HEALTH & FITNESS

7 Exercises That Will Boost Your Mobility and Flexibility

Don’t let stiffness and inflexibility slow you down. A mobility session will strengthen your entire body and prep you for tough workouts—or busy days.

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Mobility has become a bit of a buzzword in fitness, but it's more than just a trendy method for moving better. "It's your ability to achieve and control a certain range of motion," says New York City-based physical therapist and trainer Laura Miranda, DPT, CSCS, founder of Pursuit, the fitness training system. "In order to perform daily activities or simply function pain-free long-term, you need to find ways to properly work through full arcs of motion."

That's why Miranda created this flow: to help bridge the gap between how much range you should have and how much you actually have. In the routine, you move from one pose to the next, holding each for two to three seconds and focusing on the entire body, from the neck and shoulders to hips and hamstrings. Take a deep inhale and exhale in each pose, and engage the core throughout every step, keeping a neutral spine. The end range of each move should feel challenging but not painful. Readjust if you find your breath or form is compromised.

Try this as a warm-up to heavy lifting or high-intensity interval sessions— it gets the blood flowing and muscles primed for more movement. You can also do the exercises in the middle of the workday for a much-needed stretch. No matter when you do them, Miranda says, what's important is to move slowly, move well, and feel good.

Do all of the exercises, holding every pose for 2 to 3 seconds, or one full breath. Then repeat for 2 or 3 reps before switching sides or moving on to the following pose. On the last rep, hold the final pose for 10 seconds to dial up the strength and stability gains.

Reverse Lunge With Side Bend

Mobility for: Hip flexors and lower back

Start standing with your feet together. (A) Step right leg back into a reverse lunge, both knees bending and pelvis tucked forward. Squeeze right glute. (B) Reach the right arm overhead, then bend the torso to the left and reach the left arm across the body (on the last rep, hold here for 10 seconds). Repeat twice, then switch sides.

Squat to Forward Fold

ANTHONY CUNANAN

Mobility for: Hamstrings, lower back, ankles, shoulder, and neck

Start standing with feet slightly wider than hip-width apart and bend forward to grab toes or ankles. (A) Drop into a deep squat, keeping your chest up and engaging hamstrings as you lower. At the bottom, use your elbows to push against the knees and create tension in the butt and hamstring (on the last rep, hold here for 10 seconds). (B) Tuck head down and lift butt up, straightening legs only as much as you can without losing contact with toes or ankles. Do the move 2 more times.

Low Lunge With Rotation

Mobility for: Hip flexors, mid back, neck, and shoulders

Start in a plank position, shoulders over wrists, spine aligned from neck to hips. Step left foot forward, placing it outside of left hand. Keep right leg extended with a knee off the ground and glute squeezed. (A) Place left hand behind head, and, moving through the mid back, slowly rotate to the left, elbow reaching to the sky. Push into the floor with your right hand. (B) Rotate left elbow down and in toward right elbow (on the last rep, hold here for 10 seconds). Then, place left hand back down and step left foot back to plank. Repeat 2 times, then switch sides.

Shin Box to Forward Step

Mobility for: Hips and glutes

(A) Sit on the floor with your right leg bent about 90 degrees and your shin in front of you; your left leg bent about 90 degrees, shin to the side. With the torso facing directly forward, hinge forward at the hips, keeping the spine neutral. (B) Squeeze glutes to lift hips off of the ground. Putting weight on the right knee, stepping left foot forward into a half-kneeling position, stretching forward into the right hip flexor, and squeezing the right glute (on the last rep, hold here for 10 seconds). Step left foot back to starting position, and lower hips to the ground. Repeat 2 times, then switch sides.

Lateral Lunge to Plank Walkout

Mobility for: Inner thighs

Stand with core engaged and feet apart, 6 to 10 inches wider than hips. (A) Bend right knee and hinge into right hip, keeping back flat and left leg straight. Push back to starting position, and repeat on another side. (B) From a standing position, with a straight back, reach forward enough that your palms touch the floor (on the last rep, hold here for 10 seconds). Walk palms out to a wide-leg plank position, shoulders over wrists, knees straight, spine aligned from neck to hips. Then, tuck the head and walk hands back to the feet. Repeat twice.

Wide Squat With Internal Rotation

Mobility for: Hips

(A) Stand, feet wider than hip-width apart. Stack shoulders over hips, engaging core. Extend arms in front of you, and lower into a squat. (B) Without moving the left leg, rotate the right leg by pivoting the foot, knee, and hip inward (on the last rep, hold here for 10 seconds), and engage the left glute for greater internal rotation of the right hip. Rotate right leg back to squat, then stand up. Do the exercise 2 more times, then switch sides.

Single-Leg Deadlift to Knee Drive

Mobility for: Hamstrings, lower back, and glutes

Start standing on the left leg, engaging the glute. (A) Hinge at hips, bringing torso toward floor and extending the right leg out behind you, body in one straight line (on the last rep, hold here for 10 seconds). (B) Then, drive through the left glute to stand back up, engaging your abs and bringing your right knee toward your chest, squeezing it until you feel a stretch in the glute. Repeat 2 times, then switch sides.

By: Lewis mutugi

Emai info:mutugilewis51@gmail.com

KENYAN'S CHOICE 2022

Now that Ruto is Kenya’s president-elect, what happens next?

Legal battles and political intrigue are expected in the coming days, now that William Ruto has won the Kenyan presidential election.

Kenyan President Elect William Ruto delivers a speech at the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Bomas of Kenya Tallying Centre in Nairobi [Tony Karumba/AFP]

Nairobi, Kenya – William Samoei Arap Ruto, deputy president of Kenya since 2013, has been declared winner of a keenly contested election in East Africa’s powerhouse.

Ruto won the election by a narrow margin, garnering 50.49 percent of the votes to his closest challenger Raila Odinga’s 48.85 percent.

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“I stand before you despite intimidation and harassment,” Wafula Chebukati, chairperson of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) said early Monday evening. “I have done my duty according to the laws of the land.”

“In accordance with the law, I … hereby declare that Ruto William Samoei has been duly elected as the president.”

Chebukati’s announcement came within an hour after his deputy Juliana Cherera led three other commissioners out of the tallying centre to proclaim their dissent elsewhere in Nairobi.

“We are not at Bomas [tallying centre] because we cannot take ownership of the results that are going to be announced,” Cherera said at a press conference before the results

were made public, giving no further details

What have the official reactions been?

“I will run a transparent, open, democratic government and I will work with the opposition to the extent that they provide oversight over my administration,” Ruto said in his victory speech.
Zimbabwe’s Emmerson Mnangagwa, Nigeria’s Muhammadu Buhari and South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa have tweeted their congratulations to the president-elect.
Najib Balala, a member of Kenya’s ruling party and the country’s cabinet secretary for Tourism and Wildlife, also tweeted his congratulations on Monday evening. “It is by God’s grace and the true will of the people, you were elected President. You have the ability to transform this country for the betterment of all,” he said.
Meanwhile, former justice minister Martha Karu, who ran alongside Odinga, tweeted, “It is not over until it is over”, after the results. This has prompted speculation about a legal challenge from her team, something Odinga will be familiar with.

In the days immediately before Tuesday’s vote and afterwards, business and governance slowed down as an uneasy calm enveloped the nation.
After the results, there were protests in parts of Nairobi and Odinga’s hometown Kisumu, 350km (217 miles) northwest of the capital. By contrast, there was jubilation among Ruto’s kin in the Rift Valley town of Eldoret and in the neighbouring North Rift’s Kapsabet, where he attended high school.

Legal steps

Now that the president-elect has been announced, he will take an oath of allegiance to the constitution, administered by the Kenyan chief justice within 14 days of Monday’s announcement.
Given the tightly contested elections and arising controversies, legal battles are expected, as has been the case in the last few electoral cycles. Ngala Chome, lead researcher at Nairobi think-tank Sahan Research, told Al Jazeera that Odinga’s camp would “very likely” contest the results. “We saw that a few minutes before the results were announced his party agent had refused to sign the required forms,” he said.
According to the constitution, a petition can be filed at the Supreme Court – and this could also come from proxies or any other aggrieved parties, rather than just Odinga’s team – to challenge the election within seven days after Monday’s declaration of the results.
The apex court has to hear and decide on any petitions within 14 days after filing. Its decision is final and binding.
If the Supreme Court nullifies the results, a fresh election will then be held within 60 days after the decision.
If the petitions are thrown out, the swearing-in will proceed on the first Tuesday, 14 days after Monday’s announcement of results.
The oath-taking and swearing-in will happen seven days after the date on which the court renders a decision declaring the election to be valid, if any petition was filed.
At the time of the announcement, only three IEBC commissioners including Chebukati were present at the tallying centre. The other four had left to disown the results at a press conference elsewhere. Odinga spokesman Makau Mutua has described the chairperson’s announcement as “invalid because he had no quorum of commissioners to hold a plenary and make such a weighty decision”.
Steve Ogolla, managing partner of Nairobi-based law firm Saroni & Stevens Advocates, disagrees. “Article 138(10) of the Constitution provides that the chairperson of IEBC shall declare the results of the presidential election”, he said. “The law does not demand quorum. Differently put, [the] walkout by four commissioners taints but does not invalidate the results.”

2017 rerun election

In 2017, the presidential vote was nullified by the Supreme Court, citing irregularities. Odinga claimed that the results had been hacked and the court took action when the IEBC did not provide its computer servers for inspection.
The rerun held in October that year was boycotted by Odinga. Current President Uhuru Kenyatta won more than 98 percent of the votes and was sworn in for a second term.
That nullification led to the IEBC incrementally uploading result forms from the polling units to a public portal, immediately after this election was concluded.
Aggrieved parties hoping for a similar cancellation will have to go the extra mile, analysts say. “Anyone going to Supreme Court [in 2022] will be working on the arithmetic,” Nairobi-based political analyst Dismas Mokua told Al Jazeera. “Because unless there is a magician somewhere who has the ability to hack the IEBC infrastructure, download and upload new things, the probability of rigging is zero.”

Transition

Last Friday, the committee responsible for a smooth power transition held its first meeting. Chaired by Joseph Kinyua, head of the country’s public service, it comprises a dozen members including National Intelligence Service (NIS) Director Philip Kameru and several other high-ranking public servants.
The transition committee has said it is ready to hand over power to the new president-elect, but friction cannot be ruled out now that Ruto has won. This, analysts say, is because of President Kenyatta’s backing of Odinga, using state machinery and top government officials.
“The key members of the committee all have shown a bias towards one candidate, Odinga, whom they drummed support for and attended some of his political campaign rallies,” political analyst Nicholas Ouma told Al Jazeera. “With very important power vested unto them, they will have to openly set aside their differences and discharge their duties accordingly.”

7 BEST HEALTHY FOODS

1. Minimalist Baker

An oldie but such a goodie, the well-known Minimalist Baker is one of the best healthy food sites for wholesome, simple recipes that, as the title suggests – require minimal ingredients.

2. Fueled Naturally

You’ll find a little bit of everything on Fueled Naturally, from grilled cheeses to cocktails to vegan “fish” tacos. But the star in our opinion of this 100% vegan healthy food blog are plant-based versions of traditional Mexican dishes.

3. Ela Vegan

Healthy vegan food is Ela’s passion, and it shows. Ela Vegan is one of the best healthy food sites to bookmark and go back to anytime you need fresh, healthy eating inspiration or want to make a plant-based version of a beloved classic.

4. Emilie Eats

If it’s healthy eating blogs you’re after, but hold the diet culture and pseudo-science (which sadly, runs rampant in the healthy eating space), then Emilie Eats is your go-to.

5. Love and Lemons

If you’re looking for one of the best healthy food blogs that centers around vibrant, plant-forward, lighter dishes, add Love and Lemons to your list. Their recipes are as colorful as they are fresh and healthy, and they don’t shy away from the occasional treat like a carrot cake or classic margarita.

6. Vegan Richa

Richa, the chef and author behind Vegan Richa, one of the best healthy foot sites, features vegan, healthy dishes drawing on her Indian heritage. She takes the flavors she grew up with and creates many recipes that are oil-free, soy-free, gluten-free and always vegan.

7. Nyssa’s Kitchen

No matter your eating style, you can find healthy dishes to fuel yourself with at Nyssa’s Kitchen. She prides herself on “never boring” food and achieves exactly that, through recipes ranging from vegan to vegetarian to Whole30, paleo, or gluten-free.

The site’s a breath of fresh air compared to so many healthy food blogs that require long lists of niche, pricy or hard-to-find ingredients. All their recipes are either one-bowl, require thirty minutes or less, or call for ten ingredients or fewer.

Recipes on Minimalist Baker are largely plant-centered but not entirely. They’re sorted by vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, sugar-free and other dietary styles. And it’s not just baked goods! Find everything from breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, desserts and more.

You’ll love it if: You want a reliable, no-nonsense website that comes through anything you’re stumped for meal ideas or just looking for healthy meals that come together with no fuss.

Alexa draws on her Mexican heritage to make plant-based versions of dishes she grew up eating, like empanadas, enchiladas, Mexican hot chocolate, and much more.

Make sure to follow her on instagram for even more dishes! Alexa often hosts live cooking classes on her Instagram, where you can tune in and learn with others how to make some of her dishes from the chef herself.

You’ll love it if: You want delicious veganized versions of classically Mexican dishes and flavors along with a smorgasbord of other classic comfort food dishes and desserts.

On Ela Vegan, you’ll find main dishes and comfort classic recipes like for brownies, puddings and cake – most are gluten-free, refined sugar-free and come together in a pinch – and sans any animal products. Her recipes are inventive, filling, wholesome and cover everything from curries to cookie dough, salads to pizzas.

You’ll love it if: You want and need a wide variety of dishes, styles and flavors, but all with simple ingredients and using only 100% plant-based ingredients.

Emilie is a registered dietician and long-time vegan who’s mastered plant-based versions of everything you need from weeknight dinner to special occasion cakes. She also serves up helpful guides and round-ups like high protein vegan meals and top superfoods to try.

With everything she does, she encourages readers to let go of obsessive diet culture rules and reclaim the joy of nourishing our bodies. We’ll raise a glass to that!

You’ll love it if: You’re craving filling, wholesome, simple dishes you might have grown up eating but want to ditch the restrictions and rules of diet culture, so you can eat without guilt.

Love and Lemon’s recipes aren’t strictly vegan but definitely plant forward. You’ll find many vegan recipes, but some include eggs and dairy.

You’ll love it if: You want to eat the rainbow! If you’re looking to veer slightly cleaner with your diet and nosh on plenty of power bowls, salads and lighter soups, you’ll find that. Even dishes like mac and cheese sneak in some veggies.

She doesn’t only share Indian dishes – you’ll also find recipes for delicious dishes like a DIY vegan mac and cheese powder (it’s magic!) or Vietnamese-inspired tofu curried noodle bowls. But the star of the show are her Indian dishes – curries, tiki masala, stuffed vegan naan and so much more.

You’ll love it if: You want to explore beyond the sometimes-overdone classics you can find on any healthy recipe site, and expand your palate. Or, if you’re simply wanting to eat more plants while enjoying the flavors of classic Indian cooking.

Think healthy chicken Ceasar salads, Italian pasta salad, baked salmon, but also vegan peanut noodles or cocktails. She has her recipes organized under handy tabs no matter what you’re searching for.

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