http://www.thealternativedaily.com/
If you’re like most people, you don’t think much about your joints until they start complaining. But your joints deserve attention long before they cause continuous discomfort. Keeping joints healthy is about taking smart, preventative steps throughout your life. By taking precautions early on, you can help avoid pain, inconvenience, and costly hospital visits later […]
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/
As a health-minded individual, you’ve no doubt gotten the memo that omega-3 fatty acids are important. You may dutifully eat your weekly servings of small, oily fish. Perhaps a fish oil pill is even part of your daily supplement routine. But do you know why?
Looking back, I used to write about omega-3s a lot in the early days of Mark’s Daily Apple (more than a decade ago, geez!) Since then, I’ve covered the topic here and there, but I thought it was time for a refresher. Today I’m going to focus on giving you a broad overview of their function and an update on the state of the research literature.
It would be impossible to cover all the reasons that omega-3s are important for health in a single post, nor all the areas of ongoing research. I’ll try to hit the big ones here. Let me know in the comments what else you’d like me to cover in future posts.
Omega-3s are essential polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs)—“essential” means the body can’t synthesize them. We have to get them from food or supplements.
As Primal folks, you might have an adverse reaction to the word “polyunsaturated.” It’s true that in the ancestral health world, we tend to be wary of PUFAs—or really, oils containing high proportions of PUFAs such as safflower and canola—due to their propensity to become rancid and be pro-inflammatory. However, this is a don’t-throw-the-baby-out-with-the bathwater situation. First, when it comes to overconsumption and inflammation, we are primarily concerned with omega-6 fatty acids, not omega-3s. Second, PUFAs, both omega-3s and even the oft-maligned omega-6s, serve many functions in the human body.
I’ll return to the issue of omega-6s vis-à-vis omega-3s later in this post. For now, I just want you to understand that omega-3s are polyunsaturated, essential, and important.
Omega-3s and omega-6s are both types of polyunsaturated fatty acids. What does this mean? Fatty acids comprise chains of carbon atoms of differing lengths. Picture each carbon atom having four arms. They “hold hands” to form the chain. With the remaining hand(s), they hold on to one or more hydrogen atoms.
If each carbon atom uses one hand to hold the carbon on its left and one to hold the carbon on its right, that leaves two hands free for hydrogen. When each carbon is attached to two hydrogen atoms, these fatty acids are called saturated.
Sometimes carbons form double bonds, meaning they use two hands two grab a neighboring carbon. This leaves only one hand free for hydrogen. These are unsaturated fatty acids. When fatty acids only have one double bond along the carbon chain, they are called monounsaturated. When they have multiple double bonds, they are polyunsaturated.
The number in the name of the fatty acid tells you where you can find the first double bond. In omega-3s, the first double bond is on the third carbon atom from the omega (methyl) end. In omega-6s, it’s on the sixth carbon atom.
Double bonds form “kinks” in the fatty acid chains, affecting the shape, and ultimately the function, of the fatty acid. It is not inherently bad for a fatty acid to be polyunsaturated, but it does mean that they are especially vulnerable to oxidation. Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids (along with their less appreciated cousins, the omega-9 fatty acids) are each important in their own way.
There are many forms of omega-3 fatty acids, of which three are particularly noteworthy for humans:
ALA is the most abundant in the diet. In humans, its main biological function is as a precursor for EPA and DHA. ALA that is not converted to EPA or DHA is used mainly for energy.
Even though ALA is converted into EPA and DHA, the latter two are still considered essential (or “conditionally essential”) because conversion rates are too low to provide all the EPA and DHA needed for optimal functioning. Females are better able to convert ALA thanks to higher estrogen, but both sexes need to get EPA and DHA in their diet and/or from supplements.1
Omega-3s are found throughout the body, notably in cell membranes, where they affect the fluidity of the membranes and, ultimately, gene expression. All the omega-3s play numerous important roles in the body, including in cellular metabolism, immune system function, and cardiovascular health.
EPA is involved in producing signaling molecules called eicosanoids that modulate inflammation, while DHA is an important structural component especially in the nervous system and retinas. Both EPA and DHA are generally considered to be anti-inflammatory, although that’s something of an oversimplification. Their effect on the immune system depends on the context.
Generally speaking, though, EPA and DHA exert anti-inflammatory effects, in contrast to omega-6s, especially arachidonic acid (AA), which tend to be pro-inflammatory. Omega-3s work their anti-inflammatory magic in a number of ways, including by producing specific eicosanoids, suppressing pro-inflammatory transcription factors, decreasing production of inflammatory cytokines, and by “turning off” inflammatory responses once they have done their job.2 3
Because inflammation is characteristic of so many disease states, omega-3s are a major area of research interest. Researchers have studied how omega-3s interact with practically every major disease and developmental process you can think of.
I’ll tell you up front, we still have a lot more questions than answers. Sometimes it seems that omega-3 intake in the diet buffers against a certain health issue, but the results aren’t replicated in randomized control trials. (It may be that the initial epidemiological studies are flawed – I’m highly skeptical of this methodology overall.) Experiments often yield inconsistent results. There may be differences between getting omega-3s from whole foods versus supplements, or certain populations may respond differently than others to supplementation. Studies may not be targeting the optimal dose. On and on.
The fast is, there are few “knowns” with regard to specific diseases. It’s fair to say that it’s clearer that omega-3s are important in a global sense — for overall health — than for any specific disease or disorder.
The potential for omega-3s to prevent or treat cardiovascular disease has probably has received the most attention. There is lots of data here… and the results are all over the map. Let me try to summarize some of the major findings, focusing on recent meta-analyses where possible:
Overall, the data from many studies seems promising, though it gets messy when you really dig into the literature. Despite the messiness, last year the U.S. Food and Drug Administration concluded that there is “credible evidence” that EPA and DHA may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease and hypertension.10
On the other hand, a Cochrane Review published earlier this year takes a different stance.11 The authors conclude that there it is unlikely that omega-3 supplementation meaningful affects mortality, although they concede that there might be some benefit for cardiovascular disease events and arrhythmia. Effects of supplementation may vary by dose, which might help explain inconsistencies between studies.12 13 Optimal dose could depend on what outcomes you’re hoping to achieve.
One area where omega-3 supplementation seems to shine is in the treatment of hypertriglyceridemia, or high triglycerides.14 Multiple studies show a benefit, but at doses higher that you’re likely to take over the counter. To reduce triglycerides, the American Heart Association recommends taking 2 to 4 grams of EPA+DHA under a doctor’s supervision.15
Omega-3s are abundant in the brain and play key roles in neuronal functioning. It’s no surprise that they would be considered in the treatment of mental health disorders. Some disorders, notably depression, are also thought to be inflammatory, making anti-inflammatory omega-3s a potentially useful intervention. What does the data say?
There are multiple pathways by which omega-3s might support healthy aging, especially in the brain. A couple small studies demonstrated positive effects of supplementation on brain structure and function in older adults.22 23 However, results have been inconsistent overall, with no clear benefit for preventing or treating Alzheimer’s or dementia.
Other studies have looked at whether omega-3s can improve physical functioning. One found that in older adults with coronary artery disease, EPA+DHA improved functioning and was associated with getting more weekly exercise.24 Another showed increased muscle protein synthesis with supplementation.25
Likely due to their anti-inflammatory properties, omega-3s show promise for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. A recent meta-analysis of 20 randomized control trials linked omega-3 supplementation to improvements in 8 distinct health markers for RA, including stiffness in the morning and joint tenderness.26 Some studies, but not all, find that omega-3 supplementation reduces arthritis pain.27
The data with regard to cancer are too disparate to summarize neatly. Researchers are particularly interested in the possibility that omega-3s may reduce incidence of breast and colorectal cancers. I’ll be keeping my eye on this.
One important note is that some studies have found limited evidence of a positive association between omega-3 intake and prostate cancer. However, other large-scale epidemiological studies suggest that men who consume more fish are at lower risk for prostate cancer.28 29 It’s not clear what’s going on here, but it does suggest that you should talk to your doctor if you’re considering supplementing with omega-3s and you have had, or are at high risk for developing, prostate cancer.
Here’s how I read the situation: There is no doubt that omega-3s are crucial for health. You don’t want to be chronically low in omega-3s. Whether there is a benefit for supplementing with omega-3s—especially above and beyond what you get from your diet—depends on what you hope to get out of it. If you’re thinking about using omega-3s to treat a specific health issue, talk to your doctor. There are too many variables at play—your dietary intake and health status, types and omega-3s and dosing—to make blanket recommendations.
Marine animals are the primary dietary sources of EPA and DHA in the human diet. This is why I and others have argued previously that fish and shellfish played a critical role in human evolution.30 The abundance of DHA in particular was probably pivotal to our advanced brain development.
Some of the best sources of EPA and DHA are salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, herring, and oysters. Cod livers are delightfully mild and pack a wallop of vitamins A and D to boot. Primal-friendly sources of ALA include flax seeds, chia seeds, and walnuts. You also get some omega-3s in meat and eggs (chickens are often fed omega-enriched feed). Grass-finished beef and pastured eggs31 will deliver higher doses.
Although seafood is by far the best source of EPA and DHA, if you are vegetarian or vegan, you can get these important fatty acids from algal oil. Seaweed and chlorella also contain omega-3s, but nowhere near the quantities found in seafood.
The generally accepted advice is to aim for one to two servings per week of seafood, but there is no set recommended daily allowance (RDA) for ALA, EPA, or DHA. Generally, you’ll find recommendations to consume anywhere from 250 to 500mg per day of combined EPA+DHA. I developed an omega-3 formula with clean ingredients to make it easy to get sufficient EPA and DHA every day.
In the body, omega-6s compete for space with omega-3s. Both can be incorporated into cell membranes, where they affect the membranes’ fluidity, permeability, and signaling pathways. Research shows that the amount of each in cell membranes is proportional to omega-3 and omega-6 consumption in the diet. An imbalance of omega-3 to omega-6 PUFAs can negatively affect how the cells—including in immune cells and neurons—function.32
The primary omega-6 fatty acid is linoleic acid (LA). LA and the primary omega-3 ALA use the same enzymatic pathways to convert into longer-chain fatty acids: arachidonic acid (AA, in the case of LA) and EPA and DHA (in the case of ALA). High LA levels can crowd out the ALA and make it so that it can’t make the all-important EPA and DHA.
You can directly impact the amount of omega-3s and omega-6s in your tissues by changing your diet.33 This, in turn, can affect your levels of inflammation and disease risk. For example, across cultures with diverse diets, greater intake of omega-6s is associated with having more omega-6 in the tissues and with greater incidence of cardiovascular disease. This effect is moderated by omega-3 intake. Across all levels of omega-6 intake, higher omega-3 consumption is associated with lower disease risk. The lower the omega-3 intake, the higher the risk.34
Although some research suggests that the high ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 in modern diets puts people at risk for developing certain diseases such as heart disease and cancers,35 Experts argue that our ancestors evolved with a diet that had approximately equal proportions of omega-3s and omega-6s.36 Depending on whom you ask, modern diets may have a ratio of 1:10, 1:16, 1:20, or more!
I used to bang the drum about hitting the right omega-3:omega-6 ratio in your daily diet. In recent years I’ve backed off that stance somewhat. I still think modern diets like SAD are way too high in omega-6s, but the answer isn’t to pile on heaping servings of omega-3s to balance it and “correct” the ratio. The solution is to reduce consumption of omega-6s (mostly from refined seed and vegetable oils, and products containing those oils) while getting adequate omega-3s.
It is certainly possible to be deficient in omega-3s. Clinical deficiencies usually manifest as scaly rashes. Severe omega-3 deficiencies are rare in most parts of the world, though. Subclinical low omega-3 levels may manifest as brittle nails and hair, poor sleep, or mood disturbances.
Despite a mountain of evidence that omega-3s are essential for health, there is still no clear guidance about who exactly should supplement and how much. It seems to me that the best practice, and one I follow myself is: aim to get omega-3s from food, and supplement wisely as needed. In practice, this means I select grass-fed meat when I can, and I eat pastured eggs most days, and I eat a couple servings of small-oily fish every week. I take an omega-3 supplement most days, but I’ll skip that on the days when I eat fatty fish. Plus, I eat a lot of ALA-containing vegetables.
The other thing I do, of course, is limit my omega-6 consumption by avoiding refined seed and vegetable oils. I’m not overly concerned with omega-6s found in nuts, which I don’t eat in huge quantities anyway, or other whole foods.
For folks who are already eating a lot of omega-3-rich foods, further supplementation may not offer a ton of benefit.37 If you’re not sure where you fall, you can ask your doctor for a blood test for omega-3 levels. You can also just track your food for a few days in an app like Cronometer that tells you how much you’re consuming.
Perhaps. Some people have raised the concern that because they are polyunsaturated, omega-3s, especially in supplement form, are subject to rancidity and may cause oxidative stress. This speaks to the importance of sourcing your supplements from a reputable source. Store them according to instructions on the label and use them by their best-by dates. It’s another argument for prioritizing food sources as well.
Furthermore, it seems clear that more is not better, especially when it comes to supplementation. Excessive intake may lead to bleeding since EPA and DHA can reduce platelet aggregation, although this doesn’t seem to be a big risk for the average person. Nevertheless, the FDA recommends of cap of 3 grams EPA+DHA per day, with no more than 2 grams coming from supplements. Higher doses should only be taken with a doctor’s supervision.
In any case, these risks seem to me to be considerably less than the potential downsides of getting insufficient omega-3s. I still count omega-3s as a central player in overall health and healthy aging.
The post Omega-3s: Everything You Need to Know appeared first on Mark’s Daily Apple.
Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss
Are you not getting results from your exercise program? Here’s what you can do that is backed by science.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to exercise. Two people doing the same workouts may get very different results. One person might work hard in the gym for months without much progress, while their training buddy gets stronger in each session.
http://www.thealternativedaily.com/
Eating seeds is not just a passing fad. Seeds are the foundation of life for developing plants. So, it makes sense that they are tremendously nutritious for us human folk. All in all, seeds pack a nutritional punch. Experts agree, including a variety of super seeds in your diet, is a tasty way to get […]
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/
Today’s guest post is written by Louis J. Ignarro, PhD, a medical research scientist who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his breakthrough discoveries of nitric oxide (NO) and how NO positively impacts health and longevity.
In 1998, I was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for my pioneering studies on cardiovascular function and erectile function. We discovered that our bodies produce a small molecule that protects us against hypertension, heart attack and stroke. This same molecule serves as the neurotransmitter released from the nerves that cause penile erection and sexual arousal. The name of the molecule is “nitric oxide”, not to be confused with nitrous oxide (laughing gas), which has totally different properties.
Nitric oxide, also termed NO, is a gaseous molecule that is produced by our arteries in all organs to regulate cardiovascular function. NO causes the muscle cells (smooth muscle) enveloping arteries to relax, thereby causing vasodilation, or widening of the arteries. This physiological action results in a decrease in blood pressure within the arteries and increased blood flow to all organs through the dilated arteries. In the erectile tissue, the NO released during sexual stimulation causes profound relaxation or dilation of the arteries within the erectile tissue, termed the corpus cavernosum. This results in engorgement with blood and consequent penile erection.
Not only is vascular smooth muscle is relaxed by NO, but nonvascular smooth muscle such as airway smooth muscle in the trachea and bronchioles of the lungs is also relaxed by NO. Warren Zapol, MD from the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston took advantage of this bronchodilator action of NO in the lungs, and he discovered that inhalation of very small amounts of NO by newborn babies with persistent pulmonary hypertension (constricted pulmonary arteries), results in a dramatic and permanent reversal of hypertension. Inhaled NO (INO) literally turned blue babies into pink babies. Without INO, most babies would have died while others would have required highly invasive procedures to oxygenate their lungs, and may not have survived.
Nitric oxide turns out to be a ubiquitous molecule with many different properties. For example, not only does NO relax smooth muscle, but NO also reacts chemically with certain other molecules in cells to alter their function. The NO produced by our own cells can interact with molecules in invading cells such as bacteria, parasites and viruses to kill them or inhibit their replication or spread. NO has been shown to increase the survival rate of mammalian cells infected with SARS-CoV (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome caused by coronavirus). Importantly, in a limited study in 2004, inhaled NO (INO) was demonstrated to be effective against the SARS-CoV in severely ill patients with pneumonia. The mechanism of action was thought to be pulmonary vasodilation and consequent improved oxygenation in the blood of the lungs, thereby killing the virus, which does not do well in a high oxygen environment. In addition, however, I would offer the opinion that the NO also interacts with the virus to kill it directly.
In view of the above knowledge gained by treating SARS CoV patients with INO, it is scientifically logical that INO might be effective in patients with the current SARS CoV-2, or simply, COVID-19, infection. Indeed, a clinical trial of inhaled nitric oxide (INO) in patients with moderate to severe COVID-19 with pneumonia recently received IRB (Institutional Review Board) approval at the Massachusetts General Hospital. Warren Zapol, MD, is director of this project. In the successful treatment of persistent pulmonary hypertension in newborns, the amount of NO inhaled is generally one ppm (part per million). In the clinical trial using COVID-19 patients, the amount of NO will be 100-fold higher, namely, 100 ppm. This is a safe dose of INO, which could prove to be effective in killing the virus and allowing recovery of the patient.
One thing I urge everyone to practice during this coronavirus pandemic is to breathe or inhale through your NOSE and exhale through your mouth. The cells and tissues in the nose, but not the mouth, constantly and continuously produce nitric oxide, which is a gas. The physiological significance of this is that nasally-derived NO improves oxygen delivery into the lungs by causing bronchodilation – the relaxation and widening of the bronchi and bronchioles in the lungs. Moreover, when inhaling through the nose, your nasal nitric oxide is inhaled into your lungs, where it stands a chance of meeting up with the virus particles. Inhaling through your mouth will NOT accomplish this. By the same token, exhaling through your nose is highly wasteful in that you would be expelling the NO away from the lungs, where it is needed most.
Tip: If you’d like to develop the habit, set a reminder on your phone to chime every hour or so when you’ll practice breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth.
Louis Ignarro is a medical research scientist who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his breakthrough discoveries of nitric oxide (NO) and how NO positively impacts health and longevity. His discovery of this unique signaling molecule and all of its biological actions ranging from lowering your blood pressure to stimulating penile erection and sexual arousal is widely known as the information that led to the development of Viagra.
Ignarro earned his B.S. in Pharmacy/Chemistry from Columbia College in 1962, and received his Ph.D. in Pharmacology from the University of Minnesota in 1966. He also did post-graduate studies in Chemical Pharmacology at the National Institutes of Health.
Besides receiving the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (1998), Ignarro has received numerous awards and honors including: Distinguished Scientist Award of the American Heart Association, Roussel Uclaf Prize of France, National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Medicine, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, American Philosophical Society, and the American Academy of Achievement’s Golden Plate Award, given annually to those who have contributed most to human kind.
The post Can Inhaled Nitric Oxide Improve COVID-19 Symptoms? appeared first on Mark’s Daily Apple.
Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss
I have been writing programs, both for myself and others, for over 20 years. I always learn something when I coach someone through a training program, but I also learn a tremendous amount when I run a plan myself.
These programs usually start as something but evolve significantly by the time I finish. I have never been one to follow a program as written, mine, or anyone else’s, and only trust the process. Ironic that I give the opposite advice to clients. Do as I say, not as I do seems to apply nicely here.
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/
Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, coconut shrimp is a perfect appetizer or main event for any back patio supper.
Last-minute seafood cravings? No problem. This coconut shrimp recipe comes together in less time than it would take to pick up take out. It is prepared in the oven instead of the traditional pan-fry method, which creates a crunchy coating with hands-off cook time and easy cleanup.
Let’s get started.
Serves: 4
Time in the kitchen: 12 minutes, up to 20 minutes if you have to peel and devein your shrimp
Rinse your shrimp and pat dry. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and set up a sheet pan with a baking rack on top of it.
In a bowl, combine the shredded coconut, almond flour and spices. Whisk your egg into a second bowl.
Dredge the shrimp in the egg, and then carefully toss them into the coconut mixture. Use a fork or spoon to carefully move the breaded shrimp from the bowl to the baking rack. Continue doing this until all of the shrimp are coated.
Bake the shrimp for approximately 6-8 minutes, or until the shrimp is pink and opaque. Serve immediately with Primal Kitchen Cocktail Sauce and enjoy!
Tips:
Calories: 268
Total Carbs: 5 grams
Net Carbs: 4 grams
Fat: 15 grams
Protein: 28 grams
The post Crispy Grain-free Coconut Shrimp Recipe appeared first on Mark’s Daily Apple.
http://www.thealternativedaily.com/
When your spouse, neighbor, or colleague greets you with a cheery “Good Morning!”, do you find yourself questioning whether it really is a ‘good’ morning? The fact is, greater and greater numbers of us are dragging ourselves out of bed to face the day with bleary eyes after yet another night of inadequate rest. There […]
Originally posted at: http://www.nerdfitness.com/
You’re here because you want to learn how to improve your flexibility.
Well, you’ve arrived at the right place!
We’ve been livestreaming flexibility challenges as part of Nerd Fitness Prime, and today we’ll share with you our video series on the best exercises to improve flexibility.
If you’ve always considered yourself “inflexible,” you need this guide!
Here’s what we’ll cover today:
I promise you, if you follow the videos in our guide, you will be more flexible in 30 days.
The above video, streamed live for Nerd Fitness Prime members, kicked off our 30-day challenge “Flexibility for the Inflexible.”
In it, Nerd Fitness Coach Matt discusses the three best exercises for improving flexibility.
#1) Toe Touch
To perform a standing toe touch:
The goal here, ultimately, will be to touch your toes.
We also have a complete guide on How to Finally Touch Your Toes for more.
#2) Back Scratch
To perform a back scratch:
Over time, we are going to work to bring your hands closer together.
#3) Butterfly Stretch
To perform a butterfly stretch:
The goal here will be to bring your knees lower and feet closer to your groin, but don’t fret if this is challenging. Even Coach Matt has trouble with butterfly stretches.
Why these three exercises?
Coach Matt refers to the toe touch, back scratch, and butterfly stretch as “benchmarks.”
If you have decent mobility in these three exercises, you’re probably pretty flexible.
Improving these will be our mission for the next 30 days!
Each week, Coach Matt will provide three different video routines with exercises designed to target these specific benchmarks.
So in Week 1, you’ll find a video for:
You can do these videos all at once if you want, or break them up throughout your week.
Maybe you do a routine Monday, Wednesday, and then on Friday.
We’ll end this guide with some tips on starting a recurring practice.
At the end of our 4-week series, we’ll check-in, to see how everything is coming along.
Here’s what we need you to do right now: record where you are with these moves.
Coach Matt recommends a few ways to measure these benchmarks in the introductory video above, but even some subjective tracking would be useful: “on a scale of 1 to 10, this move was tough, so I’d give it an 8.”
Don’t forget about this initial tracking, even if you don’t have a measuring tape. Just go through the initial benchmark tests the best you can.
Before we jump into the series itself, let’s discuss some general tips and tricks for improving flexibility.
First and foremost, all bodies are different.
You might have a great range of motion in your back scratch, but can’t get much range on your toe touch. Or maybe you’re like Coach Matt, where butterfly stretches are challenging.
Our goal here is to improve YOUR flexibility. We’ll all have different mobility ranges on Day 1.
All of us have to start somewhere, so don’t stress if you feel inflexible…
…that’s why you’re reading this guide.
No matter what, by going through this process, you’ll learn more about your body and develop tools for increasing your range of motion.
Next up…
Coach Matt highlights two general ways to increase your flexibility:
You’re probably not going to increase the structural flexibility of your body after one stretching session. These things take time
However, you very well may increase your flexibility by improving your function or technique. As you go through the videos, Coach Matt will offer instructions on how to position your body for proper stretching.
This alone may very well increase your range of motion.
We’ll also be using three specific movement tools for improving flexibility:
#1) Active Range of Motion
This would be doing the complete movement of an exercise, fluidly.
So a normal bodyweight squat would be an active range of motion if you did the entire movement:
By going all the way down and back up with your squat, your muscles are engaged evenly throughout.
#2) Pulses
This movement has you stopping at a particular point of an exercise, like the bottom of a squat, and slowly and in control, pulsing slightly up and down:
You’re really only moving about an inch here for your pulses.
This will help you gain control of that particular area.
#3) Holds
As the name would suggest, here you’ll hold the position at a specific point of the exercise.
For example, for your squats, you may pause at the bottom of the movement:
This can help you grow stability during a particular stretch.
During the course of the next four weeks, we’ll be utilizing a combination of active range of motion, pulses, and holds, to increase your flexibility.
For our first week, Coach Matt is going to start us off slow.
Here, it’s all about learning the foundations of the movement.
To increase flexibility, it often comes down to properly setting up the stretch.
We’ll begin by teaching you the basics.
Toe Touch Week 1:
Back Scratch Week 1:
Butterfly Series Week 1:
This week, we’re going to identify the edge of your flexibility.
We won’t push or strain yourself too much, but we’ll use the breath as a sign for difficulty.
The goal here is to understand how flexible you may actually be (you might be able to reach farther than you think).
However, as Coach Matt will continuously remind you, if it feels unsafe don’t do it!
Toe Touch Week 2:
Back Scratch Week 2:
Butterfly Series Week 2:
In Week 3, it’s all about exploring and expanding your flexibility exercises.
We’ll be testing your movements and begin thinking about ways to “go off the rails” a little here and there.
In our third round of exercises, you’ll begin changing, adapting, and remixing the moves to increase your range of motion.
With flexibility, some creativity can be a good thing, which will be your focus for this stage.
Toe Touch Week 3:
Back Scratch Week 3:
Butterfly Series Week 3:
In the last week of “Flexibility for the Inflexible,” it’s all about building strength.
Muscle will help you hold and expand mobility positions, so this week Coach Matt covers exercises designed to couple strength with your flexibility.
We’ll even mix in some weights into your routine here.
Toe Touch Week 4:
Back Scratch Week 4:
Butterfly Series Week 4:
The video above is a “re-cap party” with Coach Matt, ending the 30-day Flexibility for the Inflexible challenge we ran for Nerd Fitness Prime members.
Let’s go over some highlights.
#1) Continue to test and retest your flexibility benchmarks.
That which gets measured gets improved, so continue to track your toe touch, back scratch, and butterfly stretch.
Remember, these tests don’t need to be some precise measurement rounded to the nearest millimeter (although if you want to do that, have at it).
Instead, they can be subjective:
“This is really tough, I can’t bring down my knees at all.”
to…
“I could probably sit like this for 15 minutes.”
Don’t stress out over how precise your measurements are, but do keep a record of how these stretches feel. It’ll help us know if you’re improving.
#2) Use your breath as a guide.
Breathing can often be a signal of excretion levels:
As Coach Matt highlights, during your flexibility exercises, don’t push too far past your comfort zone.
Yes, we should find your edge, but we also want you to feel in control during your stretches so you can really “own” the movement.
If you find yourself having to catch your breath, it could be a sign you’ve gone too far.
Be mindful of your breathing during our flexibility exercises.
#3) You don’t have to stretch every day.
You probably noticed that we provided three 20 minute videos per week to help improve your flexibility.
This was intentional, because you don’t have to stretch every day to increase your range of motion.
Truth be told, you don’t even need to do 20-minute sequences three times a week to improve flexibility. Even just 10 minutes of flexibility exercises a couple of times per week could improve your mobility.
Just make it habitual.
To do so, you can continue to follow the videos in this guide, or I have some other resources for you to check out.
Here are three more guides for improving your flexibility:
The most important thing you can do now?
Get to it!
You’re not going to get any more flexible by reading articles online, so pick a sequence from today and get going!
Start with the Flexibility for the Inflexible Week 1 videos if you’re unsure where to begin.
If you like our style here at Nerd Fitness, I have three great options on how you can continue your journey with us:
Option #1) Liked the Flexibility for the Inflexible videos we showed in today’s guide? Want to watch them live and follow along with the challenge in real-time? Join Nerd Fitness Prime!
Nerd Fitness Prime is our premium membership program that contains at-home exercise routines, live-streamed workouts with NF Coaches, group challenges, a supportive online community, and much more!
Option #2) If you want a professional coach in your pocket, who can do video form checks, provide feedback, and adjust your workouts based on your experience level, check out our 1-on-1 Online Coaching Program!
For example, let’s say you have an old injury and couldn’t perform one of our flexibility exercises. A Nerd Fitness Coach can work with you to create a customized routine for your exact situation.
Personally, I’ve been working with the same online coach since 2015 and it’s changed my life. You can learn more by clicking on the box below:
Option #3) Become part of the Rebellion! We need good people like you in our community, the Nerd Fitness Rebellion.
Sign up in the box below to enlist and get our Rebel Starter Kit, which includes all of our “work out from home” guides.
Get your Nerd Fitness Starter Kit
Alright, now I want to hear from you!
Did you try our “Flexibility for the Inflexible” series?
Did you find any of the exercises easier or harder than the others?
Any tips or tricks to help the “inflexible”?
Let me know in the comments!
-Steve
P.S. Personally, I’ve found a yoga practice to be incredibly helpful in improving my mobility. We have an entire course on starting home yoga as part of Nerd Fitness Prime.
I’d love for you to check it out.
###
Photo Source: Spiderman, LEGO Marvel Avengers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Trooper, Maybe the droids we’re looking for are at the bottom of this pool, Hold onto your hat, Monkey King
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/
If you need ideas for microworkouts to do at home, look no further. We’ve listed an entire alphabet of at-home microworkouts to power you up every day.
The idea behind microworkouts is that you weave them into your day instead of doing one longer, more intense workout. You’ll be amazed at how quickly the effects add up! See how many you can complete in a day, and try to fit them all in over the next few days. Let us know how many you check off.
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. In a smooth motion, take one step forward and bend both knees at the same time until your back knee is just a few inches from the ground. Return to your starting position and repeat with the other foot.
From a standing position, squat down and place your hands on the floor. Kick your feet back into a push-up position and do a push-up. Kick your feet forward to a squat position and do a vertical jump.
Start in a push-up position and roll to one side, placing the ball of your bottom foot slightly in front of your top foot for stability. Simultaneously bend your top arm and bottom leg so that your elbow and knee meet.
Lie flat on your back. Lift your shoulder blades and your heels off of the ground so that your abdominals engage. Keeping your legs straight, move one leg up about six inches while moving the other down, emulating a swim kick.
Lie flat on your back with your arms at your sides, palms flat. Bend your knees and plant your heels on the floor, just a few inches from your glutes. Press into your heels and raise your hips, holding a squeeze at the top. Lower slowly and repeat.
Primal Health Coach Brian demonstrates the hollow body rock at the 2:20 mark.
Find a sturdy platform, like an exercise step or the stairs in your house. Get into a push-up position with your feet on the floor and your hands on the elevated surface. Lower and raise your body just as you would with floor push-ups.
Start in a standing position with your feet shoulder-width apart. Lower into a squat position as if you are sitting in a chair. In one smooth motion, jump up and land, lowering back into a squat position. The invisible line between your tailbone and head should stay straight throughout the movement – only your legs should bend and straighten.
Start in a standing position, holding one kettlebell with both hands. Feet should be slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Swing the kettlebell up just to the point that your arms are holding it straight out in front of you. On the downswing, bend forward and and bend your knees slightly so that the kettlebell swings just under your pelvis. From there, change direction and swing back up to repeat.
Lie flat on the floor and place your hands under your glutes. With straight legs, slowly lift your legs until your legs and torso are at a 90 degree angle. Slowly lower back to the starting position. The key is to keep your abs tight through the entire movement.
Start in a push-up position. Move your right foot forward until your knee is just a few inches from your right elbow. Swiftly switch sides until your right knee is straight and your left knee is near your left elbow, and keep alternating until you’ve completed your set.
Start with your feet a little closer than shoulder-width apart. Bend as if you’re sitting into an invisible chair, keeping a straight line between your tailbone and head. Slowly rise back to standing and repeat.
Grab two light weights, light kettlebells, water bottles, or one resistance band. Starting from a standing position, raise your weights over your head and bend at the elbow to lower them to almost touch your shoulders. Straighten your arms to raise the weight and repeat. If you’re using a resistance band, step on the middle, grip the handles, and execute the movement as you would with weights.
Reverse lunges are the same movement as alternating lunges above, except instead of taking a step forward, take a step back before you bend your knees and lower.
Place your hands on the edge of a chair seat, fingers forward. Walk your feet out to where you can comfortably drop down into a dip. With feet planted on the floor, use your arms to lower your body until your glutes are just a few inches from the ground. Press your body back up and repeat.
Start in a standing position, feet shoulder width apart. Hold a two light weights, or resistance band handles in front of your belly. Gripping the weight, trace an imaginary line from your pelvis to your clavicle. Slowly lower and repeat.
Lie flat on your back. Raise your shoulder blades and feet off of the ground. With straight legs, hold the position, making sure that the only part of your body touching the ground is your glutes.
From a standing position, touch your back to the wall and drop down as if you’re sitting in an invisible chair. Hold for as long as you can.
Start in the V-Sit position with your arms out in front of you. Raise your shoulders while bringing one knee closer to your chest, while your hands sweep past your knee. Lower your shoulders and knee at the same time, and repeat with the other knee.
Lie on your belly with straight legs and your arms straight out in front of you. Simultaneously raise your upper body and legs off of the ground until your belly is the only thing touching the ground. Hold.
The post A to Z Microworkouts to Weave Into Your Day appeared first on Mark’s Daily Apple.
For now classes are 6pm and 640pm at 2840 Wildwood st in the Boise Cloggers studio.
Book your class NOW!
click this ==>
