How to stretch for better strength and conditioning results

By Caleb Lee

Some things are just important. I like to stress how important it is to warm-up before any kind of workout (whether it's a weight training session or a game of tennis) you need to be prepared. Even better, stretching has a lot of other benefits; not just as a warmup, but as a worthwhile addition to your fitness regimen in its own right.

Flexibility is important to every aspect of your life, not just as a bodybuilder or athlete of any stripe. I'll try in this article to convince all of you of the benefits of stretching each and every day, whether or not you'll even be working out that day. The facts are, it's just plain good for you (and can feel GREAT -- especially if you start your day with it!) And it gets even more important the older you get!

Stretching will give you a greater range of movement. This comes in handy in every situation. Remember the last time you had to contort yourself to get something into or out of your crawlspace-style attic, for instance? Imagine how much easier that would have been if you were a bit more flexible. Or perhaps you have kids it's easier keeping up with children after following a regular routine of daily stretches.

Here's something else, people don't realize about stretching: You'll be more relaxed. Stretching causes your heart rate to slow and stress levels to lower somewhat. With regular stretching, this effect lasts far beyond when you are actually doing your stretches. (this is one of the reasons why yoga is so good for you!)

Sore muscles can actually be soothed by stretching. Although this may not make sense to you, it really works! Think of when you first get up in the morning and you want to get the blood flowing -- you stretch out with your hands above your head to get your muscles moving, relaxed and ready to go. Next time you have some sore muscles complaining to you, try a gentle stretch before reaching for that heating pad or ice pack (Although there's nothing wrong with using them and you should, a stretch can increase the pain relief and should be your first reaction).

It'll also help your posture. This is REALLY important, especially for weight lifters because bad posture creates muscle imbalances that lead to injuries. Also, this gets even more important the older you get as bad posture takes a greater toll over time.

Many strength training exercises require you to keep your back and head straight, which can be difficult if you have poor posture. Stretching can help you keep a better, more neutral posture and help you avoid straining yourself during exercises like squats as well as let you make the most of your workout by hitting the correct muscles in the correct way. Believe me, you don't want muscle imbalances -- they lead to lots of injuries!

Now, here's the last thing you should keep in mind You should warm up before stretching! Yeah I know, it seems like you don't need to, but you do need a little blood to get flowing. Just a quick walk with your arms moving freely as you do so is sufficient for this; but you don't want to go from a dead stop to a stretch. Because you need to make sure your muscles aren't totally "cold". And you certainly don't want to get an injury during your warm up! So now you know what to do -- so get stretching! I'll see you in the weight room!

About the Author:

Fitness expert Caleb Lee can teach you a lot about building muscle. His website will sways you ways to build muscle fast.

Be Careful Out There: Tips On Avoiding Injury While Working Out

By Caleb Lee

I get a lot of email from my readers and I've learned a few things from the emails. One is, that a lot of people are old pros at bodybuilding, but also their are many who are new to weight lifting, or are just looking for information on fitness in general. As such, I felt compelled to write this article on a topic I feel very strongly about: safety.

It's great to see newcomers get excited as they catch the bodybuilding bug but as many of us know, injuries can happen in the gym. This is doubly so when you are new to the world of working out - there is a temptation to overdo things, as well as a much greater chance of doing something in a potentially harmful way due to inexperience.

Now we do learn from our mistakes; but I hate to see anyone having their learning experience based on a painful injury. Getting injured during a workout can keep you sidelined for weeks, even months so I'd like to offer some tips on staying safe while you get ripped.

Listen to your body. Many injuries occur from people trying to "play through the pain". You should never, ever do this. Pain is your body's way of telling you to stop what you're doing. In this way, pain can be a friend who tells us "hey - take it easy there".

Know your limitations. If you have knee problems (or back problems, etc), don't do exercises which will place a lot of stress on your problem areas - running, leg presses, etc. If you do, you're just asking for an injury. I know this sounds like something everyone should know, but you'd be surprised how many people who should know better hurt themselves this way.

Please, please, please don't neglect to warm up! Although it can be tempting to just "jump in" to a weight lifting routine, sprints, or whatever it is, you can greatly reduce your chances of getting an injury by doing a quick warm up before you get started. Stretches are good but if you're weightlifting, start with a few reps using a lighter weight than you intend to use in your workout (this will ensure the muscles you're about to hit hard are thoroughly warmed up enough to begin!).

Last, consider getting a little expert advice. While you don't necessarily need a personal trainer on a permanent basis, having the input of a pro for your first few workouts can be invaluable. They can give you pointers on the safe ways to do whatever your target workout is; and tell you what to avoid.

It is important to make sure you go about getting fit in a safe manner. And I totally believe there is a workout or fitness plan for every man, woman and child. These tips will help you make the most of your body - without having an avoidable injury. Stay safe and see you at the gym!

About the Author:

About the Fitness expert: Caleb Lee knows a lot about building muscle. His website will teach you how to build muscle fast.