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This past week, I've been reminding all of my clients to stretch before they go out and shovel their walk or driveway. It's easy to have muscles tighten up in the cold. This can lead to strains, sprains and more serious injuries.
Always remember to warm up your large muscle groups before stretching. Think of your muscles as a piece of flat taffy - if you try to bend it while it's cold, it may break. To warm up, practice small, isolated movements to loosen the ankles, knees, hips, lower back and shoulders. Do side reaches, arm circles, shoulder shrugs, leg swings, trunk twists, pelvic rotations and half-squats. Walk, jog or march in place.
Warming up involves muscular contraction, while stretching involves relaxing and lengthening the muscles. The result is flexibility. Stretch by feel, not by force. You can feel a stretch when you notice a tingling sensation in the affected muscle(s).
If you feel pain -- behind your knee, for example -- then back off the stretch. Instead, slowly move into your stretches, feel for that sensation, breathe into your stretches and don't bounce. Hold the stretches for 15 to 30 seconds.
Include stretches for the back and front of the thighs, hip flexors, buttocks, shins, calves and ankles. The chest, back, shoulders, lower back, back of arms and wrists also need stretching.
Some example of stretches include:
Arms, shoulders and upper back
Interlace your fingers above your head, turn your palms up and push your arms slightly back and up.
Quadriceps
Sit on the floor leaning back on your hands, legs straight. Pull in your right leg so the sole of your foot rests against your left knee. Bend your left leg and pull the foot back, sole up. Reverse legs and repeat.
Lower back
Lie on your back with your legs outstretched. Lift and bend your left knee, grasp it with both hands, pull it toward your chest. Repeat with your right leg.
Hamstring
Sit on the floor with your legs straight and spread apart. Touch your left foot with your hands. Repeat on the right.
Back
Place a ski pole or broom handle on both shoulders and wrap both arms over it to keep in place. Stand with feet wider than hips. Slowly turn your body to the left, allowing your head to follow the rest of your spine while looking behind you. Gently turn back to center and then all the way to the right, remembering to look behind you.
-- Rhonda Beckham is a nationally certified personal trainer, with teaching certificates in Pilates and kickboxing.
Rhonda Beckham is owner of Help Me Rhonda and Perfect Pilates, a Pilates instructor at Lake Tahoe Community College and Sierra Athletic Club, as well as a personal trainer operating out of Sierra Athletic Club and the Tahoe Keys Marina Dance Studio. She may be reached at (530) 208-6369, www.tahoetrainer.com and rhonda@tahoetrainer.com.
Always remember to warm up your large muscle groups before stretching. Think of your muscles as a piece of flat taffy - if you try to bend it while it's cold, it may break. To warm up, practice small, isolated movements to loosen the ankles, knees, hips, lower back and shoulders. Do side reaches, arm circles, shoulder shrugs, leg swings, trunk twists, pelvic rotations and half-squats. Walk, jog or march in place.
Warming up involves muscular contraction, while stretching involves relaxing and lengthening the muscles. The result is flexibility. Stretch by feel, not by force. You can feel a stretch when you notice a tingling sensation in the affected muscle(s).
If you feel pain -- behind your knee, for example -- then back off the stretch. Instead, slowly move into your stretches, feel for that sensation, breathe into your stretches and don't bounce. Hold the stretches for 15 to 30 seconds.
Include stretches for the back and front of the thighs, hip flexors, buttocks, shins, calves and ankles. The chest, back, shoulders, lower back, back of arms and wrists also need stretching.
Some example of stretches include:
Arms, shoulders and upper back
Interlace your fingers above your head, turn your palms up and push your arms slightly back and up.
Quadriceps
Sit on the floor leaning back on your hands, legs straight. Pull in your right leg so the sole of your foot rests against your left knee. Bend your left leg and pull the foot back, sole up. Reverse legs and repeat.
Lower back
Lie on your back with your legs outstretched. Lift and bend your left knee, grasp it with both hands, pull it toward your chest. Repeat with your right leg.
Hamstring
Sit on the floor with your legs straight and spread apart. Touch your left foot with your hands. Repeat on the right.
Back
Place a ski pole or broom handle on both shoulders and wrap both arms over it to keep in place. Stand with feet wider than hips. Slowly turn your body to the left, allowing your head to follow the rest of your spine while looking behind you. Gently turn back to center and then all the way to the right, remembering to look behind you.
-- Rhonda Beckham is a nationally certified personal trainer, with teaching certificates in Pilates and kickboxing.
Rhonda Beckham is owner of Help Me Rhonda and Perfect Pilates, a Pilates instructor at Lake Tahoe Community College and Sierra Athletic Club, as well as a personal trainer operating out of Sierra Athletic Club and the Tahoe Keys Marina Dance Studio. She may be reached at (530) 208-6369, www.tahoetrainer.com and rhonda@tahoetrainer.com.
