Avoid the Hamstring Cramp When Stretching Your Quads

Post-workout, the two most common stretches seem to be the standing quad stretch and just about any hamstring stretch, and they are usually done in that order. But if you tend to cramp in the backs of your legs, I highly suggest switching it up. Since the quads, on the front of the thigh, and the hamstrings, on the back, are antagonist, one tends to engage as the other stretches. If you have really tight hamstrings, pulling your heel to your booty to stretch your quad can engage muscles on the back of the thigh, making it cramp unpleasantly. Before you stretch your quads, lengthen the back of your legs first with one of these easy hamstring stretches . Once you have stretched your hamstrings, then move on to stretch the front of your legs.

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Avoid the Hamstring Cramp When Stretching Your Quads

RX For Low Back Pain: Stretch Your Hip Flexors

After running suicide sprints at the park, my running buddy complained that sprinting often leaves her lower back tight. I had a notion that her psoas might be tight. This muscle is a major hip flexor (it draws the thigh toward the abdomen) and attaches to the five lowest vertebrae, the lumbar spine. When the psoas shortens and tighten from activities like sprinting or biking, it can yank on the vertebrae, creating a sensation of tightness in the low back. The good news is that stretching out the hip flexors can alleviate a lot of lower back pain. Once you are warm, and especially after a run or sprinting session, you should stretch your psoas. To learn two ways to stretch your psoas, continue reading.

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RX For Low Back Pain: Stretch Your Hip Flexors

Stretch It: Relaxing Hamstring Stretch

Stretching my hamstrings after a run is a must, but since I bike and swim as well, my hamstrings could use all the stretching they can get. So I try to squeeze hamstring stretches in whenever I can. Here’s one that you can do while watching TV or lying in bed. To learn how to do this simple yet effective stretch, read more. Roll onto your right side with both legs straight, propping yourself up on your left elbow. If it’s hard to balance, bend your bottom knee. Lift your right leg in the air, keeping it straight, and reach your right hand to the back of your right thigh, calf, ankle, heel, or toes. Make sure your knee and toes are pointing toward your body to target your right hamstring. Use your right hand to add weight to your leg and deepen the stretch. After 30 seconds, release, roll over, and repeat this stretch with the left leg.

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Stretch It: Relaxing Hamstring Stretch

5 Good Morning Stretches

Instead of hitting the snooze button in the morning, I take the extra 10 minutes to stretch. It’s a great way to get the juices going in the morning and ease away any stress or tension from the previous day’s activity or a funky sleeping position. Since stretching before breaking a sweat is debatable, I keep my morning stretches simple - I don’t even have to leave the bed to do them! Try this simple stretching sequence when you wake up tomorrow to get your blood flowing and your body primed for your day. Source: Jupiter Images View Slideshow ›

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5 Good Morning Stretches

Allergy Symptoms vs. Cold Symptoms

Winter is slowly receding, and in many places Spring has sprung, even though the official start date doesn’t come until the end of the week. With Spring weather comes blooming plants, trees, and shrubs, and with those lovely flowers comes pollen, the irritant that brings on hay fever. I lived for years in denial of my seasonal allergies and pretended that I had a cold . . . a cold that never ended. I have wised up and since allergy season is upon us, or will be soon depending on where you live, I thought it might be useful to compare the symptoms of the common cold with those that accompany seasonal allergies. Itchy nose: Although allergies and colds both produce a runny nose and congestion, allergies create the dreaded itchy nose . The itch generally occurs in the back of the nose and is difficult to “scratch.” Folks suffering from “nasal pruritus” (the fanciest way in the world to say itchy nose ) often scrunch up their faces, like a bunny, to try to alleviate the itch. The sneeze: Sneezing frequently, and sometimes quietly, is common with allergies. Allergy sneezes are an attempt to remove allergens from the nose. Sneezes from colds tend to be loud, deep, and infrequent, attempting to clear the bronchial congestion down in the lungs. Unfortunately, the list of symptoms is a bit longer, so read more. Runny eyes: While eyes might occasionally water with a cold, they will run profusely with allergies. Mucus color: Mucus, aka snot, is generally clear with allergies, whereas with a cold it tends to have a color - yellow to green . Dark circles under the eyes: This symptom is sometimes referred to poetically as the ” allergy shiner .” These “shiners” are caused by the inability of veins in the area to drain due to chronic nasal congestion . It is like a traffic jam in the area under your eyes. Common colds do not cause these. If you are living in allergy denial, hopefully, this list will help you figure out that you do indeed have hay fever, and need to leave the weeding and lawn mowing to someone else for now.

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Allergy Symptoms vs. Cold Symptoms

Stretch It: Twisting Double Pigeon

Tight hips are a common complaint among active people, especially those who run, ski, or bike. Pigeon and Double Pigeon are two of my favorite stretches for opening up my hips and stretching my glutes. If you’re looking for a new variation to add to your stretching routine, give this one a whirl. Sit on the floor and bend your left knee so it is parallel with your tummy. Bend your right knee and place it on top, so your ankles and knees are stacked, and your shins are parallel. You’ll know you’re doing it right when you gaze down and see that your legs make a little triangle. You may find your top knee to be way high up toward the ceiling - it’s OK, it just means that your hips are tight. Working on this stretch will help to open those tight hips. Place your hands in front of your shins and walk them toward the right so both hands are beside your right thigh. If you’re flexible, lower your forearms to the floor. To increase the twist, lift your right arm into the air and gaze at your palm while pressing your left elbow against your right knee. After 30 seconds or so, place your right hand on the floor, walk your hands back to the center, and walk them all the way over to the left side. To increase the stretch, raise your left arm in the air and gaze upward. Walk your hands back to center when you’re ready and then sit up. Straighten both legs out in front of you. Then do Double Pigeon with the right leg on the bottom, and repeat walking your hands first to the left, and then to the right.

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Stretch It: Twisting Double Pigeon

Stretch Your Stretching Knowledge

Stretching is one of the three essential elements of fitness, along with strength training and cardio. But many of us neglect the flexibility portion of our workouts. But do you know better? Let’s stretch our brains for a change and see how much you know about stretching. Take the quiz

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Stretch Your Stretching Knowledge

5 Stretches For Tight Hamstrings

When asked which part of your body needs to be stretched the most , many of you said your hamstrings. Here’s a simple sequence to add to your stretching routine to lengthen those muscles on the backs of your legs. View Slideshow ›

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5 Stretches For Tight Hamstrings

You Asked: Issue With Inversions

Hi Fit, I have been practicing yoga on my own for years, and I love it all . . . sun salutations, backbends, forward bends, you name it . . . except for the inverted poses. Despite my best efforts, I have never been able to get into them! Can you recommend any exercises to strengthen my upper body so that I will be able to do them, or do you have any other tips to help me take my practice to the next level? Should I have someone help me? Any advice you can offer will be much appreciated! Thanks, secrethoughts In my yoga classes, inversions are the poses most people have problems with, so you’re not alone. They require balance, strength, and most of all the guts to be upside down. I believe it’s possible for all healthy people to do them, so to hear my tips on how to get yourself there, read more. Strengthening your upper body is a great way to feel stronger when inverted. I recommend regularly doing all variations of push-ups , the challenging Walking Elbow Plank exercise, and Dolphin Dive . I also recommend practicing Crow pose since it will also work your balance. Flexible hamstrings are also helpful, since they allow you to walk into the inversion. This is much better than jumping into it, which makes you more likely to lose your balance and not be able to hold the pose. So also incorporate Tipover Tuck and Seated Straddle into your stretching routine. When you’re ready to go upside down, start off with the easiest inversion, Tripod Headstand . It’s normal to feel nervous that you’ll fall, so practice in front of a wall (with your head about eight inches from the wall). Place your head and hands on the mat, straighten your legs, and walk them in as close as you can toward your head. This is considered an inversion even though your feet aren’t in the air. If you’re feeling ready, rest your knees on your triceps, coming into Tripod Balance . From here, you can work on lifting one leg at a time into the air. If you’re in front of a wall, you can easily place your feet on it for support. As you feel more brave you can lift your feet away from the wall and try balancing on your own. My best advice is to keep practicing and don’t give up. As you become stronger and more confident, Tripod Headstand will become easier for you. Once you master that variation, you can move on to other inversions including headstand variations , forearm stand, and handstand . And if you have access to a yoga studio, taking classes and getting one-on-one help from the instructor will help you master inversions even faster.

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You Asked: Issue With Inversions

Go Splits! 8 Stretches to Get You There

When I think of doing the splits, I immediately think of cheerleaders and pom-poms, but you too can become flexible enough to get all the way to the floor. It requires flexible hamstrings and open hips, so if you practice these eight stretches, you’ll be on your way to doing full splits in no time. Doing splits regularly will keep your hamstrings and hip flexors limber, which is great if you’re a runner, biker, or skier. Not to mention, it’s also a great party trick to impress your friends. View Slideshow ›

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Go Splits! 8 Stretches to Get You There

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