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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Thursday, February 26, 2009

FLEXIBILITY
Stretching for two

By Paula Rath
Advertiser Staff Writer

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Side Hip Stretch

Photos by ANDREW SHIMABUKU | The Honolulu Advertiser

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Purpose: Stretch side of body and hips; tone waist.

How: Start holding hands with feet hip-width apart and arms outstretched. Bend at the knees and lean in toward each other. Exhale, lift and stretch the arm up and over the head. Reverse positions to stretch the other side.

Reps: Start with four and increase by twos.

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Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Reverse Squats with Ball

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Purpose: Active partner — Tone and strengthen legs and buttocks muscles while stretching upper body. Passive partner — Stabilize ball while stretching hamstrings (back of legs) and back.

How: Start with active partner seated on the ball and passive partner standing behind. Partner on the ball stands up and reaches to the ceiling.

Reps: Start with eight and increase by twos.

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Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Seated Row with Stretch Band

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Purpose: Tone and strengthen upper body muscles.

How: Start feet to feet, with chest lifted and knees slightly bent. Hold bands at chest height and pull

elbows up and back, then forward toward your partner.

Reps: Start with six and increase by twos.

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Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Back Stretch with Ball

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Purpose: Lengthen and stretch back and shoulder muscles.

How: Kneel or, if kneeling is uncomfortable, sit in V position. Gently push and pull the ball between the partners.

Reps: Start with four and increase by twos.

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Stretching is often the last thing we get around to during workouts, coming in third behind cardio and strength training, despite the importance of flexibility in our overall fitness.

Stretching can take a joint through a full range of motion that may not be achieved in normal daily activities. Proper stretching can help nourish tissues of the joint and maintain optimum muscle-tendon length.

So how can you convince yourself to take the few extra minutes to stretch? Maybe a buddy can help. With two people egging each other on, there's a much better chance that stretching will actually happen.

We asked Pilates instructor and personal trainer Patricia Haft of Creative Fitness to show us some couples stretches. She recruited her husband, Mark Anderson, to stretch with her. Although their height differences are extreme (she is 4-foot-10 and he is 6 feet tall), they show that stretching buddies do not have to be the same height. New stretching partners just need some experimenting and adjustments to get into the appropriate, comfortable positions.

Haft showed us stretches that can be done anywhere, even in small spaces, and require only a stability ball and stretch bands, available at sporting goods stores.

When stretching, Haft recommends using Pilates-style breathing, which is inhaling through the nose to prepare and exhaling through the mouth with exertion. As with any exercise program, talk to your doctor before beginning. Haft can be reached at gour108@yahoo.com or 285-1475.

Reach Paula Rath at paularath@aol.com.