6 Dancer Stretches for Sore Hips and Thighs

6 Dancer Stretches for Sore Hips and Thighs

My clients at Pure Barre often ask me how they can help alleviate sore hips and thighs after a grueling workout. I always encourage them to drink a lot of water, and also to do some stretches. For recovery, I like to do relaxing, non-strenuous stretches, mostly on the floor. (No standing splits here, or anything even standing!). Floor stretches like these are relaxing for both your muscles and your nerves. Here are some of my favorite dance-based stretches for post workout. Supine center split

Take your seat close to the wall. Lie down on your back, with your legs straight toward the ceiling. Gently open your legs and let them fall down to either side. Allow gravity to pull your legs down and open your hips. Breathing slowly, place your hands on your inner thighs and gently press down with every exhale.

Center splits at the wall

Roll on up from supine center splits and press your feet into the wall. Move your seat in toward the wall as far as you can, using the wall to keep your legs open. Press forward with your hip bones to get a deeper stretch. You can also press your fingertips behind you to scoot forward more.

Round the clock

Lie on your left side, left arm overhead flat on the floor and both knees tucked to chest in a fetal position. Place your right hand in front of you. Pick up you right leg and send it back as you arch your back and reach back with your fingertips toward your right toes. Slowly retrace your movement back to beginning position. Here’s what it looks like from the other side:

Repeat “opening and closing” your body this way for however many reps as you like. This is a great post-workout stretch as well as a warm up stretch for your entire body. Also very nourishing for your nerves!

Happy baby variation

Lie on your back and grab hold of the outer edges of your feet, knee to chest, in happy baby pose. Hang out here and enjoy your hips opening up; for added stretching, extend one leg out to the side, and then the other, followed by both legs extended out–just be playful and see what your body responds to.

Shin stretch

Lie down on your back. Extend your left leg straight toward the ceiling, right leg long on the floor. Grab the outside of your left foot with your right hand so that the top of the foot faces out to the side–this is a great stretch for your peroneus muscles on the outside of your shins, as well as hamstrings (on backs of thighs). Switch legs.

Supine quad stretch

This is similar to virasana in yoga. Sit with both legs straight in front of you, then fold your right knee back so that right foot is outside your right hip. Slowly lower yourself down on your back, trying to keep both your hips and knees down. Remember to take this one slowly and don’t force anything–you should feel a strong stretch even if you’re not getting all the way to the floor.

I hope you try these stretches–let me know how they go!

More fitness tutorials: 5 Yoga Stretches for Sore Lower Legs

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Photo: Peaceful Dumpling

Original article and pictures take www.peacefuldumpling.com site

6 Active Stretches You Should be Doing

6 Active Stretches You Should be Doing

The Importance of Dynamic Stretching

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Each of the exercises here is a dynamic stretch, which means it increases flexibility through movement, rather than by simply holding a position. “Active stretching decreases your risk of injury, relieves back pain, and boosts your athletic performance,” says Tanja Djelevic, who includes this series in her bendable body class at Crunch Fitness in West Hollywood. “Plus, it just feels good!” Try this routine before a race, after a workout, or at the end of the day—and experience the difference a little motion can make.

Getting Started

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Plié Reach

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STRETCHES: INNER AND OUTER THIGHS, ARMS, SHOULDERS, AND BACK

Stand with feet wide, toes turned out, and raise arms overhead.

Squat deep and lower arms in front of you, elbows touching knees and palms facing forward.

Pull right shoulder back as you raise right arm [shown], then twist in opposite direction, raising left arm. Rise up to starting position. Do 8 reps.

Low Lunge

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STRETCHES: LEGS, BUTT, AND BACK

Lunge forward with left leg until thigh is parallel to floor, and place hands on floor on either side of left foot.

Raise left arm straight up toward ceiling as you rotate left shoulder back [shown].

Lower hand to starting position, and move into next stretch (active pigeon).

Active Pigeon

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Pull left knee in toward right hand, then lower left leg to floor so foot is below right hip.

Lower hips as you push through hands, lifting head and chest [shown]. From this position, move into the next stretch (down-dog extension).

Down-Dog Extension

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Wrap Around

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STRETCHES: NECK AND SHOULDERS

Stand with feet hip-width apart and reach right arm behind your back, palm facing away from you.

Clasp hands and pull left elbow back as you draw shoulder blades together.

Hold as you circle head slowly [shown] to complete 1 rep. Do 8 reps.

Take a Bow

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STRETCHES: SHOULDERS, LEGS, CHEST, AND BACK

Stand with feet wide, left foot turned out, and rotate torso to the left.

Clasp hands behind you with palms together and arms extended.

Bend forward from hips until back is parallel to floor as you raise arms [shown]. Slowly rise up to starting position. Do 8 reps.

Original article and pictures take www.shape.com site

5-Minute Stretching Sequence For Long and Lean Limbs

5-Minute Stretching Sequence For Long and Lean Limbs

It's so easy to skip stretching, but don't! Staying flexible is an important part of staying fit, plus it can help with injury prevention. This five-minute video will lead you through some basic leg stretches that your hips and knees will appreciate too. Do a bit of cardio to get your blood flowing then grab a towel to help deepen the stretches.

Original article and pictures take media1.popsugar-assets.com site

5-Minute Power Boosters for the Office

5-Minute Power Boosters for the Office

Keep Your Body Fit and Your Mind Alert

Office life. If you let it, it can suck the energy right out of you. Or, you can take advantage of your workspace to put pep in your step and become more productive than ever. Your office—where you spend 30% to 50% of your waking hours—can work for you or against you, depending on how you use it. "The workplace is the forgotten arena of the self-improvement battle," explains SparkPeople Coach, Joe Downie. "But it’s the place where people need help the most! Stress is a huge factor in how well you perform at work. It clouds your thinking and wears you down," continues Coach Joe. "Without that energy, you lose creativity, concentration and motivation." In return, he says, all you gain is irritability and tension. Of course, the most effective way to fight low energy is with a heavy dose of thorough stretching, proper breathing, and good posture. "There are plenty of power boosters all around you. You don’t have to drop everything and run to the gym." In fact, there are dozens of ways you can reduce stress and increase energy—within 50 feet of the office. (No special equipment required.) For starters, he suggests five minutes of mental or physical activity for every hour you spend at the computer. People who sit at desks and computers for hours on end are most prone to dwindling production from low energy. Get Physical Go to the office staircase and step up and down the bottom step (like step aerobics). Massage your own head and shoulders. Find trigger points of tension in the shoulders, jaw, and base of the skull. Hold pressure for 6-10 seconds. Take two steps back from your desk and lean forward until you’re in an angled pushup position against the edge of your desk. (This will also work against a wall.) Do a couple quick sets of incline push-ups. Lift 1-3 packs of printer paper in each hand. Curl them like weights or lift them over your head. Close your door and shadow box for a few minutes. Try to imagine a stressor while you’re punching. Start a pick up game of trashcan basketball! Create trick shots, or play against a coworker. A little friendly competition can go a long way. Jumping jacks are a simple, quick way to pump you up. Try to increase your intensity (speed) and duration (minutes) to keep it challenging. Go for a short walk around the office or outside around the block. Stand up and stretch your muscles. Don’t forget your neck and wrists. Lastly, Joe’s favorite office exercise—using a stress ball. Squeezing a stress ball relieves stress while strengthening the forearms and wrists for typing. Go Mental Do word puzzles. Crosswords, word finds—even a jigsaw puzzle. Fill out a Mad Lib with your co-workers. A little laughter can improve your mood and decrease stress instantly. Rearrange your office. Switch hands with whatever you’re doing. Draw something. Let your mind create. Stand perfectly still for two minutes. Just Regroup. Do some deep breathing exercises or quiet meditation. Make an inkblot with a folded piece of paper and liquid ink. Have fun with what you see in the blot. Staying energized and stress-free at work isn’t difficult. The key is finding reasons to stay out of your chair: In the morning, take as long as possible before sitting down. Forget the boardroom. Hold walking meetings. Hand-deliver mail, memos and faxes. Chat face-to-face instead of by email or phone. Use a bathroom on the other side of the building or on another floor. Have a lot of phone time? Buy a cordless phone and move around while talking. Replace your chair with a stability ball. This helps you maintain good posture, and by balancing, you’re working your core muscles all day. Taking care of yourself at the office is just one way fitness can help you in other parts of your life. All it takes is a few minutes at a time. Article created on: 3/30/2005

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Original article and pictures take www.sparkpeople.com site