Tue, Feb-07-06, 08:26
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Plan: Muscle Centric
Stats: 238/153/160
BF:
Progress: 109%
Location: UK
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Here's the second in the Run for your life articles that are currently being published in one of the UK's more serious newspapers:
Quote:
The Daily Telegraph
London, UK
Run for your life: stretching
(Filed: 06/02/2006)
Pounding the pavement without stretching can lead to injury, says Michael Garry, in the second of our weekly runner's guide
Before I go into more detail about running, I want to talk about stretching: without the flexibility that stretches bring, you will leave yourself wide open to injury.
As we get older, our muscles get shorter and our range of movement becomes restricted. Aches and pains in the back, hips and knees are seen as part of the ageing process, and can put people off exercise. But all of these problems can be made better through stretching, which also helps with your posture.
Flexibility is perhaps the most neglected area of fitness, but it is one of the most important - and one of the easiest to maintain. Many people think they can skip stretches and go straight into their running, but runners who don't stretch - or who stretch incorrectly - get stiff necks and shoulders, pain in the knees and lower back, and tight hamstrings.
Just five to 10 minutes' of stretching each day will help prevent this from happening, and you will see improvements in your flexibility within four to six weeks.
Over the next few weeks, I will show you how to do different stretches, which can then be incorporated into your running programme. Stretches should be done after a warm-up - but before your main workout - and as part of your cool-down.
Bear the following tips in mind:
Warm up for five minutes with arm rotations, knee raises and shoulder shrugs, and do a bit of marching on the spot; this will help to lubricate the joints, and make the muscles more pliable for stretching.
Do your stretches in sequence, starting with your upper body and moving down to your legs and feet.
Hold warm-up stretches for 10-15 seconds and cool-down stretches for 15-30 seconds. Repeat each cool-down stretch three times.
Always maintain a good posture while stretching, keeping your abdominal muscles contracted. Stretch slowly, and take deep breaths in and out as you do them.
Don't force a stretch, and don't continue if you feel anything more than mild discomfort. Never stretch an injured muscle.
Stretching your triceps:
Stand with your legs shoulder-width apart, and knees slightly bent.
Raise one arm over your head, bending your elbow so that your hand is on the back of your neck.
With your other arm, hold the elbow for slight support.
Hold for 10-15 seconds, or 15-30, depending on whether it is a warm-up or a cool-down stretch.
Repeat with your other arm.
Stretching your upper back:
Stand with your legs shoulder-width apart, and knees slightly bent.
Stretch both arms in front of you, and interlock your hands with your palms facing outwards. Again, the duration of the stretch depends on whether you are warming up or cooling down.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/m...7/ixhright.html
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Starting Week 1 on Sunday
Hehe, just kidding (not really). Really though, Cathy is very motivational and cares a lot abuot everyone's progress; I really don't think she meant for you not to be here in this challenge with the rest of us...
Cigarettes and Me
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