Your wellness freebie for the week!...on the beach, in the sand, listening to the ocean, drawing in positive energy, pushing out any negative energy for the new moon and the end of the month...I call these energy squats. Make sure you are externally rotated from your hips and that your knees and ankles are in alignment with your hips. As you squat, drop your tailbone done like an anchor so that you are not tucking your pelvis under or sticking it out, and as you stand tall, pressing the negative energy out, lengthen your spine up through the crown of your head and down through your feet through the earth. See the video below... AND if you haven't done so yet, check out my last week's abdominal exercises without crunches! AND if you haven't done so yet, buy my book! Only $9.99 and 10 percent profit goes to Good Shepherd of Los Angeles to support domestic violence survivors. MOVE WELL, EAT WELL, BE WELL
Ginger
8 Comments
Hello and Happy Thursday!
I am writing this blog today because a client of mine told me that she "hates crunches because they make her neck hurt." Now there are ways to do a proper crunch without inflicting neck pain, BUT it is important to note that not everyone is capable of isolating the core muscles when performing a crunch, so why not do something else, right? As long as you are engaging the core muscles, you are working the abdominals! You don't necessarily HAVE to do a crunch, and abs can be fun! Engaging the core and achieving abs that are defined and strong can happen with MANY different movement exercises. It's all in HOW you execute the movement. Now, I realize that there are about a million trainers online, showing you how to have a better workout for free with their photos and videos, but not all of them take the time to explain alignment of the body and proper execution of movement, AND not all of them know what I know, SO... IF you are curious and want to learn more, and cannot see a personal trainer routinely, or just want the comfort of being alone with a video, follow the link below and you will discover TWO new ways to work those abs and have the most fun doing so! Plus you'll get time to revisit this workout, lengthen the exercises on your own, and get inspired to feel really good in your body, and hopefully motivated to continue learning, as I am just getting started. Remember, only you can determine how much knowledge and motivation you want to apply to yourself. Move well, Eat, well, Be well. Ginger Hello! I was working with a client yesterday and he told me that he could feel the movement from his right shoulder in his left knee. I said, "yes, that happens. Your body feels wherever it is tightest and/or weakest." It's kind of a cool thing. This inspired me to write about performing movement from an opposites perspective: moving your right side of your upper body with your left side lower body, or something of that nature. Performing this cross-hybrid of movement will make your brain work that much more at coordination, your proprioception will kick in, and you'll discover most likely how much stronger one side of your body is compared to the other. Whenever I work with someone with scoliosis I use this type of movement because that S curve in the body causes one side to dominate and can increase the curve as time goes by. It is a great idea to balance the body and diminish that curve by performing cross movement and strengthening the side that does not wish to be strengthened. Here are a trio of opposing movement exercises that will definitely target the core muscles. WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW :) NUMBER 1: PUNCH ACROSS AND LIFT Standing straight with a 3-5 lb weight in your left hand, punch the left arm across the body, twisting above the waist and as you return to the starting position, lift your right leg up keeping the body square to the front. NUMBER 2: BACK EXTENSION CRISS CROSS On all fours, take that 3-5 lb weight in your left hand and extend the right leg behind you, toes pointed towards the ground. Engaging the core, pull your left arm and right leg in toward the midline of your body and then extend back out. Exhale as you pull the limbs together, inhale as you return to the starting position. NUMBER 3: CROSSING AB CRUNCH WITH WEIGHT Lay on your back on the floor and take that 3-5 lb weight in your left hand again, reaching the left arm straight up over your chest. Bending the left leg, place your foot flat on the floor in line with your hip. With a neutral spine, cradle your head with your right hand and lengthen your right leg out in space with the leg parallel to the bent knee. As you exhale, draw your left arm and right leg in, touching elbow to knee, crunching your oblique muscle and inhale to return to the starting point. DO BOTH SIDES ON ALL OF THESE EXERCISES AND PERFORM 8-10 REPS OF EACH. Remember, your body is your vehicle for all that you do. You must keep it tuned up so that you can continue to have the ride of your life. NUTRITION TIP OF THE WEEK: FOODS THAT KEEP YOUR BODY BALANCED Try this: Avocado, basil, quinoa, orange beet, and broccoli. This is tasty and satiating. The fat in the avocado, the herb that is the basil, the pseudo-grain of the quinoa, the root that is the beet, and the green of the broccoli will help your body, mind, and spirit to stay aligned and balanced. Move Well, Eat Well, Be Well, Ginger |
Archives
March 2020
Categories |