Sitting, sitting, sitting. (Of course, you're working hard, focusing.) Less than fabulous posture, possibly a bit of a slump in those shoulders and ribcage. Yikes. Your low back is working harder than you. (Yes, it's true.)
Give your low back a "vitamin stretch" to ward off the bad juju:
Slow and steady wins this one. Really slow.
Slide your chair away from your desk, and sit halfway forward with your feet shoulder width apart. Take a deep breath in, and as you exhale, engage your abominals. Try to maintain this abdominal tone throughout your stretch.
Place your right forearm on your right thigh (remember your abdominals are still firmly engaged to protect your low back) and now slowly (really slow motion) slide your left hand down your left thigh, to your knee as your torso eases forward.
Remember to let your arms bear the weight of your torso, and keep your abdominals engaged. Very important.
If you feel comfortable continuing, inhale and as you exhale (with those very toned abdominals!) continue to slide your left arm past your left knee and down toward your left ankle. (If at any time you feel it's time to stop, use your arms and return to the beginning position.) At your ankle, take a deep breath in, and as you exhale (your abdominals are still engaged!) put your weight into your right forearm pressing into your right thigh and slowly ease yourself up to sitting.
Repeat on the right side:
Take a deep breath in, and as you exhale, engage your abominals. Renew that great abdominal tone you've been doing so well.
Place your left forearm on your left thigh (remember your abdominals are still firmly engaged to protect your low back) and now slowly (really slow motion) slide your right hand down your right thigh, to your knee as your torso eases forward.
Remember to let your arms bear the weight of your torso, and keep your abdominals engaged. Very important.
If you feel comfortable continuing, inhale and as you exhale (with those very toned abdominals!) continue to slide your right arm past your right knee and down toward your right ankle. (If at any time you feel it's time to stop, use your arms and return to the beginning position.) At your ankle, take a deep breath in, and as you exhale (your abdominals are still engaged!) put your weight into your left forearm pressing into your left thigh and slowly ease yourself up to sitting.
If you like, repeat each side once or twice. The most important part of this stretch is two fold: keep your abdominals engaged throughout the entire stretch, and, use your arms for support the entire time.
Great job! Congratulate yourself with a big glass of water and have a very bright Thursday! Teri, time to hoof it around the block, maybe even tackle a hamstring stretch when you return (try the sitting stretch posted earlier.)
All the best to you all.
See you soon.
Elaine
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
A Simple Stretch for Shins...
All that walking, up hills, stairs, and running for busses can make your shins (the front of your lower leg) sore and tired. This simple stretch will help stretch this muscle group and keep them happy.
This is best without shoes, but can be done if removing your shoes is not an option. You'll also need enough floor space to kneel on, with a rug, or mat under you.
Here we go:
Stand up and place your left hand on a steady surface next to you for support. Bend your left knee, lifting that foot off the floor. This is your non-working leg, you're standing on your working leg and foot. As you inhale, lift your chest and relax your shoulders down as far as you can. Exhale and engage your abdominals, and breathe and work with them remaining engaged. Inhale again and as you exhale, lift up onto the ball of your right foot, balancing your weight mostly between the first and second toes. Inhale and relax your foot down, exhale and lift up onto the ball of your foot again. Repeat three to five times.
Next leg:
Turn and place your right hand on the steady surface next to you for support. Bend your right knee, lifting that foot off the floor. You're still standing up straight, with relaxed shoulders and holding your abdominals in, right? Inhale again and as you exhale, lift up onto the ball of your left foot, balancing your weight mostly between the first and second toes. Inhale and relax your foot down, exhale and lift up onto the ball of your foot again. Repeat three to five times.
Now you'll need that rug or mat under you. Kneel down and bring your knees and feet together, with your feet flat underneath your hips, no folded (flexed) toes. Sit up straight, relaxing your shouders down and keeping your abdominals engaged for 20-30 seconds. Get up slowly. If you have difficulty sitting in this position, a towel between your hips and heels will help, if that is not enough, the first part of the stretch (lifting and dropping your heel) will still do the trick with the help of your nervous system and reciprocal inhibition.
Time for a big glass of water, and CB, lift your chest!
See you soon.
Elaine
This is best without shoes, but can be done if removing your shoes is not an option. You'll also need enough floor space to kneel on, with a rug, or mat under you.
Here we go:
Stand up and place your left hand on a steady surface next to you for support. Bend your left knee, lifting that foot off the floor. This is your non-working leg, you're standing on your working leg and foot. As you inhale, lift your chest and relax your shoulders down as far as you can. Exhale and engage your abdominals, and breathe and work with them remaining engaged. Inhale again and as you exhale, lift up onto the ball of your right foot, balancing your weight mostly between the first and second toes. Inhale and relax your foot down, exhale and lift up onto the ball of your foot again. Repeat three to five times.
Next leg:
Turn and place your right hand on the steady surface next to you for support. Bend your right knee, lifting that foot off the floor. You're still standing up straight, with relaxed shoulders and holding your abdominals in, right? Inhale again and as you exhale, lift up onto the ball of your left foot, balancing your weight mostly between the first and second toes. Inhale and relax your foot down, exhale and lift up onto the ball of your foot again. Repeat three to five times.
Now you'll need that rug or mat under you. Kneel down and bring your knees and feet together, with your feet flat underneath your hips, no folded (flexed) toes. Sit up straight, relaxing your shouders down and keeping your abdominals engaged for 20-30 seconds. Get up slowly. If you have difficulty sitting in this position, a towel between your hips and heels will help, if that is not enough, the first part of the stretch (lifting and dropping your heel) will still do the trick with the help of your nervous system and reciprocal inhibition.
Time for a big glass of water, and CB, lift your chest!
See you soon.
Elaine
Monday, April 23, 2007
Neck and Upper Back Tamer...
Sometimes, all it takes is one email or phone call to put your shoulders on the ceiling and give you a special kind of headache. Let's see if we can take a moment to reverse the damage.
Sit up straight and tall in your chair with your arms resting at your sides and press your shoulders back into the chair. This should lift your lower ribs a bit and that's fine, just engage your abdominals so your back is protected and not arching. Take a very deep breath in, filling your belly. Hold it for 3-4 seconds, then exhale slowly. Repeat this deep breath 3 times more.
Next. keeping your shoulders as relaxed and as far down as possible, place just your fingertips on the back of your head, not locking your fingers. A good place to put them is on either side of the deep indentation at the back of your head. Pull your shoulder blades together and down, and keep pressing your shoulders into the chair behind you, still keeping your abdominals engaged. The idea here is to keep your spine as straight as possible to get the best quality stretch. Go slowly, respect your neck.
Now, take a deep breath in, and as you exhale, bring your elbows in alongside your ears and slowly drop your chin to your chest. Your ribs should only drop a little so you can feel the stretch along your upper spine, between the tops of your shouders and maybe down a bit.
Keep your elbows next to your ears and parallel to each other, and your chin dropped, and pretend someone's just called you over to your right. Keep your shoulders relaxed and down and turn your head to look under your right armpit. You're doing it correctly when you feel a stretch along the top of the right side of your shoulder. Hold for a few seconds.
Bring your chin back to your chest and continue to the left, as though someone's just called you over to your left. Keep your shoulders relaxed and down and turn your head to look under your left armpit. You're doing it correctly when you feel a stretch along the top of the left side of your shoulder. Hold for a few seconds.
Bring your chin back to your chest and relax your arms down to your sides as you take another deep belly breath in, hold it for 4 seconds and then release it slowly. Drop your chin slowly to your chest, do a very slow neck roll to the right and all the way around, then just as slowly reverse it to the left.
As you raise your head, relax your shoulders down and see if you don't see things a bit better now.
Have a big glass of water and a really good Monday.
Teri, time to hoof it around the neighborhood for just 15 minutes. enjoy!
Elaine
Sit up straight and tall in your chair with your arms resting at your sides and press your shoulders back into the chair. This should lift your lower ribs a bit and that's fine, just engage your abdominals so your back is protected and not arching. Take a very deep breath in, filling your belly. Hold it for 3-4 seconds, then exhale slowly. Repeat this deep breath 3 times more.
Next. keeping your shoulders as relaxed and as far down as possible, place just your fingertips on the back of your head, not locking your fingers. A good place to put them is on either side of the deep indentation at the back of your head. Pull your shoulder blades together and down, and keep pressing your shoulders into the chair behind you, still keeping your abdominals engaged. The idea here is to keep your spine as straight as possible to get the best quality stretch. Go slowly, respect your neck.
Now, take a deep breath in, and as you exhale, bring your elbows in alongside your ears and slowly drop your chin to your chest. Your ribs should only drop a little so you can feel the stretch along your upper spine, between the tops of your shouders and maybe down a bit.
Keep your elbows next to your ears and parallel to each other, and your chin dropped, and pretend someone's just called you over to your right. Keep your shoulders relaxed and down and turn your head to look under your right armpit. You're doing it correctly when you feel a stretch along the top of the right side of your shoulder. Hold for a few seconds.
Bring your chin back to your chest and continue to the left, as though someone's just called you over to your left. Keep your shoulders relaxed and down and turn your head to look under your left armpit. You're doing it correctly when you feel a stretch along the top of the left side of your shoulder. Hold for a few seconds.
Bring your chin back to your chest and relax your arms down to your sides as you take another deep belly breath in, hold it for 4 seconds and then release it slowly. Drop your chin slowly to your chest, do a very slow neck roll to the right and all the way around, then just as slowly reverse it to the left.
As you raise your head, relax your shoulders down and see if you don't see things a bit better now.
Have a big glass of water and a really good Monday.
Teri, time to hoof it around the neighborhood for just 15 minutes. enjoy!
Elaine
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Stretch Your Abs and Torso!
If your chair is tall, you may want to do this standing against the wall, keep your abdominals engaged from the start.
Take both arms out in front of you and lightly weave your fingers together. Turn your palms away from you, take a deep breath in, and as you exhale, gently pull your arms long in front of your chest expanding your upper back, shoulder blades going out to the sides away from your spine. Release gently and return to standing upright, chin back.
Take both arms up over your head and lightly weave your fingers together. Inhale and press your palms toward the ceiling, lengthening your arms as long and straight as you can. Exhale and press a bit farther, while you engage your abdominals (this keeps you from arching your back.) You're lifting your ribcage away from your pelvis and stretching your core.
Inhale deeply, still reaching high, and begin to slowly reach up and back behind you. It's very important that you keep your abdominals engaged for this, and think LIFT as you reach back with those long arms. Exhale, take your abdominals in more, hold for a second, then release gently.
Repeat forward, up, and lift, three more times.
Now, don't you feel better?
Have a glass of water, see you soon!
Elaine
Take both arms out in front of you and lightly weave your fingers together. Turn your palms away from you, take a deep breath in, and as you exhale, gently pull your arms long in front of your chest expanding your upper back, shoulder blades going out to the sides away from your spine. Release gently and return to standing upright, chin back.
Take both arms up over your head and lightly weave your fingers together. Inhale and press your palms toward the ceiling, lengthening your arms as long and straight as you can. Exhale and press a bit farther, while you engage your abdominals (this keeps you from arching your back.) You're lifting your ribcage away from your pelvis and stretching your core.
Inhale deeply, still reaching high, and begin to slowly reach up and back behind you. It's very important that you keep your abdominals engaged for this, and think LIFT as you reach back with those long arms. Exhale, take your abdominals in more, hold for a second, then release gently.
Repeat forward, up, and lift, three more times.
Now, don't you feel better?
Have a glass of water, see you soon!
Elaine
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Give yourself a Raise...
You need this:
Sit on the edge of your chair. Close your fists lightly and place your
hands next to your thighs, knuckles down. Inhale deeply, and as you
lock your elbows, exhale and press into your hands (you can also use
your palms, but it depends on your arm length.) Pull and keep your
chin back toward the back of your neck.
Now keep pressing down, inhale deeply again and as you exhale lift the
bottom of your ribs up and a bit forward as you pull your shouders all
the way down the back. Lifting and extending your spine will help you
pull your shoulders down.
Now take a deep breath in without dropping your lifted ribs, and on
the exhale engage your abdominals tightly. Shoulders are still down,
ribs still lifted, chin stil back.
Now release.
Please repeat three times and follow with a very deep breath in,
filling your belly, hold for 3 seconds, release slowly. Repeat this 3
times.
Ahhh. Better now? Of course.
Have a glass of water and Happy Tuesday.
Sit on the edge of your chair. Close your fists lightly and place your
hands next to your thighs, knuckles down. Inhale deeply, and as you
lock your elbows, exhale and press into your hands (you can also use
your palms, but it depends on your arm length.) Pull and keep your
chin back toward the back of your neck.
Now keep pressing down, inhale deeply again and as you exhale lift the
bottom of your ribs up and a bit forward as you pull your shouders all
the way down the back. Lifting and extending your spine will help you
pull your shoulders down.
Now take a deep breath in without dropping your lifted ribs, and on
the exhale engage your abdominals tightly. Shoulders are still down,
ribs still lifted, chin stil back.
Now release.
Please repeat three times and follow with a very deep breath in,
filling your belly, hold for 3 seconds, release slowly. Repeat this 3
times.
Ahhh. Better now? Of course.
Have a glass of water and Happy Tuesday.
Monday, April 16, 2007
A Stretch with a Twist...
Loosen up those tight and tired muscles in your core, and breathe a little easier. Here we go:
Sit up straight and tall with your shoulders relaxed as far down as you can manage. Without elevating your shoulders, lift your ribcage up away from your pelvis as you inhale. As you exhale, engage your abdominals and leave your ribcage elevated, shoulders still down and relaxed.
Now, place your fingertips on your shoulders and open your elbows out to the sides. You should feel your shoulder blades squeezing together in the back, that's good. Keep those shoulders down. Inhale, lifting your ribcage more (shoulders down!) and as you exhale, engage your abdominals, then twist gently to your left as far as you comfortably can go. (Your hips don't move, they're your anchor point.) Hold for a few seconds. Inhale, lift and as you exhale return to facing forward. Repeat three times.
Now, let's do the right side:
Keep your fingertips on your shoulders and open your elbows again out to the sides. You should feel your shoulder blades squeezing together in the back and down, that's good. Keep those shoulders down. Inhale, lifting your ribcage more (shoulders down!) and as you exhale, engage your abdominals twist gently to your right as far as you comfortably can go. (Your hips don't move, they're your anchor point.) Hold for a few seconds. Inhale, lift and as you exhale return to facing forward. Repeat three more times.
Deeply relaxing and energizing. Aaah!
Have a glass of water and a beautiful Monday. And Teri, it's time for a quick 15 minute walk around the neighborhood!
CB, pull your chin back and don't slump.
See you Tuesday!
Elaine
Sit up straight and tall with your shoulders relaxed as far down as you can manage. Without elevating your shoulders, lift your ribcage up away from your pelvis as you inhale. As you exhale, engage your abdominals and leave your ribcage elevated, shoulders still down and relaxed.
Now, place your fingertips on your shoulders and open your elbows out to the sides. You should feel your shoulder blades squeezing together in the back, that's good. Keep those shoulders down. Inhale, lifting your ribcage more (shoulders down!) and as you exhale, engage your abdominals, then twist gently to your left as far as you comfortably can go. (Your hips don't move, they're your anchor point.) Hold for a few seconds. Inhale, lift and as you exhale return to facing forward. Repeat three times.
Now, let's do the right side:
Keep your fingertips on your shoulders and open your elbows again out to the sides. You should feel your shoulder blades squeezing together in the back and down, that's good. Keep those shoulders down. Inhale, lifting your ribcage more (shoulders down!) and as you exhale, engage your abdominals twist gently to your right as far as you comfortably can go. (Your hips don't move, they're your anchor point.) Hold for a few seconds. Inhale, lift and as you exhale return to facing forward. Repeat three more times.
Deeply relaxing and energizing. Aaah!
Have a glass of water and a beautiful Monday. And Teri, it's time for a quick 15 minute walk around the neighborhood!
CB, pull your chin back and don't slump.
See you Tuesday!
Elaine
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Shoulders - Down!
Most of us don't realize just how tense and elevated our poor shoulders are. You get involved in what your doing at the moment and all good intentions of sitting up tall and getting those shoulders down vaporize like a well intentioned new year's resolution. Let's do something to help you get your shoulders moving in the right direction. Down.
Stand in front of a blank section of wall, about as wide as you are. Place your feet facing forward, toward the wall, you toes two foot lengths away from the wall and spaced about shoulder width apart (approximately 15"-17".) Place your arms on the wall in front of you, 1"-2" below shoulder height, fingers up and elbows close in (that's important.)
The purpose of this push up is to educate and strengthen the muscles in your upper back, to make it easy to keep your shoulders down (read: less tension headaches, for one.) To that end, you'll need to keep you elbows in line with your shoulders and hands as you do your wall push ups. The other important element is to go slowly. Momentum makes these easier and less effective. Yes, less. So go slowly. Focus your attention on feeling your shoulder blades squeezing together and down your back as you work.
Start with 15 wall push ups and work up to 30. If you get tired early, stop, don't 'muscle through'.
Have a glass of water and Teri, yup, it's that time - hoof it around the neighborhood, just 15 minutes! And everyone else, stairs will do fine, shoulders down, of course!
see you soon.
Stand in front of a blank section of wall, about as wide as you are. Place your feet facing forward, toward the wall, you toes two foot lengths away from the wall and spaced about shoulder width apart (approximately 15"-17".) Place your arms on the wall in front of you, 1"-2" below shoulder height, fingers up and elbows close in (that's important.)
The purpose of this push up is to educate and strengthen the muscles in your upper back, to make it easy to keep your shoulders down (read: less tension headaches, for one.) To that end, you'll need to keep you elbows in line with your shoulders and hands as you do your wall push ups. The other important element is to go slowly. Momentum makes these easier and less effective. Yes, less. So go slowly. Focus your attention on feeling your shoulder blades squeezing together and down your back as you work.
Start with 15 wall push ups and work up to 30. If you get tired early, stop, don't 'muscle through'.
Have a glass of water and Teri, yup, it's that time - hoof it around the neighborhood, just 15 minutes! And everyone else, stairs will do fine, shoulders down, of course!
see you soon.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)