Stretching, It's Not Just For Your Body Anymore.

"Where Your Mind Goes, Your Body Follows."

Wade McNutt Natural Champion Bodybuilder

Flexibility is critical for proper body movement. And to achieve that requires proper stretching. You instinctively stretch, usually after first awakening. You push your limbs in extended movements to get that 'good stretch' feeling.

This book is insufficient to devise a stretching program to meet your total needs. There are plenty of good books out there. The one I have used for years is called 'Stretching' by Bob Anderson. He now has a DVD version if you prefer a visual approach. Both are available through Amazon.com.

The Key to stretching is when to do it. It was once thought that stretching should be part of your warm-up. Stretch and be ready for your workout. Now we know differently.

Stretching should be done at the end of your workout, after the muscles are warmed and supple. The problem is that you are usually pushing to finish your workout and get out of the gym, not trying to find a way to stay longer. However, allow me to encourage you to plan your stretching as part of your workout.

Taking less than 5 minutes to stretch out the major muscles just worked not only feels good but gives you lasting physical benefits. I had the pleasure to train a married couple, who first met at yoga class. These two had stretching down pat! While they and most yoga practitioners will bend your ear with the positives of stretching, you don't have to do yoga to feel real benefits.

Get Bob Anderson's book and incorporate stretching into your regular workout routine. Plan for it, do it.

While stretching the muscles is important, this title of this chapter implies something more than physical stretching. I believe there is a form of stretching that is essential key to long term success for you.

Recently, Forbes Magazine interviewed billionaire Richard Branson, the founder of Virgin Atlantic Airways. During the course of the interview he said something very interesting while talking about his mentor, Freddie Laker.

Richard Branson said, "At the time, I was running a little record company; I was about 17 years old. The first time I met him was some years later. I was thinking about setting up my own airline. He gave me this advice: 'You'll never have the advertising power to outsell British Airways. You are going to have to get out there and use yourself. Make a fool of yourself. Otherwise you won't survive'."

I won't ask you to make a 'fool' out of yourself, however, I believe you must stretch. Stretch your mind.

All of my clients, at one time or the other, have heard me say this, "we all have limits in the gym, and over 80% of your limitation is mental. My job as your personal trainer is to push you to your limit, and a little bit beyond, so that your limit is stretched. Each time you go into the gym you are pushed against your new limits. You will always feel like your head is 'banging against the wall'. But over time, in retrospect, you will be able to see the progress that you cannot really see each day because of the frustration of 'hitting your limit'."

Now that is a poorly worded way of saying that you are either stretching your limitations or your dying. Your limits are really only limits of your mind, your faith, your belief. You must know that although you don't realize all your goals now, you are making progress toward those each day.

My book of faith and doctrine puts it this way, "faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen."

You don't wake up one day and magically get the body you want (or endurance, or self-confidence or whatever your goal is). You take small steps each day, make small decisions each day, each of which either gets you closer, or further away, from your goal.

Remember to stretch your mind and body. Both are essential to your long term success.

Daily disciplines help 'stretch' your mind. If you need a tool, or aid, in focusing on what is most important to you allow me to recommend a website called Simpleology.com. I don't make any money from this recommendation, but I have received tremendous value from what Mark Joyner has done there. Don't let the name fool you. Check it out!

Lance Curtis is a personal trainer and author of "7 Keys to Unlock The Sexy Dream Body Inside You!" To claim your free copy go to http://ThePersonalTrainingGuru.com

Sports Injury and Stretching - The Facts

Since an injury causes loss on both fronts, one on the body issue which needs time to repair and recoup and two on the time loss which could have been put to better use for training and betterment. It is very similar to a financial loss, one you lose the money, second you spend more time to make it up. Serious sportsmen fear injuries more than anything else.

Some hard facts:

- Over 25,000 Americans sprain their ankles daily - 1 out of every 17 athletes suffer sports injury while playing the sport. - More than 50% of these injuries are preventable.

There are a few preventive measures that could be taken to prevent sports injuries, but most sportspersons do not practice them. These measures are not yet popular. Some techniques to prevent sports injuries are:

1. Good warm up: A good and gradual warm up would help increase the body temperature gradually, increasing the circulation and oxygen supply to the muscles. It prepares the body and the mind together for hectic physical activity that may follow. 2. Good cool down: Like a good warm up, a good cool down in immensely important to bring down the body temperature. It prevents pooling of blood in excessively used muscles and limbs and prevents build up of toxic matter like lactic acid in the muscles. It relaxes the muscles and your body entirely fighting away the stiffening and tightening.

However a good magical procedure to prevent sports injury by 50% is stretching. By making stretching a consistent part of a sportsman's exercise regimen, you could prevent major injuries. Stretching is a simple process of relaxing your body and most sportsmen tend to put it away as it is too simple and hence ineffective. This is a gross error in judgment, as stretching is vital to any exercise regimen, sportsmen or not.

Stretching improves flexibility and flexible muscles are prone to much lesser injuries. The benefits of stretching are yet to be realized by most sportsmen and coaches. Those who have already incorporated stretching are getting invaluable results from it by staying injury free.

How Stretching Works?

Stretching increases the length of tendons and muscles, resulting in increase of "range of movement". This implies that muscles and tendons can stretch a little further before injury inflicts them.

Lets us suppose the muscles of your neck are stiff and your ability to look around or turn your head is limited. While participating in your favorite sport, if you neck has to go beyond its normal range of movement, it would result in muscle tear or strain. If you do regular stretching of your neck muscles, its range of movement would improve and you might not be prone to such injuries in the future because your neck now has a better range of movement.

Stretching promotes recovery and prevents soreness. Stretching also makes sure that your muscles and tendons are in good working shape. Stretching in short conditions your muscles and conditioned muscles are prone to fewer injuries because they can handle more stress of sports and exercise.

There is certainly more to stretching than commonly believed. All the best for an injury free life.

Julian Hall - Director of Claims Master Group. Personal Injury Claim,No Win No Fee, Sports Injury Advice