Stretching Our Boundaries and Our Bodies

Broadening our Horizons

I know we are not the only family to be getting around to that long to do list while we are isolating at home. In addition to tackling those "someday" projects, we have also tried a few new things and taken the opportunity to stretch the brains of our kids. Our online schooling is set up so the boys only have classes until 12:30. Which leaves them free to help with other household activities - most notably, meal preparation. Since we are not in that mad rush between getting home and getting to extra-curricular activities, I have the time (and patience - let's be honest, it's more about the patience) to let them make some of our family favorites. Hopefully, by the time they move out on their own, they will be cooking whole food from scratch, not only living on raman and KD.

Today's supper is a long standing family favourite, sweet and sour meatballs. Mom Tip - Cooking is more fun if you call the big pot a cauldron. I should have known that you couldn't have two boys making meatballs without ending up with a meatball man. It was inevitable! Rodeo did manage to get one meatball that dropped on the floor, and really felt that more of those tasty treats should be forthcoming. After all, she's such a good dog!

Cooking dinner isn't the only thing we've been doing with the boys. They both have birthdays coming up, and we thought it would be nice treat to make some homemade root beer - we all like the old fashioned kind best. So we ordered the kit, followed the instructions. It all seemed to be going well. For the first week, you are supposed to keep the bottles in a warmer spot to encourage the yeast to ferment, then move it to a cooler location to slow it down, and let it settle for 3 weeks. (Since it's bottled immediately after mixing the yeast just naturally carbonates it, there's no alcohol.)

5 days it was upstairs, and while I was on my weekly grocery shop, one of the bottles exploded! I had just finished putting the groceries in the car, and I got the text. "We had to put the 2 dozen bottles in the fridge, hope there's room for the groceries!" I guess it isn't an adventure if nothing unexpected happens! Since the mess was cleaned up before I got back, it hasn't dampened my enthusiasm. I think I want to try cider next.

Stretching

Stretching serves several purposes. They can be the warm up and cool down for a work out or sport to prevent injury and cramping. They can be employed to get the kinks out after being in one position for a long time. They are an important part of healing after an injury or surgery. Stretching increases mobility and flexibility and is one of the best ways to maintain these as we age.

Types of Stretches

There are many different types of stretches and they have different purposes. The main categories are Active, Passive, Resisted, Dynamic. Stretches can also be assisted, you often see these with gymnasts and dancers, they support, traction or push their partner into a stretch position. Assisted stretches should only be done under the supervision of a coach or other professional, it would be easy to hurt someone by being over zealous. It is not unusual for your massage therapist to employ assisted stretches during a treatment.

Active

The most common stretch is active. We are deliberately moving our body parts to produce a stretch (often accompanied by a yawn!)  To stretch one muscle, another has to be contracting. Muscles can only move in one direction. To stretch your bicep, you contract your tricep; to stretch your quads, you contract your hamstrings. Remember in Science class “every action has an opposite and equal reaction”?

Most of the stretches that we do are active stretches, even the ones when we have a really good yawn - you know the type! Every time my dog stands up, she stretches. I have often thought we would be in such good shape if we acted like our pets! I wonder if that's why many yoga positions have animal names? 

Passive

Passive stretches occur when a muscle stretches without contracting an opposite muscle. This is what happens on an inversion table, you are using gravity to stretch your back. Passive stretches are often assisted, either by an object or another person. Massage therapists often use passive stretches during treatment. Have you every had your head pulled? It feels glorious! If you have experienced a Thai Yoga Massage or a Shiatsu Massage, they have lots of passive stretches as part of the routine.

Resisted

Here is where we break the rules, you stretch a muscle by contracting it. Sounds crazy, right? Here’s the trick, you contract the muscle, but it doesn't move. Picture trying to push something that is too heavy. Keep pushing and your muscles get tired. When you stop pushing, your muscle feels like a wet noodle. This forces our muscle to relax, and sudden it can stretch further than it did before. This technique is used a lot in joint mobilization and therapeutic treatments by your massage therapist. It is also a great way to stretch muscles that are hard to stretch. Technically, you are forcing the muscle to relax by fatiguing it, but it has the same result for increasing mobility and decreasing muscle tension.

Lift your arm up, to the side, over your head (like a jumping jack). It goes a long way and you can feel your inside arm muscles and side torso muscles stretching. Now try to do the opposite. Your body is in the way of your arm in that direction. So how can you stretch your outside arm muscles?

Stand against a wall, with your arm down by your side. Plant your feet so your body doesn’t move. Push against the way with your whole arm like before. Hold it for only 5-10 seconds and don’t forget to breathe! Relax for a few deep breath and repeat 3-5 times.

Resisted stretches are also done with supports like resistance bands. These are available in medical supply stores that carry physiotherapy supplies (the place where you would get crutches and walkers), sporting good stores, yoga suppliers, etc.

Dynamic

These are the stretches that you often see athletes do, when they “bounce”. It is very easy to injure yourself with a dynamic stretch and should only be done under the supervision of a therapist or trainer.

 If you only do two things for your well being, they should be drink lots of water and stretch regularly!