Movement + Energy

Bend and Balance: Making Flexibility a Fitness Foundation

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Dr Shah’s mission is to provide you with the tools and knowledge you need to conquer inactivity and embrace movement in your daily life. From discovering your perfect exercise prescription to navigating heart-pumping workouts like HIIT training, we cover a range of topics to help you optimize your fitness routine. We explore the key role of daily strength training in fending off frailty, as well as the importance of making flexibility and balance foundational pillars of your exercise routine. Dr. Shah also provides deep insights on fortifying your frame by boosting bone density and strength, and how to incorporate recovery as a crucial component of your fitness journey, as well as unlocking your body composition secrets for a physique you can be proud of!

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Bend and Balance: Making Flexibility a Fitness Foundation

Bend and Balance is a fitness foundation that focuses on improving flexibility and overall muscle balance. This foundation utilizes a variety of tools and techniques to help individuals achieve their desired level of physical fitness. It combines self-stretching, dynamic stretching, patterning exercises and activation drills to increase mobility and reduce muscle tension. Bend and Balance helps strengthen the core and tone muscles, while emphasizing proper form and safety. Additionally, this foundation encourages the development of posture and alignment through the use of bodyweight exercises, balance movements and mindfulness exercises. The ultimate goal of Bend and Balance is to help unlock each individual’s physical potential and achieve a greater level of overall health and wellness.

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Introduction

The Power of Flexibility

When we think of fitness and health, flexibility often takes a back seat to aerobic exercise and strength training. However, becoming more flexible can seriously boost our overall fitness, leading to improved athletic performance and increased movement access in the future. In order to make flexibility a fitness foundation, understanding its power and importance is the first step.

When we become more flexible, we are better able to access deeper ranges of motion in our muscles and joints. Doing so reduces our likelihood of feeling tightness or developing muscular imbalances over time. This can be especially advantageous to athletes who are looking to build muscle size, speed, and power. Being able to move freely through a greater range of motion and access previously body areas can take performance to the next level.

Furthermore, with increased flexibility comes improved flexibility. Stretching the muscles allows them to be better able to relax and lengthen, which leads to increased joint stability. With increased stability, activities like standing, walking, and running become easier and more comfortable. Having sufficient balance is especially important if we want to stay efficient in our daily activities.

Increasing Balance for Strength

Aside from improving joint stability, increased flexibility can provide a much-needed foundation for our overall strength. According to the American Council on Exercise, “increasing flexibility and range of motion enables us to lift more weight, with better form, generating more strength gains.” When practicing resistance training and weight lifting, having a better range of motion at the start of an exercise can help us perform the exercise more efficiently. It can also help us to stay safe from injury due to over stretching and tension on the body.

Moreover, increasing our range of motion can help us feel more relaxed and energized both during and after physical activity. A relaxed and open body is better able to access its natural energy, allowing us to really engage in each exercise and get the most out of our workout. This can lead to improved performance, improved posture and breathing, and better overall wellbeing.

The Benefits of a Flexible Foundation

The physical benefits of flexibility are evident, but it's important to consider the mental and emotional benefits, too. A wide range of motion leads to an increased sense of ease and flow in physical, mental, and emotional activities. With increased flexibility, the body is able to move with less effort, allowing us to stay in the present moment and take pleasure in movement.

Flexibility also leads to improved sleep and relaxation, as tightness and tension can easily interfere with restful sleep. Plus, spending time on developing our flexibility can be a very calming and meditative activity that allows us to truly relax and let go.

Overall, making flexibility a fitness foundation can offer huge physical, mental, and emotional advantages. Not only will we increase our range of motion and balance, but also experience a greater sense of ease, energy, and calm. When combined with aerobic exercise and strength training, making a flexible foundation can lead to a truly well-rounded approach to a healthy lifestyle.

Flexibility and balance are essential components of any well-rounded workout program, but they are often overlooked. Although they can be intimidating, mastering these skills can lead to increased performance, improved balance and agility, and reduced risk of injury. By combining the two components, bend and balance can create a foundation for fitness success.

Benefits of Flexibility

Flexibility is often viewed as an optional part of a workout routine, but it can offer numerous benefits. For example, flexibility can help improve athleticism and mobility, reduce the risk of injury, and increase relaxation after physical exertion. As an added bonus, improved flexibility can also improve posture and help to relieve chronic pain.

Additionally, consistent flexibility can help athletes to access their full range of motion, allowing them to perform movements more efficiently and effectively. For example, a runner with improved flexibility can achieve a greater stride length, which can result in faster running times.

The Basics of Balance

Balance requires the coordination of muscles and senses to keep the body in a steady position while in motion. Mastering balance can improve physical coordination, agility, and help practitioners to feel more comfortable in their own body. Balance can also help to reduce the risk of falls, which can be especially beneficial for people at higher risk of injury due to age or physical disability.

Balance is a skill that must be worked on, but there are several practices that can help. Simple exercises like standing on one foot for an extended period of time, walking on an uneven surface, or wearing unstable shoes can all help. Additionally, practicing proper posture, stretching, and avoiding substances that impair coordination can all help to improve balance.

Building a Foundation for Fitness

Bend and balance are skills that can be applied to any workout or activity. Strength and cardio can be incorporated while stretching and maintaining balance, allowing practitioners to achieve all of their fitness goals.

For instance, a warm-up can incorporate dynamic stretching and balance exercises that can specifically prepare the body for the workout ahead. During the exercises, the focus should remain on form and maintaining balance throughout the motion, as the ability to control the body during the motion can assist with generating stronger muscles faster.

Finally, a cool-down can include static stretching and balance drills to restore the body to homeostasis and reduce soreness. This can also help to improve recovery time and reduce the risk of injury.

The Power of a Balanced Approach

By combining flexibility, balance, and strength, practitioners can ensure that their workout is holistic and well-rounded. This can become the foundation for a successful fitness plan and a healthy lifestyle. Building the habit of regularly incorporating flexibility and balance into the routine can help practitioners to achieve their goals, continue to improve their bodies, and feel better overall.

Bend and balance are fundamental to fitness, and they should be given the same attention as strength and cardio. Flexibility and balance can help practitioners unlock their bodies’ potential, reduce the risk of injury, and make fitness a lifelong pursuit. Practicing bend and balance consistently can help practitioners become fitter, healthier, and better-balanced.

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