Whoa,
Shifting gears once again because, why not!
I wanted to start incorporating some of my lifestyle experience content on my blog so we can build a deep relationship and I can share more of my journey with you. For my OG subs and blog viewers, you already know about my track competition recaps, and they kind of just fill you in on how my competition went.
This is a little different. So let me just preface this by saying I am probably the LEAST flexible jumper on the entire planet. HOWEVER, not for long!
BECAUSE your girl is going to a stretch + massage therapist that has given her some crazy weapons to add to her arsenal. also known as, knowledge about her anatomy and a stretch routine to do!
I have always wanted to be flexible not only for competitive reasons but just in general. You know, how jealous I am of people who can wake up in the morning and touch their toes? It’s a wild statement but it’s real. My body is strong but not flexible which decreases my range of motion without me being aware. It has been something I have struggled with since I was little.
Building muscle was easy keeping it elastic and loose was not.
Also not really a side note BUT I want to be able to not only create length and space through my body but also do a split cause … why not.
Anyways, here are 3 things that I learned about the body From My Stretch Therapist Raju Mantina
1. Everything is connected. If you didn’t already know how you do. Every part of our body is connected. So if one group of muscles and tendons, tendon junctions, etc is tight then that probably means something is pulling on it and is even tighter. In order to stretch one area, you have to work on another.
2. The calf, that big meaty section at the top. Yeah, that part, has 2 whole muscles in it. Inner and outer. Honestly never knew and I typically only stretched it in one direction. Pro Tip from Raju is to stretch from the bottom up. working the top part of the calf, then the tendon that connects to the Achilles.
3. The quad has 4 muscles that connect at the bottom of your thigh. Right above your knee and when they’re super tight it causes knee pain as well as the crossing over the muscles.
I think it is wild that there are just a few simple things that can change your understanding of the body and how it works. Makes you think about stretching differently.
My appointment experience was also really great. Raju is the biggest hype guy in the world. We started with a tried and true evaluation of my muscles and tendons and then actually started from bottom to top which I was not expecting.
I had always thought I should stretch from top to bottom.
All of the stretches were ones I could do at home by myself or with a partner and in another blog post I will share some of them with you…. there is a lot haha.
To move forward, My experience with Raju after an intense 90-minute session was immediately noticeable. My running form over our mini hurdles drastically changed. Typically as the mini hurdles get bigger, my form gets really bad and I look like jack the skeleton creeping around on Christmas night.
Not cute.
My huge take away from this super important and necessary experience –>
What I learned from Raju: Learning about the body, learning how it works, how it functions, how it tenses and releases is all-important when trying to achieve your athletic and fitness goals.
I frequently forget about it and I am working hard to make this a solidified habit because at the end of the day, my goals and the experiences I want to have required that of me.
I won’t let them down.
Signing off,
Domonique
On my last note, I really do think going to see a massage and stretch therapist that is knowledgable and can help you reach your goals is important on this journey.
