Welcome to Day 2 of our 3 Day Flexibility Challenge! Today's workout involves Pilates and yoga exercises that encourage and increase range of motion. This is a total body flexibility workout that also offers some toning benefits; you will be able to tell that your muscles are working (especially your core) as you work your way through this routine.
The exercises in this particular workout are excellent for core strength and back health. Put on some comfortable clothes and get ready for a relaxing toning and stretching blend.
The structure of this 3 Day Stretching Challenge very closely mimics our 4 Week FB Reach Program for Flexibility, Range of Motion & Toning. Be sure to check out this program if you want 4 weeks of workouts that use this training style! And if you like the shorter, 2-week challenge style, we now have a growing list of FB Plus Challenges. Come check them out!
How to use the Fitness Blender Stretching Challenge
You can add these stretching workouts (in any order) to literally any other kind of training plan; because they are so gentle on the body, there is no risk of overtraining and in fact these kinds of workouts may improve other aspects of fitness vicariously by allowing you to train more intensely, safely. These workouts can be done in any order.
There are three different strategies at work in this 3 day challenge - each day has a different theme.
- Day 1: Feel Good Fluid Stretches - These stretches follow no rules and have no real structure. Instead, you'll be doing an active stretch or dynamic range of motion that will feel great on your muscles (especially sore ones!).
- Day 2: Yoga Pilates Blend (you are here!) - A combination of yoga and Pilates exercises, this workout lightly tones while improving range of motion.
- Day 3: Static Stretches - Research has shown that holding stretches for around 30 seconds each is the most ideal and effective way to increase flexibility, and that’s exactly what Day 3 tackles.
All of these stretching workouts should leave you feeling relaxed and they can go a long ways in reducing muscle tightness and discomfort.
Tips & Tricks for using this challenge
- Aim to make this entire experience a calming one. Clear your head before you start each routine, focus on deep breathing the entire time, and try to shut out your stress, if not just for the length of each video.
- If you like, you can seek out silence or turn on some music that relaxes you. Light a candle or find somewhere scenic to do your stretches.
- On the flipside, if you find that stretching bores you to death, you can always try my trick of doing these videos in front of the television; turn on your favorite tv show & tune out while you improve your flexibility.
- Never push a stretch to the point of pain. Lean into each stretch slowly and tentatively, and then press/lean into the tension a bit further - again, slowly and gently. If you feel pain at any point, you should stop immediately and talk to your doctor or physical therapist.
- Know that everyone starts somewhere; don’t get discouraged if you feel tightness and try not to judge yourself for how flexible you are or aren’t.
- If we start doing a stretch that makes you uncomfortable or you’re unsure of your form, just pick a stretch that you like to do, until we’re back around to an exercise you feel more comfortable with.
- Make sure to drink lots of water & feed yourself a healthy, whole foods meal when you’re finished. Take care of yourself!
What did you think - were your muscles talking to you a little bit throughout this workout? Were you able to feel where you are most tight, and where you most need to work on flexibility?
See you tomorrow for Day 3!