Category: Exercise

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Why You Should Stretch After Working Out

The physical and mental health benefits of working out cannot be overstated—exercise is vital to living a long, healthy life. Besides exercising, there are certain items before and after a workout that should be included in the routine, such as stretching. While some may think stretching is optional, it is highly recommended as it can provide even more benefits to a workout routine. Here are some benefits to stretching after a workout:

Increased Flexibility

Flexibility is perhaps one of the most important parts of stretching after exercising. It helps bring muscles back to their resting state to make them less stiff and more flexible. Doing this can prevent injury afterward and can improve muscle soreness. What’s also great about this is that there are countless stretches one can do for different muscles and body parts depending on the routine.

Blood Circulation Improvement

Naturally, blood is pumped faster to the heart during strenuous workouts. Stretching post-workout lets the body cool off while returning the heart to its normal state and normal beat rate. Improved blood circulation allows muscles to repair and recover to prevent soreness and other kinds of injury.

Increased Energy

While working out by itself does the job of increasing energy levels, stretching afterwards does so, too. As the body is cooling off, endorphins, known as“happy” chemicals, are released from the brain. Stretching aids in cooling the body down and therefore promotes endorphin production post-workout.

Dr. Barbara R. Edwards, Princeton Internist, practices at Penn Medicine Princeton Health in the Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center. She is also the Academic Director for the Ambulatory Residency Program at Penn Medicine Princeton Health.

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Five Outdoor Fall Activities

With fall in full swing it can be harder for some to spend some time outside as the weather cools. So here are some of the most popular fall activities you can partake in all while being outside and enjoying the beautiful scenes before all the leaves fall off the trees. 

Make a Scarecrow 

This activity is a little different. For those who are looking to do something out of the ordinary, try making a scarecrow with some friends or loved ones. Just grab some of the leaves in your yard that have fallen and stuff an old flannel shirt you have around the house, or that you can find at a local thrift store. This helps clean your yard, clean your closet and get you outside! 

Hiking

Fall is the perfect time to go out for a hike. There is less humidity than in the summer, and it is not as cold as the winter. If you are someone who loves hiking try going on one you’ve been on before and see how different it is when you go while the leaves are changing their colors. It could be like seeing a completely new place. 

Pinecone Art

Allow the season to inspire you creatively by using nature to create art. Between leaves and pinecones falling off the tree, there is so much you can do with these materials. Grab some friends and spend some time outside gathering your materials before you all sit down and see what you can create. 

Corn Maze 

If you are someone who wants a challenge, trying out a corn maze can get your brain working. Lots of farms capitalize on the season by creating a maze for people to wander through. Try and see how fast you and your group can get through it. Or challenge others to see who can get through it first! 

Pumpkin and Apple Picking

You can’t have a fall activity list without these two. These traditions have been around for centuries. Spending a fall afternoon picking out apples and pumpkins can help keep you busy even after you get home! All the time you spend walking through trying to find the perfect apples or pumpkin will cancel out any pies you plan on making! 

Dr. Barbara R. Edwards, Princeton Internist, practices at Penn Medicine Princeton Health in the Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center. She is also the Academic Director for the Ambulatory Residency Program at Penn Medicine Princeton Health.

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The Dos and Don’ts of Working Out in the Humidity

There are lots of simple pleasures in life when the weather is warm enough to spend time in the great outdoors. One of those pleasures is working out outside. In the summer this can be a little difficult in the northeast, especially when the humidity is high. So when you want to take advantage of the warm weather, read on for some tips and things to avoid when humidity is almost insufferable. 

Do: Increase Intensity Slowly 

Similar to how you always want to start your workout with a warm up, you want to start in the humidity at lower intensity. The human body needs time to adjust to the heat, so if you work out at 110% right away, this can exhaust your body quicker, and you won’t get as much out of yourself as you exercise. 

Don’t: Wear Layers

Some people believe that layering when working out helps because you sweat more. While there is some truth in this idea, this does not stand true in the humidity. You will already be sweating enough that loose and light clothes are more appropriate. The last thing you want to do is pass out because of how you’ve dressed for your workout.

Do: Hydrate Properly 

Before heading outside, remember to properly hydrate your body well before the workout. This can help you regulate your body temperature. Remember to hydrate regularly throughout the workout so that your body is able to replenish the fluids it is losing while you are sweating. Having a sports drink on hand is also helpful to replace electrolytes lost as you sweat. 

Don’t: Ignore Your Body 

Working out can lead to fatigue and sore muscles, this is a given. Though if you are new to physical activity or you feel your body is reacting differently than normal, you may need to take a break. There are many heat related conditions like heat stroke and exhaustion that’ll cut your workout short, so if something your body is trying to tell you something, listen! 

When the weather is nice enough to workout outside, take every opportunity to do it. A gym workout, however nice your gym may be, can never compete with the serene feeling of being in nature. When you want to take advantage, make sure you know the way to workout during humid days safely. 

Dr. Barbara R. Edwards, Princeton Internist, practices at Penn Medicine Princeton Health in the Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center. She is also the Academic Director for the Ambulatory Residency Program at Penn Medicine Princeton Health.

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Importance of Switching Up Your Workout Routine

 

For workout enthusiasts, a certain routine can make or break your motivation. This isn’t anything to fault yourself for, as humans naturally like to have a bit of structure and consistency. Despite this, keeping a rigid routine within your workout can make it feel more like a chore than an uplifting activity. Falling into the same handful of exercises also isn’t the best physically, especially if you aren’t seeing the results you’d like, or you’ve developed overuse injuries. Going forward, here are a few reasons why you should add a bit of spice to your workouts to get the best results.

Prevent strain

If you’re hitting one area consistently throughout the week without any rest, you could be putting extra stress on your body and could possibly do harm in the future. By only focusing on one area or one group of muscles and working them as hard as you can, you put yourself at risk of suffering an overuse injury. Switching up workouts to include several different points on your body can give one area rest while challenging another. As a side note, remember to stretch and relax before and after your workout!

Support your mind

Not only does switching up your workout routine benefit you physically, but it also helps you mentally and emotionally. One of the worst things you can do with your workout is making it into a chore. Once you do that, you open up the door for all motivation and love for exercise to slowly chip away as well. If you just jump on the treadmill for an hour every day, you’re going to start dreading it after a while. A good workout is supposed to have a healthy relationship with time, you shouldn’t feel like you’re working out for far longer than you actually are. 

That potential loss of motivation can lead you to not want to push harder in your workouts to gain progress or can keep you from wanting to be in the gym at all. By switching up your workout, you keep things fresh and exciting.

Additionally, workouts help support positive mental health and can reduce depression. Keeping it the same won’t challenge your mind as much as trying new things will.

How to switch up your routine

There are several ways to switch up your routine to keep things fresh. A go-to option for many is to get a gym buddy. Either meeting someone in the gym or asking a friend to come lift with you, having a friend to exercise with will give you an added layer of motivation and can even hold you to a higher sense of accountability if you miss out on a day. Another tip to keep things fresh is to consider an entirely new gym. Most gyms have the same general types of amenities but one gym may have a completely different set of machines than the next. It doesn’t hurt to shop around.

As you see, it can be easy for your workout routine to fall into the chore mindset, but this doesn’t always have to be the case! Switch things up and keep them exciting!

Dr. Barbara Edwards, a Princeton MD is the Academic Director for the Ambulatory Residency Program at Penn Medicine Princeton Health, providing quality care to uninsured and under-insured New Jersey residents in Mercer and Middlesex counties.

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Best Stretches Before a Workout

Exercise is essential to a healthy lifestyle. When done on a regular basis, exercise can lead to monumental benefits physically, mentally, and emotionally. However, if done incorrectly, injury can occur and inhibit mobility during future workout sessions. Knowing the right stretches and pre-workout exercises can help prevent injuries and help someone do more during a workout. Here are a few recommended stretches before beginning a workout:

Arm Stretches

These stretches you have been doing since primary school. For example the cross-body shoulder stretch which is done exactly as it sounds. And the forearm stretch where you hold your arm out and take the opposite hand and gently pull the other hand back. These are great to implement before an arm workout so you do injury those muscles. 

Cat-Cow Stretch 

Stretching your back is extremely beneficial. Nobody likes back pain; it affects the whole body. So, prior to your workout try using the cat-cow stretch. Where you lay on a mat on your stomach and move the upper part of the body up while the legs remain touching the mat. Similar to a cat, hence the name. By doing this stretch your back will also be strengthened. 

 

Dynamic Stretches

Dynamic stretches are ones that are done by moving. Previously stated were static stretches that can be done either standing or sitting. Some dynamic stretches include; light jogging, jumping jacks, or jumping rope. This gets the body moving and multiple muscle groups warmed up before an intense workout. So the next time you go to workout try a light dynamic stretch before going all in!

Dr. Barbara R. Edwards, Princeton Internist, practices at Penn Medicine Princeton Health in the Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center. She is also the Academic Director for the Ambulatory Residency Program at Penn Medicine Princeton Health.