Stretching:
This is something I know is good for me... but half the time I forget to do it. In my mind stretching is best 15 minutes prior to cardio, when your muscles are still warm.
What is Stretching: Stretching is when you stretch a specific muscle group in order to improve your muscle's elasticity and your muscle tone. By doing this you are increasing your muscle control, flexibility and range of motion.
Yoga: I personally don't love yoga… It makes me want to fall asleep. I like the idea of yoga and think it would be cool to be "that chill yoga chick." Health benefits of yoga are to increase flexibility, strength and balance. Maybe one day this will click with me, but in the mean while Im gonna stick to my running and calishenics.
Calisthenics:
This is something I adore!!! Most people started doing calisthenics when they were young, super young and didn’t even know we were doing it. Don’t believe me… well if you have ever done jumping jacks, sit-ups, push-ups, pull-ups or crunches then you were doing calisthenics. Crazy huh! You have been doing these exercises for years and didn’t even know they were Calisthenics.
This is something I adore!!! Most people started doing calisthenics when they were young, super young and didn’t even know we were doing it. Don’t believe me… well if you have ever done jumping jacks, sit-ups, push-ups, pull-ups or crunches then you were doing calisthenics. Crazy huh! You have been doing these exercises for years and didn’t even know they were Calisthenics.
What are Calisthenics: Calisthenics are a series of simple movements, usually preformed in conjunction with stretching; these movements can include bending, jumping, and/or twisting. Often times when you do these exercises you use your own body weight as resistance (think pull-ups, crunches). When you do Calisthenics you are improving your motor skills such as balance, agility and coordination.
Cool new word of the day, Psychomotor Skills (aka motor skills):
It’s when you do a movement over and over, it becomes second nature; riding a bike, playing piano, throwing a ball, typing. That’s why they say practice makes perfect, because you are training your mind/body to do something till it comes naturally. You are teaching your body to get passed the mechanics of doing a task. When you do this, it becomes a habit/second nature and you do it fluidly. Just learning this word makes me want to go practice something, that way I will be way good at it and it will look like I am naturally good at doing it.
Note: This picture is of my brother Addison and I... we make it look easy (but honestly we have worked hard to look this cool, LOL).
It’s when you do a movement over and over, it becomes second nature; riding a bike, playing piano, throwing a ball, typing. That’s why they say practice makes perfect, because you are training your mind/body to do something till it comes naturally. You are teaching your body to get passed the mechanics of doing a task. When you do this, it becomes a habit/second nature and you do it fluidly. Just learning this word makes me want to go practice something, that way I will be way good at it and it will look like I am naturally good at doing it.
Examples of Exercises based off of Calisthenics:
Pilates: Unlike yoga, the first time I did Pilates I was hooked! My favorite type is Reformer Pilates; it’s the one with the contraption which looks like a torture devise (LOL, Suprise it was developed by a German). Pilates focuses on your breathing, spinal and pelvic alignment, developing a stronger core. You use your own body resistance in the exercises, it’s all about concentration and control.
This is the studio that I go to it's great.
Picture by Me, Ashlee B.
Callanetics: Is a form of Calisthenics developed by Callan Pinckney, it’s a series of exercises or rather tiny ballet based movements which increase your strength, flexibility and body alignment. My mom started my sisters and I on this when I was 10, it's amazing at toning your body… some of the exercises and names of the exercises are super funny (pelvic rotations LOL) but it works.
Anaerobic Activity:
I know everyone has been so excited to hear about anaerobic activity/exercises! Here is goes… Lifting weights, sprinting or any other exercise in which you do something intensely for short burst of time (could last up to 4 minutes). Okay its way more technical than that but that's the basic jist. As opposed to aerobic activity anaerobic deprives your body of oxygen and creates lactic acid, which leads to fatigue… lactic acid is the reason your muscles get sore after an intense exercise. Note: I'm the typical girl who really doesn't like lifting, to me it's almost the most boring thing (next to yoga)... Guys think girls don't like lifting weights because we don't want to look all bulky like a dude (well we don't). That being said, unless a girl is taking hormones and/or being extreme that isn't going to happen. Most of us really just think it's boring.
I know everyone has been so excited to hear about anaerobic activity/exercises! Here is goes… Lifting weights, sprinting or any other exercise in which you do something intensely for short burst of time (could last up to 4 minutes). Okay its way more technical than that but that's the basic jist. As opposed to aerobic activity anaerobic deprives your body of oxygen and creates lactic acid, which leads to fatigue… lactic acid is the reason your muscles get sore after an intense exercise. Note: I'm the typical girl who really doesn't like lifting, to me it's almost the most boring thing (next to yoga)... Guys think girls don't like lifting weights because we don't want to look all bulky like a dude (well we don't). That being said, unless a girl is taking hormones and/or being extreme that isn't going to happen. Most of us really just think it's boring.
Benefits of Anaerobic Activates: Helps prevent health problems, builds and maintains lean muscle mass, increases bone strength and density, reduces body fat and reshapes body to improve appearance.
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