WARM UP - To prevent injury and to improve your performance, always stretch after your muscles are warm and blood has circulated through them. A good warm-up consists of at least 5-10 minutes of low intensity cardio to warm up your lower body muscles and simple Push-Ups for your upper body muscles.

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STRETCHING is usually one of the most neglected areas of a workout which greatly enhances your flexibility. It is highly encouraged prior to beginning each workout, during your workout and after your workout. This will help to maximize exercise performance as well as assist in the prevention of potential injuries.

A flexible joint requires less energy to move, while greatly decreasing your risk of injury. You will reduce muscle soreness and improve your muscular balance and posture with slow controlled stretching that involves a gradual elongation of the muscle through the full range of motion and held for 15-30 seconds in the furthest, most comfortable position. Stretching can also help realign those poor posture structures, making it easier in the activities of daily living.

Stretching promotes muscular relaxation and reduces stress to the lower back by stretching the hamstrings, hip flexors, quadriceps, and other muscles attached to the pelvis. It increases the blood and nutrient supply to the joint tissues. This causes an elevation in temperature which allows greater flexibility of the surrounding tissues and increases in performance and greater range of motion. It also improves muscle coordination by improving the nerve-impulse velocity (the time it takes an impulse to travel to the brain and back), which results in opposing muscle groups to work in a more coordinated fashion.

COOL DOWN - The purpose of the cool down is to ease out of your workout (reverse of the warm-up). Ease out of your workout just as you eased into it. When you have finished a 20-30 minute workout on a treadmill or stationary bike, your heart is jumping and your blood is pumping into those worked muscles. Cooling down puts your body back to normal working conditions. If you rush off after an intense cardiovascular workout and don't cool down first, you risk fainting, nausea, and dizziness. Take 5-10 minutes to cool down, most cardiovascular equipment will guide you through a cool down. If not, just simply drop down a few levels for a few minutes and continue until your body temperature has decreased.

FLEXIBILITY refers to how far and easy you can move a joint (your range of motion) and the the mobility of your muscles.

TEST YOUR FLEXIBILITY
(determine if your flexibility needs work)

Rear Thigh and Lower Back (toe touch) - Stand with your feet together and your knees slightly bent. Bend forward and reach for the floor. If you can touch the floor flat handed with little effort and no discomfort your flexibilty level is high. If you can just touch your toes with little or no discomfort your flexibilty level is average. If you can't touch your toes, or you feel discomfort when you try your flexibilty level is low.

Shoulder - Reach your right hand over your head and behind your back and your left hand down and across your back then up towards your right shoulder blade. Try to clasp your hands together behind you. If you can clasp your hands together your flexibilty level is high. If your finger tips almost touch your flexibilty level is average. If you aren't within an inch of touching your fingertips together your flexibilty level is low.

Calf and Ankle - Sit on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you. Flex your foot in a dorsi flexion position so your toes are straight up. If your toes are towards you and beyond perpendicular to the floor your flexibilty level is high. If your toes are exactly perpendicular to the floor your flexibilty level is average. If your toes are barely perpendicular to the floor your flexibilty level is low.

Shin - Sitting in the same position as the calf and ankle test, point your toes and stretch them toward the floor in a planter flexion position. If your toes touch or nearly touch the floor your flexibilty level is high. If your toes come within an inch or so of the floor your flexibilty level is average. If your toes barely move toward the floor your flexibilty level is low.

Hip & Buttocks - Lie on your back and with one leg straight out on the floor, hug the other knee to your chest. Clasp your hands around your shin just below your knee. If your straight leg rests completely on the floor directly in line with your hip, and you can easily hug your bent knee to your chest your flexibilty level is high. If your leg, when straight, rests along the floor but to the outside of your hip, and you can almost hug your knee to your chest your flexibilty level is average. If your straight leg doesn't touch the floor, and you can't bring your knee to within a few inches of your chest your flexibilty level is low.

Upper Back - Lie on your back with your legs out straight, and lift your arms straight overhead. Now drop your arms behind you towards the floor. If your arms easily fall to the floor without your lower back arching your flexibilty level is high. If your hands almost touch the floor and your lower back remains in contact with the floor your flexibilty level is average. If your arms don't come within an inch of touching the floor and your back arches up your flexibilty level is low.

Thigh - Lie on your stomach with one leg straight and bend the other knee so that your heel moves toward your buttocks. If your heel easily touches your buttocks your flexibilty level is high. If your heel comes close to, but doesn't quite touch your buttocks, your flexibilty level is average. If your heel doesn't come within a few inches of touching your buttocks your flexibilty level is low.

WATER - Did you know 75 percent of your body is made up of water? Do you ever find yourself feeling thirsty? Well, this is a result of being dehydrated. Don't wait until you feel thirsty to drink water, your body needs it and you cannot live without it. When you don't drink enough water, your blood doesn't flow properly, and your digestive track doesn't run smoothly. It is an essential nutritional element that is often overlooked.

On average you lose 10 cups of water per day, 2 cups sweating and evaporation, 2 cups to breathing, and 6 cups to waste removal. The water in the foods that you eat replace 2 cups of that lost water. This is why you are recommended to drink 8 glasses of water per day, to make up for the other 8 cups lost, and if you exercise you should be drinking 10 glasses of water per day.

Juices can meet your daily water intake, although they are full of sugar. Skim milk can also meet your daily water intake, although it contains lactose that can leave you feeling bloated if consumed in excess. Vegetables however, can also meet your daily water intake and is a beneficial nutrition source. Coffee, or any other beverages that contain caffeine, and alcohol cause dehydration so these cannot be included.

Dehydration can cause serious medical problems, although you can prevent dehydration by drinking water throughout the entire day. It can take up to 3 days to fully rehydrate. So take a water bottle to work with you and carry one while you workout, just remember to always drink water every day, all day.