Stretching- Passive vs Active range

What is passive stretching and what is active stretching? The best way to explain this is to demonstrate it…

Start by holding out your right hand, keeping your fingers together, then without using your left hand stretch your right thumb as far back as you can. Now, using your left hand, gently pull your right thumb back.  Did you notice that with the assistance of your left hand your right thumb went back further than when you were just stretching it back?

The part where you can move your right thumb without assistance is called active
range. The additional range is called passive range, and you have it at every joint.
You cannot control the passive range of motion through your nervous system. It is the point where active and passive range cross over is where many injuries occur.

Dancers are a great example of those who can be at high risk of passive range injuries. Many dancers have a high proportion of hyper-mobile joints. A quick example of this is a backbend. Most people have a backbend range of no more than 25 degrees, whereas those with hypermobility in their lower backs will have a far greater range than this. As they are able to access these ranges without assistance, meaning they are in active range.

Problems begin to occur if they are then required to match other hyper-mobile dancers or the expectations of the performance they are doing exceeds their natural abilities. To overcome this they can use momentum to push their body into passive range, they will then need to rely on that momentum to carry them back out of it. 

This can result in a far bigger injury than your average person would typically incur. But it isn’t just one area of the body that dancers are likely to have hyper-mobility, they may have it throughout their body, and they will therefore be more likely to end up in their passive range of motion, and more likely to get injured if they are not mindful.

So why does this make a difference to you?

Loading passive range is incredibly dangerous because you have no control of it,
and without control, you can’t ensure that that load goes through the muscles intended, which is ultimately why it causes injury.

This is why some trainers advocate partial range exercises. That being said it can be possible to train and increase your active range. If you find the crossover point between passive and active range, by doing safe movements, you can work on maintaining active control of the range. This will increase your active range and by extension allow you to work the joint to a fuller range, as well as decrease your chances of an injury at that joint.

It is recommended that you only work on this with the support of a personal trainer who specialises in active and passive range. You can see all of our personal trainers by clicking here. This blog piece was provided by active and passive range specialise Richard Kelly.

Richard’s bio:
Functional training advocate Richard has dedicated years of active learning towards the accumulation of new skills for the purpose of supporting his private clients Richard’s ability to offer nutritional support only enhances the final result.
Disciplines: Personal training, Pilates, Running and Stretching.

Relaxing Rhythms

In honour of the new service we are now offering of Sports & Thai Massage, we’ve created the perfect relaxing playlist for you. With artists such as ARIZONA, Lorde, and Khalid, you’re bound to relax and renew with our TruTunes. It’s always important to take time out of your busy day to slow down and focus on YOU. Remember that by taking time for yourself, you are bettering all aspects of your life.

Download. Play. Renew.

https://open.spotify.com/user/trubeapp/playlist/3EmAEoBdiBbRSjDuvDY2RV

 

 

The Top 4 Benefits of Kickboxing

Trainer, Alessandra

When it comes to kickboxing, the benefits are countless. From increased flexibility to a boost in energy levels, kickboxing is a fun sport that’s worth the hard work. Whether you’re a pro or just starting out, kickboxing is a great way to change up your usual workout routine. Since we’re all about kickboxing this week at TruBe, we’re here to let you in on 4 of our favourite (and exclusive) benefits of kickboxing.

Kickboxing Improves Your VO2 max

What exactly is VO2 max? The technical definition for the maximum rate of oxygen consumption measured during incremental exercise, in short, kickboxing improves your overall fitness. Kickboxing is usually comprised of ‘rounds’ (2-3 minutes of intense hitting) often referred to as a HIIT workout (High Intensity Interval Training). When doing an interval workout, your heart is trained to be more efficient. This act helps to greatly improve your VO2 max, thus improving your fitness. For example, you won’t feel as tired after climbing a hill or even a long flight of stairs –something we’re all in need of!

A Boost in Confidence

You may not know that when you are taking it out on the bag, endorphins are being released into your body, this helps lift any negative mood you may have been in and helps you feel confident and energised. An increase in confidence is a huge benefit of kickboxing. Learning a form of self defence proves that you can hold your own, resulting in a confidence boost that will benefit you in your everyday life.

Tones Your Entire Body

Looking for a full body workout? Kickboxing is the sport for you. There’s no area of the body that kickboxing won’t tone. The Muscle, Ligaments, and Tendons Journal conducted a study  titled ‘The Effects of Five Weeks of Kickboxing Training of Physical Fitness’. The study showed that after only five weeks of training, the participants involved showed great improvements in speed, agility, upper-body muscle power, and flexibility. Kickboxing is a full-body workout, and if you’ve taken a training session before, you know that everything gets worked!

Builds Endurance

Kickboxing is a perfect workout to improve your endurance. By taking part in regular cardio exercise, your endurance is strengthened, as proved by the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

We hope these 4 benefits inspire you to start incorporating kickboxing into your daily workout routine. Need help or have any questions? Our kickboxing trainers are here for you anytime, and anywhere. Book your next kickboxing session with us here!

Fun fact about endurance: By building up your endurance with kickboxing, you can transfer it to any other workout whether that be swimming or running.

Keep those kicks coming!

Your TruBe Team

Introducing Elisa L – Passionate Yogi

Elisa is one of our OM-tastic new yogis! She is a dedicated Vinyasa yoga teacher who is a strong believer in smiles, positive attitude and mindful practice. She always ensures a relaxing and positive environment to practice yoga through creative and mindful sequences.

What is it you love most about teaching yoga?

The possibility to make a difference in someone’s day, maybe someone’s life. I am able to spread the joy that yoga has given me and pass on the benefits of yoga whilst helping my students to reconnect in the present moment, relax and feel energised at the same time.

How do you de-stress after a long week?

The best way to recharge is to spend time with the ones that you love, doing simple things and enjoying time together.

How do you keep on top of your fitness whilst travelling?

I keep my yoga practice with me, yoga it’s a lifestyle and I always feel much better after a good yoga class.

What’s your top tip for a yoga newbie?

Yoga for beginners may be scary because they’re worried about not being able to do certain yoga positions. It is different for everyone and you are your own master who is in control of your body and mind and the teacher is there to guide you. Being flexible or being cool in the Asana (yoga poses) is not the aim of the practice. The aim is to find your space where you feel your body lengthening, creating more space for the Prana (energy) and releasing any tightness so the Prana can flow more freely.

Favourite yoga position?

I love inversions like headstand (Salamba Sirsasana) or tripod headstand (Sirsasana 2) as they relax and energise the mind, strengthens the whole body.

Don’t forget that our TruBe trainers can come to you right in the comfort of your own home!

To book a session with Elisa, download the app and find her as one of our featured trainers.

 

5 Workouts You Can Do Without Equipment

Woman doing home workout

Getting in shape doesn’t have to be complicated and there’s no need to spend hours sweating it out in the gym. Here are some simple moves to get fit and strong using your own body that you can do literally anywhere.

Exercising without equipment is easier than you think, simply set aside up to 20 mins a day and do each move one after the other for either 15 secs, 30, 45, or 1 minute back to back. Rest for 2 mins (or longer if you need it) before repeating the circuit up to three times. All you need is a bit of floor space and a good dose of mental strength. These moves are taken from ZUU (thezuu.com.au) and combine cardio and strength and conditioning meaning you get a total body workout, without having to pack a gym bag.

Don’t forget to warm up!

Take a few minutes to wake your body up before doing the workout below, try some lunges with an over head stretch and some high knees and jumping jacks will get your heart rate going.

  1. Frog squats

Stand upright with feet a little wider than shoulder width. Clasping hands together, tuck both upper arms in-between your legs as you lower into a deep squat position. Drive upwards out of a deep squat while keeping upper arms pinned against your inner thighs. The finish position will be legs slightly bent with arms still inside legs.

    2. Bears crawls (forward & reverse)

Start on all fours low to the ground with head upright, keeping back straight. Using opposite motor patterns reach forward with one arm and bring forward the opposite leg. Move forward in a crawling motion. Reverse bears is performing the exercise going backwards.

     3. Polar bear press

Position yourself into a strong ‘A’ frame position with hands shoulder width apart and feet slightly wider than shoulder width. Looking at the ground between your feet lower your top half towards the ground until your head touches then drive back up to the start position.

    4. Kick sits

Start with all fours on the ground with a low centre of gravity. Not moving your hands, sweep a leg in between the other hand and foot to a sitting position. Reverse by getting back up to start position and sweeping other leg through the opposite side.

    5. Donkeys

Start in a neutral push up position with feet together and hand shoulder width apart. Explode up and towards your chest with both legs into a tuck position. Then extend legs back to start position landing softly.

Remember if you have any health issues please talk to your doctor before doing this workout, and if your just starting out, take your time and modify the moves if you need to.

By Faris

Don’t forget that our TruBe trainers can come to you right in the comfort of your own home!

All of our trainers fully qualified fitness experts who specialise in various sessions such as Yoga, Ballet Fit, Personal Training, Boxing, Kickboxing, Pilates, Sports and Thai Massage and Meditation.

Book a session today!