The misunderstood psychology of weight loss — how to lose 30 pounds PART 5

Don't like the word ROUTINE...?

Me either;) so I chose different way of looking at it... 

Chose your own, exciting daily routine you will want to commit to 

Treat your workouts like business meetings or appointments. Schedule them in your calendar as recurring events every week. You’d never miss a meeting with your boss or a date night with your partner. Treat your workouts with the same level of urgency and respect.

Try to space your workouts over the week and keep at least 1 day between them. Try to combine one push and one pull muscle group in each workout session, such as:

·         Chest and back

·         Shoulders and arms

·         Legs

If you’ve never lifted weights before, please please please please please find someone who has, so they can build a good program for you and show you proper technique. Don’t just turn up at the gym and jump on the machines — you’ll make zero progress and give up.

Find a friend and ask them to come to the gym with you for a few weeks. Better yet (and if you can afford it) hire a personal trainer. They’ll not only show you what to do and how, but they’ll hold you accountable too.

As a final option, find a program and watch the instructional videos on your phone at the gym before you start an exercise. Always focus on form first and weight second. If you lift heavy because everyone else is, you’ll injure yourself and you’ll be out of the game.

To build your foundation, you want to focus on keeping your metabolism high when you’re NOT in the gym, which means moderate weight for 10–15 reps over 4 sets per exercise. Bonus points if you add super sets or pyramiding. I added super sets to my routine 2 years ago and I’d estimate it increased my progress by at least 30%.

Before you workout, have some sort of pre-workout snack. Coffee is a popular pre-workout, but I like a banana and a few scoops of Optimum Nutrition’s pre-workout powder. You need energy stores to lift weights and sugar (such as fructose from fruit) converts into useable energy fast. Don’t eat a huge meal before going to the gym.

When you’ve finished your workout, make sure you eat protein and fast-digesting carbs within an hour. I like to have a protein shake and some fruit, like 2 bananas or a tin of pineapple slices.

After a workout your body goes into a catabolic state where it starts to break down muscle for fuel, so having a high-carb meal prevents that and keeps you in an anabolic state (muscle building) as your body starts to repair the (good) damage you made to your muscles (micro tears) during your workout.

Once you’ve built your foundation (lost excess fat) and want to put on some muscle, you can lower your reps (from 10 to 6–8) and increase your weight.

When you want to continually gain muscle over time, I’ve found it helps to do 1 of the 3 things during every workout for at least one exercise:

·         Lift heavier weight (without sacrificing form)

·         Reduce rest time between reps

·         Reduce rest time between sets

https://medium.com/personal-growth/the-misunderstood-psychology-of-weight-loss-how-to-lose-30-pounds-in-2016-c26fbd8e16f3

Flat Stomach + Bigger Butt | Meals & Workout 2017

4 Proven Ways to Build Strength & Power

Developing maximal strength adaptations is beneficial for everyone from elite athletes to the elderly and everyone in between.

Because strength is key for most of the population, human performance researchers and sports scientists have teamed up over the past few decades in order to determine how to maximize progress with the latest scientific training protocols.

Essentially these researchers have been looking for the safest and most effective way to manipulate certain variables of training such as load, intensity, volume frequency and exercise selection.

Within this article I will provide you with four of the most recent breakthroughs in human performance research to help YOU build maximal strength in the shortest possible time!

From increasing your squat to help your legs and glutes grow, to improving sports performance, the methods in this article will give you the background and knowledge you need to maximize your current workouts.

Here are 4 scientifically backed tips to help you build strength.

Background: Principles of Strength Training

Before we dive in, it’s important for me to give you a quick review of the basic principles of strength training.

While the latest training technique with bands or chains may seem sexy, like everything, the main principles of strength training that were discovered years ago that are still key today.

For example, here are some of the key and fundamental principles of strength training you must master and focus on:

• Load/weight on the bar,
• Number of sets,
• Repetitions,
• Changes in exercise selection,
• Rest period length,
• Careful manipulation of volume (sets x reps),
• Intensity … these must all be accounted for (1).

Essentially, in order to continually force your body to adapt to strength training, you have to train with sufficient loads that are going to challenge your musculoskeletal system.

Recent research suggests that for untrained individuals to maximize strength training adaptations they need to train with at least 60% 1RM, 3 days per week, 4 sets per muscle group.

However, for trained athletes, a mean training intensity of 85% 1RM, 2 days per week, 8 sets per muscle group has been shown to enhance muscular strength (2).

In short, you need to lift heavy, several times per week, progress the weights, stay consistent and eat well

Now we’ve covered the basics, you’re ready to take your strength training to the next level with these four tips!

1. Linear Periodization To Maximize Strength Gains

Periodization refers to the systematic (orderly) variation of key training variables.

There have been several different periodization models that have been shown to provide favorable strength adaptations (3).

The first model of periodization to gain traction was Linear or Traditional periodization. This consists of several training blocks starting at high volumes with low intensities and gradually progressing to periods of high intensity and low training volumes (4).

In less technical terms, you would start with lots of sets but less weight then switch to higher weight with less sets.

While this has been effective for many, linear periodization can be slightly boring within a training regimen due to infrequent variations or changes in exercises etc. Also, linear periodization may increase the athlete’s risk of overreaching as they repeat the same exercises etc. (5).

2. Non-linear or Daily Undulating Periodization To Maximize Strength Gains

Recent research has brought to light a new model of periodization referred to as nonlinear or daily undulating, in which volume and intensity are varied on a daily basis (rather than every 1-2 months like above).

For example, in a linear approach you may do 6 weeks of hypertrophy training, 4 weeks of strength training, followed by 3 weeks of power training. However, in a NON-linear or Daily Undulating Periodization approach you may perform a hypertrophy, power and strength workout all in one week!

This model of periodization seems to provide athletes with more frequent variations in volume and intensity and may reduce boredom, injury risk and actually result in improved maximal strength training adaptations as the body is provided with new and unique stimuli multiple times in one week.

In fact, one group of researchers directly compared traditional periodization to non-linear on maximal strength training adaptations.

27 strength trained men were split into three groups non-periodized, linear-periodized, and non-linear and each followed their respective training regimen for 12 weeks.

At the conclusion of training effect sizes revealed that non-linear periodization resulted in improved maximal strength training adaptations on the leg press and bench press

(4.6KG & 2.9KG VS 1.1KG & 0.6KG) respectively (6).

These results have been replicated on various occasions; another group of researchers ran a similar investigation and demonstrated average strength gains on the bench press and leg press to be 14.4% and 30.1% greater following a non-linear model (7)!

How to Apply Non-Linear Periodization to Maximize Strength

The benefits of a non-linear approach are that it provides the athlete or lifter more flexibility in organizing their workouts. If your goal is maximal strength on the “big three lifts”, an example routine following a non-linear approach is listed below.

Monday: Squat, Bench Press, Dead Lift –  Hypertrophy

Wednesday: Squat, Bench Press, Dead Lift –  Power

Friday: Squat, Bench Press, Dead Lift –  Strength

3. Applying Resistance Bands to Maximize Strength Gains 

Once you have your weekly routine planned out, another way you can maximize strength gains is by adding variable resistance training techniques such as elastic bands.

Elastic resistance bands have previously been shown to improve both strength and power adaptations in highly trained athletes.

In theory, overloading the eccentric portion (lowering) of a lift with added resistance from the bands may force the neuromuscular system to recruit more type two fibers, increasing maximal strength gains (8).

One study particularly applied resistance bands to a non-linear strength training plan. These researchers took 14 college athletes and split them into two conditions.

The control group followed the same workouts without resistance bands. However, the banded group added 30% of their 1RM in band tension on the back squat and bench press exercises on their power days.

After 5 weeks of training the resistance bands group demonstrated greater improvements in rate of power development, back squat 1RM and bench press 1RM (9)!

You can order these bands from stores such as EliteFTS or MyProtein.

4.  Creatine Monohydrate to Maximize Strength Gains

Once you’ve effectively applied the basics including overload, progression, non-linear periodization and variable resistance training you’re ready for the final piece of the puzzle, creatine monohydrate!

Creatine is arguably the most effective and widely used sports supplement and rightly so.

Creatine works by increasing the amount of readily available ATP energy in the muscle. ATP is the energy system that fuels high power/strength activities, helping our muscles contract and produce force. It’s basically like the gasoline to your car, it provides all our cells with energy to function.

One group of researchers examined the effects of creatine supplementation on strength and strength endurance in highly trained power lifters.

At the conclusion of training, strength gains on the bench press increased by 20lbs in the creatine group compared to only 5.6 in placebo. That’s a 400% greater increase!

In regards to strength endurance, the creatine group demonstrated average increases of 39.7% compared to only 7.1% in the placebo, over 500% greater gains! (10)

But before you ask, this wasn’t just a one-off or poorly designed study. These results have been replicated time and time again and researchers conclude that creatine just may be the most effective supplement for strength and power gains as well as muscular growth (11).

In fact, research has demonstrated an average increase of 4.4lbs of muscle mass when taking creatine paired with resistance training compared to no creatine (12). It’s also extremely safe, cheap to buy (a bottle is $10) and healthy!

Time To Maximize Your Strength Gains!

There you have 4 effective and research-proven techniques to boost your strength. For most, working on the basics first will provide the biggest reward. If you are highly advanced, using techniques such as resistant bands, forced reps, cluster sets etc. can also help bust plateaus and provide quick improvements. Learn more about Advanced Training Technique tips in this article: https://www.rudymawer.com/blog/5-advanced-workout-methods-for-rapid-muscle/

• Before adding any special tips into your strength training regimen make sure you have your basic principles in check. These include the chronic alteration of load, number of sets, repetitions, exercise selection, order, rest period length and the careful manipulation of volume and intensity.

• Next, non-linear periodization or DUP provides you with more frequent variation of volume and intensity which has been shown to lead to improved strength adaptations (you may also enjoy it more as your routine changes within a week).

• Adding resistance bands to your big three lifts (squat, bench, deadlift) may help optimize strength and power development by providing added resistance throughout the entire strength curve.

• Lastly, supplementing with creatine will help you train harder and quickly improve your strength gains. It’s also extremely effective for adding muscle mass, safe, low in cost and provides health benefits.

1.) Kraemer, W. J., Adams, K., Cafarelli, E., Dudley, G. A., Dooly, C., Feigenbaum, M. S., … & Newton, R. U. (2002). American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 34(2), 364-380.

2.) Peterson, M. D., Rhea, M. R., & Alvar, B. A. (2004). Maximizing strength development in athletes: a meta-analysis to determine the dose-response relationship. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 18(2), 377-382.

3.)  Stone, M. H., O’bryant, H. S., Schilling, B. K., Johnson, R. L., Pierce, K. C., Haff, G. G., & Koch, A. J. (1999). Periodization: Effects of Manipulating Volume and Intensity. Part 2. Strength & Conditioning Journal, 21(3), 54.

4.) Willoughby, D. S. (1993). The Effects of Mesocycle-Length Weight Training Programs Involving Periodization and Partially Equated Volumes on Upper and Lower Body Strength. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 7(1), 2-8.

5.) Zourdos, M. C. (2017). Physiological responses to two different models of daily undulating periodization in trained powerlifters.

6.) Monteiro, A. G., Aoki, M. S., Evangelista, A. L., Alveno, D. A., Monteiro, G. A., da Cruz Piçarro, I., & Ugrinowitsch, C. (2009). Nonlinear periodization maximizes strength gains in split resistance training routines. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 23(4), 1321-1326.

7.) Rhea, M. R., Ball, S. D., Phillips, W. T., & Burkett, L. N. (2002). A comparison of linear and daily undulating periodized programs with equated volume and intensity for strength. The Journal of strength & conditioning research, 16(2), 250-255.

8.) Anderson, C. E., Sforzo, G. A., & Sigg, J. A. (2008). The effects of combining elastic and free weight resistance on strength and power in athletes. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 22(2), 567-574.

9.) Joy, J. M., Lowery, R. P., de Souza, E. O., & Wilson, J. M. (2016). Elastic bands as a component of periodized resistance training. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 30(8), 2100-2106.

10.) Kelly, V. G., & Jenkins, D. G. (1998). Effect of oral creatine supplementation on near-maximal strength and repeated sets of high-intensity bench press exercise. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 12(2), 109-115.

11.) Buford, T. W., Kreider, R. B., Stout, J. R., Greenwood, M., Campbell, B., Spano, M., … & Antonio, J. (2007). International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: creatine supplementation and exercise. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 4(1), 6.

12.) Kreider, R. B. (2003). Effects of creatine supplementation on performance and training adaptations. Molecular and cellular biochemistry, 244(1-2), 89-94.

https://www.rudymawer.com/blog/4-tips-build-strength/

The Scientific Reason Women Need to Go Heavy

Tip: The Scientific Reason Women Need to Go Heavy

How heavy? Here's the science.

Luckily, most women aren't afraid to lift weights these days, but many still avoid going too heavy. We're talking about sets of around 3 maximal reps here. Too bad for them, because females may benefit from heavy training even more than men.

Growth Hormone and Female Lifters

It all comes down to growth hormone. Where the male body relies more on testosterone to reap the benefits from weight training, the female body relies a bit more on growth hormone. Natural growth hormone plays a big part in both muscle and bone development. It also improves metabolic function and staves off tissue breakdown.

So, GH is good. And heavy lifting stimulates more growth hormone release in women.

The Study

One study on women looked at the effects that different kinds of weight training had on growth hormone. Researchers found that growth hormone was responsive to moderate (around 12 reps) and heavy (around 3 reps) lifting regimens.

"Since women rely on growth hormone to increase muscle and bone strength, the more growth hormone stimulated by a type of exercise, the better its outcome," researchers said.

The study had women weight training with different rep ranges for 24 weeks, complete with lots of blood tests. The heavier weight training protocols produced more biologically active growth hormone. Lead researcher William J. Kraemer noted: "Women need to have a heavy loading cycle in their resistance training routines."

Now, there's muscle-building value in lifting lighter weights too, like increased time under tension. But this study tells us that women shouldn't get stuck in the pattern of using only higher rep schemes and "going for the burn." Those heavy sets, as heavy as 3 grunting reps, may be where a lot of the magic happens.

https://www.t-nation.com/training/tip-the-scientific-reason-women-need-to-go-heavy

The Truth About What Makes a Good Personal Trainer Part 1: Debunking the Myths About How to Spot a Bad Trainer

Qualities of a good personal trainer and how to identify a bad trainer are two topics often addressed in industry articles and discussions. However, I think many of the qualities these articles and discussions commonly identify generally lack perspective, are unrealistic, and major in the minor while missing the bigger picture issues that are far more relevant. That’s why I’m writing my own three-part series on these topics; to share my perspectives on what does and what does not make for a great fitness professional.

To kick things off, in this article (part one in the series) I’m covering common myths about spotting a bad personal trainer. In part two, I’ll cover common myths about what makes for a good personal trainer; and in part three, I’ll discuss the qualities I feel specifically are attributes of a strong personal trainer.

Before we get down to business, I wanted to let you know that you can now get access to the Brolando Experience videos. You’ll get over 10 hours of education from both myself and Alan Aragon packed into 4 videos that you can watch conveniently from your computer or tablet.

Myths About How to Spot a Bad Trainer

Most, if not all, of the articles I’ve read typically identify eating, texting and excessive talking during sessions among the signs of a bad trainer. As someone who has achieved long-term success at every level of the personal training game, including being awarded the 2016 NSCA Personal Trainer of the Year, I have no problem telling you that I have done, and continue to do, all of these things with clients. The following three sections explain why.

Eating During Sessions

These days, I only train clients part-time, but for the 15 years when I did train full-time (10 of those years as co-owner of a private gym), both the gym’s co-owner and I were booked solid, training clients back-to-back for 8 to10 hours a day. We told clients, “Either we eat during your sessions or we take your timeslot off our schedule.” Of course, none of the clients cared that we were eating because that might have been the only available timeslot we had that worked with both our schedules. Plus, as small business owners, we’re not leaving money on the table, even if it means wolfing down some food and taking bites in between a client’s sets that doesn’t interfere with the flow of their session. Many of our clients actually liked the fact that they got to see what we were eating; that we made it a point to get in our meals and were eating healthy meals in the way we were advising them to do. They saw that it is possible to eat healthy on-the-go.

Don’t get me wrong, we would always ask our clients if they minded that we eat during their session, as long as we were considerate and strategic about it. Not one single client ever complained.

Texting During Sessions

Just like eating, I’ve often thrown out a text or two during the client’s rest break or in between sets. Of course, I’m not talking about sitting there and having full-on personal text conversations. One reason this may happen, especially as a busy trainer, is because it’s my next client texting me to ask if they can come in early or late, or possibly bring another person to workout with them who could be a potential client. In fact, in those situations, I’ve had several clients get mad at me for playing the, “I-don’t-answer-texts-during-sessions” card. They’re upset because they are trying to make plans and they know it only takes a few seconds for me to reply to a text. Doing so really doesn’t take away from the other client’s session if it’s done quickly and during a rest break. And, they’re absolutely right!

Additionally, many articles about the qualities of a good trainer usually state that they write things down during the session (i.e., take notes, record sets/reps/weights, etc.). I certainly agree with this! I often take notes about the session on my phone, which could appear to an outsider as if I’m texting. That said, if one acknowledges that a trainer can take the time to write things down throughout a session without delivering a lesser value to the client, then one certainly can’t think that a trainer taking a few seconds to text, in a scenario like I described above, takes away from the value of the session.

Again, I’ve always asked the client(s) I’m training if they mind that I quickly text another client about something that is time-sensitive. Not a single client has ever even remotely had an issue; in fact, when I’ve asked they look at me as if to say, “Why are you even asking, of course you can!”

Talking Often During Sessions

An important part of personal training is relationship-building. The only way to do this is through communication that goes beyond the technical aspects of exercise programming and coaching. Now, this certainly doesn’t mean that you just talk for most of the session while not dedicating much time and effort to exercise. Creating a good relationship with clients and continuing to cultivate that relationship involves talking and bullshitting during the session. For example, I might even continue to talk to them during the first few reps of a set about something we were talking about during our rest break as long as they are demonstrating good control. Then, as they begin to fatigue, I’ll go right into coach-mode until the end of the set. This provides the human-side we all crave and the trainer-side they need without allowing the two to interfere in order to give an effective training session.

Another problem with simply watching a trainer and judging them based on what you see, is that you have no idea if they’re doing what they’re doing because of specific client needs. For example, I have a long-term client who loses his breath easily, so we must take extra-long rest breaks between sets. During those rest breaks we talk and bullshit until they’re ready to go again. So, if you were watching us train and saw the time we spent just talking, you might label me a “bad” trainer, when in the case of this client, a truly bad trainer wouldn’t allow this client adequate rest and risk a severe medical incident.

How Their Clients Look is NOT a Sign of a Bad Trainer!

Another thing that is often discussed to identify a “bad” trainer is if a trainer’s clients don’t look that much different from when they started. This idea is so detached from the reality that I don’t know whether to call it laughable or delusional.

Here is the reality, the majority of clients most trainers will work with are recreational exercisers. Although many of these folks may say that they’re looking to lose some fat, they’re really after weight-management; most aren’t genuinely interested in becoming gym rats who organize their entire lives around gyms, kitchens, and bathrooms. Others will openly state that they’re not at all interested in changing their eating habits and are exercising for defense to offset all the foods they love to eat.

Generally speaking, most clients are exercising for general health and fitness purposes and will often say things like, “I don’t want to think when I’m working out.” These folks just want a great workout experience that challenges them but doesn’t hurt them. They often gauge their training success by how much they’ve enjoyed each workout, how they feel at the end of the workout, and by the fact that they’ve completed a certain number of workouts per week. Though these clients become fitter, feel better, and are more confident, these general fitness expectations explain why so many competent fitness professionals (including yours truly) have long-term clients who don’t look much different or don’t have impressive increases in their lifting numbers than when they started.

As you can see, the common myths around what makes for a bad personal trainer can certainly be debunked as long as the trainer uses discretion and stays focused on the experience of the client. Stay-tuned for my part two of this series where I’ll be debunking the myths around what many believe makes for a good personal trainer.

http://nicktumminello.com/2017/04/the-truth-about-what-makes-a-good-personal-trainer-part-1-debunking-the-myths-about-how-to-spot-a-bad-trainer/

How To Build Your Booty At Home

Nike Is Releasing a New Performance Hijab for Muslim Female Athletes

As one of the biggest global sportswear brands, Nike has been working towards being more inclusive of all athletes and sports lovers around the world. Earlier this month, Swoosh officially launched its plus-size sportswear range for women. Moving forward, the company is about to release the all-new Pro Hijab designed for Muslim female athletes. The news was revealed in a statement from Nike:

The Nike Pro Hijab may have been more than a year in the making, but its impetus can be traced much further back, to an ongoing cultural shift that has seen more women than ever embracing sport … This movement first permeated international consciousness in 2012, when a hijabi runner [Sarah Attar] took the global stage in London.

According to Nike spokesperson Megan Saalfeld, the idea of creating an athletic hijab came after Emirati female Olympic weightlifting athlete Amna Al Haddad visited Nike’s Sport Research Lab. At the time, Haddad commented that there’s only one hijab that worked for her during trainings and competitions. Saalfeld explains,

From there, we worked with Amna and a variety of other athletes to see what they needed and wanted in a performance hijab. What we heard was that women were looking for a lightweight and breathable solution that would stay in place without concern of shifting.

The Nike Pro Hijab is set to release in 2018 spring. In the meantime, have your first look at the product above, then head over here to read why Nike is and always will be with women everywhere.

Thigh Exercises For Losing Fat

15 Super-Effective Stretching Exercises for a Fit and Fabulous Body

Stretching is an important element of any exercise regime that we need to keep ourselves healthy. Whether you’re an athlete or an office worker, everyone can benefit from a stretching routine. It improves your posture, increases your range of motion, and can even prevent injuries and reduce muscle soreness.

We here at Bright Side have put together the following list of 15 super-effective and easy-to-follow stretching exercises that will help you keep fit and healthy. Enjoy your training!

Exercise #1

• How to perform: Straighten your neck as much as you can. Slowly tilt your head to the right, trying to touch your right ear to your right shoulder. Repeat for the other side.
• Benefits: this exercise helps to stretch and strengthen the sternoclavicular, mastoid and upper trapezius muscles.

Exercise #2

• How to perform: keep your back straight, lace your fingers together behind your head and very gently push it downwards with your interlocked hands. Try to touch your chin to your breast bone.
• Benefits: this exercise helps to stretch and strengthen the sternoclavicular, mastoid and upper trapezius muscles.

Exercise #3

• How to perform: stand on one knee and slowly push your right hip forward. Grasp your left foot with your hand behind you and tighten your gluteal muscle.
• Benefits: this pose is great for stretching your knees and strengthening the hamstring muscles.

Exercise #4

• How to perform: stretch your right arm across your body. Use your other arm to pull the arm that’s being stretched toward your body.
• Benefits: this exercise helps to stretch the shoulders and strengthen the neck muscles.

Exercise #5

• How to perform: Bend your right knee and place your right foot flat on the floor on the outer side of the left thigh, as close to the pelvis as possible. Put you right hand behind your back and grasp your right knee with your left hand. Then, alternate the legs.
• Benefits: this pose helps open up the thoracic cage and elongates the muscles of the neck, shoulders, back and hips as well.

Exercise #6

  

• How to perform: start in the plank position, then move your left foot towards your hands. Feel the tension in your hips. Return to plank position and repeat with your right leg.
• Benefits: this exercise is great for strengthening and elongating the muscles of your hips and ankles.

Exercise #7

• How to perform: lie on your back, bend your knees up and move them over to your right side, slowly rotate your torso in the opposite direction.
• Benefits: This exercise improves mobility in your back, elongates your spine and stretches your thighs, chest, shoulders and upper back.

Exercise #8

• How to perform: sit back onto your heels, put your hands behind your back and push your hips up and forward. Be careful not to overtax your lower back. If you have problems with your neck, don’t drop your head back.
• Benefits: the pose will allow you to strengthen your internal and external obliques.

Exercise #9

• How to perform: Lie on your back, with your knees bent and your feet hip-width apart. Slowly and gently lift your back off the floor. Keep your feet and the tops of your shoulders pressed down toward the floor.
• Benefits: the move stretches your chest and neck muscles and elongates your spine. It calms the nervous system and relieves stress as well.

Exercise #10

• How to perform: lie on your side, prop your head up with your hand, bend your right knee and bring it towards your buttocks.
• Benefits: this exercise helps to eliminate pain in your knees.

Exercise #11

• How to perform: begin in a sitting position and slowly pull your leg towards your chest while rotating your hip and keeping your back straight.
• Benefits: the exercise helps you to work your glutes.

Exercise #12

• How to perform: sit on the floor with your legs straight in front of you and the muscles in your feet flexed. Lean your torso forward and grasp your feet with your hands. Keep your lower back straight and try to make your belly button reach your thighs.
• Benefits: this pose calms the nervous system, relieves stress, elongates your spine, and works the muscles in your shoulders and the back of the thighs.

Exercise #13

• How to perform: grasp your left ankle with your right hand and try to pull your foot towards your buttocks as close as possible. Keep your back straight.
• Benefits: do this exercise to stretch the muscles in the back of your thighs.

Exercise #14

• How to perform: clasp your hands behind your back and slide them as far up the back as possible, without causing yourself any pain; then lift your hips up and away from your upturned heels. Let your forehead rest on the floor.
• Benefits: perform this exercise to stretch your neck and shoulder muscles. It will help you to reduce headache and drowsiness as well.

Exercise #15

• How to perform: press the heel of one foot into the floor and your toes into the wall. Feel the tension in your feet as your press your toes down. Then, alternate the legs.
• Benefits: this exercise is a great way to stretch the calf muscles.

Remember: overstretching can harm your body. Stop and correct your technique if you feel any sharp pain. Try to do these exercises naturally and carefully without overtaxing your muscles. It is also important to watch your breathing.

https://brightside.me/inspiration-health/15-super-effective-stretching-exercises-for-a-fit-and-fabulous-body-122955/