Some forget and some just avoid stretching because they think of it as a waste of time. When injuries result, however, stretching seems much more worthwhile.

It is important to stretch before and after each workout to prevent injury and even build muscle. Before a lifting session, a person’s muscles are usually “cold” and stiff. The tighter the muscles are, the more susceptible the muscles and tendons are to injury while lifting weights (or any type of exercise, for that matter).

Muscles are “connected” to tendons, which are connected to bones. Tendons don’t stretch like muscles do. Even movements that are slightly abnormal or straining for the muscles can cause damage to muscle tissue or tendons that is more damaging than what usually occurs during lifting. The tighter the muscle is, the greater the pull of the muscle on the tendon (and thus the bone), which increases the chance of injury. When the muscles are stretched out even a little bit, they become warmer and more relaxed. When muscles are warm and more relaxed the chance of injury decreases because they have a greater ability to expand and contract.

After a workout, stretching is important because the muscles have been slightly damaged and tightened by the workout (which is what must happen for muscles to become bigger and stronger). Stretching after the workout relaxes the muscles that were bunched together while lifting weights. That will increase the blood flow to the muscles and tendon areas. The increased blood flow can help bring nutrients into the muscles that are needed to help rebuild them after lifting. The theory that this added blood flow actually helps build the muscles better has not been absolutely proven. But, there are a number of trainers that believe it helps to some extent.

Injury may not happen when lifting weights without stretching. But if it does, it will force an athlete into periods of time where he or she cannot work out. Stretching may seem like a waste of time, but it wastes much more time toward your long-term goals not being able to lift weights at all. All those who believe stretching is just for wimps should say that to any Mr. Universe or professional athlete. You’ll probably even get an extra special reaction from the ones who have been injured.

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Literally meaning the way of the sword, this Japanese martial art evolved out of the centuries old techniques of Kenjutsu, the battlefield combat sword techniques used by samurai during most of Japanese history. To fully understand both Kendo and Kenjutsu, one must first understand the importance of the traditional samurai sword (katana) in the warrior’s life.

Throughout much of Japan’s history, the sword was deemed the holder of the warrior’s spirit. The katana was imbued with seemingly mystical qualities not only by its eventual wielder, but also by its maker. Sword-making techniques were long arduous processes whereby steel was hammered, folded, heated, hammered, folded again and the process repeated hundreds of times. This forging produced incredibly durable blades that were at once hard and flexible. Able to cut through a man from shoulder to loins, the sword took on spiritual qualities that towards which the samurai gravitated. The way of war was their reason for being, and the sword their primary tool.

However, by the reign of the Tokugawa shogunate, Japan’s civil wars had largely been won, and a state of peace ensued. Old methods of war, those martial arts with the suffix “jutsu” were seen as not only an anachronism but also their continued presence seen as a potential threat to the peace. Indeed, samurai were banned from wearing their traditional daisho (large and small swords; katana and wakizashi) and many samurai found themselves without a job.

Most martial arts responded to this new wave of peace by turning their attention more from battlefield combat practicality to the development of students’ minds and spirits through martial training. Kenjutsu became a way of practicing sword technique for the spirit as taught by Sakikibara Kenkichi during the 1800′s. Later, the term Kendo would officially be coined by Abe Tate, the man largely responsible for the creation of the first Kendo school in 1909 and the art’s subsequent explosion of popularity.

Steel swords were replaced by the shinai, a practice sword made from split bamboo, wrapped in leather with a hand guard (tsuba). Contestants wore padded armor, including helmet, chest piece, gloves and a split skirt known as a hakama.

Elaborate rules now govern the sport of Kendo, which still remains one of the most popular martial arts in Japan, practiced both by men and women. Stomping the floor, loud shouts, and exacting blows to the head, chest and gloves are all characteristic of the exciting sport. It is a fantastic method of forging a powerful spirit, increasing cardiovascular endurance and improving overall physical health. Combined with its spiritual philosophies and high moral codes, Kendo today remains a popular worldwide past time.

But what all of us did plan on was an adventurous get-away, the chance to explore one of the country’s most protected seashores and the opportunity to learn a new sport.

From the time we left the rocky boat ramp in St. Mary’s, we knew we were getting what we planned for and more.

Riding the tidal waters of the St. Mary’s River down to the Intra-coastal waterway and across the sound, we encountered bottlenose dolphins, blue herons and a kamikaze tug boat. Thanks to the swift movement of the tide and the “full speed ahead” tactics of a tug boat captain, we made the black mud banks of the island in record time – under 4 hours.

Campers and day tourists exiting the ferry, “Cumberland Queen,” stared down from the dock in awe and disbelief. “Ya’ll kayaked from St. Mary’s?” asked a middle-aged man carrying his cooler and camping supplies. Looking back across the choppy waters of the intra-coastal waterway, I grinned and said, “Yes, we did!”

Eighteen miles long and three miles across at its widest point, Cumberland Island is a coastal guard for Georgia’s Atlantic mainland. Lining its edge are green salt marshes that wave you in, like the slow, rhythmic hand of a southern belle.

Rising up from the hard and packed earth, live oaks dripping with Spanish moss create a thick and shadowy canopy, fanning over saw-tooth and cabbage palms. Magnolias and cedars also find their place among the flora and fauna of the old maritime forest.

Although inhabited for centuries first by Native Americans then by white men, the island is protected by an Act of Congress passed in 1972 that ” permanently preserves its primitive state.…” When walking the island’s wide trails, you get a sense of what it must have been like for the early settlers who arrived for the sea air, isolated location and excellent fishing.

There is a great history within these shores and depending on what end of the island you visit, the story may vary. However, if your guides are George Morris, an experienced kayaker, NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School) graduate and just a “happy to be here” kind of guy; and Michael Lumpkin, trip leader, motivational speaker and the ultimate meal-time creator, you learn more about the people, places and wildlife of Cumberland Island than any book would ever tell you.

In fact, Saturday morning after a breakfast of silver-dollar size flap jacks and oil-like coffee, our group slapped on the maximum strength combination of sunscreen and insect repellent, grabbed our backpacks and headed out for an early morning hike.

Question: Which of the currently popular cardiovascular exercise devices are “best” for reducing the thighs and hips?

Answer: The most popular devices in question and readily available include stationary bikes (like Lifecycles), Stairclimbing machines (like Stairmasters) and cross country ski simulators (like Nordic Track). All of these exercise machines or categories of machines were designed with a primary objective of enhancing cardiovascular or aerobic fitness.

The basis of “reduction” must be explained if one is to make an educated choice regarding that which is “best” for their desired fitness objectives. Reduction of any body part involves two distinct aspects of exercise physiology. Those components are fat reduction and muscle toning.

With regard to the fat reduction component of the “reducing” formula it must be understood that whichever device allows the user to sustain a target heart rate for the longest or highest level on a consistent basis would be technically classified as the “best”.

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In simple terms, the most telling factor regarding rating the effectiveness of “fat reducing” exercise is the heart rate response sustained over a significant duration. There is NO difference between a heart rate response of 140 beats per minute attained on a Lifecycle or Stairmaster or Nordic Track. In each case, fat will be utilized or “burned” at the same rate.

There are, however, some subtle factors involving the selection of one or a combination of exercise devices for the purpose of utilizing stored body fat most efficiently. The first issue has to do with comfort or preference. Some individuals just “take to” one device or another. If that comfort allows more comfortable or consistent utilization, that choice would be obviously advantageous and positive.

In addition, there are TWO very commonplace misconceptions which permeate the fitness population regarding fat loss or reduction regimens. The first idea is that working harder or at a higher heart rate reduces the fat burning capacity of exercise. That is simply a twisted truth. The reality is that if the exercise session is sustained, i.e. not just short bursts of exercise, harder work “burns” more fat per unit of time than does easier exercise. The misunderstanding occurs because the proportion of fat utilized is reduced.

As a means of a simple example of the concept just presented (not a mathematical one), let’s assume that we are burning 10 calories per minute of stairclimbing. It is possible that 7 of those 10 calories are derived from fat and the other 3 are derived from other sources (sugars and proteins). If one were to increase the exercise level so that we were burning 15 calories per minute perhaps only 9 or 10 of those 15 calories would be derived from fat sources and 6 or 7 from alternative sources. In that instance more fat would be “burned” per minute but the proportion of fat used to total energy expended would be reduced. The simple lesson to be learned from this is that if one could sustain harder work for the same duration as easier exercise, more fat will be used BUT if harder exercise causes the routine to be shortened it would obviously reduce the fat burning effect of the routine.

The second misconception involves the muscle toning properties of each of these cardiovascular exercise devices. All popular cardiovascular or aerobic exercises involve rhythmic, repeated movement of the large muscles of the body as do stationary cycling, stairclimbing and cross country skiing. The hips and thighs (the areas in question for reduction) are almost always the predominant working muscles during these exercises.

To the extent that some exercise intensity is required to perform these cardiovascular exercises some muscle tone response is initially common. However, for the purpose of reasonably advanced muscle toning in the hips and thighs, some resistance exercise is suggested.

The final answer regarding the best of the three popular exercises for hip and thigh “reduction” might very well lie in within the following criteria:
First…select the exercise which you will do most consistently and at the highest level of intensity and comfort.
Second…include some resistance exercise for the toning aspect of reduction and
Third…try some combination of mixing the three exercises for a variety of specific effects.

Other Exercises Pearls:

Ex. #1. A good exercise for the muscles in front of the ribs – simply grasp a pulley bar at shoulder width and pull down with straight arms from slightly above the head to the height of the waist.

Ex. #2. An old stand-bye exercise for the calves called “Donkey calf raises” Either leaning forward with a training partner seated with his/her back to you or on a specially designed machine, raise up and down on the toes.

Weight training is healthful, fun, and productive. You don’t have to be a gym member to gain the benefits of this great activity. How much space you have, how much time you want to put into it, your training experience, and your goals influence how you set up your home workout area.

Let’s take a look at some options.

Do you have limited space? The easiest thing is to use your body weight for resistance. These exercises are called calisthenics. Calisthenics are great for beginners and can be used, to some extent, by advanced trainees. The problem is that there will always be a limit to how far you can go, unless you do something to increase the resistance beyond your weight by wearing weighted vests, hanging weights from your waist for pull-ups, or other devices. Special elastic bands can be used for resistance, and there are some available that can be used for, say, heavy squats. The force applied from elastic bands is not the same as with free weights; the force is always greatest when the band is stretched the most, which does not often match the normal strength curve. You may have to do the exercise from several positions to get the muscle worked evenly. And for some of us, bands are unsatisfactory because we like to be able to quantify how much we are lifting more precisely. It is usually more satisfying to progress from 15 to 20 lb dumbbells than to go from, say, a green band to a purple one.

Most people eventually will want to set up their own workout space and purchase some equipment. Free weights, which are dumbbells and barbells, can comprise all of the equipment you use, or can be used to complement weight training machines.

Dumbbells are inexpensive and don’t take up much room. They are easy to control and less likely than a barbell to knock a hole in your wall if you live in a small apartment. You may see recommendations to use something like a plastic milk jug filled with water or sand as a do-it-yourself alternative, but dumbbells are more comfortable to work with. You can get the inexpensive kind for home use. The fancy chrome ones hold up better to gym use, but you don’t need them. Get at least two sets to start with. Sedentary women may want to get 5 and 8 pounds, while older or out-of-shape males can start with maybe 12 and 15. Try them out on a bicep curl. Find a weight that fatigues you at about 10 repetitions, then get a pair of those and a pair of the next lightest ones. There is no maximum weight.

As you get stronger, you will want to get heavier dumbbells. You may want to get some weight plates and adjustable dumbbells, which consist of a handle that you load with weights of different sizes. This is cheaper and takes less space than getting a lot of dumbbells, especially when you are ready for the heavy ones. Another approach is to get a set of stacking dumbbells, such as PowerBlocks. These are more expensive, but are worth it, if you can afford it. I urge you to get a workout bench. If you are just going to use dumbbells, you can get one without barbell supports. There are many exercises you can do without a bench, but when you start doing heavier workouts, a workout bench allows you more comfort and versatility, and will be safer than that wobbly piano bench you may think you want to start out on.

Barbells are a nice addition. They allow you to do some heavier exercises, call for a different sort of muscular coordination than dumbbells, and have a certain mystique. Many advanced weight trainees have started with the inexpensive 110-pound weight set. If your space is really tight, you can get by with just dumbbells.

You may want to get your own weight training machine. Most home trainees who get machines get one multi-purpose piece of equipment, but if you have the space you can get more. There are too many choices to describe in detail, but a few generalities are in order. This is one case where you get what you pay for. A more expensive piece will give you more options, work more smoothly and comfortably, and hold up better. You may be able to get by with a less expensive option if you are not going to use it much, but if it is going to get much use, or be used by an advanced exerciser or a heavier person, it will be worth spending more. Conventional weight machines use stacks of weights, with the resistance usually controlled by a pin inserted in the stack. These are tried and true and feel most like gym machines, but are quite heavy. Some of the expensive ones are very well made and versatile, and some of the cheap ones are rough and require constant maintenance. Make sure you try out all the exercises while you’re in the store comparing models. Have the salesperson show you the adjustments and try them out yourself to make sure the machine fits you. If it is uncomfortable or causes pain when you use it, try another model. Ideally, you will be able to try out the machine before you buy it, but at least try one from the same manufacturer. Make sure you can return it within a reasonable time period if it is not satisfactory. Measure out the space you have set aside for it before you go shopping for a machine, or you may have an unpleasant surprise when it is delivered.

Some newer types of machines use different types of resistance. Bowflex uses special rods, Soloflex uses rubber straps, and Total Gym uses your own body weight in a clever way. These, while not cheap, have the advantage of being much lighter and more portable than weight stack machines. You can store your Bowflex in a closet and wheel it out to the patio to work out outdoors, for instance. These machines are sold mostly through mail order, so may be difficult to try out before buying, although you should be able to return them if they are not satisfactory. Get the manufacturer to send you all the relevant information before deciding on one of these.

On the top end, if you are a very advanced weight trainee or bodybuilder who wants to work out at home, your best bet is to get a power rack and Olympic bar and plates, plus dumbbells. This may require you to set aside a room or garage for your home gym. (A power rack is a rectangular “cage”device with pins and supports that will catch the bar if you cannot complete your lift. This, or something similar, is necessary for safety if you are going to do heavy lifting without a spotter. You also have to learn how to set the pins and dump the bar safely.)

If you have the space, it’s nice to have a rack or tree for your dumbbells and plates. Get a piece of cardio equipment that you like. If you want to do cardio elsewhere, you can warm up for weight training by walking or jogging a bit, going up and down stairs, or jumping rope. A mat for your stretching gives you the extra comfort you deserve at the end of a hard workout.