November 17, 2022 Article for https://www.soulfoodsalon.com/

Are you an athlete (I believe there is one in all of us!), a recreational exerciser or a dancer? Or do you feel you have become stiffer as the years have gone by? Stretching regularly and appropriately is an invaluable tool for maintaining your body’s range of motion and is a necessary component of long-term health. However, knowing how and when to stretch can be confusing. Let’s take a deep dive into the world of joint and soft tissue end range of motion to help you establish a daily health routine.
 
There are essentially two types of stretching: dynamic mobility and static stretching. Dynamic mobility involves controlled movement. Static stretching, on the other hand, consists of an absence of movement once in the desired position of the stretch. The data supporting the effectiveness of stretching are somewhat limited, but they indicate that dynamic mobility is better at warming up the body and preparing it for exercise and static stretching is more effective at increasing limb range of motion (ROM). 
 
What is dynamic mobility?
Dynamic mobility helps improve joint range of motion but typically does not involve movement at the end ranges of motion. If you have ever watched a sports team warm up before a game, you have most likely seen the group engage in a series of dynamic mobility exercises. Dynamic mobility involves movement and momentum to help increase joint range of motion; it warms up the body for forthcoming exercise, helps to hydrate the fascia by pushing fluid through the tissues and stimulates the nervous system. There are many types of dynamic mobility, including traditional exercises like jumping jacks, arm circles and walking lunges. Stringing several yoga poses together as a flow is another dynamic mobility exercise. The following are some examples of dynamic mobility exercises (see video link for visual examples):

• “World’s Greatest Stretch” (my personal favorite) 
• Walking lunges with overhead reach
• Cossack stretch 
• Walking toe touches
• Wide stance windmills
• Crab reach

Ballistic stretching (a type of dynamic stretching) relies heavily on momentum and includes bouncing or swinging at the end range of motion. It can benefit certain populations like athletes, but it comes with more risk. Anytime you “force” tissue to extend beyond its ROM, you risk damaging the soft tissue. I have pulled my hamstring more than once (embarrassing, but it happens!) doing ballistic toe touches after finishing a long run. On the flip side, ballistic open arm chest stretches can feel great as a mobility break for those who work at a computer for long periods of time. Here are some examples of ballistic stretching (see video link):

• Leg swings
• Standing toe touch 
• Sitting toe touch 
• Open arm chest stretch
• Arm circles 
• Seated butterfly stretch 

What is static stretching?
Static stretching involves holding a stretch at an end range of motion for a proscribed amount of time (optimal time being 30 seconds) while minimizing the amount of momentum used. On his popular podcast, Stanford neuroscientist Dr. Andrew Huberman reviewed the current science behind limb range of motion and flexibility and how to use science-supported protocols to increase them. He suggests holding each stretch for 30 seconds, targeting each limb or muscle group for a total of five minutes per week. Being consistent with your static stretching routine is key to slowly increasing your range of motion and helping prevent injury. 

Static stretching can be either passive or active. Passive static stretching involves using a partner or props to help increase your range of motion by slowly expanding the end range. Below are some examples of passive static stretching (see video link):

• Supine hamstring stretch with strap
• Assisted neck stretch 
• Frog stretch 
• Hurdle stretch or the splits
• Chest stretch using a doorway
• Elevated adductor stretch

In active static stretching, one holds the stretch at the desired ROM by contracting the opposing muscles (antagonist) while relaxing and stretching the desired muscles. Given that many of us have tight hip flexors from sitting too much, a great active stretch would be a kneeling hip flexor stretch (see how in the video below). Active static stretching aims to progressively and incrementally increase your ROM to maximize the benefits of the stretch. The key here is to hold each stretch for 30 seconds. Here are some examples of active static stretching (see video link):

• Kneeling hip flexor stretch 
• Supine hamstring stretch 
• Seated butterfly stretch 
• Neck stretch 
• Overhead triceps stretch
• Open arms chest stretch

Stretching every day
As a trainer, the first question I ask my clients is, what are your goals? If your priority is to increase limb ROM, then static stretching would be your best option. On the other hand, if your goal is to warm up the body to prepare and activate the muscles you will target during a workout or athletic performance, I would steer you toward dynamic mobility. As mentioned earlier, the data are limited, but most research supports dynamic mobility for warm-up and prep and static stretching after exercise to increase ROM. 

For a dynamic mobility warm-up, you will want to focus on warming up the ankles, hips and thoracic spine (the big three) for about 5–10 minutes. String together a series of two to four exercises for six to eight repetitions each. For example, start with the “World’s Greatest Stretch” for eight reps, follow with eight reps of front lunges with opposite arm overhead reach, and finish with windmills for eight reps. You can do one set or repeat the sequence if needed. 

Another great option for general fitness (and for recovery days for athletes) is to pair a dynamic mobility set with a post-workout static stretching session. For example, do the above mobility set for four rounds before your workout and follow it with two to four minutes of static stretching. Pick two stretches and complete two sets of 30-second holds each (see above for a list of static stretches).

There is no “one size fits all” stretching regimen, as every person needs different types of movement for their body. Practicing stretching habits that complement your fitness and health routine and are aligned with your health goals is essential. Refer to this guide and the stretching examples I provided to determine what is best for you.

• Resources
• Huberman, Andrew. Improve Flexibility with Research-Supported Stretching Protocols. Huberman Lab. hubermanlab.com/improve-flexibility-with-research-supported-stretching-protocols/
• Ramsay, Craig. (2012). Anatomy of Stretching A Guide to Increasing Your Flexibility. Thunder Bay Press. amazon.com/Anatomy-Stretching-Anatomies-Craig-Ramsay-ebook/dp/B0095XKMW4
• Chowdhary, Sunita. (2020). Top 7 Benefits of Ballistic Stretching. medindia.net/patients/lifestyleandwellness/top-7-benefits-of-ballistic-stretching.htm
• Preiato, Daniel. (2021). Active Stretching Is the Static Stretching You Haven’t Tried Yet. healthline.com/nutrition/active-stretching
• Cronkleton, Emily. (2020). Passive Stretching: What It Is and How to Do It. healthline.com/health/exercise-fitness/passive-stretching
• NIH: National Institute on Aging. (2020). Maintaining mobility and preventing disability are key to living independently as we age. nia.nih.gov/news/maintaining-mobility-and-preventing-disability-are-key-living-independently-we-age

Stella Bergan, MEd, NASM CPT
Stella is an NASM Certified Personal Trainer and Institute of Motion Applied Health and Human Performance Specialist. She obtained her undergraduate degree from Birmingham-Southern College and graduate degree from the University of Virginia. Her training as a therapist, along with a background in executive coaching/organizational strategy, provide the foundation for helping her clients make the changes they need to live healthier, more productive lives and perform at their optimal level. Stella takes an integrative approach to wellness and performance and believes that making small, sustainable changes over time can lead to profound improvements in overall health and performance. She works with some of Silicon Valley’s top executives. She is a mom, an avid trail runner, loves to travel and really enjoys converting teenagers into green smoothie drinkers.

StellaFit, 650.245.8603
www.stellafit.com
stellabergan@comcast.net
Instagram: @stellabergan

In my latest podcast, I try to break down the latest exercise trends for you and help you make sense of them. Plus, I offer sound advice for building a healthy base and adding variety to your workouts.

Have you subscribed to the StellaFit Podcast yet? If not, you are missing out on the latest tips to help you live your best life in 2019! Sometimes it is the small changes over time that give you the most sustainable results! 

StellaFit’s Teen Tabata Workout is Online with Zoom and open to all incoming 6th – 9th graders! This class is designed to help teens improve tissue health, gain better movement patterns, and improve overall fitness (cardiovascular + core strength).

The class is broken up into 3 sections which include 5-6 minutes of tissue prep, 10 minutes of mobility warmup, 10 minutes of foundational strength, 30 minutes of Tabata (cardio + core intervals), plus 5 minutes of stretching.

Tabata is a High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) session that is broken down into (6) 4-minute sessions, each with 8 segments of 20 seconds work, followed by 10 seconds of rest. I have found that this workout works great for teens because they can work really hard for the 20-second intervals, it is super fast-paced, and they do not get bored.

Days/times: Monday and Wednesday  4-5 pm. 

Dates:  June 1st – July 1st (5 weeks).

Cost: $200 (Only one signup per family needed if more than one child would like to join).

Equipment needed: It would be great to have a therapy ball (lacrosse or tennis ball will work) and a mat (could also just use a towel).

INTRODUCING 
RISE & MOBILIZE THE CLASS

STARTING JUNE 1

RISE & MOBILIZE – THE CLASS

 Due to popular demand, StellaFit is offering a Rise and Mobilize virtual class starting next Wednesday, June 1st!
  This is the perfect class for anyone who wants to improve their mobility, stability, and strength. Mobility and Stability are the keys to unlocking better human movement. Whether you are a top-seeded athlete, just want to improve your golf swing, or just want to move and feel better, this is a great class for you! Remember, there is an athlete in all of us and all athletes need a solid base of mobility and stability to function at their highest level! Improve joint range of motion, gain better control and function of your body, and decrease risk of injury – sign up today!

Wednesdays,  7:15 am – 8:15 am PST 

Cost: $22 per class or $75 per month – class will be recorded and can be accessed at a later time.
Open to Everyone

SIGN UP TODAY

**PLEASE NOTE: THIS CLASS IS OPEN TO KIDS FROM ALL SCHOOLS

Spring Conditioning is BACK! This is a private class limited to approximately 15 kids (6th-8th grade) who would like to become better runners and overall athletes! This class will focus on improving running endurance, fundamental movement patterns, balance, stability, and strength. We will also cover nutrition, sleep, recovery, and breathing strategies for optimal performance and health. This class is intended for kids who really enjoy running as we will increase our mileage each week with the last week running at least 4 miles.

Days/times: Mondays and Wednesdays: from 3:30 pm – 4:40 pm both days. We will meet at Hillview School by the track. Mondays will include intervals on the track, Wednesdays will include a longer run through the neighborhood. 

Dates: April 13th – May 20th

Cost is $375 (Please note, a full refund minus $100 will be issued if a participant needs to drop out in the first week only.)

Well, that was fast! Even though it certainly still feels like Summer these days, most of us are back from vacation and our kids have started school (unless you live in New York – oh how I am envious of my New York friends).

Speaking of vacations, I have included a picture from one of my runs in Paris along the Seine River. Over the years, I have had so many people ask me “why” I run? They tell me how they wish they liked to run, some tell me all the ailments I am going to have because of my years of running, share with me all of their ailments they attribute to running, yada, yada, yada.

Running has been a true gift for me. It has helped me grow up, solve problems, ace exams, explore cities, become one with nature, it has given me some of my most treasured friendships, helped me be a better mother, wife, and daughter, it has helped me produce some of my best ideas, made me more productive, it has helped keep my husband healthy (I get him out on vacation, too), not to mention given me an avenue for spreading the joy of running to middle schoolers in Menlo Park! That is just the handful of things I can list off the top of my head!

I have been listening to “Shoe Dog”, Phil Knight’s (the creator of Nike) memoir. If you have not read it, it is really, really good (see below for my favorite things). In the book, he talks about his passion for running and says, “Why do I run? Because the world is a more beautiful place.” In another line, he says “I believed in running. I believed that if people got out and ran a few miles every day, the world would be a better place.” I literally listened to this over and over. AHA, that is it!!! If I have to sum up “WHY” I run, it is because it really makes the world a brighter, more beautiful place. Everything is better after I run, no matter how hard my problems may seem, they are manageable when I get back from a run. Endorphins are truly a beautiful thing. Consistent running is one of the best ways to manage anxiety, feel happier, reduce your risk of getting cancer, improve your bone density, help lose or maintain weight, and help keep your mind sharper.

Yes, I know not everyone can run or wants to run. But if you are just avoiding it because you think it is too hard, or you think you cannot do it, I really encourage you to just try it. In the words of the legendary Bill Bowerman, “If you have a body, you are an athlete”. I am pretty sure Bill thought everyone should run. I want to encourage those of you who are putting it off to start NOW – start before your kids become teenagers or go off to college, start NOW before you hit menopause, start NOW before you enter so many of the tough life transitions that lie ahead for most of us. Transitions (and having teenagers) can be rough, whether it is going back to school after summer vacation or having your parents move into a retirement home and sell your beloved family home. For me, I am grateful that I can go out for a run and see the world with a new lens, one filled with understanding and gratitude. That is the beauty of running.

Unless you are in the middle of a riveting page-turner or binge-watching the latest season of your favorite Netflix series, this is not a fun scenario! And even if you are reading a good book or watching a great series, sitting all day in the airport and on the plane wrecks havoc on our soft tissue. Here are a few mobility drills to do in the airport or on the plane!

For my airport mobility routine (and best way to embarrass your teens), check out my videos for Airport Mobility Workout & Airplane Stretches.

Dear Stella – I am traveling for 2 weeks by myself with my 2 young kids so will not be able to go to the hotel gym while on vacation. What can I do in my hotel room to stay fit?

First of all, make sure that you check out all of the outdoor adventures you can do with your 2 young kids at your vacation destination. You can always play tag in the local parks or walk everywhere if you are in a walkable city. I went on a Disney Cruise when all 4 of my kids were pretty young and I just made a rule that no-one could take the elevator on the ship. We walked up and down the stairs all day long! Stairs only is always a great way to stay fit on the road! I have even been known to make my kids walk up at least 10-12 flights in a hotel. 

For a workout you can do in your room, check out my Hotel Room Workout!

Chronic sleep disruption impacts long-term cognitive functioning. Please try to get 7+ hours of good quality sleep every night. The consequences of long-term sleep disruption may persist long past the couple of days it takes to feel normal again after an all-nighter. You should be able to hold on to your cognitive faculties until you die. Brain function can be preserved and enhanced over time.

Most people do not realize how important regeneration is to health. When you sleep, your body is working to repair, replenish, cleanse, detoxify, and rejuvenate. It is far more valuable to your body and health and much cheaper than a spa visit! Please, make sleep a priority!

My fourth takeaway from the Equinox

High Performance

Living Symposium was that we compress our time so much to fit everything in, get from place to place with little time in between and this causes major stress. Meditation should be our operating system to help reduce the inflammatory response caused by increasing levels of cortisol. Be aware of your breath and breathing and integrate breath with movement. Herbert Benson, a Harvard researcher said that “practicing conscious relaxation activated many

disease fighting

genes that

helps

fight inflammation and improves immunity.”

I just happened to attend Kelly McGonigal’s workshop at

Menlo Atherton

High School on Thursday night on her new book, “The Upside of Stress.” Of course, I left wondering if “working to achieve a meditative state as our operating system” and “embracing and harnessing our stress” were mutually exclusive since Kelly McGonigal’s work is all about harnessing our stress for better productivity and health. I do think you can do both, especially when you use the meditative state to help you manage the busyness of life, the cram packed days and nights, driving frantically from one activity or meeting to the next, the repetition of food prep,

cleanup

, meal packing, laundry, and other general chores that seem to never end. But, Kelly’s work seemed more related to mindset as a way of harnessing our stress. For acute stress such as having to do your taxes ;-), taking the SAT, giving an important presentation, talking to your boss about a raise, then being able to change your mindset around the stress by accepting the stress as energy around something important allows you to better channel the energy in a more positive way.

Both of these methods of managing either chronic or acute stress are tools that allow us to go from overwhelmed to feeling alive and empowered. I like to use the meditative operating system to help me stay focused when I might otherwise be scattered. Embracing challenging and stressful events will take a little different effort. If you would like more information or help in learning how to channel and manage stress in more positive ways, you are welcome to reach out to me.

We have another FULL schedule this week! The countdown to Summer continues, and you want to be ready for all of those summer adventures!

Don’t forget to sign your teen up for my summer conditioning camps! You can sign up at http://3.147.225.14/summer-skills-and-conditioning-program-for-teens/

Cheers!

Stella

Stella Bergan, MEd, NASM CPT
Health and Human Performance Coach
Perfectly Fit

I wanted to expand on my six takeaways from the Equinox High Performance Living Symposium that I talked about last week. The first takeaway was  to learn how your body works and how to use it. Our body is our vessel or vehicle, learn as much as you can about it so you can know how to take care of it. Build a body that works. One thing that is inherently important when it comes to long-term mobility, we need to learn mastery of the fundamental movements. There were many workshops on regressing movements down to basic movements of babies and animals. We do not want to train dysfunction.

Hmmm, so think about that for a minute. Learn how your body works so you do not train dysfunction or disease. Most of us know the sounds our car makes, we know when our car is out of alignment or has something wrong with it. People who fly often get intimately familiar with the sounds and movements of the planes they fly, they know when something does not sound of feel right, yet most of use have no idea when our bodies are performing at a sub-par level. We get so used to feeling tired and run down that we cannot distinguish a stress headache from a dehydration headache. We just take ibuprofen when what our bodies are asking for is relaxation or hydration. I am asking you to pay attention to your body in the same way you would pay attention to the cries of a baby. Most moms can tell when their babies are tired, hungry, or want to be held, the cries are very distinct. So, listen to what your body is telling you and try to give it what it needs instead of either avoiding the symptoms or masking them with meds. Here are a few things to pay particular attention to:

1. Any gas, bloating, bowel movements that are not normal for your body.

2. Frequent headaches.

3. Persistant fatigue that you cannot attach to a particular event or group of events.

4. Constantly feeling run down.

5. Hips and shoulders that do not line up.

6. Persistent cough that lasts longer than 2-3 weeks.

7. Have you been sick more frequently than usual?

Also, pay attention to the way your body moves, is your mobility restricted, are your muscles unusually fatigued, is your t-spine locked up, hips tight, does running feel quick and light or laborsome? Those are just a few examples. I can tell you if you are feeling any of those things, you do not need to be doing a CrossFit type intensive workout! Let’s train functional bodies and not compound dysfunction.

If you want to talk about this topic further, please let me know.

MY SUMMER CAMP SCHEDULE IS UP ON STELLAFIT!!!!    Space is limited, so sign up soon and tell your friends!!! You can sign up here:

Summer Camps

We have a full week of Perfectly Fit classes this week. Make sure you sign up online or let me know you are coming just in case there is a cancellation. The weather looks great, so fingers crossed all classes are a GO!

Cheers!

Stella

High Performance

Living Symposium in New York City. I always love attending this event as it showcases the brightest minds in the health and wellness field. This event is all about helping people live

high performance

lives, helping people feel and perform at their very best every day and be able to sustain good health for a lifetime. I want to share with you a few of the takeaways from the 15 lectures and hands-on workshops that I attended over 3 days.

1. Learn how your body works and how to use it. Our body is our vessel or vehicle, learn as much as you can about it so you can know how to take care of it. Build a body that works. One thing that is inherently important when it comes to long-term mobility, we need to learn mastery of the fundamental movements. There were many workshops on regressing movements down to basic movements of babies and animals. We do not want to train dysfunction.
2. Staying healthy is cheap, especially when compared to paying for sickness and the best investment you can make. What you put at the end of your fork is more powerful that any drug in a bottle. Quality matters. We should be focused on creating health instead of treating disease.To create health we need to remove toxins, allergens, microbes, stress, and poor diet. To thrive we need healthy foods, vitamins, light, water, air, movement, rhythm, love, connection, meaning and purpose.
3.  Your mindset or biology of beliefs controls your actions. Set your expectations according to what you want.
4. We compress our time so much to fit everything in, get from place to place with little time in between and this causes major stress. Meditation should be our operating system to help reduce the inflammatory response caused by increasing levels of cortisol. Be aware of your breath and breathing and integrate breath with movement. Herbert Benson, a Harvard researcher said that “practicing conscious relaxation activated many disease-fighting genes that helps fight inflammation and improves immunity.”
5. Your gut microbiome is incredibly important. You want it to be rich in diversity as that leads to greater health. A healthy gut barrier is the best protection against systemic inflammation. What can you do to help cultivate a healthy gut barrier? Eat a variety of vegetables and lots of them, especially asparagus, onions, dandelion greens, garlic, bananas, broccoli, kale, cabbage, brussels sprouts. Try not to take antibiotics unless you absolutely need them. Avoid GMO foods and try to buy organic as much as possible as Roundup is an antibiotic sprayed on GMO foods and is killing our gut microbiomes. Don’t worry about the “3-second rule” when you drop things on the floor, as our over-sanitized lifestyle is not good for our guts. Also, fermented foods such as kombucha and kimchi are great, a good quality probiotic supplement is also recommended. And last but not least, breathe lots of fresh air!
6. Chronic sleep disruption impacts long-term cognitive functioning. Please try to get 7+ hours of good quality sleep every night. The consequences of long-term sleep disruption may persist long past the couple of days it takes to feel normal again after an all-nighter. You should be able to hold on to your cognitive faculties until you die. Brain function can be preserved and enhanced over time.