Make Your Body Your Machine : Flexibility Matters

Flexibility Matters- Functional Stretching on the TRX

Fitness Anywhere — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 20:34:00 GMT

Every movement you make in the real world outside of the gym demands that your body work as a complete, inter-related unit. Your muscles and joints work together in chains, not as isolated, unrelated masses of tissue. In recent years ‘functional training’ has become the dominant paradigm in strength and conditioning because research and anecdotal evidence demonstrate that the best way to build a more fit, strong body is to tax it with complex movements that treat it as an interdependent system, not a sum of isolated parts.

The TRX is designed for functional training. Every movement on the TRX engages the entire body, builds strength, improves balance, and allows you to adjust resistance on the fly by simply changing the position of your hands or feet relative to the anchor. These same attributes make it a standout tool for building functional flexibility that directly corresponds to your fitness and training needs and the demands of daily life, not just the ability to grab your toes while you’re sitting on the floor.

“We’ve begun to understand that the result of an injury or a muscle being tight isn’t isolated. It affects several muscles because we move as a unit, not one muscle at a time. It’s a domino effect,” says Schell. “Fitness Anywhere’s approach to stretching and flexibility is similar to the approach we take to strength training. It’s more time efficient and makes more sense for the body.”

Now we’ve established an understanding of the principles underlying functional flexibility as showcased in the TRX Essentials:Flexibility DVD and Guide. The TRX Windmill stretch (showcased below) is an example of functional flexibility for golf. Next, we’ll explain how to safely implement a flexibility training program. Until then! FA

Flexibility Matters-Using the TRX to Improve Flexibility
Flexibility Matters-Why you should stretch

Flexibility Matters-Why you should stretch

Fitness Anywhere — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 20:28:00 GMT

If you workout, at some point, you’ve experienced pain due to inflexibility. “Pain is a common denominator that everyone understands. As a preventive measure, stretching will save you a huge amount of time, prevent injury and improve overall conditioning,” says Schell.

Indeed, stretching on the TRX as part of a flexibility program can help to diminish many of the aches and pains you commonly experience as a consequence of physical activity.

Building greater flexibility using the TRX also:

* improves circulation
* improves range of motion
* improves posture
* decreases joint stiffness
* decreases muscle tension
* promotes awareness of body in space
* facilitates relaxation
* allows time for mental training, such as visualization

There are many different methods for increasing flexibility, but the TRX is particularly well-suited to the task because it’s uniquely capable of facilitating a functional approach to improving flexibility. As this Flexibility Matters Series continues we’ll take a look at what that ‘functional flexibility’ means and why it’s the best approach to improving flexibility. Until then check out the TRX Wide Stance Hip Hinge exercise below from our newly released TRX Essentials: Flexibility Program! FA

Flexibility Matters-Using the TRX to Improve Flexibility

Flexibility Matters- Using the TRX to Improve Flexibility

Fitness Anywhere — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 19:54:00 GMT

In just 5 days, we're going to be releasing a new training program, TRX Essentials: Flexibility. In anticipation, let's touch on why "Flexibility Matters."

Flexibility is crucial to attaining your fitness goals whether you’re trying to break a world record, set a personal best in a 5k, maintain general wellness, or simply make it through a long day at your desk pain free.

Whatever outcome you’re after, the TRX can improve your flexibility and help you reach that goal.

“The TRX can safely build greater flexibility. It doesn’t matter if you’re someone who is super flexible or someone has never stretched before,” says Mary Lou Schell, FA’s Manager of Education and Development. The TRX is an optimal tool to aid you in your quest for flexibility because:

1. FUNCTIONAL FLEXIBLITY
* The TRX is a functional flexibility tool that allows you to stretch your body using movements that mirror those you’ll use during strength and conditioning training.

2. INFINITE RESISTENCE/ASSISTANCE
* The TRX enables infinite resistance or assistance to be applied while stretching on your own without the need for a partner to lend a hand.

3. MULTI-PLANE MOVEMENT
* The TRX allows you to stretch in all three planes of movement that your body travels through in the real world.

4. SAVES TIME
* When you own a TRX, getting and staying flexible is easy to achieve in just 15 minutes a day that you can also serve as your warm up.

This series will explore what stretching does for your body, how it can keep you pain and injury free, and how the TRX can help you safely achieve greater functional flexibility.

Once you’ve read this series you’ll have a basic understanding of stretching and how to integrate flexibility training into your program using the TRX. For a more in-depth explanation and visual guidance, check out our new TRX Essentials: Flexibility DVD and Guide, an excellent educational resource loaded with information that will help you keep your stretching program on track.

Check back for an overview of the benefits you’ll experience from even basic flexibility training. See you then!

Flexibility Matters-Why you should stretch