Tag: pain

Podcast 1 – Questions and Answers

Here are the topics

  1. What is falling down and why we need never practice it
  2. Training around injuries
  3. Remaining calm under pressure – why should we
  4. How to build a training program – imbalance creates balance
  5. Should we cross train – give example of a joint class with sifu (teacher) Jonathan Bluestein
  6. What physical tools I use in my daily training

Undoing the damage of sitting

Our bodies were not meant for the position they are in during many working and resting hours. We are built to walk, run, squat and lie down but sitting for prolonged periods harms the dynamic structure of tension and strength throughout.

Here are four static holds that require no gear to undo this damage and help us naturally align the body upright.

  1. The wall triangle – Stand a step or a bit more away from a wall and form a triangle with the ground and the wall. Keep your body straight with the contact points with the ground are your heels and the contact point with the wall are your hands on the back of the head.
  2. The parallel – Place your elbows on your rib cage and place your fists or hands on the ground. Keep the body parallel to the ground and look forward and a bit up.
  3. The hip opener – Stand on one leg and open both hips so the toes point away from each other on the same line or aiming toward that. Raise your knee and place your palm on the outside of it and as you inhale, press further out to open the hip and alignment further.
  4. The crucifix press – Lean lightly on the wall or between two tree/columns and place your legs together and your arms to the sides as the name suggests. Inhale as it is a contraction and press your arms straight back to rise from the parallel and create a healthy tension alignment in the back and shoulders

Do these daily and they will help relieve the causes of your back pain and remember to avoid moving vehicles 🙂

 

The stick crawl

Take a sturdy stick and ten paces of clear ground.

Crawl back and forth using these variations to clear tension and build good movement all over.

Guidelines:

  1. Keep breathing.
  2. Let the breath make the pace of movement
  3. Relax your eyes. Let yourself see what your body is showing you.
  4. Avoid making noise. Noise is garbage movement when not intended.

Variations of crawling:

  1. Lie on your back and hold the ends of the stick in both hands overhead. Raise your legs in the air and crawl back and forth.
  2. Lie on your back and hold the ends of the stick in both hands while placing your feet on the middle of the stick. Crawl back and forth.
  3. Lie on your back and hold the stick between your elbows and pressed against the back of your neck. Raise your feet in the air and crawl back and forth.
  4. Lie on your stomach and hold the ends of the stick in both hands in front of you. Keep the stick and arms in the air and crawl back and forth.
  5. Lie on your stomach and hold the stick between your elbows and pressed against your back. Crawl back and forth.
  6. Lie on your back with the stick held in the bend of your knees and sideways to the direction of movement. Roll face down and up back and forth.

Enjoy the work.

Avoiding lower back pain with daily natural movement

Many back pain issue are a result of harmful movement patterns. We can always move towards health and well being with a little bit of consistency and awareness.

Here are  movements to do before you get out of bed and before you close your eyes. They will pay forward with greater health and mobility in little time.

  1. The twister – Lie on your back with your legs straight and your arms to the sides. Inhale and slide one leg under the other toward the opposite side arm and the leg above in the opposite direction. Allow your spine to naturally twist and squeeze the tension out. Exhale and release the twist naturally. Repeat as you exchange leg direction twenty times to each direction.
  2. The switch – Lie on your back with your legs straight and your arms to the sides. Inhale and lift one leg from the hip toward the opposite side hand and once you reach it or as much as you can, Exhale and let it drop back down on its own. Repeat twenty times to each direction and then repeat the movement laying on your stomach.
  3. The baby – Lie on your back with your legs straight and your arms overhead. Inhale and bring both knees up. Turn your hips to the side and turn to rest on your knees and as you Exhale, release back to laying down on your back. Repeat ten times to each side.

Nothing fancy is needed to maintain good health and thrive.