Yoga & injury prevention...

Ivan25 · 12-20-2007, 12:04 PM

What do you guys think of yoga and pilates as a means of preventing joint-related injuries? I find that flexibility is the biggest factor in joint injuries... Structural changes and normal motion paths are compromised, which leads to compensatory motion paths that can lead to mal-alignment and irritation... Thoughts?

JTringer · 12-20-2007, 01:34 PM

never done pilates but yogas always really helped with joint injuries for me

Ivan25 · 12-20-2007, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JTringer

never done pilates but yogas always really helped with joint injuries for me

Cool.. how so? And which yoga poses? What joint injuries? Yoga is doing wonders for my entire body right now...

mobywv · 12-27-2007, 05:10 PM

I typically do a yoga routine before my upper body workout. It really helps get the arms warmed up IMO. The DVD I've used for years is Power Yoga for Strength with Rodney Yee. Check it out. It's a little more intense than your standard yoga tape but nothing too crazy.

fromflabtofab · 12-27-2007, 11:02 PM

Yoga serves for a GREAT warmup as well as increases Flexibility to prevent injury true. But it also helps promote healthy muscle growth and decrease recovery time by encouraging muscles to lengthen and dispose of toxins. By working out through stretching (especially after a good lift) you are lengthening the muscle again to a more natural state. sure you won't be as "rock hard" after your workout, but the results throughout your recovery and muscle growth are far better. After all, the after workout growth is what we're after right? (well besides the pumps and high of working out).

Ivan25 · 12-28-2007, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fromflabtofab

Yoga serves for a GREAT warmup as well as increases Flexibility to prevent injury true. But it also helps promote healthy muscle growth and decrease recovery time by encouraging muscles to lengthen and dispose of toxins. By working out through stretching (especially after a good lift) you are lengthening the muscle again to a more natural state. sure you won't be as "rock hard" after your workout, but the results throughout your recovery and muscle growth are far better. After all, the after workout growth is what we're after right? (well besides the pumps and high of working out).

Ok interesting notion... Ummmm, I wonder if there is a correlation between muscle hardness and flexibility? Also, I believe that with respect to timing, the most important thing is stretching at some point.. During my workouts, I like to keep it moving and intense.. I stretch afterwards... So, right after the workout, I'm rock hard, but then I lengthen out and soften up... However, with respect to being successful as a bodybuilder AND being injury-free, I believe that the body will always tighten up during a pump, but the muscle tone may be less at rest with good flexibility... I actually believe that like anything, one can be efficient at many things, but not to the extreme of effectiveness at anyone... In other words, a sprinter will be best if he does no endurance training, but trains specifically for power and speed.. However, as we know, in the real world, boxers need a blend of power, strength and endurance... So the fact of the matter is, I want to be as flexible as I need to be in order to stay away from shoulder or knee problems... I think I'm on the right track so far... Yoga has helped tremendously.. In fact, it actually allows me to work on my posing and transitions... Many of the yoga "poses" are graceful and require flexibility, strength and balance.. All of which would make for a better poser... Thoughts????

fromflabtofab · 12-28-2007, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ivan25

I want to be as flexible as I need to be in order to stay away from shoulder or knee problems... I think I'm on the right track so far... Yoga has helped tremendously..

TOTALLY! To ensure that you are preventing injury as best as you can, stretch your muscles through the entire range of motion. For example, if you stretch your arms backwards in a door way by leaning forward, make sure that you stretch with your arms at your waist, even with your chest, and abve your head so that your entire chest is stretched. That's how to deal with making sure your muscles are getting a good stretch.

As far as joints, go to the point of pain or discomfort and hold it for 20-30 seconds (even up to a minute if you really want to). This will break down elasticity in your joint. By stretching short stretches you elongate the temporary elasticity. Your goal is to also stretch out your long term elasticity which allows you to go further without warming up and staying more "flexible." (does that make sense?) So much easier to SHOW people than to type to people.

Hope this provides some information. About muscle hardness, I really don't KNOW about it. I just can tell you about my experience. When I stretch or when I get a massage, my muscles feel better. I recover faster. I don't ache. But I still experience growth. So I don't have the ROCK HARD feel. But I feel better. And if I'm just going home and watching tv or reading a book or going to bed, who cares if I'm rock hard. My two cents.

Later yo,

Ivan25 · 01-02-2008, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fromflabtofab

Hope this provides some information. About muscle hardness, I really don't KNOW about it. I just can tell you about my experience. When I stretch or when I get a massage, my muscles feel better. I recover faster. I don't ache. But I still experience growth. So I don't have the ROCK HARD feel. But I feel better. And if I'm just going home and watching tv or reading a book or going to bed, who cares if I'm rock hard. My two cents.

Later yo,

Right.. I agree.. Thanks for the input man.

pyrolee · 01-02-2008, 05:43 PM

Stretching ownz...everyone should stretch and be flexible to help prevent dat der injuries.