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If Goku Stretches – So Do You

Lets Get Stretched

Here are some neat ways to get stretched

Static
Dynamic
Yoga

Benefits of Stretching

IF GOKU NEEDS TO STRETCH, SO DO YOU!
FLEXIBILITY IS A KEY COMPONENT TO ANY FUNCTIONAL FITNESS ROUTINE. NO MATTER WHAT TYPE OF WORKOUT YOU DO, IT IS IMPORTANT TO STRETCH. HAVING LIMBER LIMBS FEELS GOOD AND LOOKS COOL. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT’S REALLY CRITICAL TO YOUR OVERALL HEALTH AND VITALITY.
WE WILL DISCUSS WHAT TO DO BEFORE AND AFTER WORKING OUT BELOW.

Helps to heal and prevent back pain

Tight muscles can lead to a decrease in your range of motion. When this happens, you increase the likelihood of straining the muscles in your back. Stretching can help heal an existing back injury by stretching the muscles.

 

Improves your posture

Muscle imbalances are common and can lead to poor posture. A combination of strengthening and stretching specific muscle groups can reduce musculoskeletal pain and encourage proper alignment. That, in turn, may help improve your posture.

 

Increases your flexibility

Regular stretching can help increase your flexibility, which is crucial for your overall health. Not only can improved flexibility help you to perform everyday activities with relative ease, but it can also help delay the reduced mobility that can come with aging.

Can calm your mind

Regular stretching programs not only help increase your flexibility, but it can also calm your mind. While you stretch, focus on mindfulness and meditation exercises, which gives your mind a mental break. Stretching may also help reduce the tension you feel from headaches.

Increases your range of motion

Being able to move a joint through its full range of motion gives you more freedom of movement. Stretching on a regular basis can help increase your range of motion. 

 

Increases blood flow to your muscles

Performing stretches on a regular basis may improve your circulation. Improved circulation increases blood flow to your muscles, which can shorten your recovery time and reduce muscle soreness.

Stretching Types

Dynamic Vs Static Stretching

A dynamic stretch is a series of challenging motions that are executed repeatedly so that the stretch is felt further with each motion. These stretches entail a lot of motion and are not necessarily deep stretches, so they can be done safely prior to warming up the muscles or even as a warm-up exercise. Athletes often use dynamic stretches to prevent injury and to loosen up the joints and muscles prior to a strenuous workout.

A static stretch is a deep, slow stretch, which entails a singular motion held in place for ten seconds or more. These are the types of stretches to do when you are aiming for extreme flexibility or are just beginning to learn to stretch. Remember to take it easy and to warm up the muscles prior to a static stretch in order to prevent injury.

Static Stretching

Useful Post-workout Stretches

Know that you don’t have to go through the full range of motion—just stretch to whatever point feels best for you. Slowly move into the stretch, then hold; do not bounce, it can sometimes lead to injury; do not stretch into pain, only stretch until you feel the tension; do not stretch a strained muscle, as it may lead to more muscle damage; and if you feel pain, stop and contact your doctor or physical therapist.

neck stretching

  • ​Start standing or sitting tall, and place one hand on your lower back, the other hand on the opposite side of your head.
  • Pull your head toward your shoulder, looking straight ahead, until you feel a stretch in your neck.
  • Hold for at least 30 seconds and then repeat on the other side.

  • Start standing tall, fingers interlocked behind you near your butt.
  • Keeping your back straight and shoulder blades together, push your arms up until you feel the stretch in your pecs.
  • Hold for at least 30 seconds.

  • Start standing or sitting tall. Bring one arm overhead and drop your forearm behind you, resting it on your back between your shoulder blades.
  • With your other hand, grab right above your bent elbow and pull gently, until you feel a stretch in your shoulder and the back of your arm. You never want to pull on your elbow.
  • Try to keep your bicep close to your ear, and don’t force it past.
  • Hold for at least 30 seconds and then repeat on the other side.

  • Stand tall, feet shoulder-distance apart, knees slightly bent. With your arms extended, clasp your hands directly behind your back, palms touching.
  • From this position, rotate your wrists backward, opening your still-clasped hands so your palms are facing the ground.
    Keeping your elbows straight, raise your arms behind your body until you feel a stretch through your biceps. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat. 
  • To get a deeper stretch through your shoulders and chest, look up toward the ceiling and draw your shoulders backward to broaden your chest.

  • Extend one arm forward in front of you at shoulder height or just below.
    Keep your extended arm straight and with your opposite hand, grab onto your fingers just above your palm.
  • Pull on your hand to bend your wrist up, so your fingertips point toward the ceiling, until you feel a stretch on the bottom of your forearm and wrist.
    Hold for at least 30 seconds and then repeat on the other side.
  • Keep your extended arm straight and with your opposite hand, press down on the top of your extended hand. Slowly bend your wrist down, so that your fingertips point toward the floor, until you feel a stretch on the top of your forearm and wrist.
    Hold for at least 30 seconds and then repeat on the other side.

  • Stand tall, feet planted roughly hip-distance apart, knees slightly bent.
  • Shift your weight to your left foot, bend your right knee behind you, and lift your right foot toward your same-side glute.
  • Grasp the top of your right foot with your right hand to pull your right heel closer to your glute. Make sure your right knee is pointing toward the ground, your right leg still aligned with your left leg. 
  • When you feel a good stretch, hold the position for 20 to 30 seconds before switching legs.

  • Sit on the floor with one leg out straight. 
  • Bend the other leg at the knee and position the sole of that foot against your opposite inner thigh.
  • Extend your arms and reach forward over the one straight leg by bending at the waist as far as possible.
  • Hold this position for 10 seconds. Relax. Repeat with the other leg.

  • Stand about two feet away from a wall. Place the ball of your right foot against the wall while your heel remains on the ground. Slowly and gently lean into the wall while keeping your knee straight.
  • Lean forward into the wall, stretching the back of your calf. When you feel a good stretch, hold for 20 to 30 seconds before switching sides.

Dynamic Stretching

Useful Pre-workout Stretches

The stretches below are dynamic stretches, meaning you can do them as part of a warmup or anytime during the day to alleviate tension. They not only mimic movement patterns we perform in everyday life, but they also enhance mobility in the ankles, hips, thoracic spine (upper back) and shoulders — four key areas of the body designed to be mobile — and move your body through the various planes of motion.

  • Stand with your feet hip-width apart and arms relaxed alongside your body, palms facing one another.
  • Keeping a soft bend in the knees and maintaining an elongated spine, hinge at hips, pressing glutes back while outstretching arms forward at shoulder height with palms still facing one another.
  • Thrust hips slightly forward returning to a standing position while simultaneously swinging arms slightly back behind the body. Continue this movement sequence for about 20-30 seconds.
  • It’s important to go through the movements at a slow, controlled tempo to allow your body to gradually prepare for the activity you’ll do after.

  • Stand with your feet slightly parted and hands resting on your hips. Shift weight to your left foot, bending the right knee slightly while lifting the right heel. 
  • Keeping the right knee softly bent, actively swing the right leg forward and backward, allowing the right knee to naturally flex and extend throughout the movement, maintaining length in the spine. 
  • Continue this movement sequence, then switch sides and repeat. Don’t kick mindlessly. Perform this movement using a controlled, rhythmic tempo.

  • Come onto all fours with your wrists below your shoulders and knees below hips, maintaining a neutral, extended spine with toes tucked under. 
  • Inhale, softening belly toward the floor and gently arching the back, tilting tailbone and chin toward ceiling. 
  • Exhale, gently rounding the spine, drawing the chin toward the chest and untucking toes, placing tops of your feet on the floor. 
  • Repeat this sequence of movements for about 30 seconds.
  • This is a motion exercise as opposed to a passive stretch. Rather than holding any of the positions, focus on a continuous movement between the two.

  • Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor with your arms bent alongside the body, elbows pinned into sides and palms facing up. 
  • Keeping your arms in contact with the floor, inhale to slide arms overhead until your index fingers touch one another. 
  • As you exhale, slide your arms back down to the starting position, keeping arms and hands in contact with the floor throughout the movement. 
  • Repeat this sequence of movements.
  • Try to keep your upper arms, forearms and hands in contact with the floor, or as close as possible, throughout the movement and avoid arching the lower back as your arms stretch overhead.

  • Come to all fours with knees below hips and wrists below shoulders. 
  • Draw left fingertips behind your left ear, keeping your elbow bent and open to the side of the body. 
  • Rotate torso to the left, drawing left elbow to point toward ceiling. 
  • Reverse the movement, returning torso to starting position parallel with the floor while crossing your left elbow toward your right arm. 
  • Continue this movement sequence for about 20-30 seconds, then switch sides and repeat.
  • To minimize any undue pressure on the spine, visualize rotating the entire torso, including the head and neck, as one unit when moving in each direction, twisting from the upper back in a controlled fashion.

  • Stand with feet together and right arm raised toward the ceiling at a 45-degree angle creating a loose fist with your hand. 
  • Step your left foot out 1–2 feet to the left, hinging at the hips and bending your left knee to come into a side lunge. 
  • At the same time, cross your right arm in front of your body with your elbow bent and hand in front of your left hip, right forearm parallel to belly.
  • Gently push off of your right foot, return to starting position with feet together and right arm raised. 
  • Continue this movement sequence for 20-30 seconds, then switch sides and repeat.
  • Avoid stepping too far out to the side during the lunging portion of this movement and keep the knee of the bent leg tracking in line with the second toe of that foot to avoid undue stress or strain on the knee or hip joint.

  • Stand facing a wall or the back of a sturdy chair, placing both hands on the surface with your arms fully extended.
  • Shift your weight to the left foot, bending your right knee slightly while lifting your right heel and keeping your toes on floor.
  • With the right knee bent, trace a figure-eight pattern on the floor with the right toes, opening and closing the right hip and knee in a fluid motion.
  • Continue this movement sequence for about 20-30 seconds, then switch sides and repeat.
  • For safety, be sure to perform this movement within your current range of motion and to gradually work toward increasing the size of the circles as it feels comfortable for you. Also complete the stretch in a smooth, fluid manner.

YOga Stretching

Morning Yoga for Warming Up

This little morning yoga sequence for beginners is wonderful for getting your blood flowing and your energy focused. The poses will strengthen and lengthen your body, and help you feel fit and flexible all day long in mind, body, and spirit.

morning yoga Tadasana
1. Tadasana - Start by grounding your feet and press evenly through all four corners of each foot. Stretch your arms towards the floor and draw your abdominals in and up. Hold for five to eight breaths to get focused and ready to move deeper.
yoga 2 Urdhva Hastasana
2. Urdhva Hastasana - From Tadasana, lift your arms up overhead and press your palms firmly together. Keep the tops of your shoulders released away from your ears and activate your triceps. Keep the abdominals engaged and the legs firm. Hold for five to eight breaths.
morning yoga Warrior I
3. Warrior I - Then step your left foot back one of your own leg’s length apart. Press the outer left foot in to the mat as you lunge your right knee forward. The left foot should be pointing at a seventy-five degree angle. Make sure the knee stays above the ankle. Hold for five to eight breaths.
morning yoga Warrior 2
4. Warrior 2 - From Warrior I Pose on the right side, open the arms, hips, and waist to the side as you gaze forward over your right hand. Your back toes can open up a bit more than seventy-five degrees, but keep the toes a little forward of the heel still. Make sure the front knee doesn’t roll in. Draw your abs in and and keep the torso even between the legs. Stay and breathe for five to eight deep breaths.
morning yoga triangle
5. Triangle - Warrior II is to straighten the front leg and hinge forward placing the hand on the knee, shin, or a block. Imagine yourself between two narrow walls. Hold for five to eight breaths, then come back up to standing.
morning yoga Extended Side Angle
6. Re-bend the front knee and place the outer right forearm on the upper right thigh. Extend the top arm overhead and lengthen from the outer edge of the left foot all the way through the left fingers. Hold for five to eight breaths. Drop your hands alongside the front foot and step forward, folding in to both legs. Come back up through Urdhva Hastasana and repeat postures 3-6 on the left side.
morning yoga downward dog
7. Downward Dog - After doing the postures on the left side, instead of folding forward, place both hands on the floor on either side of the left foot from Extended Side Angle and step the left foot back to meet the right as you come into Downward Facing Dog Pose. Press firmly into your hands and roll your upper arms outwards. Lengthen up through your torso and keep your abdominals engaged. Actively use your legs to keep bringing your torso back in space. If you need to bend your knees, that’s ok! Hold here for eight to ten breaths.
morning yoga Forearm Plank
8. Forearm Plank - From Downward Facing Dog Pose, roll out to Plank (or drop to hands and knees) and place your forearms on the floor. Make sure your body forms a straight line from head to toe. Keep your abdominals engaged and hold for thirty to sixty seconds to fire up your powerhouse for the day.
morning yoga Baby Cobra
9. Baby Cobra - Lower down to your belly from forearm plank, walk your hands slightly forward if need be, and lift your chest up into a Baby Cobra. Pull your shoulder blades together and down your back and breathe into the front of your body. Hold for five breaths, lower down and repeat two more times.
morning yoga Child’s Pose
10. Child’s Pose - Finish by pressing back to Child’s Pose to stretch the entire back body and focus on what you would like to achieve for the day. Stay as long as you can, or want to, and finish with Savasana, or press to stand and roll up for an incredible day.

Power Yoga That Builds Strength

This sequence will help yoga beginners build strength in the core, arms, and legs. Incorporating balances and dynamic movement is part of the strengthening process. Don’t feel like you have to do the whole sequence at once if it seems too hard. Instead, try working a few of these poses into your daily yoga routine. You can also take a break in child’s pose between each exercise if you need to.

Downward dog power yoga
Begin in downward facing dog. Though often described as a resting posture, down dog is a great strengthener in its own right. Take at least five and up to 20 breaths here
plank Power Yoga
Come forward to a plank pose with the shoulders over the wrists. Stay five to 10 breaths and you will really feel this in your arms. Make sure to maintain good alignment throughout by not letting your hips stick up or sag down. Instead, keep a nice, straight line from the crown of your head to your heels. Remember, you can rest in child's pose between poses if you need to.
Power Yoga plank
If you are working up to full chaturanga, drop the knees here before lowering. Hold the lowered position for a breath, then continue through your vinyasa ending up back in downward dog.
Power Yoga Chaturanga
Variation - For increased intensity, instead of lowering all the way to the floor, press back up into a plank. You can do several rounds of these pushups before returning to downward dog.
Power Yoga downward dog
From downward facing dog, lower your forearms to the mat, coming into dolphin pose. You can bring the knees to the floor during the transition if you need to, but once you have arms set up return the legs to a down dog position.
Dolphin
Variation - For a challenge, you can try to lower the forearms to the floor simultaneously while keeping the legs in down dog.
Power Yoga dolphin
Interlace your fingers. On an inhalation, bring your body forward to a forearm plank position with your shoulders over your elbows. On your next exhalation, push back to down dog legs.
Power Yoga
Do five to 10 of these dolphin push-ups before lifting your elbows off the floor, straightening your arms and returning to downward dog.
Power Yoga downward dog
Raise the right leg to down dog split. Keep your hips level and the right foot strongly flexed. Repeat this motion up to three times. After several breaths, step the right foot to the front of your mat.
Power Yoga down split
Variation - For increased intensity, round the spine and tuck your chin as you bring your shoulders over your wrists and your right knee to your nose on an exhalation. Inhale and return to down dog split.
Power Yoga mountain pose
Step the left foot next to the right. Bend your knees and lift your arms to utkatasana.
Power Yoga chair
Stay here five breaths, challenging yourself to sit a little lower with each breath.
Power Yoga forward bend
Forward fold over your legs, then lift the right leg into a standing split. If your hands don't comfortably reach the floor, you can use blocks under them. You can work on your balance by bringing one or both hands to your left ankle. Do this three times.
Power Yoga stand split
Variation - To add a little dynamic movement, bend both knees and bring your right knee forward to meet your nose. Then re-extend the right leg.
Power Yoga tree
Bend the left knee slightly and stand up, ideally without letting the right foot touch the floor. When you are upright, bring the sole of the right foot to the inside of your left thigh, or to the calf if that's not possible. You can use your hands to place the foot. Bring your hands to your heart and find a focal point on the floor to help you maintain your balance. If you want, bring the arms overhead. Try to stay 10 breaths before releasing the right foot to the floor.
Power Yoga tree pose
Repeat - Since part of the sequence is done on one leg, you need to go through it again to do both sides. You can choose to either start over at the beginning or pick up the sequence mid-way through at the down dog split. This time, lift the left leg and then go through the last four poses.

Time is Gains

I know its hard to leave our great content, but time is gains! Check back after your workout and continue reading! Be sure to stretch properly and drink plenty of water! If you forgot to get some gear, we got you covered!
I NEED SOME GEAR

Anime Workout Series

May 26, 2019 18 Comments

It’s time to go Saiyan! Starting from nothing sounds hard to do but we’re here to say it’s not.
We at BAM relate to you otakus. Imagine looking like some of your favorite anime characters. Prison yard chests, tree trunk thighs, obscenely large biceps, are all within your grasp! You too can look like Roshi!

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Resources Used

  1. https://www.verywellfit.com/beginner-yoga-poses-to-build-strength-3567197 
  2. https://www.doyouyoga.com/a-10-minute-morning-yoga-sequence-for-beginners
  3. https://www.self.com/gallery/upper-body-stretches
  4. https://www.thrillist.com/health/nation/best-stretches-back-shoulder-hamstring-leg-hip-flexor-stretches
  5. https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/7-dynamic-stretches-everyone-should-do

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