Welcome readers, to an enthusiastic journey towards better health and vitality through daily mindful movement. These simple yet powerful practices can elevate both your physical and mental state, paving the way for a more balanced and harmonious life. Below are some basic exercises to keep the so-called rust from developing in the joints of our body.
Shoulder Mobility: Unlocking Strength and Flexibility
Shoulder mobility plays a crucial role in maintaining a healthy upper body and preventing injuries. By incorporating shoulder mobility exercises into your daily routine, you can improve your posture, alleviate tension, and enhance your range of motion. Below are some simple mobility exercises we can perform in the morning:
Do some big forward shoulder/arm circles and backward circles attempting to find as much range of motion as possible is the idea. 10-15 circles forward and then backward. It will require some effort if we do them properly.
Shoulder elevations require us to raise the arms overhead with the arms ideally in line with the ears and then reaching up for the ceiling and bringing the shoulders to touch the ears. Holding this position for 5 seconds and then returning to neutral. Repeating 10-20 times.
A bit about drawing the shoulder blades together
In my Shoulder + Chest Opening yoga class yesterday I had a student ask me to show him how to bring his shoulder blades together and it reminded me once again that everyone learns differently. He needed someone to show him and he himself had to feel it in his body before he could understand. This then inspired me to demonstrate a simple retraction-based exercise to practice strengthening the ability to bring the shoulder blades together as well as broaden the upper chest/collarbone area. This was an exercise that can be done on our own outside of the yoga room at home or at work while we sit at our desks. It only takes a few moments.
I'm teaching people the value of things they don't yet know. This takes time and patience. Not everyone will be interested but know that this is fine. The shoulders are complex joints but also beautifully designed to perform many different actions.
Twisting: Revitalize Your Spine with Twists
Twisting exercises are an excellent way to release tension in your spine, improve spinal mobility, and promote healthy digestion. Incorporate simple seated or standing twists into your daily routine to rejuvenate your back muscles, enhance circulation, and invigorate your entire body. Feel the revitalizing effects of each twist as you unwind and restore balance to your spine.
After doing our shoulder circles and before we do our squatting, we ideally would want to get some energy flowing into our spinal region. It could start with some dynamic supine twists in our bed upon waking up. This is if our significant other is already out of the bed. We need SPACE.
While we're waiting for the kettle to boil we can do the most basic exercise which would be standing spinal twists. 50 repetitions is the perfect number but more can always be done. Think about the exercises we did with the PE coach back in primary/high school. It's those basics that we go back to now as a means to keep the so-called "rust" from accumulating.
Basic joint mobility exercises. We also want to take our spine into all possible directions which means not only twisting but side bending, forward and backward bending. 5-10 rounds of Sun Salutations should do the trick.
Hip Mobility: Enhancing Flexibility and Functionality
Hip mobility is essential for maintaining healthy hips, lower back, and knees. Practice hip-opening exercises like standing hip circles, lunges, and pigeon pose to increase flexibility, alleviate tightness, and prevent hip-related discomfort.
Right after our standing spinal twists and side bending, we can move right on to standing hip circles. Again focusing on range of motion and working into the neglected sides of the hips. Big and slow circles about 15 repetitions one way and then the other. Very basic but powerful.
Doing dynamic work before taking any static positions is one great way to work with the postures. Motion is the lotion here. This ideally is done before we go into the squat position. Our hips and glutes are one of the most powerful drivers in the body. Having mobility, strength and flexibility makes sure that we keep them healthy and functional.
Extension of the Spine: Embrace Back Health and Postural Alignment
The extension of the spine is key to supporting a strong and healthy back. Engage in gentle backbends, cat-cow stretches, or cobra pose to promote spinal flexibility, improve posture, and alleviate back pain. Focus on elongating your spine and opening up the front of your body to counteract the effects of prolonged sitting and enhance your overall spinal health.
Many of us, basically most of the world sits on a chair for extended periods of time whether that be for work and or leisure. Thus the spine as a whole tends to take daily punishment and without some exercise to counteract this we can ruin our posture leading to discomfort all over the body. It takes work to sit up straight the entire time while sitting in our chairs and or on our couches. I'm well aware of this.
Practicing a few basic postures will go a long way in counteracting some of the detrimental effects of this prolonged sitting. Cat-cow stretch, Child's pose to Downward Dog, Locust pose lifts for lower back/glute strength, Bow pose for spinal flexibility and the list could go on.
Choose one strength and flexibility posture.
Keep it simple.
Squatting: Embrace the Power of Lower Body Mobility
Squatting is a fundamental movement pattern that engages multiple muscle groups, including your quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. By practicing squats daily, you can strengthen your lower body, improve balance, and enhance your overall mobility.
Now I'm talking about just being in the squat position and not necessarily doing bodyweight squats up and down. Squats as most of us know are one of the staples for building lower body strength but here I'll be focusing on being able to sit comfortably in the squat position for time. Mostly what I see in the yoga room is lack of ankle mobility where students are not able to bring the heels to the floor or we turn the feet out as wide as possible to compensate. I've been working with students to over time begin turning the feet more 12 o' clock/straight forward. We've also been exploring twisting, folding forward, arms overhead positioning and binding amongst other things.
What I'd suggest to do at home is to get into your squat and just be there breathing for 2-5 minutes. Explore what movements are possible in the squat. Explore and allow creativity to take us into different areas of this position. No one need tell us what to do. Not only will this help us with our day-to-day functional life, it'll set us up for further yoga poses down the line if we wish to practice them. Another reason is that we counter all the 90 degree chair sitting that we may do on a daily basis be it for work or relaxation.
Breathing Meditation: Cultivating Inner Peace and Clarity
Mindful breathing meditation is a powerful practice that helps calm the mind, reduce stress, and improve mental focus. Take 5 minutes each day to sit quietly, close your eyes, and focus on your breath. Sit on blocks or a cushion so that our hips are higher than our knees. This will ease any tension in the lower back and allow us to sit upright with more ease.
The idea of seated meditation is not to stop the thoughts but to become an observer of them. Similar to watching clouds pass by during a clear day. Not attaching and following the thoughts down their proverbial rabbit holes.
I'd suggest starting with simple breath meditation where we inhale for a mental count of 1 and exhale for a mental count of 2 , aiming to get to 10 before returning back to one. This might seem easy but come back to me when you hit 6 or 7 and have caught yourself in on of your "stories". Put a countdown timer on for 5 minutes and just sit and do this.
Don't expect to find enlightenment after this 5 minute meditation. Also don't expect to be a perfect person as the rest of the unfolds. Do notice the slowing down of thoughts and or the clarity we can find after those few minutes.
P.S. Do not do any fidgeting, do not move after you have found a comfortable seat.
Conclusion
Work from head to toe.
Think neck, shoulders, spine, hips, knees, ankles.
Start with the shoulder circles, move to standing spinal twists/side bending, child's pose - downward dog, then hip circles, to squatting, and finish with seated breathing/meditation for 5 minutes. Easy does it.
Remember, the path to a more vibrant and balanced life begins with small, consistent steps towards self-care and mindfulness. Dive into the world of daily mindful movement and unlock the incredible potential that resides within you.
Let's embark on this empowering journey together!
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