Barriers broke through!

FINALLY!!!  My incline dumbbell presses were stagnant over the last few weeks and I felt like I hit a wall.  Finally today I broke that barrier and was able to get to 65 pounds for 8 reps.  Whew!!!  BIG sigh of relief!  On another note Ann has been kicking butt personal besting on everything from leg presses to Pec Deck and is now up to 45 pound incline dumbbell presses for 8 reps!

Chris

Squats!

Well, thought we'd post part of what we do on a "Leg Workout" day.  Some consider it the "King" of all leg exercises.  If you have a bad back or shot knees this may not be the best exercise for you and instead a seated leg press could suffice, although not as good.  

Does stretching before running prevent injury or improve performance?

Actually, it can slow you down!  Why?  "Static Stretching" is believed to elongate muscle fibers causing a neuromuscular inhibitory response according to Malachy McHugh, director of research for the Nicholas Institute of Sports Medicine and Athletic Trauma at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.  Static stretching triggers a protective counter response in the nervous system and this tightens the muscles to prevent from over stretching them.  In experiments, static stretching temporarily decreased strength by up to 30% and can last up to 30 minutes.  Also in large scale studies, static stretching did not reduce common injuries such as knee pain and Achilles Tendinitis.

There also has been debate as to what is (if any) the best way to warm up your muscles prior to running.  If you still feel the need to do a "warm up" prior to running, "dynamic stretching" may be your best option.  This type of movement incorporates a wide range of body movements and doesn't stress tissue fibers causing your nervous system to use the protective counter response spoke of prior.  Here are some examples of dynamic stretches.

http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-241-287--13442-0,00.html

Chris