The Back-bend: Develop flexibility in your Lower Back and Abs

     Hey Guys!

     So before this month ends and we move on to another aspect of fitness, I would like to introduce you guys to one of my favorite stretches - the back-bend.

     The back-bend is a great stretch for your lower back, abs, and to a slighter degree, other areas of the body such as the wrists.

     This is a great stretch for those with lower back pain caused by tightness of the muscles associated with this area.

     Note that back pain can be caused by tightness in nearby muscles or crosses that put strain on the lower back. For example, tight hip flexors can lead to lower back pain because they pull the pelvis forward and place the low back in an unnatural position.

     BE CAREFUL when performing this stretch. Make sure you ease into the stretch slowly so that you do not exacerbate any injury you may have. This is a very uncomfortable stretch and can put a lot of stress on your low back if done improperly.

     With all that said, let us get started.

     The best way to perform this stretch is to use a wall for balance and as an aid to go deeper into the stretch.

1. Stand a few feet away from the wall. Bend backward and place your hands on the wall, fingers pointed towards the ground, elbows bent.
2. Make sure to keep your legs as straight as possible and pull your torso towards the wall. Think of it as if you wanted to separate your torso from your legs. Hold this position for at least 30 seconds.

     If this stretch is too difficult, or you experience pain, a beginner version of this stretch is to simply stand and bend backwards as far as you can. Press your fists into the areas of your back where you feel the most pain, and hold that position for as long as possible.

     This is by far a fun stretch, but it is one of the best for developing low back and ab flexibility.

     So that is it for this month. Stick around for next month where our next focus will be on bodybuilding. Be sure to check out the routines and advice offered here in the next few weeks and learn how you can develop a strong, aesthetic body.

     Get Stronger!
          -Nas

Tips to Increase your Flexibility

     Hey Guys!

     In this post I want to cover some tips to help you maximize the effectiveness of your stretching routines. Flexibility training may seem simple, but it is more complex than most people believe.

     So let's get started - the first tip is about breathing. Now, some people do not think about how their breathing affects their exercises or stretches, but it can have a dramatic effect and make the difference between getting great results and getting decent results.

     When performing static stretching, you want to take in a deep breath, and as you move into the stretch you want to exhale as you move into the deepest part of the stretch. At that point you should breathe evenly for the remainder of the stretch.

     Dynamic stretching and foam rolling do not require this method of breathing. In these two activities, feel free to breathe naturally. But do not hold your breath. Usually if you hold your breath that is a sign that you have stretched too far and are holding your breath because of the pain.

     Remember not to stretch too far and breathe naturally in these situations. Do not try to force results by stretching too quickly. Flexibility training takes time when done properly.

     The next tip is to perform multiple stretches for each muscle you want to target. You will find that though you have adequate flexibility in one stretch, in another you experience tightness.

     This is one reason why you should both stretch and foam roll. Like weight training, you need to target each muscle at different angles when training for flexibility. In some stretches you will hit muscle fibers that you will not in others. So perform as many stretches as you feel necessary to increase your overall flexibility.

     My final tip for you guys is to focus more time on areas where you are the least flexible. You want to have a balance of flexibility much like you want to have muscular balance. You can actually upset your body's ability to maintain good posture by having imbalances in flexibility.

     So, for example, if your back is more flexible than your chest, spend less time stretching your back and more time stretching your chest.

     The same holds true in regards to each side of your body. Say your left hamstring is tighter than your right; spend more time stretching your left hamstring.

     This is similar to the priority principle where one spends more time on weak areas so that they can catch up with the rest of the body. It is common sense, but sometimes we overlook such small things when we train.

     So keep these tips in mind. Hopefully you can use them to take your training to the next level.

     But that's it for today's post. Be sure to stick around for more great tips, stretches and exercises.

     Get Stronger!
          -Nas

When Should I Stretch?

     Hey Guys!

     Those of you interested in adopting a stretching routine may be wondering, when should I stretch? This is where most experts disagree. There are always new findings in regards to stretching, and the fact is we cannot take them all at face value.

     There is a lot of conflicting evidence on when you should stretch, so in this post I will discuss my experiences as well as information from books and articles I have read on the subject, which I believe are accurate and reliable.

     I have heard in a particular study that you should not stretch before exercise because the muscles will naturally tighten after the stretch is performed. This study tested athletes stretching before practice and monitoring their performance on the field.

      From what I know about stretching, this is not true. The only way your muscles will tighten is if you stretch too far, in which case this is a natural reaction of the nervous system to protect the muscle tissue from damage.

     I cannot speak for every sport, team, or coach, but when you are an athlete you generally are not taught how to stretch properly. From what I have witnessed, many athletes simply go through the motions, not knowing exactly what they are doing. Since they do not know the science behind flexibility training, they will not know how to stretch to increase their performance.

     Flexibility training is often overlooked in sports, and that can negatively affect athletes trying to increase their performance.

     I recommend that you stretch before working out. Many professional bodybuilders stretched anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 hour before their workouts in order to activate the muscles they were targeting, and to lengthen the muscle to perform a greater range-of-motion in their exercises.

     Another great time to stretch, from my experience, is an hour or two after a workout. I like to keep the muscles tense for a while to stimulate their growth, but after a couple hours, I want to release that tension in order for the muscles to relax and recover.

     Remember, your muscles grow through rest, not through lifting weights. Lifting weights simply promotes muscle growth during rest.

     Speaking of recovery, you should stretch 1 to 2 hours before going to bed. This allows your muscles to relax when they need it most. Stretching before bed will grant you better recovery during the time that your body recovers the most - sleep.

     But if you feel pressed for time, stretch when you can. You do not have to perform your whole routine at once. You can stretch 5 minutes at a time throughout the day. What is important is that you take the time to stretch, to actually go through your routine.

     Also, like exercise, your muscles need to recover from the stress you put on them while stretching. I recommend stretching anywhere from 4 to 6 days a week, but how often you stretch depends on the level of flexibility you want to achieve and your schedule.

     If you guys want to learn any new stretches or have any general questions on flexibility training, leave a comment below.

     Until next time.

     Get Stronger!
          -Nas

The Foam Roller: What is it, how does it Relate to Flexibility, and how do I use it?

     Hey Guys!

     Today's post is about a device you may or may not have heard about: the foam roller.

     The foam roller acts as a deep-tissue massage, allowing you to break up any knots or scar tissue you might have built up over years and years of training.

My Foam Roller

     Using this device elongates your muscles and stretches them out, granting you enhanced range-of-motion, and improving your flexibility. From my experience, the foam roller grants you flexibility much faster than static or dynamic stretching, and that flexibility seems to last longer. I remember having gone a considerable amount of time without foam rolling and stretching, but I found that when I went back to these activities my flexibility had not decreased drastically.

     In addition, the foam roller is a great tool for completely healing previous injuries by breaking up the knots and scar tissue associated with said injuries. That does not mean that the foam roller is a miracle tool, but it is a more effective healer than conventional stretching.


     Now, you might be wondering how you use the foam roller, and a good amount of people do not know how to use it properly.

     To use the foam roller, select any muscle, tendon, or other area you want to foam roll. Now you want to place that area on top of the foam roller and roll back and forth SLOWLY, but not too slow. You want to do that for about 30 seconds. After that, you want to find your problem areas - the areas where you experience the most discomfort.

     When you find a problem area, pause, and let your muscle relax. Stay in this position for about 30 seconds. If the pain persists, rock from side to side for a few moments to break up that tissue. Mentally tell the muscle or tendon to go to sleep.

     Make sure you spend enough time on the foam roller. I often spend close to an hour foam rolling my entire body. You can literally foam roll any area of your body from your neck to your feet, and I recommend that you do so, especially if you exercise intensely. But if foam rolling takes you an hour, then foam roll for an hour.

     You need some form of active release therapy in any exercise routine, and foam rolling can give you that. You do not want to allow your muscles to constantly build up tension and get tighter and tighter. Your muscles need to relax as well.

     Now, should you foam roll, or should you stretch? I recommend both. There are areas you may be overlooking in your stretching or foam rolling routine, but if you practice both, the chance that you are not hitting every problem area becomes much slimmer.

     After reading this post, I hope you all will consider buying a foam roller. They only cost around $30 and will last you a lifetime. Also, do not buy the basic foam roller. You want to have one the is spiked like the one above so that it can break up deeper tissue.

     Just a bit of caution, when you first start to foam roll you will experience some extreme discomfort. That is normal, but the more you use it, the easier it becomes. When you use it for a few months you will not even feel any pain, rather, it will feel like a massage.

     So that's all folks. If you have any questions feel free to leave a comment below, and more exercises, stretches, and tips coming soon.

     Get Stronger!
          -Nas

Front Shoulder Stretch

     Hey guys!

     This week I have a front deltoids stretch to introduce into your stretching or workout routine.

     Some people have shoulder pain or limited range-of-motion because their front deltoids are tight or overdeveloped in relation to the other two heads of the shoulder. This usually results from too much emphasis on pressing movements in your routine.

    This can affect the intensity of your workout to a great degree and limit the amount of exercises you can perform.

     Some people cannot perform exercises such as dips, dumbbell flys, or behind-the-neck presses because of this limit in their range of motion, or they cannot perform as great a range-of-motion as they should.

     If you are into bodybuilding, having adequate flexibility is a must. You need to have that increased range-of-motion in order to bring more muscle fibers into the exercise. Not only that, but if you have limited mobility you will not be able to perform the wide range of exercises needed to develop an aesthetic physique.

     But those are just a few reasons to perform this stretch, here are the instructions to perform this stretch.

1. Start with your feet at shoulder-width, standing tall.
2. Bring your hands behind your body, clasp them together, bring them as high as possible, and press them against your back.
3. Press against your back with your hands and simultaneously push back with your chest to stretch the front deltoids.

Side View

                                                                                                             Rear View

     As with any other stretch, do not stretch too far. You want to stretch just enough so that your nervous system allows the stretch to happen without resisting. If you read my previous post you will know that your nervous system is designed to tighten your muscles if you stretch too far, too fast. Going too far in this stretch can cause you discomfort and hurt your shoulder joint.

     This stretch can be an effective warm-up for dips and flys, exercises that put a lot of stress on the shoulder joint and require adequate shoulder flexibility to recruit more muscle fiber in the extended range-of-motion.

     I know the pictures I used in this post are not the best, but I wanted to give you guys a visual aspect as well as a description of the movement. If you guys have any questions please let me know by leaving a comment. As always, more exercises, stretches, and advice coming soon.

     Get Stronger!
          -Nas                                                                                   

Flexibilty: Why you Should Stretch

     Hey Guys!

     So some of you may ask yourselves why should I stretch. Sure, flexibility training is not effective in losing fat or getting stronger, but there are numerous benefits to improving your flexibility. A flexible athlete is a better athlete.

     You may have heard some people say that stretching does not decrease your risk of injury. Well, there is no way to effectively test that. We cannot go back in time for an injured athlete, put him through a flexibility program, and see if he does or does not get injured again.

     But it is foolish to say that improved flexibility does not reduce your risk of injury. Many injuries are caused by the over-extension of a joint, muscle, or connective tissue. You know, sprains, strains, or pulled or torn muscles. These can all be prevented by increasing your range of motion, a.k.a. increasing your flexibility.

     How many people have surgery on their shoulders or hips due to injury? These injuries can be prevented by strengthening and stretching the muscles associated with those areas. If you keep your injuries to a minimum you can maximize your time in the gym instead of a wheelchair.

     Here is another reason you should stretch: stretching releases tension. You may wonder why that is important, but your muscles cannot recover fully or properly while tense. When a muscle is tense it is active. It is engaged. In order to heal, the muscle needs to rest, hence the importance of stretching. The best time to stretch for recovery purposes is one or two hours before bed so that your muscles can relax and heal.

     The benefits of stretching do not stop there. Stretching also improves neuromuscular coordination and range of motion, allowing you to perform exercises you could not without adequate flexibility.

     Some examples of exercises you cannot do without adequate flexibility are dead-lifts, front squats, dips, flys, behind-the-neck presses, and lunges. These exercises require wrist, ankle, shoulder, and hamstring flexibility. If you want to get stronger you need to be more flexible. Flexibility broadens your exercise options.

     Flexibility is essential for everyone to live healthier lives. It is needed in any activity you do.

     There are two types of stretching that are effective for improving flexibility. The first is static stretching where you hold yourself in a certain plane of motion for a specific period of time.

     The second type of stretching is dynamic stretching. This type of stretching involves moving in and out of a stretch position in a slow, controlled manner. Studies have shown that dynamic stretching increases flexibility faster than static stretching, but both have their uses.

     When you stretch, do not stretch hard enough that it hurts. Not only will this tear your muscle fibers, but your nervous system is designed to tighten the muscle when you stretch too far to prevent further damage. Stretching in this fashion will tighten your muscles instead of loosening them.

     When you stretch you want your muscles to relax. You want to ease into the stretch to the point where it becomes challenging, or as I like to think of it, the point where the pain you experience is a good kind of pain. But do not go further than that.

     You want your muscles to feel as though they are going to sleep. You do not want to stretch to the point where your brain is screaming in pain to stop the stretch.

     Finally, stretch for as long as you think necessary. Some people say to hold each stretch for 30 seconds if it is a static stretch. If it is dynamic some people recommend performing the motion 10-12 times. Decide what is best for you. I find that holding a stretch until I can no longer feel it is the safest and most effective method.

     If you guys have any questions about flexibility or want to learn new stretches for certain muscle groups, let me know in the comment section below. This month will be devoted to flexibility training.

     Till next time.

     Get Stronger!
           -Nas