THE FITNESS PATH

Muscle Path:

Finally, the snow has melted, the sun is shining and the temperature is on the rise. What a great time to take up an outdoor fitness activity liking power walking or running. I me lots of people who are starting to train for one of the many charity walks and runs and the more serious racing events held around the province. Is your body ready to hit the payment? One of the main areas of the body being stressed during power walking or running is the shin muscle. Traditionally this muscle known as the tibialis anterior is worked in conjunction with other leg muscles. The muscle partner to the TA is the calf muscle, which are twice as big and strong and can cause an imbalance especially when additional stress like running is put on the body. During exercises specifically to strength and stretch the TA will help reduce injury and increase enjoyment of your outdoor activities.

1. Toe lifts: using an exercise tube places the tube around your toes and have your trainer hold the other end. With the knees slightly bent and body in an upright-seated position pull the toes towards the knees flexing at the ankle. To stretch the shins point your toes and have your trainer apply gently press on the toes to extend the shin muscle.
   
2. Using the leg curl machine, place your toes under the curl bar and point and flex at the ankle pulling the toes in the direction of the knees. To stretch the shin point the toes and let the weight of the machine extend the shin muscle

Pilates Path:

Head and cervical spine placement: the cervical spine should hold its natural curve and the skull should balance directly above the shoulders when sitting in neutral. This position should also be maintained in a lying position. In most instances, the cervical spine should continue the line created by the thoracic spine (upper back) during flexion, extension, lateral flexion and rotation.

When curling the upper torso from a supine position, focus on creating thoracic flexion and not overemphasizing cervical flexion. Cervical flexion is achieved by lengthening the back of the neck and flexing the cranium on the first two vertebrae of the cervical spine. The upper torso is flexed by contracting the abdominal's to slide the rib cage toward the pelvis, as the cervical spine stays long.

Yoga Path - Fold Over

To execute the Fold Over pose start from a standing position with the feet a comfortable distance apart, curl the body downward from the top of the head, through the spine as if you are peeling your body off a wall. Keep a soft knee, bending more if there is any heightened sensation in the knee joint or too much of a stretch in the hamstring (back of the thigh). Place your hands on top of the knees or feet and draw the tailbone upward smoothing out the creases in the top of the hip as the crown of the head release down toward the feet.

Some of the benefits of this pose are it extends and increase flexibility in the lower back and hamstring muscles. It brings blood to the head, which flushes complexion and brain, rests inner organs in opposite direction and alleviates inertia.