Fitness
Essential stretches to fight stiff winter muscles – Harvard Health
Does cold weather seem to leave you with stiff, sore muscles? It’s not your imagination; there’s science behind the symptoms. Fortunately, you can relieve discomfort and protect your muscles by stretching regularly.
How cold affects muscles
When the mercury drops, it threatens your body’s core temperature, which functions best at about 98.6° F. To stay warm, your body will send more blood toward your core. “The muscles in your legs and arms get less blood flow — and less oxygen — than they would in warmer temperatures. With less oxygen, the muscles are stiffer, they don’t work as well, and they fatigue easily,” says Dr. Sarah Eby, a sports medicine physician with Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital.
Cold weather also affects nerves (which contribute to muscle function) and makes blood flow to muscles even less efficient.
All of these changes increase the risk for muscle and tendon injuries, especially if you’re less active in the winter and your muscles are weak and tight.
Two types of stretches
Dr. Eby recommends two kinds of stretches to ward off cold weather consequences.
Dynamic stretches get your muscles ready for activity. They consist of flowing, repetitive motions, such as walking briskly. The activity sends blood, heat, and oxygen to the muscles to help them work more efficiently and make them less likely to tear. During winter, they’re best done when you’re inside.
Most of the year, you need just a few minutes of dynamic stretching before an activity, and you might focus only on muscles you’ll be using (such as leg muscles before a walk). “But in cold weather, everything tightens up, and you need a dynamic warm-up for your whole body. Do lunges or squats, bring each knee to your chest, make circles with your arms, and twist your trunk left and right. Loosen up for about 10 to 15 minutes,” Dr. Eby says.
Static stretches keep muscles long and flexible and should be done only when your muscles are warmed up (after a workout, for example).
To do a static stretch, you hold a certain position for 20 to 30 seconds, without bouncing (which can tear muscle fibers). Examples include
- clasping your hands behind you, straightening your arms, and lifting them toward the ceiling, to stretch your chest and shoulders
- reaching for your toes while sitting on the floor with your legs out in front of you, to stretch the hamstrings (in the back of your thigh)
- doing a deep lunge while keeping your back heel planted on the ground, to stretch your calf muscles.
Static stretches feel good and lengthen the muscles, which fights stiffness, increases your range of motion, and improves your posture, balance, and agility. Dr. Eby recommends doing them every day as a preventive measure or to relieve pain and stiffness.
For more information about stretching, check out the Harvard Special Health Report Stretching.
Move of the month: Calf stretchStand up straight and hold the back of a chair. Extend your right leg back and press your heel against the floor. Bend your left knee and feel the stretch in your right calf. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds and return to the starting position. Repeat. Then repeat on the other side, with your left leg back and your right knee bent.
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What else you can do
While stretching might be enough to avoid stiff winter muscles, the following tips can also help.
Stay hydrated. This helps prevent lactic acid from building up in your muscles and causing cramps.
Dress for the elements. “Dress warmly, with a hat, a neck gaiter, and a vest or a coat, so you don’t need to shunt as much blood away from your arms and legs,” Dr. Eby says.
Take vitamin D3. Vitamin D deficiency can make muscles sore and achy. Take 1,000 to 2,000 IU of vitamin D3 per day.
Avoid junk food. Stay away from highly processed foods, such as cookies, chips, and frozen dinners. These can contribute to inflammation throughout the body, causing muscle discomfort.
If pain doesn’t go away
If muscle pain doesn’t go away, you might have an injury, such as a muscle strain. An important clue: “Sore muscles feel better once you loosen up and exercise. Strained muscles get worse as you keep going,” Dr. Eby says.
She recommends putting an ice pack on suspected muscle strains, applying topical pain relievers, and seeing your doctor if symptoms persist.
Fitness
Adults hop on viral ‘rebounding’ trend to make exercise fun again — ‘I feel like a kid’
Forget boring home workouts, on-demand HITT classes and cold winter runs.
The latest wellness trend bouncing around TikTok involves a workout you might not even realize you’re doing, and that’s the point. It’s called rebounding. This low-impact exercise involves jumping on a mini fitness trampoline — called a rebounder — to get your heart pumping and support lymphatic drainage.
On Amazon, this best-selling model is currently on sale for just $129. It measures in at just 40 inches, making it ideal for small spaces while still offering room for an adult to jump, squat and jog in place. Users swear it gives them a seriously effective full-body workout, and many remark that it’s “so much fun” to use.
Clinical trials also back the benefits: a 12-week rebounding program for overweight women showed significant improvements in body composition as well as a decrease in diastolic blood pressure.
Ready to jump on the rebounding trend, too? You’d better hop on this Amazon deal fast.
This sleek rebounder by BCAN is sturdy and easy to set up, thanks to pre-assembled bungees and simpel video tutorial.
Reviewers say it’s completely changed their workouts, with one remarking they “feel like a little kid again.” Others have also noted it’s much easier on their joints than higher-impact exercises.
“It absorbs impact well and allows for a nice, smooth rebound that is gentle on the joints, making it perfect for a low-impact cardio workout,” one person explained. “Whether I’m doing high-intensity intervals or simply bouncing for fun, the movement feels fluid and responsive.
The BCAN model features an upgraded handlebar for added stability. It’s 8mm premium bungee — with a durable woven outer layer and a 350-strand natural latex core — delivers smooth, quiet bounces, so you can enjoy your workout without disturbing others.
This article was written by Miska Salemann, New York Post Commerce Writer/Reporter. As a health-forward member of Gen Z, Miska seeks out experts to weigh in on the benefits, safety and designs of both trending and tried-and-true fitness equipment, workout clothing, dietary supplements and more. Taking matters into her own hands, Miska intrepidly tests wellness products, ranging from Bryan Johnson’s Blueprint Longevity Mix to the viral Oura Ring to Jennifer Aniston’s favorite workout platform – often with her adorable toddler by her side. Before joining The Post, Miska covered lifestyle and consumer topics for the U.S. Sun and The Cannon Beach Gazette.
Fitness
Fitness trainer with 18 years of experience shares why exercise is crucial for kids: ‘Not just about health and fitness’
Exercise is often spoken about in the context of physical fitness – stronger muscles, better stamina and improved overall health. But its value, especially for children, extends far beyond the body. Regular physical activity can quietly shape character, teaching lessons about effort, patience, discipline and resilience that mirror how the real world works. From learning to cope with discomfort to understanding that progress takes time, exercise can become a powerful training ground for life itself.
Also Read | Chennai fitness trainer with 18 years of experience shares 5 simple things to focus on for long-term fitness
Chennai-based fitness trainer with 18 years of experience, Raj Ganpath – founder of the Slow Burn Method, co-founder and head coach at Quad Fitness, and author of Simple, Not Easy – is shedding light on why exercise is important for kids, with the benefits going beyond health and fitness. In an Instagram video shared on February 27, he explains how the impact of exercise extends far beyond physical wellness, shaping resilience, discipline and long-term character development.
Embracing discomfort
According to Raj, exercise is one of the healthiest ways to help children learn how to sit with discomfort in a safe, structured and sustainable way. Life inevitably brings challenges and unease – something adults understand well – but many children today are shielded from situations that test their resilience.
He explains, “Exercise is a great way to experience this discomfort in a safe and sustainable manner. Lifting weights, holding a plank, doing cardio, repping till it burns, all of these things are opportunities to embrace discomfort, opportunities to put themselves in a place where they’re not comfortable and learn from it, opportunities to practice physical and mental resilience.”
Learning hardship
The fitness trainer emphasises that hardship is an inevitable part of life, and meaningful success often requires pushing through moments of difficulty. While most adults recognise this truth through lived experience, children may not always have the same exposure to challenge. Raj believes exercise can bridge that gap.
He elaborates, “It will teach them that they need to do hard things if they want to accomplish something. Getting through a very hard workout, setting a goal and achieving it, completing a task. All of these things are not just random chores. These are incredible opportunities – opportunities to experience hardship and build fortitude.”
Delayed gratification
In today’s fast-paced world, the desire for instant gratification is stronger than ever – and children are growing up at the centre of it. With technology, streaming platforms and 10-minute delivery services, almost everything is available at the tap of a screen. As a result, the ability to wait, persist and work steadily towards a long-term goal can easily take a back seat. Exercise, notes Raj, offers a powerful counterbalance.
He explains, “Everyone wants everything right away today. This is true for us adults too, but it is even more true for our kids because this is the only world they know. A world where everything happens right then and right there, whenever they want it, wherever they want it. Exercise will teach them to wait, to be patient, to trust the process, to fail and still keep going, to work towards something larger that they will get much later. This is a very important character building quality and will serve them well for many, many years to come.”
The fitness trainer concludes, “Exercise is not just about health and fitness. It is a simulation of life itself. A ready-made character building tool available to you to help prepare your kids for life, the raw and real life that they’re going to have to deal with no matter what. So make sure they build the habit and make sure they embrace it.”
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. It is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.
Fitness
What Are “Movement Snacks”? How To Try This Trending Fitness Hack
The World Health Organization says the average adult is supposed to get 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity five days a week, which sounds somewhat doable until it’s 9 p.m., your kids are finally in bed, and you just want to fall onto the couch and dissociate. But more and more people online are talking about “movement snacks” — little bite-sized amounts of exercise you can do throughout your day to meet your 60-minute goal without having to make special time for one big workout. Because yes, we all want to be our healthiest, but sometimes a HIIT class at the gym is just not in the schedule.
We asked personal trainers and fitness coaches for their favorite movement snacks you can do in the office, around the house, and on busy weekends when everyone’s home.
How much exercise is a person really supposed to get?
While the WHO recommends 60 minutes a day, the CDC is a little more lax, recommending at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a week, or about 30 minutes a day, five days a week. While it may feel like you’re the only one struggling to fit a workout into your daily routine, you’re far from alone. In fact, it’s always been hard for most Americans. So, while movement snacks may be a cute new term we’re all hearing for the first time, fitness pros have been promoting bite-sized exercise forever.
“I work with busy professionals, so I’ve been integrating micro workouts of two to 10 minutes into my clients’ lifestyles for almost 20 years,” says Andrea Marcellus, certified personal trainer and CEO of AND/life.
The most important thing for your health isn’t getting all your daily movement done in one big, perfectly curated workout — it’s about being consistent, Marcellus says. Movement snacks can help you stay consistent because you don’t have to budget a big chunk of time; instead, you can fit something simple into your day when you have three minutes to spare. Hell, you don’t even have to change clothes or go anywhere.
“Most people think movement only counts if it’s a workout. That mindset is what keeps people sedentary. In reality, your body doesn’t care if steps come from a hike, a gym session, or pacing when you’re on a call,” says Lindy Royer, physical therapist and balanced body educator. “This is where you win the game — by stacking movement into things you’re already doing.”
Movement Snacks To Try Throughout Your Day
- Set an alarm on your phone to chime every hour — that’s what women’s fitness coach Allison Kalsched tells her clients. When it goes off, stand up and do 10 bodyweight squats. Then go back to work. When you get tired of squats, mix in walking lunges, push-ups (it’s fine if they’re modified!), or dead bugs. Throw on 30 seconds of jumping jacks or high knees for bone-building benefits, which is important for women in menopause, she adds.
- Take a micro walk. “Five minutes or 500 steps is my absolute favorite,” says Dr. Milica McDowell, doctor of physical therapy, author of the forthcoming book Walk, and exercise physiologist at US Physical Therapy. “It changes mood, lowers blood pressure, boosts mental clarity, and can help you get your cumulative steps in.”
- Dance to your new favorite song with your kids or all by yourself. “Dance party was big with my kids after dinner,” Marcellus says. “It takes four to 10 mins and helps kids burn off dinner energy, while also giving parents a metabolic boost.”
- Stop and do 60 reps of any full-body exercise, like squats, lunges, or jumping jacks — this usually takes about two minutes, no matter which one you choose, Marcellus says. Or, hold a plank for one to two minutes.
- Pair walking with habits that already exist to get your steps in, like marching in place while brushing your teeth or doing a lap inside the house while your food is in the microwave. “This means you’re not adding time — you are upgrading your time,” says Royer.
- Count your housework. Sweeping, mopping, vacuuming, general domestic labor — these things totally contribute to your total exercise time each day, says Royer.
- If you go up or down the stairs at home, just… do it two or three times. That little extra here and there adds up, according to Royer.
The best advice is to focus not on “how can I move right now?” but “how can I do something that isn’t sitting right now?” Royer says. “The real truth that most people ignore is that sedentary time is the real enemy, not a lack of workouts. Focus on breaking up your sitting time. Build in frequent movement snacks. You’re not looking for perfection, just something more than nothing. You don’t need more time; you actually just need more conscious efforts to move.”
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