Many women are afraid that weight training will bulk them up too much. Typically, this isn’t the case unless you’re doing a lot of heavy lifting consistently. However, some women just want a strong, lean form while remaining slim.
To accomplish this, I learned something from the training regimen used by traditional Chinese dancers. You can elongate your muscles and achieve a “natural muscle” look by performing exercises that strengthen and lengthen.
This article will give you a glimpse into the training of Chinese dancers that can help develop long, strong, natural muscles. Spending just three minutes doing each of these six exercises first thing in the morning will be the most effective.
Principles of Contraction and Stretching
So what exactly are natural muscles? They’re the muscles we use in everyday life. You can learn how almost every daily movement can activate them with some training. The key is repeating “lengthening” and “strengthening” exercises.
Before starting, we must learn how to tighten and relax the muscles or contract and stretch. This exercise is particularly beneficial for people with poor posture caused by sitting for prolonged periods. One well-known example is cross syndrome, a tilt in the anterior of the pelvis. This condition weakens the abdomen; the lower abdomen loses its instinct to tighten when needed, and the buttocks become deflated and weak. Other symptoms include the loss of habitual utilization of your gluteal muscles and even health problems and pain due to rounded shoulders and a hunched back.
Repeatedly contracting and stretching the muscles allows them to smooth and lengthen, relaxes a tight back, and contracts weak abdominal muscles. Tightening and loosening the muscles will allow them to breathe because air and blood can flow to every cell. Increased blood fluidity also helps alleviate body pain.
6 Exercises to Stretch the Chest and Back
1. Seated Cat-Cow Pose
- Step 1: Pull yourself into a tight ball while sitting, arching your back. This is a variation of the yoga pose “seated cat.”
- Step 2: Uncurl yourself. Tilt your head backward and pull your shoulder blades together. Put your arms out to the side at 90-degree angles, forming a goalpost. Pull your arms back and push out your chest until you feel like you are pulling your chest apart. This is a variation of the “seated cow pose.”
Perform the cat and cow pose 15 times each, and repeat this three times.
2. Bicycle Crunches
- Step 1: Lie flat on your back and hold your head in your hands. Keep your shoulders off the ground, bend your knees 90 degrees, and relax your neck.
- Step 2: Pull your right elbow toward the outside of your left knee, twisting and crunching. At the same time, lower and straighten your right leg.
- Step 3: Repeat with the left elbow and right knee, lowering and straightening your left leg.
Alternate between sides 15 times and perform three sets.
3. Modified Cobra Pose
- Step 1: Lie face-down, hands planted on either side of your chest, elbows pointing up.
- Step 2: Push up, keeping your hands planted to support the upper back. Use your lower back and gluteal muscles to tighten your buttocks.
- Step 3: To take it a step further, lift your hands off the floor, supporting your upper body using your abdominal muscles, lower back, and gluteal muscles.
- Step 4: Hold at the top for 20 seconds.
Perform this exercise three times.
4. Abdominal Standing Curl-Up
- Step 1: Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Hold your hands near your ears on either side.
- Step 2: Lift your left knee and, at the same time, twist your body to the left. Touch your right elbow to the outside of your left knee. Your abdominal muscles will feel contracted and twisted; that means they’re working!
- Step 3: Repeat on the other side. Lift your right knee and, at the same time, twist your body to the right. Touch your left elbow to the outside of your right knee.
Alternate between sides 15 times, and repeat the exercise three times.
5. Standing Stretch and Lift
- Step 1: Raise your arms straight above your head, fingers interlocked, and straighten your waist and back. Turn your palms upward and stretch the muscles of your back, arms, and shoulders upward simultaneously.
- Step 2: While keeping your arms straight, bend forward at the hips and try to touch your feet.
- Step 3: Relax, then squat and tighten all your muscles.
- Step 4: Stand up slowly in a relaxed posture.
Perform the entire series five times.
6. Stand on Tiptoes
Tiptoeing is always demanded in Chinese dance or ballet. To stand firmly on your toes requires full body coordination and enough muscle strength. You can train to balance the body’s center of gravity through this posture. The more you practice, the more stable you’ll feel in the pose. Standing on tiptoe can stimulate the bones to release osteocalcin, which can help prevent osteoporosis and even help prevent or improve diabetes.
Perform three sets, holding the pose for 20 seconds each time.
