Follow The Yellow Brick Road...

So, Dorothy turns to the Tin Man and asks, "Are you alright?” The Tin Man replies, "I'm afraid I'm a little rusty yet!" So, as it goes he needed some oil for his joints in order to travel down the yellow brick road. What are you doing for your joints?

You should establish a mental checklist and work from your shoulders to your ankles. What is the range of motion for each joint? Do you have any past or current injuries? How is it affecting your current exercise routine? What is your level of pain? Perhaps you should see your doctor if your in pain, before you agitate the joint(s) in question.

To get better joint flexibility you need to exercise. Know that stretching is not the only option. If all one does is stretch it becomes tedious and boring. This is one reason why there are so many people with stiff joints, they get bored and quit.

Understand that warming up and stretching is not one and the same. You warm up BEFORE stretches to prevent injury. Warming up means getting body temperature up with exercises like cycling, walking, jogging etc. Depending on fitness level 5-15 minutes is sufficient.

Another option is to do isometric exercise for better joint flexibility. Isometric exercise increases strength in the joint. Isometrics reach muscle fibers that are not often used. You simply contract the muscle and hold for 5-10 seconds release and repeat. Sometimes this method of exercise is called dynamic tension.

Resistance training can also be used to improve flexibility as long as you do full range of motion. In other words, make sure you get a full contraction and stretch. For added benefit you can implement isometrics at the end and hold the tension.

You might want to consider adding exercise that focuses on flexibility such as yoga or pilates. A concentrated workout of 20-30 minutes, 3-5 days a week will keep joints flexible.

Vary workouts to alleviate boredom, so that you don't quit altogether. A combination of strength, cardio and flexibility is best. Choose activity that you enjoy and recruit friends or family to join you for support and motivation.

Know that stretches are important before, during and after exercise routines. Stretch before exercise to prepare muscles and joints. Stretch between sets for more flexibility. Stretch afterward to help prevent muscle soreness and keep muscles, tendons and joints limber. It should be the last thing you do.

Finally, lose weight if you are overweight as this places undue stress on joints and can cause irreversible damage. A person of normal weight has a better chance of healthy joint flexibility than one who is overweight.

Now put down that oil can, join your friends and follow the yellow brick road!