The Best Times to Stretch

From Glamour's Vitamin G Blog, via The Fitnessista, here are 3 key times during the day that you should stretch. Stretching keeps your muscles warm and limber, keeping you from stiffening up and being uncomfortable. It can help keep your blood pumping and your body in good shape.

Best Times to Stretch

*Right after you wake up: I've started stretching in bed as a more relaxing way to wake up. Before I set my feet on the floor, I slowly stretch my legs, then arms. Health experts say that pausing this way before you jump out of bed and start your busy day can really help you manage stress.

*After exercise: Sure, go ahead and stretch a little before you work out, but it may be most important to loosen those limbs after your long run, say experts.

*Right before sleep: Yawning and stretching, say sleep experts, is how animals hit the hay, and it's a technique that might help you fall asleep sooner, too.

Short Workouts for Any Time, Any Place

found this in Ladies Home Journal...its 4 exercises that are easy to do anywhere...and doing them might make you feel better for not being able to make it to the gym

1-Minute Workouts You Can Sneak In Anywhere

Don't sweat it if you can't hit the gym today. Certified trainer Jessica Matthews, from the American Council on Exercise, showed us her favorite ways to sneak in some extra workout time.

Situation: Waiting in Line

Sneaky Move: Calf raise
Do It: Stand with feet parallel, shoulder-width apart, and slowly lift heels off the ground so you stand on the balls of your feet. Slowly lower.
Variation: Try the exercise with your feet turned slightly outward at the 10- and 2-o'clock positions to work the outer calf muscles.

Situation: Watching TV Commercials

Sneaky Move: Butterfly crunch
Do It: Lie on your back with soles of feet together, knees bent out to sides. With hands behind your head, lift chest a few inches toward legs. Lower to starting position.
Variation: Lift both legs straight toward ceiling, toes pointed. Place hands behind head and do the crunch.

Situation: Emptying the Dishwasher

Sneaky Move: Squat
Do It: Stand with feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent, hands at sides. As you squat, keeping knees behind toes, raise arms forward to chest level. Stand up, lowering arms.
Variation: Try a single-leg squat. Lift right foot a few inches off floor and squat on left leg. Switch sides.

Move to the beat

so basically if I don't have music for my work outs, they suck beyond the realm or normal workout suckage...I like using song lengths to time things instead of the actual timer on the machine, or clock. Not only does it mix up my work outs, it also tests my own endurance. Usually if i'm doing something that you can adjust the resistance on, I adjust it after each song, but always move to the beat of the song, no matter how fast the song is, or how intense the resistance is; that way I really put my body to the test, challenge, and push myself harder if the beat calls for it.

Using this, my playlist varies so much..basically instead of just using fast songs, I can use any song that has a decent beat to move to. When I'm really going intense or need that boost of energy that music can give you though, I love to listen to 80's music, say from Def Leppard, Motley Crue, etc; I also love dance remixes of songs, and lady gaga and ke$ha definitely are included.