create the balance education

“Every morning in Africa a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning the lion wakes up and it knows it must run faster than the slowest gazelle or it will starve to death. It doesn’t matter if you are a lion or a gazelle, when the sun comes up you must be running”

Maurice Green

physical activity :

once you have decided that you are ready to exercise the key elements are as follows :
switch off !
“allowing yourself to mentally switch off from all your stresses, worries & responsibilities of the day brings your mind and body to a relaxed state of rest” through relaxation and breathing techniques, slow and deep.
warm up

• prepares specific muscles tendons & joints of the body generally for extra stress of strenuous physical exercise
• increases body & muscle temperature
• increases blood and oxygen supply to the working muscles
• enhances muscle contraction, efficiency & coordination increases flexibility ie. reduce risk of injury & prepare body for optimal performance

environmental
if atmosphere is cool, duration of warm up is longer because muscle temperature fall quickly after exercise stops, it is essential to move from warm up to main exercise as soon as possible
Intensity
such that participants should be able to hold Conversation with training partners for the duration. begin slowly, exercise within capabilities & gradually build up intensity. feel an increase in heart rate and an increase in the breathing rate during warm up
duration
5 to 10 minutes of controlled activity using major muscles to be exercised during subsequent activity session gentle, of slow intensity and easy to perform a sound warm up, is a light sweat

stretching or repetitive dynamic movements. :

there are many theories on stretching, most for and limited against. As time passes, we are sure more theories will arise on this matter, not to mention many other aspects of the fitness industry. Consequently, we here at create the balance will give you an option, so you yourself can experiment and find out which method works better for you. Stretching or repetitive dynamic movements, or a combination of the two.

stretching :

• lengthens muscle and tendon tissue & increase the range of movement at a joint • promotes circulation • develops body awareness • reduces likelihood of injuries such as muscle strains • reduces muscle tension and makes the body feel more relaxed • helps coordination by allowing for free and easy movement •

stretch rules

• warm up prior to stretching
• stretch before and after exercise gently and slowly
• stretch alternate muscle groups
• precede all training sessions with 10 – 15 minutes of stretching

how?

static : produces significant gains in flexibility without risk of producing muscle soreness. take 3 deep slow breaths. Breath out and slowly allow your stretch to take effect. continue to breath slowly “in and out”. adopting a position near maximum stretch and holding that position for 20 to 30 seconds. each time you breath out, or when your body allows the stretch to work a little further. 3 deep breaths and relax. move into the position of greater stretch. repeated 3 times for each of the joints relevant to your sport.

pnf : proprioceotive neuromuscular facilitation

produces maximum gain in flexibility while also producing gains in strength. voluntarily adopting position of maximum stretch then sub maximally contracting the stretched muscle. contracting the stretched muscle reduces the resistance to the stretch once the muscle is relaxed, allowing the athlete to move to a position of increased muscle length. should be repeated 3 times for each relevant muscle group

ballistic :

or “bounce” risk of tearing tendon and muscle fibres and should be avoided or treated with extreme caution (specific sport stretch only)

repetitive, dynamic and strength training
movements :

lunges, squats or good mornings throughout their full, pain free range of motion ( the further your body can travel without pain while keeping good form ) As time goes by your range of motion will increase, and you’ll develop improved strength and flexibility throughout.

cool down :

a gradual decrease in activity level prevents the pooling of blood in the limbs which can lead to fainting or dizziness. combined with stretching improves the recovery of the muscles, heart and other tissues and reduces effects of fatigue and muscle soreness through the removal of waste products.

how :

gradual reduction in activity levels for 5 to 10 minutes
an activity requiring more moderate effort followed by
general stretching stretches are generally held for
longer while muscles are still warm