Stretching

 

Stretching

Stretching is one of the most important aspects of keeping fit.
You can Stretch anytime and, pretty much, anywhere, and it is one of the very best ways to start your day. Follow these steps to do it safely and effectively.
What is Stretching?
Stretching is a form of physical exercise in which a specific muscle or tendon (or muscle group) is deliberately flexed or stretched in order to improve the muscle’s felt elasticity and achieve comfortable muscle tone. The result is a feeling of increased muscle control, flexibility, range of motion, increased blood flow to the muscles and decreases risk of activity related injury.
Stretching Safely is Key!
Always warm up before your stretching routine, some easy calisthenics, jogging in place or a walk around the block.
Focus on the major muscle groups (see illustrations)
Stretching is not bouncing, stretching is a slow, continuous lengthening of the muscle group you are focusing on.
You are stretching to loosen the muscle group, you will feel the tension, but you do not want to feel pain. We trust you know the difference.
Keep up on your stretching, make it a habit. As you get used to your stretches continue to extend yourself to stretch each muscle group a little further each week.

 

Stretching: Stretching the Abdominals

 

To begin Stretching the Abdominals lie flat on your workout mat or other comfortable surface, arms fully extended and toes pointed directly behind you.

Then with palms flat on the floor, fingers pointed forward, slowly arch your back bringing one hand toward your body and placing it firmly on the floor, then with the other hand with fingertips at about where the base of the other hands palm is, place it firmly on the floor. Continue by alternating hands until you feel a good stretch in the abdominals and the external obliques.

DO NOT over-arch your back! The focus is on stretching the abdominals, midsection of your torso.

Caution: This is not a stretching exercise to be done if you have any type of medical condition to your back and/or lumbar region. Consult your medical professional for exercises if you have any type of back condition.

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Once you have raised yourself to a comfortable stretching position, with hands firmly planted on the floor, breath slowly and deeply for a count of 10, one good inhale, feel the stretch, then slowly exhale. Proceed to lower yourself to your starting position by placing one hand then the other firmly on the floor in the reverse manner as you raised yourself, one hand after the other, to a lying position. Repeat 5 to 10 times, and then relax your torso for at least 30 seconds.

Advanced Stretching the Abdominals:

 

After you have been doing this stretching exercise for a couple weeks, you may add the slight, and slight means an inch or two, of rotating the shoulder one way, holding for count of ten as above, then the other to feel additional stretching in the external obliques.

Important:  Maintain your focus, feel the stretch in the abdominals, that is the only portion of your body you want to be stretching at this time.

As your abdominals are worked and stretched throughout the day, and in most every sport, this is an excellent stretch to start your day and any exercise session with.

Stretching the Abdominals muscles stretched:

  Primarily, the upper and lower abdominals, and the external obliques

Benefits of Stretching the Abdominals

    Helps strengthen and tighten the abdominal muscles group
    Assists in abdominal flexibility
    The strengthening of the abdominals will give you better overall balance
    Warms up your abdominal muscles prior to exercises
    Stretches and loosens abdominals post exercises      

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Stretching the Back

 Stretching the Back

For Stretching the Back you will need a piece of equipment to hang from. As the back does so much work for you, day in and day out, this is a piece of equipment every household should have, it is easy to install, and may be used for a lot of great exercises beyond just for Stretching the Back.

Grab the bar and hang, and think about relaxing your body completely, this may take a few Back Stretching exercises to be able to relax completely, but you will be able to do it. While hanging inhale and exhale slowly, this will aid you in relaxing, as it expands and contracts the ribcage, tensing then easing the pressure on the discs of the vertebrae.

 You have decided to take charge and beef up a little? One of the most important exercises but that is often forgotten is the weight of the back with push-ups on high bar. Here's how to properly perform your exercises on the horizontal bar pull-ups.Stages of completion 
1.Indeed, this exercise back on high bar you will significantly develop the muscles of your back, especially in terms of its width. This exercise is also a grassroots movement for backend. To start, put yourself to the starting position by hanging at the bar, arms fully extended. Make sure your outlet is larger than the width of your shoulders. 
2.Also make sure that your feet are well crossed or parallel so that your weight is distributed evenly. Now, start flexing your arms, hop by bringing the chin at the bar back down and suddenly keeping tension. Try to stay suspended for a few seconds before falling. This will allow you to contract your back-end well. 
3.It also requires that you have good breath so as not to fall too tired quickly. To do this, inhale when lowering and exhale in the up position when the horizontal bar touches the top of your chest. Make sure your exercise pace is constant and preferably slow.4.also vary the decision of the hands to focus efforts on different parts of your back. Make a large hand hold to fully contract the muscles of the latissimus dorsi. You can also bring the bar behind your neck. You can also do the exercise with one arm. This will however require more effort on your part

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Definition of Fitness

Definition of Fitness

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , physical fitness is defined as 'the ability to carry out daily tasks with vigor and alertness, without undue fatigue, and with ample energy to enjoy leisure-time pursuits and respond to emergencies.' Based on this definition, fitness involves everything from getting out of bed to hiking to performing .

In order to complete all of these tasks, one must consistently address their fitness levels. This requires proper conditioning through both structured exercise and leisurely activities.

Components of Fitness

Depending on the source, the components of fitness vary considerably. Below are common components:

   - Cardiorespiratory endurance - typically measured by how long or fast a person can perform an activity and how this impacts measurements such as heart rate and oxygen consumption.

  -  Muscular endurance - typically measured by how many repetitions of an exercise a person can perform. Common tests involve push-ups and sit ups.

 -   Muscular strength - typically measured by how much weight can be moved in relation to repetitions. Exercises involving multiple joints and muscle groups such as squats or bench press are often used.

-    Muscular power - typically measured by how much force can be generated during a given activity. Advanced equipment used by biomechanists are often needed to measure muscular power.

 -   Flexibility - typically measured by how far a muscle group can be stretched or joint can be moved. The most common tests involve the hamstrings and shoulders.

-    Balance - typically measured by how long a particular position can be held with or without some type of activity being performed. Simple tests such as standing on one leg can be used to assess balance. More advanced tests may involve standing on an unsteady object while trying to catch a ball.

 -   Speed - typically measured by how quickly an individual can move from one point to another. The 40-yard dash is often used to assess speed.

-Body composition - this is the amount of fat on the body versus other tissues such as muscle, bones and skin. Measured using a variety of tests and devices. Simple tests using mathematical equations or calipers are common and inexpensive. More advanced tests such as underwater weighing are far less common and much more expensive.

In many cases, endurance and strength are the components used to assess fitness. But utilizing the other components offer a more complete picture of overall fitness, along with health and athleticism.

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Taegeuk Tchil Jang

Taegeuk Tchil Jang

OK let's get going with taegeuk chil jang.

• Swivel 90' to your left into left cat stance. As you turn do a right palm block.
• Do a right front kick and come back to your original stance. Do a left inner mid section inner block. (It takes a bit of practise to get used to shifting your weight on and off your left foot. Take your time here.)
• Swivel 180' into your right into right cat stance do a left palm block.
• Do a left front kick then step back into your original cat stance a do a right inner section middle block.
• Step 90' to the left with your left foot into back stance. Do a low section double knife hand guarding block.
• Step forward into back stance and do another low section double knife hand guarding block.
• Step 90' to your left into left cat stance. Do a left palm block (you are blocking a punch here). Use your right fist to support your left elbow.
• Do a right back fist strike to the bridge of your opponent's nose.
• Turn 180' to your right into right cat stance. Do a right palm bock using your left fist to support your elbow.
• Do a left back fist strike to the bridge of your opponent's nose.
• Bring your feet together and turn 90' to your left. Bring your hands together and slowly bring them up under your chin. Your right fist is cupped inside your left palm. Here's your chance in taegeuk chil jang to re-focus and breathe!
• Step your left foot forward into front stance. Now you need to do 2 blocks at once. Do a left inner forearm block and a right low block. Then swap to do a right inner forearm block and a left low block.
• OK now step forwards into right front stance. Now do another right inner forearm block and left low block. Then a left inner forearm block and a right low block.
• Swivel right foot to turn 270' degrees to your left into left front stance. Do a twin outer forearm wedging block.
• Reach as if grabbing your opponents head and pull the 'head' down as you lift and strike with your right knee. Step your right foot into front stance.
• Bring your left foot behind your right into X stance and do a twin upset punch.
• Move your left foot back so you are in front stance again and do a low section X block. (Chamber this block from your left hip.)
• Swivel on your left foot and turn 180' into right front stance. Do a twin outer forearm wedging block.
• Reach as if grabbing your opponents head and pull the 'head' down as you lift and strike with your left knee. Step your left foot into front stance.
• Bring your right foot behind your right into X stance and do a twin upset punch.
• Move your right foot back so you are in front stance again and do a low section X block.
• Swivel on your right foot turn 90' to your left into an upright L shaped stance. Do a left back fist strike to the side of the head.
• Open your hand and do a right crescent kick into your palm. Land in horse riding stance and do a right elbow strike into your left palm.
• Open your hand, do a left crescent kick into your right palm. Land in horse riding stance and do a left elbow strike into your right palm.
• Stay in horse riding stance and do a slow deliberate left single knife hand.
• Step forward again into riding stance and do a right sided punch and Key-hup

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