We want to thank everyone that came to our Women In Action night at Phidippides Sandy Springs. It was a very successful night with food, from Whole Foods, Meehans, and Caribou, lots of freebies, including free shoes, outfits, bras and other great gifts and free bra fittings. We want to especially thank Kristy from New Balance, Audrey & Tanya from Moving Comfort, Leah Thomas, the Georgia Tech Nutritionist, and Chantrell from BodyFtiz for adding their respective expertise to the event.  Stay tuned for more special events as they are always great fun!

Join us this Wednesday from 6-8pm at our Sandy Springs location for a night just for women.

Sponsored by New Balance and Moving Comfort, there will be giveaways and 20% off all clothing and shoes from these companies.

Three special guests will be joining us: Leah Thomas Georgia Tech nutritionist, a personal trainer from Body Fitz, and a bra designer from Moving Comfort.

Refreshments will be provided by Caribou and Whole Foods. Hope to see you there.

To RSVP email Phidippides

5k Run/Walk and 1k Run/Walk

WHEN: May 17th, Registration begins 8:00 am, Race at 9:00 am

WHERE: The Atlanta Academy
2000 Holcomb Woods Parkway

COST: $22 for adults, $12 for kids 14 and under

DETAILS: Join us for the 2008 Talk / Walk / Run and help us raise awareness
and support for hearing screenings and early intervention for newborns, as
well as lots of helpful information on hearing loss for everyone.
In addition, there will be great refreshments from Chick-fil-A, Dunkin
Donuts and Publix, raffle prizes from LA Fitness, Curves, Saucony, and
prizes for the winners!

After its successful Phidippides debut at our Sandy Springs location the Mizuno "Run With Us" fit truck will be back with us at Ansley Mall Thursday, May 15th from 5-8pm. Mizuno representatives will be on hand to go through the fit process and give away some FREE STUFF. There is limited space available for the fit process so it will be first come first serve. More about the Mizuno fit truck.

The following information is not designed to promote any one modality.  Instead, it is intended to educate you to make appropriate decisions on your flexibility needs.

Of primary importance when selecting between stretching techniques is to determine the “physiological state” of the muscle you are stretching.  If you have a pain free, full range of motion (ROM) at a joint, there is no need to attempt to increase the ROM.

Static stretching is a great stretch for a muscle with full ROM.  This is the most traditional technique of stretching and the one most people are taught in gym class, etc.  Static stretching produces a mechanical stretching of the muscle by taking the ends of the muscle away from each other and passively holding for 20-30 sec.  You may also find that it is very relaxing to engage in static stretching.

If you do not have a full range of motion, you can benefit from increasing your flexibility at a joint.  The most efficient way to do this is through a process called “facilitated stretching.”  The benefit of this approach is that it engages the nervous system in order to create a relaxation response in the muscle you are trying to lengthen.  By creating this relaxation response, you allow the muscle to stretch more freely and will increase flexibility more easily.

The technique I will discuss in this article is referred to as CONTRACT / RELAX / STRETCH (CRS).  CRS utilizes a physiological response called “Post Isometric Relaxation” or PIR.  PIR simply means that immediately following the contraction of a muscle, that muscle is in a more relaxed state than it was prior to its contraction.  Now that the muscle is relaxed, it is in a more favorable condition for lengthening.

A basic application of this technique is listed here:

1.  Isolate the target muscle to be stretched.

2.  Perform an isometric contraction at mid-range ROM in the target muscle for 7-10 sec.

3. Relax and take a deep breath.

4.  Exhale as you stretch the muscle to its new barrier.

Repeat this procedure three times.

This type of stretching is good for before and after exercise as it increases blood flow to the muscle that is being isolated.  It can also help decrease trigger point pain, assist in the reeducation of injured muscles, and is one of the best methods to increase flexibility.

A downside of this type of stretching is that you really have to work at it!  It also doesn’t work as well with muscles that are cramping or in pain, and it helps to have a stretching partner.

Remember this is only one type of stretching and may not be exactly right for what you’re trying to accomplish.  Next time, I’ll discuss methods of stretching that can help with cramping and other muscle pain.

Tanya Fry is a licensed massage therapist and an instructor at the Atlanta School of Massage. Tanya has over 16 years of sports and clinical massage experience, has served as the official massage therapist for the US National and Olympic team handball teams as well as the Atlanta Beat women’s soccer team. Her she begins a multi-part discussion of different types of stretching and their applications.

Jeff will be on hand from 5:30 - 8pm to answer questions and maybe even go for a run. Run starts at 6:15 as usual.

The ABC’s of Facilitated Stretching
     Confused by all the "Hoopla" about stretching?
Learn the physiology  behind facilitated stretching
and how to apply it. Learn important information that
will allow you to develop your own flexibility program
based on individual needs.
     This workshop will teach you the physiology of
various stretches and how certain conditions respond
to specific stretching modalities. There will be lots
0f hands on application; so you’ll learn how to
isolate and stretch your problematic areas.

Sunday, April 27th 12-2 Phidippides Ansley Mall

Starting April 18th you can get a FREE pair of Thorlo’s with the purchase of 3. ( expires May 11th)

Reebok and the Atlanta Track Club will be kicking off the "In Training for Peachtree" Program with us starting at 7:30am. Reebok will be here with giveaways and there will be refreshments as always. Also Steve Jones, former world record holder in the marathon, will be here signing autographs and hanging out.  For those familiar with our Rep and Run series this will be a similar event.

Also on that day at our Sandy Springs store the Mizuno "Run With Us" fit trailer will join us. The "Run With Us" grassroots campaign is a mobile running tech lab designed to provide expert analysis and recommendation for runners of all skill levels. It features a grand scale technical van which will house two of Mizuno’s state-of-the-art "Precision Fit" terminals. There, consumers are provided an innovative and thorough biomechanical analysis of their foot type and running needs. "Run With Us" will be at Sandy Springs from 7:30am  to 12pm

The ABC’s of facilitated stretching brought to you by the Metro Mobile Massage Therapy.

12pm - 2pm Sunday, April 27th  Ansley Mall Phidippides

$20 day of or $10 if you sign up at one of the weekly runs.

Workshop Topics:

1. Physiology of  facilitated stretching

2. How to identify what stretches are appropriate for you

3. Applications of stretches (incorporating props)

What to bring: towel or yoga mat, water, loose or stretchy clothes