FLEXIBILITY TRAINING

Flexibility training involves performing a series of exercises that help maximize range of motion and muscle stability. The benefits are improved blood flow in the muscles and lower risk of injury.

There are three basic types of stretching exercises that help accomplish these goals: static, dynamic and Isometric/PNF.Static stretches are the most traditional type, encompassing the more or less standard 'pull to maximum end point, hold for five or ten seconds, then release' group of exercises.Static stretches should form part of every 10 minute warm-up routine.

Every major muscle group should be given a gentle pull, hold and relax. This helps improve the circulation and readies the muscles for more vigorous activity, while decreasing the risk of tears or tendon stretching.Dynamic or ballistic stretches are more controversial, since they involve stretch with added momentum or even using weights.

They are potentially harmful and that risk-factor is one of the major elements behind the controversy. At minimum, you should seek out a knowledgeable trainer before engaging in this form of flexibility training.As one example, rest one knee on a ball and slowly rotate the ball away from the body, giving a very moderate bounce at the maximum point.

Lunges, performed by moving one foot ahead, kneeling slightly with the back straight and bouncing gently, would be another.PNF (Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation) involves a combination of passive and isometric exercise. Apart from having a fancy technical name and associated acronym, PNF actually has several useful features that should motivate individuals to investigate its value.

Performed properly, under the guidance of an experienced fitness professional or devoted amateur, PNF can maximize range of movement and best prepare the body for more strenuous exercise.Several exercises involve using a partner. The muscle group you want to work is stretched under tension, then contracted for several seconds, and your partner applies resistance to inhibit movement.

For example, stretch your arms out and slowly move them behind you, then contract the biceps, triceps and shoulders. Have the partner gently pull your hands together a little past the 180 degree mark as you attempt to pull your arms back to 180 degrees.As another example, lie on your back on a comfortable surface. Raise one leg vertically and have your partner grab your foot. Your partner then presses the foot gently backward until you feel tension on the hamstring (the muscle on the rear of your thigh). You then contract the muscles as you attempt to move your leg back down, with your partner resisting the movement.

These examples are to serve only to give a general idea of the exercises. PNF exercises should only be attempted after you have received proper, hands-on training. Done incorrectly they can lead to muscle sprain or joint damage.

BIGGER ARMS

Building better arms isn't just about working your triceps and biceps. Learn how to work the two "hidden" muscles within the arm for greater results in less time.

No matter how much extra time you spend trying to fill out your sleeves, the minuscule payoff at the end is never worth all the effort. There's a reason for that, although you may not want to hear it: You're exercising the wrong way.

Most guys work only about 60 percent of their arms," says Mike Brungardt, strength and conditioning coach for the San Antonio Spurs and coauthor of The Complete Book of Shoulders and Arms (HarperCollins, 1997). The reason is that the two basic arm exercises most men do, the biceps curl and the triceps press-down, only work three of the five muscles of the arm.
"The common belief is that the upper arms are made of two muscles (biceps and triceps), but they really divide into five," says Brungardt. They are the triceps, (lateral, medial and long heads), the biceps and a broad, flat sinew called the brachialis anticus, which is sandwiched between the bone and the biceps.

Most popular triceps exercises challenge the first two heads but never stimulate the long head around the inside of the arm. Big mistake, because building this portion gives your arms a wider appearance from every angle (unlike the other two, which can only be seen from the back and sides).

Developing the brachialis, meanwhile, has the same miracle effect of a saline implant inside a 34A chest. With nowhere else to go but up, the brachialis pushes against the biceps, which makes them seem larger than they actually are. Unfortunately, most conventional exercises, such as barbell, dumbbell or preacher curls, never challenge this hidden muscle. The only way to stimulate it is by curling with the hands either palms down or palms facing each other�arm positions most guys never bother to try.

That's where our four-step plan can help. With Brungardt's assistance, we've devised a fast, comprehensive routine that targets all five muscles in one workout. The end result: bigger arms in less time. Because you use the biceps and triceps whenever you work your upper body, it won't take much to exhaust them, so do only three sets of the following exercises for 10 to 12 repetitions each.

For the front
Wall curl: Stand against a wall, feet shoulder-width apart. Hold a light barbell with an underhand grip by your thighs, hands shoulder-width apart. Press yourself along the wall so that your head, back, triceps and heels touch the surface. (If any of these four come off during the exercise, you're cheating, so concentrate on keeping them flat at all times.) Tuck your elbows in at your sides; then slowly curl the barbell up until your hands are by your shoulders. Flex your biceps (squeezing your muscles when they're contracted helps exhaust additional muscle fibers); then slowly lower the bar back to your thighs.

Alternating hammer curl: Sit on the end of a bench, feet flat on the floor. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, arms hanging from your sides. Turn your wrists so your palms face each other. Keeping your back straight, slowly curl the weights until your thumbs are by your shoulders. Flex your biceps; then lower the weights. On the next rep, turn your wrists so your palms face behind you. Slowly curl up until your knuckles are by your shoulders; then lower. Continue to alternate hand positions throughout the set.

For the back
Lying triceps press: Lie faceup on a bench, feet flat on the floor. Grab an E-Z curl bar with an overhand grip, hands about 6 inches apart. Press the weight above your chest, elbows unlocked. Keeping your upper arms still, slowly bend your elbows and lower the weight until your hands reach your forehead (your elbows should be pointing straight up; otherwise you're using your shoulders). Press the bar back up, leaving your elbows unlocked at the top, and repeat.
Triceps rope pull-down: Stand with feet hip-width apart. Grab a rope attached to a cable at the top of a lat pull-down machine, palms facing each other.

Lean slightly forward at the hips with your abdominals contracted and knees soft. Lock your elbows at your sides and bend them so your forearms are parallel to the floor. Slowly extend your arms until your fists reach the outside of your thighs; then gently rotate your wrists so your palms end up facing out and away from your body. Squeeze your triceps for a second; then rotate your wrists back and slowly raise the rope until your forearms are parallel to the floor.

Yoga

The movements of yoga are not typically performance art. Watching a skilled practitoner can take on the level of entertainment and awe although that isn’t the function of yoga. Art lovers and observers have enjoyed yoga performance or competitions and this has elevated (or reduced, as the viewer might choose) yoga practice into performance art. The argument might be whichever introduces more people to yoga is beneficial.

Vinyasa Yoga is a Flowing Movement to Breath
It is only a step away in imagination to combine these movements of yoga, set them to music, and call them dance. Liberated from yoga poses and structure, the body enters a performance state and some yogis have taken advantage of this evolvement of the yoga practice. It can be said it no longer is a practice but a performance. This is different from a master yogi exhibiting the Ashtanga series for a group of students.

Tripsichore Yoga is Yoga Dance Theatrical Performance
This yoga performance group was establishes in 1979. The advanced flexible yogis, many whom have backgrounds in dance or gymnastics utilize yoga poses into a dance and involvement with each others bodies to tell a story. The story often has a discovery that takes a leap toward enlightenment or other yoga connection, if it is necessary. The movement is full of headstands, cartwheels, and handstands and backbends onto entwined bodies. The yoga poses can be noted within the flow. Some of the compositions are quite lovely. To differentiate itself from modern dance or groups such as the brilliant highly trained Pilobolus dance group, the themes of yoga dance group should not tread too far from yoga themes.

Watching a duet with the yoga pose of one leg up on shoulder behind head (eka pada sirsasana) being worked into an acrobatic dance is begging the issue of yoga vs. dance art but the athleticism is noted by the audience. The posture is not necessarily one of beauty but of strength and flexibility. Is this dance or does it matter?

Edward Clark, tripsichore founder does not say he performs dance but yoga. He describes vinyasa as “evenly metered flow of movement, breath and thought resulting in a smooth, uninflected state of being”. He and a partner recently performed in Tampa at a yoga studio to a small enthusiastic audience. They travel and perform throughout the country and the schedule is listed.

Yoga Dance Trance is a Yoga of Self Celebration
Shiva Rea creates a form of dance yoga where yoga participants move to music with mild suggestions of where to place the leg or which way to move from the director.
As the name implies, this isn’t necessarily for an audience but more for the joy and learning of the participant.

Music plays a role in this form of yoga dance awakening the inner spirit or fire to the rhythms within and from outside in this movement. It becomes an energetic flowing movement.
Yoga as dance often takes the basic flow poses and sets them to new age type music letting attractive performers go through the paces with hair flowing and bland facial expressions. Watching yoga flow with music accompaniment can become a performance.