It has been said the quality of our life depends on how well our spine moves. Natural wear and tear, injuries, daily stress, emotional trauma…you name it, can all wreak havoc on our ability to move and feel better.
And if you’ve been around the block for a while (like me) you know that a stiff, achy body doesn’t feel great. It HURTS! There are conflicting views on exactly what we should be doing to help ourselves.
Well, if you have “too numerous” dents and dings on your body to even count, then yoga (gentle or not) won’t get it done. What if you can’t reach your arms behind your back or over your head without pain? Because I can’t actually:) Then what?
The question then becomes…how much actual “mobility” do we really need? There are two questions to ask yourself:
1) How’s my ability to get into positions I have to do and want to do?
2) What’s the quality of that movement when I’m doing it?
For me, it’s mostly right-side limitations…from my foot all the way up the chain to my neck.
On my worse days (where I’m compressed all over), there’s not much happening… ANYWHERE!
Bottom Line: We all have different needs and goals.
What I have for you today is actually a continuation of a previous blog you can find HERE.
Please keep in mind…whether you use this move as part of your warm-up, cool down, or as a daily body maintenance strategy…use this time as a daily physical CHECK-IN. An opportunity to CONNECT and PAY ATTENTION to how your body is doing in the present moment because we’re different every day.
And as always, please let go of any judgment like…”it feels like I’m doing nothing”. This move is deceptively difficult and performing it SMARTLY is a challenge. Of course…thank you @zaccupples for the inspiration behind this move. Let’s get ROLLING! Here’s what you’re gonna need: -Clear/Comfortable space -Something for your head/neck -Foam Roller or something that rolls 💡Another legitimate reason to use my FOAM ROLLER;) Here’s what you’re gonna do: Start here: Practice INHALING. Find the MOST COMFORTABLE position based on your “body type”:
🤸♂️ Loosey-Goosey: You feel SUPER LOOSE and BENDY all over. (LEFT KNEE FWD)
🏋️ Super Stiff: You feel STIFF all over (RIGHT KNEE FWD)
- NASAL ONLY breathing! (Tongue against palate. MOUTH CLOSED!) - LONG EXAGGERATED SILENT INHALE (NO NECK!) Then normal exhale out. - Pause (Breath normally). Wait for the next inhale to come. Repeat. - 8-12 breaths
-Lie on your RIGHT SIDE. Head/Neck comfortable. -Position TOP LEFT LEG in a bent position over right leg. Knees below hips. Right leg is straight. -Position foam roller almost parallel to your body.
-BOTTOM ARM comfortable. Palm up!
-Place TOP LEFT ARM WRIST on foam roller palm down.
💥Hand BELOW shoulder!
-BEST LAZY SELF here! BELLY RELAXED! Be EFFORTLESS as you roll! -NASAL ONLY breathing! -FULL MOUTH EXHALE to start: get rid of any stale air -INHALE: ✔️Left arm initiates move by rolling forward and away from your body
✔️Left shoulder blade follows
✔️Lastly trunk. Without evoking your LEFT SIDE neck!
-EXHALE: return to starting position
-REPEAT 12x
-DON’T log roll everything all at once!
-LOWER BODY QUIETLY!
-Move SLOWLY…nice and easy…in segments!
-The LESS TENSION the better folks!
Notice how you feel afterward? You just got BETTER! Enjoy the feeling!
Dedicated to your health and longevity, Mike
P.S. Curious and want to see if my training style is a good fit for you? Email me for a Complimentary Assessment & 1 Free Orientation Session. No gimmicks, no pressure, just a discussion about you! I want to help you move better and feel stronger. CLICK HERE to learn more.
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