luemen Rutkowski)

How to warm up and cool down: Warm up right before you workout. Focus on large muscle groups, such as the hamstrings. Then you can do exercises more specific to your sport or activity. Start at a low, slow pace that slowly builds in speed and intensity. A warmup may cause a little sweat, but generally won’t leave you tired.

(Photo Credit: Liveology Yoga Magazine)

Cooling down is similar to warming up. You generally keep doing your workout session for five minutes or so. But you go at a slower pace and lower intensity. Always cool down straight after your workout

Finding time for regular aerobic workouts plus warming up and cooling down can be hard. But with a little creativity, you can probably fit it all in. For example, you can walk to and from the gym for your warm up and cool down…depending on how far your gym is of course!

Shelley & Michelle xx

Fitness

EIGHT REASONS TO STRETCH BEFORE AND AFTER EXERCISE

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Whilst working out over the years we’ve noticed there are people that don’t stretch before or after working out. This is one of the worst things you can do when exercising as it can result in muscle tear and injury.

Stretching should be an essential part of your every day workout. Below we have listed reasons why you should always take the time to stretch.

1. Stretching before exercise allows your muscles to loosen and prepares your body to take on the impact of exercise you have chosen to do.

2. Your muscles are less likely to become injured by sudden movement when undergoing an activity. Whilst stretching you reduce the risk of injury.

3. After working out, stretching your muscles helps loosen the tightness effect that can lead to post-workout aches and pains.

4. Stretching actually improves your posture. When you stretch the shoulders, lower back and chest it helps keep your back in alignment which will improve your posture.

5. Tense muscles can cut off circulation which can result in a lack of oxygen and essential nutrients. Stretching allows your muscles to relax and increases blood supply to your muscles and joints.

6. Stretching reduces and manages stress. Well-stretched muscles hold less tension and can help you feel less stressed.

7. Regular stretching routines can help prevent future back pain by strengthening your back muscles and reducing the risk of muscle strain.

8. Stretching not only increases flexibility, but can also calm the mind. When stretching focus on mindfulness and meditation exercises which is done during yoga and pilates.

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Shelley & Michelle xx

Fitness

OUR GO TO GYM WORKOUTS

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Exercise is great for your health and fitness and is also a good way to clear the mind. If you make new year resolutions and one goal of yours is to keep fit and healthy, then to stick to it is to not be in the gym from January 1st and give up by March. The best thing is to wean yourself into working out slowly and mix up your workouts so you don’t get bored. It’s always great to push yourself. So if you start by going to the gym once a week, the next week try twice a week, then three times a week and see how you get on.

Below are a few of our favourite gym workouts. We hope you enjoy and Happy New Year!

Boxing

If you want to have fun whilst working out and change up your routine then boxing is the one for you. Boxing requires strength, endurance and power. Boxing isn’t just for the hard-core athletes, it’s a great way to strengthen and tone the entire body.

Running Machine

Running outside or on a running machine is a good way to strengthen and tone your legs and glutes. If running is too much for you then begin walking, jogging and gradually start to run.

Seated Cable Row Machine

The Seated Cable Row develops the muscles of the back and the forearms. It is an excellent all-around exercise for developing mainly the middle back while offering useful arm work as well.

Air Walker Machine

The Air Walker Machine provides a total body, calorie-burning workout that is low-impact and is a great aerobic exercise. The machine is an alternative to walking or jogging. This form of low-impact aerobic exercise can burn a surprising amount of calories.

Skipping

Who would have thought that a skipping rope had so much benefits. Skipping is simple, easy and a whole lot of fun, plus you get to burn a lot of calories while doing so. It’s one of the best ways to shed fat as well as improving your heart rate and building stamina.

Exercise Ball

There’s nothing quite like stretching your spine on an exercise ball after a strenuous work out. The benefits of using an exercise ball is to improve back and spine health, core stability, posture and muscle balance. Training with an exercise ball, whether during Pilates, yoga or simple stretching is an excellent way to work your abdominal, back and lower-back muscles.

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Shelley & Michelle xx

Fitness

Our Favourite Three Workouts

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We enjoy working out, it’s part our weekly routine lol. It can be difficult trying to squeeze in a workout whilst balancing a busy lifestyle, but we’ve realised after exercising you never say to yourself ‘I wish I didn’t work out today’. Exercising clears the mind, makes you feel more energised as well as feeling fit. Working out 2-3 times a week for us is ideal, as we don’t like to overdo our workouts.

It’s always good to mix up your workout routine. We like to work up a sweat and enjoy high intensity cardio workouts for e.g. Spin and Legs, Bums and Tums (LBT). There is nothing quite like taking part in a high energy exercise class and getting those endorphin’s flowing, its a feel good factor. We do love a good stretch though. You find after a strenuous work out your muscles can tighten up. Always stretch before and after working out. Yoga or Pilates is a great way to stretch. Pilates not only relaxes the body but also relaxes the mind. Below we have put together the health benefits from our favourite three workouts.

SPIN

The benefits from spin are mind blowing. Spin is a great way to burn calories, they say you can burn at least 500 to 700 calories from a single spinning class. Not only is Spin a good exercise to help tone and lose weight its a great stress reliever. Having a great instructor who motivates you whilst playing the best tunes helps. Spin is a good way of keeping your heart healthy, your heart is the most important muscle in your body so keeping the heart in tip top condition is key.

 LBT

You can’t go wrong with Legs, Bums & Tums which concentrates on giving you that full body aerobic and toning workout. This class has a variety of workouts such as squats, lunges, hamstring curls, planks, crunches, curl-ups and many more. LBT has been a go to exercise class since the early 90’s and is still going strong. You can burn around 250-400 calories in just one class and is great for toning and tightening. LBT increases your stamina and endurance, builds strength increases energy levels as well as increasing your flexibility and mobility.

PILATES

If you want to improve your physical strength and flexibility. Then you will find Pilates is the workout for you. This form of exercise improves posture, balance, muscle tone and joint mobility. Pilates is great for the relief of stress and tension and focuses on strengthening your core. Pilates helps with the balance between your mind and body and gives you a sense of well-being. This exercise is beneficial if you suffer from lower back pain.



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Shelley & Michelle xx