stretch

23 Minute Yoga Fitness Flow

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Hi Everyone, 

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. 
Melissa

Full Body Stretching (Great for Runners): Melissa Bender Fitness

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Hi Everyone,

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.

Melissa