Standard weight training can be a great way to strengthen and tone your body, whether you use kettlebells, dumbbells, or your body weight to create resistance. But if you want healthy joints too, you need to execute your moves with the full range of motion (ROM). That's where yoga blocks can come in handy.
This 20-minute Instagram workout by trainer Kat Boley uses yoga blocks to improve ROM in certain exercises and to add variety to the routine.
If you fancy a challenge, grab a couple of yoga blocks, a dumbbell, and a kettlebell and give this workout a go.
How to do the workout
Kat recommends doing 10 repetitions of each exercise and completing three sets.
What exactly is range of motion?
Full range of motion means that you are moving as far as physically possible during an exercise, using the flexibility of your joints, tendons, ligaments, and supporting muscles to complete a movement. Regular stretching and using aids like yoga blocks to help you move "deeper" into an exercise can improve your range of motion if it's limited.
Not sure where to get started? Try these yoga stretches for beginners or this hip mobility yoga flow.
Why is range of motion important?
I wanted to dig a little deeper into the potential benefits of executing strength moves with a fuller ROM, so I asked NASM-qualified trainer Elethia Gay to explain.
1. Prevention of injury: "Having a full range of motion in your joints helps prevent strain and injury by ensuring that your muscles, tendons, and ligaments are functioning optimally," explained Gay.
2. Improved performance: "A full range of motion allows you to perform exercises and movements more effectively, leading to better performance in sports, fitness activities, and daily life."
3. Joint health: "Maintaining a full range of motion in your joints helps preserve joint health and function as you age, reducing the risk of stiffness, pain, and degenerative conditions such as arthritis."
4. Muscle balance: "A balanced range of motion across all joints promotes muscle balance and symmetry, which is essential for optimal posture and movement patterns."
5. Increased strength: "By using [something like] blocks to extend your range of motion, you engage muscles more deeply, leading to increased strength and stability over time."
Elethia Gay is a NASM-qualified trainer and yoga teacher. She is the founder of the Roots to Wellness program, a virtual training platform for women, and the non-profit Hiking for Hope group.
Need some more equipment for your home workout sessions? See our guide to the best yoga mats
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