Are you ready to work on your flexibility for splits? You’ve come to the right place! My stretching video is below.
One of my goals this year is to be able to do a split. Splits require flexibility in the hip flexors, hamstrings and back. They are called Monkey Pose in Yoga. This pose can help alleviate sciatic pain.
Additionally, hip flexibility and alignment is beneficial in all of your workouts. When your hips are properly aligned pressure is distributed evenly throughout your body. The pressure distribution through your hips impacts knee and back alignment during all exercise.
I shared some pictures of my progress, and got a lot of questions about stretches that you can do to help progress toward doing a split. I filmed a video of a stretching routine you can do to help improve your flexibility for splits. Remember to always warm-up first! You don’t want to static stretch cold muscles.
Do not force any stretches. Do not bounce in any stretches. Listen to your body and go at your own pace. Consult your doctor with any concerns or medical issues, and check with them to see if it’s okay to participate in these stretches.
Hopefully soon I will have my full split! Feel free to tag me in your photos on Instagram (@BenderFitness) or Facebook!
I hope you’re enjoying the Lean Muscle Building Workouts thus far. A big part of building lean muscle is rest and maintaining flexibility. Building muscle won’t do you any good if you lose flexibility and lose functional abilities or get injured. Rest days are when your muscles repair and gain strength.
Melissa
PS You can check in with your progress on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. #BenderFitness or @BenderFitness
Just Starting Out. Notice Upper Body Position in relation to Hips.
Able to Lift the Chest over the Hips a bit more.
Getting Better
Almost There
*Warm-Up Dynamic Leg Swings 1. Forward Fold 2. Runner’s Lunge (right) 3. Nose to Knee (right) 4. Runner’s Lunge (left) 5. Nose to Knee (left) 6. Pigeon (right) 7. Pigeon Fold (right) 8. Pigeon Stretch (right) 9. Pigeon (left) 10. Pigeon Fold (left) 11. Pigeon Stretch (left) 12. Down Dog 13. Cat/Cow 14. Leg Wall Stretch (right) 15. Leg Wall Stretch (left) 16. Saddle Wall Stretch 17. Split (right) 18. Split (left) 19. Split (center)
Hi Everyone! Stretching is one of the most important things you can do to keep your body healthy and injury free. It will help maintain your bodies biomechanics, improve blood flow to your muscles (which helps them heal and strengthen more efficiently), and allows you to complete exercises through the full range of motion to maximize the benefits of each movement. This is my post-run stretching routine, but it can be used after any workout. Pre-workout you want to do dynamic stretching (check out Jesse’s Running Warm-Up and Cool Down here.) Post workout you can transition to static stretches as demonstrated in the video below. I completed this stretch routine when I got home from running my Half Marathon, along with some foam rolling (you can find my Foam Rolling routine here.) As a result I had minimal soreness after my race. I noticed some soreness through my quads when walking down stairs. I repeated this routine for the first three days after my race to avoid late onset muscle soreness. Often people find that the true soreness doesn’t kick in until two days after a hard workout. I plan on continuing with this stretching routine, as I have noticed a decrease in my flexibility, and I want to improve/maintain my current abilities. I hope you all enjoy this stretch routine! Melissa
*To maximize the benefits of this workout, hold each stretch for 60 seconds. You can build up stretch time based on your bodies tolerance.*
1. Flat Back Table Fold 2. Forward Fold 3. Wide Leg Twisting Fold   -Chest to Leg and then Obliques to Leg.   -Repeat Right and Left 4. Pigeon Pose   -Repeat Right and Left 5. King Arthur Pose   -Repeat Right and Left 6. Knee to Ground Lunge to Shin Stretch   -Repeat Right and Left 7. Down Dog 8. Up Dog
Welcome to Day 5 of the DietBet Challenge! It’s a yoga day! Time to stretch out all of those muscles and get rid of any soreness and lactic acid build up in your body.
It’s been a great week of workouts so far. Stretching can actually improve your body’s ability to recover and build lean muscle. Yoga has also been shown to improve your awareness of your bodies hunger signals, and is linked to decreased appetite and more mindful eating.
Yoga also lowers your stress and cortisol production. Higher Cortisol levels have been linked to increased belly fat, and difficulty losing weight.
Hi Everyone! For tonight’s workout I kept it very simple and did 10 Sun Salutations. Sun Salutations are composed of 9 basic yoga postures.
Mountain Pose (Tadasana)
Upward Salute (Urdhva Hastasana)
Standing Forward bend (Uttanasana)
Warrior I/Lunge
Plank Pose
Chaturanga Dandasana (Four-Limbed Staff Pose)
Upward Facing Dog (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana)
Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)
Chair Pose (Utkatasna)
These poses will give you a full body workout. You will bring your body and spine through a full range of motion that will help improve your flexibility, circulation, and even digestion.
Anytime you are practicing yoga (or any exercise) you will reap the most benefits by focusing on each pose you engage in. Improving your mind body connection actually improves the physical and mental benefits you get from exercise.
The video below is the first video I ever posted on my blog. As you can see the website has actually changed names since then!
For those of you looking for an extra challenge I also posted my Sun Salutation/Fitness Fusion workout, which combines Sun Salutations with weighted exercises. (I stuck to the traditional version tonight).
I am planning on posting new workouts all week. I am filming a new workout tomorrow evening as soon as I get home. I am re-focusing on my health and fitness, and getting my energy level back up to where it used to be. 🙂 I started out this weekend by running a 5K on Saturday, Yoga tonight (Sunday), and getting back to sharing more workouts this week. Enjoy! I will see you tomorrow! Melissa PS You can also find me on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
I finally have time to play catch-up and get some stuff posted here! Sorry for going MIA, it’s been a busy few days! I am really looking forward to getting back on track with my workouts. I have been having trouble making time for them.
I will point out that I said “making time.” I could have fit them in (15 Minute HIIT anyone?) Starting today I am re-commiting to making time for my workouts, and my blogging. Expect to see more workouts from me this week.
For this quick, core workout, one round takes 5 Minutes. This is a great workout to repeat, to do if you are in a time crunch, or to use as a core interval in-between rounds of another workout.
This is a great core workout for runners. I will also be posting it on my running blog: www.BenderRunning.com.
Have fun! Check back later for more NEW workouts, and a few recipes that I have been waiting to share. 🙂
Click the link to get your own Gymboss Interval Timer! Set your Interval Timer for 5 rounds of 10/50. 1. Mountain Climber 2. Heel Tap Abs 3. Single Leg Pushup 4. Bicycle 5. V-Ups Repeat 1-5X
Today’s workout is a yoga flow. The video is below.
This flow is designed to build strength while sculpting long, lean, and flexible muscle.
My lower back was bother me for a few days from maintaining a seated position in a non-ergonomic, non-cushioned, wooden chair while I was working on my blog. (If you sit at a desk all day check out: Seated Office Yoga).
Extended Side Angle Pose
Prior to starting this workout I did some gentle yoga stretching for my back to make sure I hadn’t tweaked anything. Learning to tell the difference between injury, soreness and tightness is an important part of living a healthy lifestyle. Scientific studies have shown that people who practice yoga regularly are more likely to increase awareness of their physical health and even hunger signals!
I also included a few pictures below with the benefits/focus of some of the poses I used in this video.
I felt 100% better after my stretching, and fantastic after doing this yoga flow! I felt so good that I finished my workout with a 40 minute run outside.
Benefits: Can help relieve low back pain, sciatica, osteoporosis, menstrual discomfort and constipation.
This pose works the ankles, legs, knees, groin, chest, shoulders, spine and abdomen.
Warrior III/Stick Pose (variation)
Warrior III/Stick Pose:
Benefits: Strengthens the ankles, legs, shoulders and back. Tones the abdomen. Improves balance and posture.
This pose works the thighs, hamstrings, calves, ankles, hips, shoulders, core and spine.
Bridge Pose/Half Wheel Pose (variation)
Bridge Pose/Half Wheel Pose:
Benefits: Extends the thoracic spine, lengthens the hip flexors. Strengthens the legs, opens the shoulders and chest. Tones the upper-back muscles. This pose can help improve pelvic position and muscle imbalances caused from long periods of sitting.
This pose can be used to reduce anxiety and build toward a full back bend. Are the front of your body lengthens and becomes more flexible you will be able to lift the chest more in this pose. This is a great pose for building strength and flexibility in the back. As flexibility grows you will be able to reach your hands closer to your heels.
Today’s workout is a 30 Minute Yoga/Pilates/Fitness Fusion. The video is below.
This workout style is great because it is challenging and it promotes both muscular strength and flexibility. This is a great full body workout that requires no equipment.
Maintaining and improving flexibility and strength is important to injury prevention and muscular balance. People who are very flexible at times have difficulty holding positions like plank due to decreased strength in the muscles that support strong posture. People who focus only on strength often do so at the expense of flexibility and lost range of motion.
Having a balance of both strength and flexibility will promote health and proper biomechanics, which will help you to maintain a healthy body.
I haven’t been doing as much yoga/stretching as I used to, and I have lost a lot of my flexibility. I want to re-incorporate yoga and meditation into my routine. I will write about the benefits of meditation (which are numerous!) If you have any questions please post them in the comments below or on Facebook.
I love taking my workout outdoors. There is something rejuvenating about being surrounded by nature.
Hi Everyone! Today’s workout has two sections: Strengthening and Stretching. This is a workout for your back. It is important to maintain back strength as a balance to your abdominal strength. It will also help you maintain form for all exercises that you perform. It is equally important to maintain back flexibility. In this video I demonstrate some basic back strengthening exercises with dumbbells. I have also included my pull up video. Exercise number one in this workout is pull ups. Pull ups are my favorite exercise for back strengthening. If you are reading this and thinking “I will never be able to do that” think again. From the time I turned 12 I believed that I couldn’t do a pull up. I started doing Bender Fitness workouts, and my friend’s husband challenged me to try a pull up. I told him that I couldn’t do it, but I tried anyway. Much to my own shock I succeeded. You will get there with consistency and practice. Enjoy the workout! Melissa
Repeat 1-4X 1. Pull Ups 2. Bent Over Row 3. Bent Over Fly 4. Back Extensions or Supermans 5. Leg Extension or Prone Heel Tap 6. Deadlift Stretch: 1. Up/Down Dog 2. Pelvic Tilt 3. Knee to Chest and Extend (right) 4. Knee to Chest and Extend (left) 5. Twist (right) 6. Twist (left) Foam Roll
This is an active recovery workout to stretch out the entire body, get the blood flowing to any tight muscles, and help remove any lactic acid build up from your body. This yoga flow takes 20 minutes.
Yoga is amazing, because when you finish a yoga flow your body has a different kind of energy than it does when you finish a high intensity workout. If you are trying both today compare how you feel after each one. Additionally, research has shown that yoga increases your body awareness and decreases over eating. The theory is that as you raise awareness of your body you are able to more accurately interpret hunger signals vs boredom.
I also got in a 3 mile run, so I am attaching a HIIT Cardio Workout video as well.
I hope you all enjoy the Day 17 workout! I am late getting this posted, so Day 18 will be posted this afternoon. 🙂
Hi Everyone! In this video I demonstrate how to use a foam roller to decrease pain in your shins, hamstring, calves, quads and shoulders. Foam rolling is a great way to give yourself a deep tissue massage. Foam rolling can breakdown scar tissue and adhesion’s that build up within your muscles, increasing blood flow and improving muscle flexibility. Foam rolling immediately after a workout, and following it up with static stretching can help prevent the build-up of scar tissue in your body. Improving your blood flow does more than speed up the healing process, it also increases your bodies abilities to provide oxygen and nutrients to your body. It helps prevent shortening of muscles which can lead to bio-mechanical issues and repetitive strain injuries. This simple tool can improve the speed at which you heal, and help prevent injury, and you can reap the benefits with as little as 5-10 minutes of foam rolling. The first time you try it it might feel painful. Try to pause on areas that feel tight. These are the areas that need your attention most. The benefits of taking care of your body are plentiful, so take a little time for yourself and foam roll. 🙂 Melissa
Hi Everyone! Last night was a yoga night (the video of the flow is below). I have just over a week until my first half marathon, so I also got in some easy (comfortable pace) running miles. It is super hilly where I live so it can be challenging to get in an easy effort workout. Sometimes it’s just as important to slow down as it is to push hard. I really enjoyed this workout. It’s a great combination of stretching and strengthening. As with all workouts it’s important to push at your own pace/level of flexibility. It doesn’t matter if you can’t touch your toes (yet), what matters is that every time you do these exercises you recognize what your body is capable of and you respect that. If you respect your body it will return the favor and grow stronger and more capable. 🙂 Stretches and yoga poses should not hurt. They should challenge you, and you should feel your muscles working, but never bounce in a pose or push a stretch further than you are able to. Flexibility comes with time and practice. It’s something that I really need to work on because I am not as flexible as I used to be, and it helps keep you safe and injury free. Enjoy the yoga flow! Melissa
1. Side Plank Hip Stretch (right) 2. Side Plank Hip Stretch (left) 3. Pigeon (right) 4. Pigeon (left) 5. 1 Leg Forward Fold (right) 6. 1 Leg Forward Fold (left) 7. Down Dog 8. King Arthur Pose (right) 9. King Arthur Pose (left) 10. Hip Opener 11. Runners Lunge (flexed to extended knee) (right) 12. Runners Lunge (left) 13. Back Stretch 14. Back Twist (right) 15. Back Twist (left)
Hi Everyone,
This is a yoga based stretching video for the lower body and low back. I created this stretch series to target areas that become tight with running and repetitive movements. It’s important to keep your muscles limber to prevent injury and speed recovery.
With running, or any repetitive exercise movements, imbalances can occur in the body. When this happen your alignment is impacted (often in the form of an anterior or posterior pelvic tilt). This change in alignment can cause increased pressure on the knees and joints.
There is a rumor out there that running will damage your knees and joints. This is not true. Running strengthens your bones and joints. However, if you are running with improper bio-mechanics and alignment you are repetitively using your joints and muscles incorrectly, and over time this can cause damage.
Stretching, along with strengthening the antagonist muscle pairs can help prevent injury and keep you strong and safe.
I had a tough workout planned for tonight, but the arch of my foot is feeling tender. I am taking tonight off to let it rest, and keep it from becoming an injury. I shared the Love HIIT: 10 Minute Dumbbell Workout on my facebook page today. It’s a good one! If you are looking for a challenging workout to try, check it out.
Last night I filmed this full body stretching routine. The moves in this video are all part of my normal stretching. As I mention in the video, I have been feeling that my hip flexors are getting a bit tight so I have been doing more stretching.
Stretching has a plethora of benefits. It helps keep your muscles strong, and allows blood and oxygen to flow more easily to your muscles. Flexibility helps prevent injuries, and maintain alignment and balance throughout your body.
Think of your muscles like leather. When leather is left out in the sun it shortens, and becomes dry and brittle. The same thing can happen to your muscles if you don’t stretch. The good news is that even if your muscles have already shortened, with dedicated stretching you can re-lubricate them and increase your range of motion.
Also, tight muscles cause many problems. Back and knee pain are two of the leading problems that can be directly related the shortened muscles. Tight hamstrings, and tightness of the IT band can be very painful.
So have I convinced you of the importance of stretching yet? If you don’t stretch already try adding it into your routine. If none of the reasons above have motivated you, maybe knowing that stretching can increase muscle gains when you workout will do it. 🙂 Whatever your reason, be sure to stretch!
This was my workout for the evening. I did a slow long run with Jesse this morning (six miles). If you haven’t read about my running progression yet check it out: Running Made Me Cry…How I Became a Runner In that post I also shared my running schedule from last week.
I also posted a new recipe for Summer Squash Whole Wheat Pasta which I have been completely obsessed with lately! It’s so delicious, and full of veggies.
Tonight’s video is a quick yoga flow that will stretch and work your whole body. I paid a bit of extra attention to hip flexor stretches in this video. Tight hip flexors can cause a whole host of problems, including improper alignment of your back, which leads to that lower tummy pouch so many women are fighting against.
Problems related to tight hip flexors aren’t just cosmetic. It can cause low back pain and hip injuries.
Enjoy the video and the yoga flow. I will see you tomorrow with a new video.
I hope that you have been enjoying this week’s workouts. When I woke up this morning I felt all of the work that we have been doing on our glutes. I decided to work some of the lactic acid out of my muscles by going for a nice long run outside. It was in the upper 30s today, so it’s a lot warmer (relatively speaking!) than it has been. I ran 5.65 miles on a VERY hilly route.
According to our GPS watch the total ascent for this run was 1138 feet. That’s a lot of uphill! For today’s workout I recommend getting in 30-45 minutes of cardio. That can be running, jump rope, dancing, or anything that gets your heart rate up for the duration of the exercise. J
For today’s video Jesse and I filmed a full body stretching routine. This routine is great for runners, or anyone, who wants to increase their flexibility. There are a lot of stretches in this video for areas that are difficult to get with traditional stretching. We spend a lot of time stretching the IT band, back, and quads.
Many people ask me why stretching is important. Think of a piece of leather. It starts out supple and soft, but if you leave it out in the sun to dry it shrinks and hardens, until it is stiff, tough, and inflexible. This is what happens to your muscles when you don’t stretch. It leaves them much more vulnerable to injury. The good news is that your muscles can be slowly re-lubricated and stretched out over time. You can regain your flexibility through practice. This will help keep you healthy and able bodied throughout your life.
I don’t want there to be a day when I can no longer do these stretches or workouts. I firmly believe that the best medicine is prevention. It is much easier to maintain your health and fitness through life than it is to regain it (although that is possible too!) I hope you enjoy this video, and find it useful to your practice.
