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Jose Lopez, Personal Trainer
There are many ways to organize your exercise program, but sometimes the basics are the best
place to start. Two of the most important components to incorporate in your exercise program are
flexibility & core strengthening & stability.
First, flexibility – It’s important to stretch everyday. Some reasons flexibility is so important are:
INCREASES RANGE OF MOTION. Stretching helps slow the degeneration of the joints
which comes from a lack in range of motion.
REDUCES YOUR RISK OF INJURY. Flexible muscle are less likely to become injured from
movement. Increasing the range of motion in a joint, may decrease the resistance on your
muscles during various activities.
IMPROVES POSTURE. Stretching the muscles of the lower back, shoulders & chest will help
keep your back in better alignment & improve posture.
IMPROVES EFFICIENCY & OVERALL FUNCTIONAL PERFORMANCE. Since a
flexible joint requires less energy to move through a wider range of motion, a flexible body
improves overall performance by creating more energy-efficient movements.
PREPARES THE BODY FOR THE STRESS OF EXERCISE. Dynamic stretching prior to
exercise allows the muscles to loosen up for the impact they are about to undergo.
Secondly, an exercise program should be focused on core strength. The core is the central,
innermost, or most essential part of anything. The primary muscles consist of the rectus
abdominis, internal oblique, external oblique, erector spinae, latissimus dorsi, transverse
abdominis, iliocostalis, & multifidus. The core is essential for all human movement & is necessary
for daily living. The core helps maintain the body’s position over it’s base of support within stable
limits, both statically & dynamically.
When working on your core, challenge your body with crunches, reverse crunches & planks. For
variety try mountain climbers, hip bridging & alternating arm & leg quadrupeds. With greater
flexibility & core strength, your risk of injury will decrease when starting your new exercise
program.
SOURCES: Thacker, S.B. et al. (2004). The impact of stretching on sports injury risk: A
systematic review of the literature. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 36, 3, 371–378;
Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning-3rd Edition By NSCA .