Stretching: Focus on Flexibility.

You can stretch anytime, anywhere. Just follow these tips to do it safely and effectively.

By Mayo Clinic Staff

Stretching may take a back seat to your exercise routine. The main concern is exercising, not stretching, right?

Not so fast. Stretching may help you:

• Improve your joint range of motion
• Improve your athletic performance
• Decrease your risk of injury

Understand why stretching can help and how to stretch correctly.

Benefits of stretching

Studies about the benefits of stretching have had mixed results. Some show that stretching helps. Other studies show that stretching before or after exercise has little to no benefit.

Some research shows that stretching doesn't reduce muscle soreness after exercise, and other studies show that static stretching performed immediately before a sprint event may slightly worsen performance.

Stretching can help improve flexibility, and, consequently, range of motion about your joints. Better flexibility may:

• Improve your performance in physical activities
• Decrease your risk of injuries
• Help your joints move through their full range of motion
• Enable your muscles to work most effectively

Stretching also increases blood flow to the muscle. You may learn to enjoy the ritual of stretching before or after hitting the trail, ballet floor or soccer field.

Stretching essentials

Before you plunge into stretching, make sure you do it safely and effectively. While you can stretch anytime, anywhere, be sure to use proper technique. Stretching incorrectly can actually do more harm than good.

Use these tips to keep stretching safe:

• Don't consider stretching a warmup. You may hurt yourself if you stretch cold muscles. Before stretching, warm up with light walking, jogging or biking at low intensity for five to ten minutes. Even better, stretch after your workout when your muscles are warm.
  Consider skipping stretching before an intense activity, such as sprinting or track and field activities. Some research suggests that pre-event stretching may actually decrease performance. Research has also shown that stretching immediately before an event weakens hamstring strength.
  Instead of static stretching, try performing a "dynamic warmup." A dynamic warm-up involves performing movements similar to those in your sport or physical activity at a low level, then gradually increasing the speed and intensity as you warm up.
• Strive for symmetry. Everyone's genetics for flexibility are a bit different. Rather than striving for the flexibility of a dancer or gymnast, focus on having equal flexibility side to side (especially if you have a history of a previous injury). Flexibility that is not equal on both sides may be a risk factor for injury.
• Focus on major muscle groups. Concentrate your stretches on major muscle groups such as your calves, thighs, hips, lower back, neck, and shoulders. Make sure that you stretch both sides.
  Also, stretch muscles and joints that you routinely use.
• Don't bounce. Stretch in a smooth movement, without bouncing. Bouncing as you stretch can injure your muscle and actually contribute to muscle tightness.
• Hold your stretch. Breathe normally and hold each stretch for about 30 seconds; in problem areas, you may need to hold for around 60 seconds.
• Don't aim for pain. Expect to feel tension while you're stretching, not pain. If it hurts, you've pushed too far. Back off to the point where you don't feel any pain, then hold the stretch.
• Make stretches sport specific. Some evidence suggests that it's helpful to do stretches involving the muscles used most in your sport or activity. If you play soccer, for instance, stretch your hamstrings as you're more vulnerable to hamstring strains. So opt for stretches that help your hamstrings.
• Keep up with your stretching. Stretching can be time-consuming. But you can achieve the most benefits by stretching regularly, at least two to three times a week.
  Skipping regular stretching means you risk losing the potential benefits. For instance, if stretching helped you increase your range of motion, your range of motion may decrease again if you stop stretching.
• Bring movement into your stretching. Gentle movements, such as those in tai chi or yoga, can help you be more flexible in specific movements. These types of exercises can also help reduce falls in seniors.
  Remember the "dynamic warmup:" If you're going to perform a specific activity, such as a kick in martial arts or kicking a soccer ball, start out slowly and at low intensity to get your muscles used to it. Then speed up gradually.

Know when to exercise caution

You might need to approach stretching with caution. If you have a chronic condition or an injury, you might need to adjust your stretching techniques. For example, if you already have a strained muscle, stretching it may cause further harm.

Remember that stretching doesn't mean you can't get injured. Stretching, for instance, won't prevent an overuse injury. Talk to your doctor or physical therapist about the most appropriate way to stretch if you have any health concerns.

Having downloaded this same article 20 years ago, the clinic has evolved to include more information about stretching in this article. This information has always been available, so why is there such a difference between the two articles about the same subject, from the same clinic?

Excellent article from Mayo Clinic. There are some discrepancies and prerogatives. To be petty. The word MAY. A prerogative to use. If it is unknown. It MAY do a lot of things. With or without controversy. Stretching and flexibility are very important aspects of health, wellness, and fitness. No smoke and mirrors. Only! Who informed us? Who knew? With a ride the fence perspective. That’s alright, we have taken a stand.

Other studies show that stretching before or after exercise has little to no benefit. 

This sentence is simply unbelievable.

Why then so many people spend hours weekly, year after year, and get such meager results? There is a number of reasons for it. Some of them are

--Wrong exercises.

-- Doing even good exercises at the wrong time in a workout.

--Wrong choice of training methods of developing other athletic abilities and skills which interferes with development of flexibility as well as with total athletic development. Thomas Kurz M. Sc.

Research finds that separating stretching and flexibility development as its own entity or arsenal maximizing the results. Eliminates mistakes and errors when combined with other components of the workout attempted while establishing and understanding the stretch element all it's own.

Nature represents health, wellness represented by flexibility  and fitness represented by range of motion (R.O.M.) It's a good article for the most part. Not that the other components have no value. There are five components to a workout. Without all of them, technically it can not be considered a workout. Sure, call it whatever you like. The warm-up stretch being the most adequate single component to run by the gym and get it in. It's the safest and possibly the most overlooked. Second, if the cooldown is considered. What about the pump? You guys. This can be achieved with stretching. Warm up/stretch is the headliner. If omitted, everything else becomes a negative to the participants. Fifteen-minute warmup, fifteen minutes of stretching. Prepping the body for cardio, muscle fitness or daily activities when there's more time. Never hold a stretch for sixty seconds, instead do the stretch twice, thirty seconds a piece for safety reasons. Mayo says stretching can be time-consuming. MentFlexX is systematically designed to take advantage of the warm-up stretch aspect of this thirty-minute component. All five components contained for the optimum workout experience, focusing on the stretch, flexibility components. Stretching is not time-consuming. Not knowing how, when, & what stretch definitely is. Walking around, by a show of hands, in a gym for three hours would likely be time-consuming. The unknowing of where and what to start with. This could lead to accidents that cause early retirement from the fitness industry. How time-consuming would that be?

To keep it simple. One being dominate, the other is not. This plays a crucial part of balance and alignment. Check out the old school hulk (Lou) the first hulk, the real one. Which body parts are a clear visual of this small phenom? Stretching balances the body preventing, and correcting this internal unevenness, naturally. For if it has a physical appearance, it will also have an unseen mental result. With the physical dominate side, there is a mental discrepancy unseen and until recently, unannounced. Regardless if it was known. It was unknown to MxF. Was.

What's that one meme? "Get yo mind right." This can never happen until the body is aligned. Simultaniusouly would be ideal. 

This piece is not to refute Mayo. It is to share insight about the single most helpful component in the health, wellness, and fitness arsenal. Just another point of view about the same thing. Not a debate. There are two articles. This difference offers a platform for more subjective data. Courtesy of stretching and flexibility. Don't trust us. 

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ABs To Go

Now, let's get down to business. It's abdominal muscle (abs) time. Almost as much as we like doing them, typing about them is causing the same effect. Be sure and stick with this to the end, it's where the magic will begin. Let's get into the meat of things. Was going to type heart, what about the abdominals?

Abdominal muscles: A large group of muscles in the front of the abdomen that assists in the regular breathing movement and supports the muscles of the spine while lifting and keeping abdominal organs such as the intestines in place. Abdominal muscles play a key role in exercises such as "sit-ups." They are informally called the "abs". Taken from a medical dictionary. Check this one out.

The belly, that part of the body Abdomen: The belly, that part of the body that contains all of the structures between the chest and the pelvis. The abdomen is separated anatomically from the chest by the diaphragm, the powerful muscle spanning the body cavity below the lungs. The abdomen includes a host of organs including the stomach, small intestine, colon, rectum, liver, spleen, pancreas, kidneys, appendix, gallbladder, and bladder. The word "abdomen" has a curious story behind it. It comes from the Latin "abdodere", to hide. The idea was that whatever was eaten was hidden in the abdomen. This definition was added because there is a lot more to the abdominals than meets the eye. How many of us have them? Waiting for the op to show them off. Selfy! This blog is probably going to hurt some feelings. Don't take it personally. The abdominals are usually the body-conscious practitioners' pet peeve. The pecs for some, the arms for others. What's your pet peeve?

This is directed at the abdominal muscles. With hopes to gain a greater understanding of them. We recently witnessed some information on the www about obtaining the six-pack with a diet. Diet is major in the abstraction of these muscles. Getting to them requires work. Read that again. Everyone already has abdominal muscles, in high school, they were ripped in with the grooves. Etched. After high school, family, busy schedules. No time for abs or anything else. The dunlap, spare tire moves in and about.

One of the main things about the abdominal muscles is their location anatomically speaking. We are a perfect structure. Abs, the middle of the entire body. Reason and purpose for everything. Similar to the tree trunk. From youth, the abs have been engaged to straighten the body whilst growing. Keeping the spine aligned, hips in place, keeping the innards innard to name a few abdominal task.

Where do they go? How can you get them back? They're there already, what can be done to bring them out again, to halt the chit-chat? There are hundreds, thousands of exercises, equipment and moments for the abdominal muscles. This can be a problem. Similar to the vast arsenal of stretches, flexibility exercises can be overwhelming when deciding which ones to use. Sometimes it's easier to not to. You can always just pull the gut in when posing for those sexy photo ops. Try not to pass out.

ATHLETES OF ALL sports—from baseball to football to hockey—base their physical training on improving the strength of their core using compound movements. That's great for pro athletes, but what about guys who just want to get a ripped six-pack? 

First off, let's acknowledge a hard truth: Not all abs are created equal. Some need to work their belly to exhaustion before they can carve out abs, while others seem to get theirs to pop without a single sit-up.

 Regardless of where you fit on the fitness spectrum, effectively training the core comes down to the three planes of motion: frontal, sagittal, and transverse. Doing abs exercises in a circuit style keeps the intensity high and will likely lead to even more fat loss.

Men's fitness/30-best-abs-exercises-all-time article reports the same information that can be found in almost any article online, magazine or book.
Here we go again with the uniqueness of the body. Abdominal cores are like butt holes, everybody has one. What works for Theodore may not work entirely for Jay Don or Ferrell. This is possibly true of the female core. Not professionally capable to write about them, but comfortable to include them in what is typed here from a masculine viewpoint. Find out what fits your pack the best. There are so many to choose from. Similar to the above paragraph (ab exercises in a circuit). To begin, choose one exercise for all three planes of motion: frontal, sagittal, and transverse. Make a workout of it, paying close attention to how or if each exercise is working for each respective area. For example: let's use three different exercises, 25 reps 3 sets. Begin slow and deliberate. Concentrating on how the exercise hits the core and its intensity. What it takes to engage the exercise for each area of the core. Using every day or every other day schedule. This depends on what is requested, not all are created equal. Let's say after the second day there is soreness. It's a great indication the exercises worked. Which exercise and numbers. 25/3. Continue the week with these exercises. The next week choose three new exercises for each area, calisthenics is best for beginners, gradually adding machines and weight to each exercise trying them out for a week. Continue until you know you have at least three ab-busting, burning exercises for each area. Nine, twelve exercises lined up and ready to break the monotony, keeping the element of surprise available. These are the outside preparation version.

 Ok, the secret to abdominal, six pack blinging midsections is from within. Remember when you had an admirable six pack. This was when it was in. Let's go in behind them. This is the key ingredient of the abdominal muscles. Ab magic? The chi, qi breathing. Also known as inner energy. This is very important to the respiratory, body alignment, and core positioning. While working from the outside in, the qi is working opposite. It should be known by now with MxF if it goes one way, it has to go back. Two sides to every story. Yin and Yang. Abdominal muscles a short, unlike a bicep or quad. What engages them would require a kit as we call them. A bag of tricks to go to when needed on short notice. This kit is used to cut or chisel the abs. Three go to exercise especially for getting them going. Unique. This kit may not have the same effect on Taylor or Jessica. One out of three may get sore. If you haven't worked on your abs since Juvember 1942. Regardless of exercise, the percentage of soreness is high. Anything cut will make them sore, the kit should be special. Special to each individuals quest for a six-pack. Basically, what is done on the outside of the abdominals will need to be countered from the inside. This is why it is hard to maintain the six-pack. Without the inside, the outside in is being constructed on a pocket of air, oxygen. Trapped in the abdominal cavity.
See above Abdomen: Belly definition.

 Let's look at it as internal gravity. Below the lungs lies the diaphragm. A muscle. As we begin to lose the gravity within or when this muscle loses its tension, out comes the bulge. Qi breathing will exercise the diaphragm, strengthening it to contract, pulling the organs back into place from the inside. Ab work performed outside seats them back into there natural position. Without doing this the abdominals will only tighten up to the point where the organs have rested outward or where the diaphragm has relaxed. The loss of gravity. Instead of down, this gravity is inward. With a thin line keeping it there.  The plank exercise is a great example of tightening the abs around the core. Outgoing in. Qi breathing is further in out to the planks in. It is as far out as Qi gets. Tighten your abs right now. Are they carved in? Are you able to see them when flexed? If no. Loss of gravity or air basically has organs out of natural. If you can see the abs, pushing all the air outward the Qi is just behind your flexed abs. The above photo depicts exactly the definition attempted explained here. Gather the Qi and a six-pack. Obtain, contain and maintain them longer and easier just by Qi breathing alone. Gain the knowledge about Qi and sink your six in for a shirtless summer. Qi breathers are happier. Laugh more and exuding positivity.
                
                Bruce Lee's Core Symbol - Original Sketch, Interview and More

 We are constructed with discipline. The anatomical position is a sweet spot? The core being is at the center. It should be the first area of maintenance when it's positioning is considered. A tight core will provide a more stable foundation to all other limbs along the alignment aspect of health, wellness, and fitness. The core seated in its cavity will allow greater access to the range of motion and alignment of all limbs. In sort of a shock absorbent manner.  Information about the qi should explain more on what is attempted to be expressed here.

Cavity 4. (anatomy) a natural hollow or sinus within the body.  

  

 When the abdominal muscles are tightened fitting back inside and around this cavity supporting top and bottom halves of the body, with a negative gravity allowing the organs exact position, without the outward pull. When punching or kicking a bag. The body tenses during the movement. This flinch protects the organs. Automatically. Bag work offers conditioning of quick muscles throughout the body, jumping rope is a good exercise to tighten this cavity. Off comes the shirt, this is the key not only cosmetically. The natural position offers a plethora of internal benefits as well. More than meets the eye. Abdominal muscles or the six pack are a combination of conditioning the core cavity and a complete understanding of breathing. Its more intriguing than the old legendary inhale-exhale ritual. It is a vital component of time, rhythm, and schedule. Needing special attention and direct monitoring. Peep our you tube channel for AbBacidal for abdominal conditioning. The body is incredibly put together, built. Be careful of the fads that shine, smoke, and use mirror. As complex as the body is, obtaining whatever requested is simple when lack of trust and misunderstanding are eliminated. The discipline, blood sweat, and tears it takes to obtain these treasures. Maintenance is a breeze. Made possible with "The Flexx" through the MentFlexX method.

    Do not get it confused, this is not intended for a standard of beauty. It is an indication of a standard of health, wellness and fitness. If a person is not ashamed of their body, no one else in the world should be able to body shame them. If one is happy. Be that way. Our purpose is health, wellness and fitness related. Not everyone has abs. Oh! But, they do. Our intent is to express the importance of ab exercises and the abdominal muscles fitting snugly in its cavity properly for correct body alignment. The bodies natural position. The health benefits of this position leave no room to argue about the want to be overweight. It's a prerogative. The point being the mental ramifications caused by body misalignment. Don't be in denial of self. Over, underweight? Just do you. This position offers the body rest. When the body is out of this natural position, it engages systems such as increased heart or respiratory rates to counter the effects, thus accelerating aging. Subtly, oh! so peaceful.

Accommodate and adapt. Similar to the process of an injury, discussed in The Tao of MentFlexX

All these letters, and wonderful photos of these beautiful people flashing abs. Consistency is the main ingredient. Start light, small. Nothing entirely overwhelming. Simple fifteen-minute walk, ten push-ups, ten sit-ups. Fifteen minutes of stretching. Builds confidence. Take responsibility for your health, wellness, and fitness while you still can.

 Check your diet, find the diet that is uniquely your own. Regardless of the food you like, your diet is way more important at the moment. Foods you like can become rewards for great discipline locating the diet that is right for you. No need to starve, or overindulge. If you need to be on an alkaline diet. Make the necessary changes. We are a work in progress, always under construction. We're just learning how to eat.  Learning the correct procedure how to defecate/void/#2/do-do. It assists with the cleansing of the section mid the will allow a greater transformation of the abdominal cavity. Worth looking into. Seems almost elementary.  It is actually, not complicated. It's the information that never really matter, to begin with, that clouds the path of knowing. Health, wellness, and fitness are simple. Take it into consideration. "They can't laugh at you." "Simplicity is the key to brilliance." Bruce Lee

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The System

Humans have five vital organs that are essential for survival. These are the brain, heart, kidneys, liver, and lungs. The human brain is the body's control center, receiving and sending signals to other organs through the nervous system and through secreted hormones. Check this video Amazing.


What is the most important organ in the human body?

Some organs get plenty of press. News stories and resources about the heart, lungs, and skin are commonplace. But according to Mehmet Oz, the liver is the body's most important organ and it gets little play. May 5, 2008

Is the brain the most important organ in the human body?

The brain is arguably the most important organ in the human body. It controls and coordinates actions and reactions, allows us to think and feel, and enables us to have memories and feelings – all the things that make us human. Jun 3, 2016

Why the heart is the most important organ in the human body?

The human heart is an organ that pumps blood throughout the body via the circulatory system, supplying oxygen and nutrients to the tissues and removing carbon dioxide and other wastes. Mar 22, 2016
From google search

We tend to lean toward the heart as being the most important organ, for spiritual reasoning. For the heart is where all ten fruits of the spirit are produced. We could be wrong, but we'll do it humbly. Which is more important to you?

List of systems of the human body From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Part of a series of lists about

Human anatomy

General[show]

Structures[show]

Muscles[show]

See also[show]

• Clockwise from top left: the integumentary

• skeleta
• nervous
• cardiovascular
• endocrine and muscular systems.

Clockwise from top left: the lymphatic, respiratory, urinary, reproductive 

(female-male) and digestive systems.

The main systems of the human body are:

1. Cardiovascular system / Circulatory system:                                                                      Circulates blood around the body via the heart, arteries, and veins, delivering oxygen and nutrients to organs and cells and carrying their waste products away. 
2. Digestive system / Excretory system: Mechanical and chemical processes that provide nutrients via the mouth, esophagus, stomach, and intestines. Eliminates waste from the body. 
3. Endocrine system: Provides chemical communications within the body using hormones. 
4. Integumentary system/ Exocrine system: Skin, hair, nails, sweat and other exocrine glands. 
5. Lymphatic system / Immune system: The system comprising a network of lymphatic vessels that carry a clear fluid called lymph. Defends the body against pathogenic viruses that may endanger the body. 
6. Muscular system: Enables the body to move using muscles. 
7. Nervous system: Collects and processes information from the senses via nerves and the brain and tells the muscles to contract to cause physical actions. 
8. Renal system / Urinary system: The system where the kidneys filter blood. 
9. Reproductive system: The sex organs required for the production of offspring. 
10. Respiratory system: The lungs and the trachea that bring air into the body.
11. Skeletal system: Bones supporting the body and its organs. 

From www.wikipedia.org

This is just an overview of the many systems combined to make us extraordinary. The maintenance or lack thereof may seem arbitrary to the untrained. All these systems, all the processes, and procedures the complete, correct, mix, release, dump, etc. Get the point. How, whatever crossed the mind and lead us to believe we could wait until the first of the year, take a list of what we wanted to carve out of what the last three months have done to our precious bodies? In three months. That's about the average length of the holiday guilt trip. The body and brain get it in. All day every day. There is a terrible misunderstanding to think. We don't know what? A schedule must be added. Not to be so forward. A schedule is needed or should be implemented. Neglect. click for more info.

Subtle negatives can cause minor degrees of corrections to one of these systems resulting in the natural adjustment of some or all the others. The unknowing of what they do or could possibly be is unmeasurable. To maintain them would unanimously be the best measure to defend against what is unknown. This may read difficult, the maintenance of so much, so many unseen collaborations combined for the making of the being. MxF is such a method. Such the method of defense that harnesses all of them to function in a natural manner connecting with what is natural so that it's almost effortless. A subtle form of self-defense that compliments and boost by simply aligning and maintaining the natural resting area and automatically defends itself. Covering the gap of unknowing with no need to, because the system engages the natural process of internal defenses. Similar to the auto. They occasionally need check-ups. Pit stops. Three times a week? What would be considered fair to the body? For what it does for us at all times? Huge misunderstanding. Three times a week is something. Something trumps nothing. If we can do this to ourselves, how could we ever be considered responsible to not be any different to anyone else? Look at how we do ourselves. We don't know how you do you. You know. How do you do you?

We are more than what meets the eyes. A containment of utopia that occurs twenty-four hours a day since conception. Natural adjustments to maintain a balance of wellness at any giving time, regardless of the occasional heartburn or sore and achy joints. Fixed and repaired as one sleeps bringing about better in twenty-four to forty-eight hours. Amazing. Unique. Yet individualized help or aid. Tending to all the unbalance and healing processes while we watch television or hack away on the computer and certainly while we sleep.

Those that continue to function for years (unexpected?) are always asked, "what is the secret?" The secret to living? Being close to natural not settling for substitutes. Being real, if you know how that feels. Imitation is suicide. Or something along those lines. Got to keep it real. Just do you. You are dope and it's going to be hard as hell to convince us otherwise. Otherwise?

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