BurrellesLuce PressClipping
75 East Northfield Road / Livingston, NJ / 973-992-6600
| PUBLICATION: |
OXYGEN |
| DATE: |
08-01-2007 |
| HEADLINE: |
Stretching - the Truth |
stretching
the Truth
Prevent muscle tears and keep your joints happy by improving your
flexibility in four simple moves. All it takes is four simples
stretches.
BY CHRIS CANDERI PHOTOGRAPHY ROBERT REIFF |[^M f you are unable to do the splits, to achieve it completely by overcoming
instructor and author who holds a master of sports certification from
the former Soviet government, says, "no muscles run from one leg to the
other. No
vent muscle tears and maintain joint health. Tsatsouline says that women
Fitness competitors and gymnasts
there is likely only one thing the stretch reflex. "They could not need more flexibility than most ath-
standing in your way; your mind, have achieved structural changes of this letes, but everyone should have some
Pavel Tsatsouline, a fitness rnagnitude in this time frame. It was flexibility reserve beyond the demands
purely mental." TIP: Instead of making of their sport or lifestyle to
help preyourself become flexible, letyouiself become flexible.
To do a relaxed stretch, get into a should focus on their hamstrings and
tendons, no ligaments; nothing but skin." position where the muscle is tense, and hip flexors, and do everything else
Nothing should prevent you from extend- then simply wait for the stretch reflex to according to individual needs. The fol-
ing both legs out at the same time, subside. Once it's relaxed, sink deeper lowing five moves can be done after
assuming you are able to do one at a into the position, allowing the muscle to (never before) a workout. "But if you
time. So why can't you? It's a trick of extend. This will feel uncomfortable, but work out daily, then don't stretch hard
your nervous system. When you put ^^^^^.^ ^^ p^^^ 3^^^ Tsatsouline,
every time," he says, your body into a strange position, ..^^^.^^ ^^^^
p^^pj^ ^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^ g
your nervous system tells your mus- ^^j^^^ .^^^ ^ hamstring stretch and hold it 1
cles to tighten up and resist lengthening. ^^^ ^^ ^^^^^^ ^^ ^^^^^^ ^p ^^ ^^^^ |
This defensive reflex is designed to protect .^^^.^ ^^^ ,^^g ^^^^^ ^^ ^^^^^^^^ ^^ |
vour connective tissues. You simplv must , n j . n . r S
•' ^ ¦' stretch reflex, and it actually reinforces g
learn the skills to override it. TIP: Stretch . n u i • l -
the reflex by making your muscles J!
not only your muscles, but your mind. . , . . I
¦' tighten up even more the next time you "
•Imagine that your muscle is a tele- ^ .^,, j^p^^p^^ ^^^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^ |
scopic antenna. You could brutalize the ^^^ ^^^^^^^ ^,,^^, (ligaments and ten- 3
outer pipe by stretching' it, or you could ^ .^^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^,^ .^ g
let the inner pipes effortlessly slide out
instability. TIP: Don't force the stretch;
through what I call relaxed stretching," ^^^ ^^ relaxation that will
aUow the Tsatsouline says. "It's not necessary to j^^^iestolengthea
actually stretch the muscles, or make structural changes to the
tissues. You relax the muscle so it displays its fuU length." During a
recent three-hour seminar, Tsatsouline helped students who were a few
inches from completing a split
/
full squat
Developing the strength and flexibility required to perform this
stretch is essential for maintaining optimal lower body mobility and
knee joint health. Begin with your feet shoulder-width apart, and your
back and neck straight. Shift your weight onto your heels, and push
your tush back, as though you were going to sit into a chair. Lower
your body as far as you can go without shifring your weight onto your
toes. 'Always keep your knees and toes pointed in the same direction,
and never toward each other," says Tsatsouline. If you have iffy knees
or weak legs, hold onto a doorway as you squat. Exaggeratedly shift
your weight to your heels such that if you let go of the door you would
not be able to maintain your balance. As you develop, deepen the range
of motion. Once you are able to perform a full squat, you should easily
be able to sit on your haunches unsupported for minutes at a time.
kneeling hip flexor stretch
"Tight hip flexors cause bad backs, sagging stomachs and butts, and
athletic mediocrity," says Tsatsouline. "Flexible hip flexors, however,
can dramatically improve your appearance by flattening your abs and
tucking the glutes in." Step into a very deep lunge with your lefr
foot, and allow your right knee and foot to rest on the floor behind
you. Keep your torso and the left shin upright and your hips squared
throughout the stretch. Contract your abdominals to
protect your back, and contract the hip flexors - the muscles on the
front of the kneeHng leg - by imagining that you are going to kick
forward with that foot. Release the tension and allow yourself to sag
forward. Don't allow yourself to lean forward, twist or rest on your
front knee. You can keep yourself in the correct position by looking
straight ahead, as your body tends to foUow your head. Exhale and
relax. Slowly return to the starting position and repeat on the
opposite leg.
the cossack
This stretch will help loosen up your hips and improve your squatting
ability. It can be challenging, however, because you must keep your
knees aligned with your toes, and never buckled inward. Squat down with
one foot flat on the floor and the other leg extended out to the side.
"Make sure that the straight leg is really straight, not just sort of
straight and the heel of your bent leg is planted," says Tsatsouline.
Squeeze your glutes, then relax and let yourself go down as deep as you
can. Release and sink even deeper. Repeat on the other leg. "Switch
your position after each contraction to work every angle of your hip
joint range of motion," he says. "Shift the weight on your support foot
from heel to toes and back, vary the distribution of weight between
feet, change the direction of where your unloaded foot is pointing." To
prevent knee joint injury, support yourself with your hands on the
floor until you can do this drOl unsupported.
A 1^^ ^ i
B
>>-DONT FORCE
¦ ANY STRETCH.
>^ shoulder rotation
"This is great for shoulder lieaidi as well as for posture," say.s
Tsatsouline. Stand with your feet wider than shoiUder-width, and grasp
a lengtb of flexible tubing (like an oxygenfit band) with your hands in
front of you with a wide, overhand grip, and your elbows locked. Pull
from your shoulders, imagining that you are trying to tear the tubing
apart. Your chest should pulf out as your shoulder blades pinch
together, and from here you can begin to bringthe rope over your head
atid behind you. "Make sure you're pulling the rope hard in opposite
directions, and you wil! deselop amazing flexibility. If you relax, you
risk injury to your shoulder joints,' says Tsatsouline. Relax, and
exhale Reverse the movement, and then cry it again with your grip a
little narrower if you feel up to it. O
>-^ STRETCH NOT ONLY YOUR MUSCLES, BUT YOUR MIND.
>^ INSTEAD OF MAKING YOURSELF BECOME FLEXIBLE LET YOURSELF BECOME FLEXIBLE.
From Russia with Tough Love
Pavel Tsatsouline has trained Soviet commandos to do the splits in
three to six months - 'whether they liked it or not." In Russia, ha
says, flexibility training is simply a part of strength training, but
elsewhere il must be taught. AU of Tsalsouline's extensive experience
in teaching inflexible people how to become flexible can be summarized
in two main points:
Relax. Get into a stretch and stay there until lhe muscles relax, and allow your muscles to extend.
Breathe. Visualize breathing into
and through the muscle until it relaxes. It's a powerful technique.