CARDIO AND BEYOND: Is your body getting the strength and flexibility training it craves? - Look Local

My weekly Zumba classes are overflowing with women of all ages (and one brave guy) all speeding towards our individual health goals. Personally, I’m there to get in the zone and sweat through an intense cardio workout. Time flies as we salsa, merengue and even tango to fabulous music while getting our heart rates up.

The physical benefits of an intense cardio workout include heart health, increased stamina, and weight maintenance, but fitness isn’t just about cardio. Other, often neglected forms of movement are equally crucial.

With every passing year our bodies change. Everyone needs exercises that increase our flexibility, balance, strength and overall physical fitness, especially if we lead a sedentary lifestyle. Sitting at a desk all day impacts flexibility… and “texting neck” is a real thing!

Jennifer Luckanuck, a physiotherapist in self-practice and at Burlington Sports and Spine Clinic understands the benefits of supplementing cardio workouts with exercises that work on these areas. She specializes in myofascial relief, helping clients to release tension in the fascia, the connective tissue surrounding nerves, organs, and muscles, ultimately helping to improve movement, aid in flexibility and end pain. New research about the fascia indicates that it runs deep in our cells, surrounding our nerves and blood vessels, and even compromising parts of our bones.

“It’s key to supplement our cardio exercise routines with strength (core power and balance) and flexibility because after 40 we lose about 1% of our muscle size, and we can lose 3-5% of our power if we aren’t doing any resistance training,” Luckanuck says. “If we don’t do strength training, that muscle decline puts us at risk for falls and overall reduced mobility. From ages 20 to 49 our flexibility starts to decline by 10% each decade, which affects our joints and how we move.”

A dedicated flexibility or stretching routine can improve our range of motion. As we age, maintaining balance and stability is key to preventing falls.

Yoga is a practice used by many to increase flexibility, become more mindful of how the body is feeling, and calm the mind. According to Monica Angelatos, owner of Be Yoga & Wellness in Burlington, a yoga or pilates class is a gentle way to temper the frenetic cardio workouts many of us engage in. There are proven benefits to slowing down, breathing, and being mindful.

Often cardio and high energy workouts produce a fight or flight effect in our bodies, taxing our systems, and often defeating the purpose of the workout. The “blissed out” effect that yoga aficionados report is the opposite of this feeling.

“You want to do exercises that are hitting core strength, because the core is everything,” Angelatos says. “When you have a strong core, you have a strong body.”

Yoga promotes postures that lengthen the body and improve range of motion, balance, and core stabilization. These are all things you can work on and regain, according to Angelatos.

Adding a new activity once a week is a great place to start, and many gyms or studios offer a free introductory class. Remember to have fun with all of your fitness activities. Keep moving and learning!