50 tips and tricks to improve flexibility

50 Tips & Tricks To Improve Your Flexibility

amandanicolesmithFitness, Flexibility Leave a Comment

Let’s go over 50 different tips and tricks to help you improve your flexibility. Find or create a consistent flexibility routine. Try the flexibility challenge routines. Start with an aerobic or cardio warmup that includes joint rotations. Create a schedule; 4 days a week, 1 hour per session is a good place to start. Find a local flexibility class or …

Food For Fitness

What to Eat Before, During & After a Pole Workout

amandanicolesmithFitness, Pole Dancing Leave a Comment

Have you been wondering what to eat before, during or after a pole class to have lots of energy and feel your best? We all know pole, like any workout, requires a serious amount of energy and focus. Food gives us energy, but certain food and food combinations are slower to digest and can steal energy we need to pole our best. So what’s a poler …

2016 Flexibility Challenge Progress

100 Day Challenge 3 | Contortion Flexibility | Progress

amandanicolesmith100 Day Contortion Challenge 3, Fitness, Flexibility 3 Comments

Another 100 days complete, with about 100 hours of stretching throughout. When I first started focusing on my flexibility, every single move I do today was a serious struggle. I may have been able to do it, but not at all comfortably. The last 3 challenges or 300 hours of consistent stretching routines has helped me to gain muscle mind …

How To Freestyle Pole Dance

How To Freestyle Pole Dance | The Ultimate Guide

Amanda Nicole SmithFitness, Pole Dancing 5 Comments

If you want to freestyle effortlessly or create a routine with ease, all you have to do is build an organized repertoire of combos. You’ll pick out the shapes and tricks you like, and then string them together with variations and transitions to make a bunch of different combos. Lastly you’ll drill your preferred combos over and over again until they …

The Flexibility Challenge Weeks 1-2

100 Day Challenge 3 | Contortion Flexibility | Weeks 1-2

Amanda Nicole Smith100 Day Contortion Challenge 3, Fitness, Flexibility Leave a Comment

For my progress posts this time around, I want to elaborate more about the whole experience, rather then just progression photos day by day. I want to discuss the struggles and the teachings that go beyond just stretching exercises and poses. The first 2 weeks in the 100 day flexibility challenge have been difficult, trying to move out of my 1 …

Breath & Posture

Breathing, Form & Posture | The Flexibility Challenge

Amanda Nicole Smith100 Day Contortion Challenge 3, Fitness, Flexibility Leave a Comment

Never underestimate the power of breath and posture. Oxygen is fuel for the muscles. The more oxygen brought to your muscles, the less fatigued they become and the greater your chances of gaining flexibility. Oxygen is not only fuel for our muscles, but for our brains. Mind power is essential for muscle control, balance, coordination, and cyclic thoughts on proper posture …

Handstand Split - Flexible Strength

Flexible Strength | The Flexibility Challenge

Amanda Nicole Smith100 Day Contortion Challenge 3, Fitness, Flexibility 1 Comment

You want flexibility? You’re gunna need strength to get you there safely! When we think about splits, we normally don’t think about which muscles need to be engaged and which relaxed, how the legs need to rotate or extend, or the amount of weight that is placed on wrists. We just think abut pushing down further; but please don’t do this, as …

The Flexibility Challenge Leap

The 2016 Flexibility Challenge Introduction

Amanda Nicole Smith100 Day Contortion Challenge 3, Fitness, Flexibility Leave a Comment

Tomorrow starts the 2nd annual flexibility challenge!! Are you ready to get bendy? If you didn’t already know the flexibility challenge community has a bunch of tools, tutorials, routines, and inspiration to help you get started. Everything you need to build yourself a successful routine is laid out for you. To help you even more over the next 14 weeks, we will …

Get Ready for The 100 Day Flexibility Challenge!

Amanda Nicole Smith100 Day Contortion Challenge 3, Fitness, Flexibility 1 Comment

100 Day Flexibility Challenge, here we go!!! Again. To start things off with a bang, I’m making 100 day memberships $7, and 30 day memberships $4 up until April 1st! In 2014 I decided to get serious about my flexibility routine for 100 days each year, and I’m glad I did. The results from my consistency have been amazing…and each year …