Sunday, February 3, 2013

Flexibility





"Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape"








Warm up before you stretch for improved flexibility

Stretching is perhaps the most important thing you can do to improve your flexibility. However, stretching a muscle without first warming it up will not result in significant long-term improvements in flexibility - and it could lead to damage. If you really want to increase you flexibility, you'll need to stretch when your muscles are warm and elastic. And, if  you want to target specific areas for improvement in flexibility, you will need to develop a flexibility-training program.

In fact, to improve your overall flexibility, the ideal time to stretch a muscle is after you've exercised and raised your body's temperature.  When you're weight training, for example, this would be right after you've performed your strength-training set for that particular muscles group. Your muscles are warm and primed. Some people prefer to save their stretching for their final cool down after they're finished with their entire exercise program, which works well if you're short of time.

Work stretching into your workout

Try stretching throughout a workout after each muscle group has been challenged. At the end of your complete program, take about 10-15 additional minutes for a full-body stretch. This is a great time to simply relax, tune in to your body, and reap the rewards of your gym efforts. Whichever way you prefer, the bottom line is that stretching is good for you and should be incorporated into your workout.

4 comments:

  1. Hello, Ms B. My name is Safiah. I stay in Nilai. And I really want to join your dancing academy. This March, as soon as I get my SPM result, my mom gonna send me to Medical University. But I love to dance and I wanna be a dancer in future, not doctor. You said this is where dancer are grown. Thats why I chose this web page. Will appreciate if you give response.

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  2. Hello Safiah

    Lovely to hear from you. You seem to be very sure of what you want and that is commendable. However, I must point out that in the real world, a dancer does not make enough to survive on much less save for a rainy day. Professional dancers in Asia do what they do out of love and passion and many a day we do not manage to live on much other than that love and passion (and maybe a Maggie Mee).

    Your mother is just being sensible in providing you with some proper qualification that you can count on. Most of us dancers here in Asia all have some professional qualification other than dance to fall back on or at least to finance our dancing. I myself hold a degree in Administrative Management and I did work at it for 10 years before I decided that life was just too short to spend the majority of each day doing something that made me wish I was somewhere else.

    I can't say the same for dancers who live and work in most European countries. The difference there is that their culture and people recognize and acknowledge that dancers are skilled and that their skill is worthy. In Asia, its very very different and rather depressing.

    Even though I work full time as a dance trainer, I must point out that I also work as a compere/comentator/emcee at Dancesport events & competitions around Asia (bronyab.blogspot.com). Without this extra work I would not be able to put food on the table. I have, however, been blessed that this extra work is still in the same field as my passions.

    If medicine is just not your thing, you need to sit down and have a heart to heart with you Mum and let her know this. Try and look for something else within your field of interest that you would be keen enough to study for. As a suggestion, I recently read that the following professions were listed as recession-proof (meaning the economy of the world/country will not effect these areas) :

    1. Personal & home care aide
    2. Personal financial adviser
    3. Computer software engineer
    4. Computer scientist & database administrator
    5. Substance abuse & behavioral disorder counselor
    6. Social & human services assistant
    7. Gaming surveillance officer
    8. Dental hygienist
    9. Computer systems analyst
    10. Gaming & sports book writers & runners
    11. Physician assistant
    12. Physical therapist

    All of the above mentioned jobs have decent study/working hours (as compared to medicine) or allow you to work freelance, leaving you with enough time in your day to pursue you dreams of dancing.

    Think about it. All the best Safiah.

    Ms B

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  3. Ms B, you are not only Guru of dance but also a good teenager adviser.
    Joycelyn

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  4. Awwwww Jocelyn, thank you. I DO try my best where I can and I believe a Guru is far more than just a teacher or trainer. I just want to be able to help others where I can. I grew up with very little guidance and I know I could be leading a much more fruitful life know if I had had some wisdom around to point out options.

    Everyone deserves help and the hand of friendship ;)

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