Asthma And Stretching

Stretching is the orphan of exercise—everybody talks about it, but few do it. Stretching is nonetheless critical and an important part of your exercise regimen. The older we get, the more brittle we become and the more likely we are to be injured, especially during exercise. Stretching keeps your ligaments, tendons, and muscles strong and flexible. The stronger your muscles, the better your performance, whether you're playing football or casting a fly into your favorite stream. The same goes for flexibility: the more flexible you are, the better your performance and the less risk of injury.

 

Some say stretching is best done before exercising, while others say afterward is better. The available books on exercise will only add to your confusion about how, when, and why to stretch. Many people find stretching boring and don't do it at all. Fortunately, there are ways to make stretching more interesting. For instance, yoga is one of the best all-around exercises you can do, and I say this from personal experience. Yoga combines strength, flexibility, and balance—all essential to athletic performance. For those of you who think yoga is not really exercise, try sitting "Indian style" with one hand between your legs pressed firmly to the floor and lift yourself off the ground. No easy feat! Yoga comes in many different forms to suit every need; whether you're an Olympic athlete or a paraplegic, yoga has something to offer you.

 

Perhaps most important for asthmatics, yoga will teach you how to breathe. You may be thinking, "Teach me how to breathe? Hey! I've been breathing all my life." However, there is good breathing and bad breathing. By teaching proper diaphragmatic breathing techniques, yoga has helped many asthmatics lead better lives. In fact, dysfunctional breathing is the problem for many asthmatics, and breathing therapy can help them control their symptoms.

 

There is also a powerful mind-body connection that operates to different degrees in asthmatics. Asthma is frequently both a medical and a psychological problem. This does not mean that your asthma is all in your head, but rather that what goes on in your head has a lot to do with what goes on in your lungs. In this stressful world, asthmatics must learn to relax, a lesson that may prove difficult for many of us. With yoga, not only will you be perfecting your balance, flexibility, and strength, you'll also be helping your lungs by relieving stress and soothing your soul. I recommend 15-30 minutes of yoga before exercise.

 

If you're stressed out, try some peace and quiet with yoga or Tai Chi. Some of you may want more intensity: karate, judo, and kickboxing emphasize the same essentials as yoga, but from a different perspective. If you want to "sweat out" your stress, or build up your confidence in handling stressful situations, then one of these martial arts may be what you're looking for. Excellent books and videos can show you the moves, or you can hire a private instructor or take a group class. How you learn depends on how much you're willing to spend and on your unique personality. My advice is to just do it.