Cherry Leaf: fitness

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There Is No Need To Stretch Before A Workout.

It has been the topic of debate for years 'is it better to stretch before or after a work out?' There is no evidence that stretching prevents injury or improves performance, experts now will till you that it can in fact reduce your performance. It has been proved that a functional range of motion is more important than flexibility when it comes to staying injury free.

“If you can run comfortably, and without injury, there is no need to stretch.”

says William O. Roberts, professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health at the University of Minnesota Medical School. He’s also RunnersWorld.com's "Ask the Sports Doc" columnist.

Before your work out your time is better spent warming up with dynamic stretching; these are found as a part of your warm up regime. Any areas that do feel light or feel or sore may require a stretch before your workout in order to not cause injury.

Stretching after a workout can help kickstart your bodies recovery process, this loosens your joints and muscles and help you to feel back to normal after a workout. When you lift weights your muscles your muscles contract and stay contracted after your workout. When your muscles are recovering from a work out they are restoring the length of the muscle, until the muscle has restored it's length it has not repaired.

Performing stretches as a part of your workout is key, stretching increases your flexibility, improves your range of motion in your joints and most importantly speeds up your recover and aids in gaining muscle. Stretching should always be performed after your workout.
As we get older, flexibility and mobility will start to decline which makes people feel older. By staying flexible we're more likely to stay feeling healthier and happier for far longer. Staying flexible will help to keep active and keeping active helps to keep you feeling young.
key points for stretching:

Keep it gentle - You could cause yourself just as much injury by doing stretches incorrectly as woking out in correctly.

Don't Bounce - Bouncing can cause micro trauma in your muscles which heals it's self with scar tissue making you less flexible.

Keep breathing - it is important to make sure that your continue breathing in through our nose and out through your mouth, holding your breath will increase blood pressure and make you feel dizzy.

If you feel pain, You've gone to far - You shouldn't feel pain while stretching, you should be able to feel that the muscle is being stretched but not to the point of pain.

Hold for 30 seconds - Holding for 30 seconds allows the fibres in your muscles to lengthen and this only begins to happen after about 20 seconds.

You should hold your stretches for around 30 seconds on each side, anything less than 20 seconds will not make much of a difference in lengthening the muscle fivers and tissues alternatively if you hold a stretch for too long you are also at risk of injury. Some stretches may help you with a problem area you may have or they may ease some pain or discomfort you experience, if this is the case then it may be helpful to repeat the specific stretch a couple more times in your routine. It's always advised that you speak to your doctor or physical therapist about which stretches are best for you if you have any health conditions or injuries.

Rest Your Eyes

Reading a good ol' fashioned book is a brilliant staple, in a vast number of successful peoples nightly routines. This could be about your specialized field, unrelated or an enticing novel. Set aside 1 hour of uninterrupted down-time, this is non-negotiable. You are the most important person therefore you must allow yourself time to be entirely yours. Turn off all technology at the start of this hour, some prefer to turn their phone or restrict mobile data. Looking at a bright screen before bed stimulates brain activity and makes it even harder to doze off. This is your time to unwind and relax, not being answering to someone else' messages. A 2009 study from the University of Essex revealed that reading for as little as six minutes a day can reduce stress levels by up to 68%! - Expand your knowledge and reduce stress, perfect!

Schedule 60 minutes just before bed

Turn off technology

Remove yourself from all distractions

Create a comfortable reading environment (ie. Dim light, supportive seating..)

Plan Your Attack

I find that physically writing this down with pen and paper helps this stick in your mind. Schedule your morning, leave nothing to chance. You need to know what you are doing from the minute you open your bright eyes, because a confidence in an affirmative plan will allow you to rest easier the night before. Set your alarm (With no snooze) early then plan your morning, allow for a 2 hours in the morning before turning on any technology. In this time you are able to properly wake up, feed, exercise & any other light activities to set yourself up for a day of success. You will feel so confident in the fact of having your evening & morning so well organised for optimal performance that you will be jumping out of bed refreshed and prepared for the day. Just before going to bed either after or just before reading, make sure to write down 3 goals you wish to achieve for the following day. You will be able to reflect on these the following night, creating new goals as you progress.

Schedule your mornings

Allot time slots for morning tasks

Write 3 goals every evening

Reflect on previous days goals

Find out how to: Improve Your Morning Routine

Practice Perfect Sleep

We as animals make connections with our surroundings and associate them with certain tasks - We walk into a kitchen and we will start thinking of food involuntarily - The same process applies with sleep. To have a deep and peaceful sleep our bodies must be comfortable to the surrounding and associate as a place of rest. This is why routine is so important, when your body understands that once you turn off your phone, start reading a book and sitting in a certain room it will start to respond by shutting down the moment you pick the book up or when you start the routine. Do not work in the same room you sleep in otherwise soon as your head hits the pillow you will still be thinking of work and problems instead of a clear mind ready for sleep.
Here are some good sleep practices;

Do not watch TV before bed

Make the room as dark as possible

Create a cool temperature

Invest in a comfortable mattress

Minimize sound

Find Your Groove

Once you have found your routine and the tasks to fill your evening you need to write them all down. Have it written out in front of you and recite the lines in your head. Be affirmative with your words, you're here to make an impact and a change in your life. This could include spending more time with your family in the evenings, working on that big project or you are just wanting to maximize your time even further. Find what works for you and your lifestyle, where some people prefer to shower in the evening, others prefer the morning to wake them up. Do not leave things to chance, you have more power and control than that. The most important part of the whole routine is to remain consistent, you may slip up but that is not an excuse to quit, become adaptable and remain firm.

I believe we are in the age of the entrepreneur, for a simple reason. We have to be, it is a part of us now. There is not the same amount of money in the world - I am sure we are all wondering where that money has all gone, but that's a conversation for another time - However, the main reason I say this is because of how we view ourselves.

To have such an outlet where we are able to speak our minds and share our views at the touch of a button and connect with other like minded people to drive us towards our goals. We know we can do more, in fact we want to do more.

Corporate ladders and working for a company where you feel you are not valued or you feel like you are not making an impact, has reached a point where we will not take it anymore. You are better than that, far better. Taking our own initiative and creating business' that serves a worth while cause and to make something in our lives we can be proud of. Everyone wants to be significant and why shouldn't you be?

With resources and like-minded people all within reach to get started on your goals, the only thing standing in your way? Nothing.

We must do what drives us all, helping others. No mater what you do, when you selflessly help another human being you instantly feel better about yourself.

Money is always important, anyone that tells you otherwise. Run. We all need money, when the bills comes through, its not going to be your dreams that pay it. The goal here is too not let money control you. That money can be made in other ways, by other means, where your money works for you and not the other way around. While then giving you the free time to do what you enjoy, you are your own boss. If you can train yourself and become a person of success & significance you will feel a way about yourself you have not felt in a long time.

So many of us go through the motions and never question the reality in which we live in - Wake up, go to school/work, commute home, eat food, watch TV, sleep, rinse & repeat. With allowance of minor variation of drinking / spending time with family / recreational activities on the weekend just to continue the same cycle come Monday. Yet we will sit here and question why it is that we do not feel motivated? why we aren't happy with our lives?

Because your goals are not aligned, you are stagnating. Live your life to the fullest, there are no excuses to not be. Take the road less traveled and meet the people who were brave enough to take the same road. Put meaning into your life, however that relates to you, its is not all about us. We can live successful lives by helping others. That does not mean the first places your mind jumps too 'Charities, volunteer work etc.' which are good places to start however you need to find what drives you. As an entrepreneur, creating a product or company around the ideal that you are helping your customer and bringing value to their lives, that is helping people.

Fear is inevitable and if you are not afraid of the goals you have set and about achieving them, then you have not set them high enough. Your goals are there to push you beyond your comfort zone, this is where we come into our own. This is one of the best ways I have heard on dealing with your fears;

Fear missing the opportunity, more than fearing failure.

The pain of hard work is temporary, the pain of regret is forever. Do not let your own fears stop you from just going for it. If you are reading these words now: JUST GO FOR IT. What have you got to lose? You can make a the decision right now to change your life and head full force toward success. Failure is in not trying, not in not succeeding. If you fail while pursuing what you believe is a great idea for a worthy ideal, its not a failure. You simply learn and apply it to the next step, see failures as lessons and you will never go wrong.

Become an active member in groups; Masterminds Facebook, Twitter lists. Hold yourself accountable for participating and become a valuable resource in your community. Surrounding yourself with people that have the same aspirations to achieve more with their lives, provide value to their others lives as well as their own, then you will see a change in your own life and personality.

Winter is here and the bulking season is on for all bodybuilders out there, a time of calories and casseroles. However if you are not joining the bulk, don't let the cold chill of winter keep you from looking and feeling your best this Christmas.

Here are a few tips for embracing the cold this holiday season as-well as an (A/B) Workout plan to put all them Christmas calories to good use!

Embrace The Cold!

The easiest way to embrace the weather, is to embrace your inner polar bear and get outside! Whether you enjoy the slopes or a run beside a lake, getting out into the cold will make your senses come alive. The best way to stay warm? Get your body moving! Always a better alternative than remaining cooped up inside all winter.

>> Jump Out Of Bed With A Spring In Your Step

New Year Almost Here

Set yourself a goal and push through it in December. With the final month being a busy one, we leave ourselves till last. With the New Year around the corner, we leave our goals and resolutions for another month as we can visit them later. A shocking 35% of new year resolutions are ever followed through. Wouldn't it be better if you set yourself a little goal in December to achieve, then on the wind of that success you follow up with your resolution?

It could be breaking a personal best, trying out a new routine and sticking with it through the month. As long as you are better than you were yesterday, you are a success!

Liven up that Ipod ( We aren't talking about Christmas songs)

If you enjoy the odd jingle bells while squatting, then we will not say otherwise. However with the end of the year upon us and new prospects ahead, this is the time for compilation albums and 'best of 201.' Liven up for December with a fresh set of playlists and artists. Keep it pumping at 120 bpm - 140 bpm for optimal performance.

- Work Out Plan -

Workout A = Week 1 & 3

Workout B = Week 2 & 4

Monday - Back

EXERCISE 1
BARBELL bent-over row: 10 Sets // 10 Reps // 30 Sec rest Between set

EXERCISE 2A
Pull Up: 5 5 Sets // 15 Reps // 2 Minute rest

EXERCISE 2B
Lateral Pull-Down: 10 Sets // 10 Reps // 90 Sec Rest Between Set

Exercise 3
Treadmill run: 20 minute run.

Tuesday - Chest

EXERCISE 1 - Super Set x4
Incline Dumbell Press: 12 Reps
Flat Dumbbell Flye: 10 reps
Decline Push Up: 10 Reps

Rest 90 Secs between super set.

EXERCISE 2A
Incline Bench Press: 10 SETs // 10 reps // 60 secs rest between sets

EXERCISE 2B
Decline Bench Press: 10 Sets // 10 reps // 60 secs rest between sets

EXERCISE 3
Dips: 3 Sets // to failure // 90 sec rest between sets

Wednesday - Leg

EXERCISE 1
Back Squat: 5 sets // 8, 10, 12 ,10, 8 Reps // 2 mins rest between sets

EXERCISE 2A
Romanian DeadLift: 8 sets // 8 reps // 2 mins rest between sets

EXERCISE 2B
Leg Press: 5 sets // 10 reps // 60 secs rest between sets

EXERCISE 3
Barbell Hip Thrust: 5 Sets // 12 reps // 90 sec rest between sets

Thursday - Cardio

EXERCISE 1
Jog: 30 minutes

Friday - Shoulders

EXERCISE 1
Arnold Press: 8 sets // 10 reps // 60 secs rest between sets

EXERCISE 2A
Dumbell Lateral Raise: 10 sets // 10 reps // 90 secs rest between sets

EXERCISE 2B
Barbell high pull: 10 SETS // 10 REPS // 90 SECS REST between sets

Saturday - Legs

EXERCISE 1
Barbell Front Squat: 8 SETS // 10 REPS // 60 SECS REST BETWEEN SETS

EXERCISE 2A
Goblet squat: 10 SETS // 10 REPS // 90 SECS REST BETWEEN SETS

EXERCISE 2B

barbell Calf raises: 10 SETS // 10 REPS // 90 SECS REST BETWEEN SETS

We are always looking for ways to improve ourselves via daily habits or making small changes every now and again. To be completely successful, happy and continue motivated, we must align all of our goals toward the same direction.

The problem is that you have filled your days already with your daily tasks. You want to implement changes and know almost which ones you should, but not how to actually implement them in your day, the prerequisites to set yourself up. This is where we would like to be different!

The Early Bird Catches The Worm

Okay, so you have made the choice to be a better you, Well done! The first step of making the conscious decision to change is always the hardest part. Lets start from the beginning

By waking up between 4:30am- 5:30am you are putting yourself in the morning rituals of the elite.
Harvard biologist Christoph Randler discovered in 2008 that early risers are more proactive. They were more likely to agree with statements like "I feel in charge of making things happen."

If you on an average have not been waking up in this optimal time, it will sometimes prove difficult to haul yourself out of bed. This is natural and nothing to get annoyed about, you simply need to train yourself.

Good Nights Sleep - To wake up at 5:00am you will need to hit the hay at 10:00pm. Some say they are more awake on 6 hours of sleep. While some lifestyles may not allow that. In further articles we will talk about how you can optimize your evenings to achieve your goals and spend time with the family.

Do Not Eat After 9:00pm - This will allow your body to properly digest and be ready to go in the morning. Eating late or before you go to sleep, will leave you waking up feeling heavy and bloated. Which does not help when you want to bounce out of bed with a spring in your step.

Sit Up Correctly - Ever heard of 'wrong side of the bed'? Well here it is 'wrong side of you!' Roll onto your side, slowly lift yourself up with your arm, sit up and gently raise your head taking a deep breath. When you get this into habit, getting out of bed will never have been so easy!

Where Is My Phone? : Keep It That Way For 60 Minutes.

We are constantly looking at computer screens throughout the day and reacting to someone else schedule. Not in your mornings you aren't! This is your time, a time to center yourself and work out what is important for you.

Apart from switching off your alarm, all mobile phones, laptops even the TV should not come in to view until you have been awake for 60+ minutes. This allows you to have dedicated time for yourself with no interruptions. Trust us, you will feel so much better for it! You will start to feel like you have control of your days.

Leave your mobile on the bedside table or kitchen counter until you have completed your routine, you will be tempted to check your emails or social media when you first start trying to change your habits, but do resist. You come first, not someone who wants a re-tweet.

You may be tempted to listen to podcast, radio interview or news stations to fill this gap, try not too. The goal here is to have 60 minutes of uninterrupted peace, We don't want to be filling our heads with information until we tell ourselves 'Okay I am ready, lets do this.' Soft music in the background is good if you can't handle the silence, like myself.

This forces you out of bed, If you aren't allowed to check your notifications until you are fed, showered & dressed.. what are you going to go do?

Fill The Tank, Wash The Car

With the proper starting fuel (and regular pit-stops) you will start your day stronger than ever. Drink a glass of luke-warm water with fresh lemon 30 minutes before you eat. The lemon aids your metabolism and opens the stomach, the time gap also allows you to develop an appetite.

Breakfast is the best meal of the day and if done correctly it should be your biggest. You will want to eat either a wholewheat cereal or oats, some fresh fruit (grapefruit or raspberry/blueberries are the best). A cup of coffee or fresh juice is a great addition to the meal.

Once you have eaten and put away the dishes, go wash yourself down. Some people prefer to shower in the evenings, others in the morning. Waking up between 4:00am & 5:00am gives you the ability to fit a shower in the morning. This wakes you up and properly stimulates your senses and gets the blood pumping.

You are not going to be able to eat in the morning as well as you should be if you fill up the night before. DO NOT consumer caffeine 4-6 hours before you go to bed! You don't need it so cut it out.

Never skip breakfast. You will only regret it later on in the day.

Exercising in the morning is a great way to fit in that morning shower ritual

Push, Pull & Lift

Exercise is a great morning motivator. It gets the blood pumping and makes you more present. The ability to work on a project (ie. yourself in the case) consistently allows you to see improvement on a daily basis. This is more motivational juice than anyone can handle.

Showing yourself a progression or results is the best way to get you fired up. We as people like to see that our efforts matter, it makes us feel good about ourselves that we are making an impact. No matter how small it may seem to someone else. If you run an extra 0.5 of a mile instead of yesterday, you have improved! You are better than you were yesterday! Never stop telling yourself you are getting better.

Eat right for breakfast to fuel your morning work-out and you will be feeling great!

45 - 60 Minutes of exercise per day 4/5 days week will keep you in shape and motivated

Daily exercise teaches you traits you can apply to all aspects of your life; patience, hard-work, dedication

Keep Your Head Up.

We sometimes take ourselves for granted, take a step back and appreciate your hard work.

If you are someone who is trying to make a positive change in your life, it could be personal or financial, you will always have someone trying to bring you down. It is your job to know you are worth more than that.

When someone see's you doing something that they don't understand or know they themselves could not do, the first thing they will do is tell you that it is wrong or that you are wasting your time. That is jealousy, they see you going above and beyond the normal conventions of life and trying to be something more and they can't handle it.

If they are trying to pull you down to their level, they must have been below you in the first place. Don't let others negative and uneducated comments deter you from your goals, you are doing great and keep reminding yourself of that fact!

If you have taken the path to self improvement and committed to the idea you have in your head. You are doing great! Don't let anyone else tell you otherwise. Sometimes you will miss that alarm, run past a deadline on a project that is fine. It is all in the name of progress and as long as you are better than you were yesterday, you have accomplished more than most.

We will be writing more of these articles for Daily, Evenings & Weekend routines and how to implement them into your life, if you have any suggestions or would like to get involved in the discussion please comment below, We love to connect with you all!

There Is No Need To Stretch Before A Workout.

There Is No Need To Stretch Before A Workout.

“If you can run comfortably, and without injury, there is no need to stretch.”

Keep it gentle - You could cause yourself just as much injury by doing stretches incorrectly as woking out in correctly.