Hello everyone. I wanted to start with a topic that most of you can relate to, so we are going to investigate common problems with modern living. I am going to look at some of the most common issues that people want me to fix that are direct results of their daily grind. Do you find yourself in these situations on a regular basis or for prolonged time periods of every day:
Sitting/ Driving?
Starring at a screen/ typing/ TEXTING?
The human body is made to move to be able to survive. When you are not moving, the muscles shut down and become tight and/or weak. Let’s start by breaking down the problem. Then we will put together some easy strategies to decrease the lousy way that your body feels as a result of these problems.
Sitting/ Driving - Do you sit at a desk all day long during work or school? Do you have a long commute to work or school? When you stand up or get our of your car do you feel like you are stuck bent at the waist, have pain in the hips or back or knees?
The problem is, in the sitting position your hip flexor muscles become short and tighten up but at the same time your glute muscles (the big strength/power developers of the hip) are on constant stretch and shut down and become weak. The thigh muscles are getting turned off because the legs are not holding up your body or moving your body! I am not judging you, I just stood up to continue typing this. I do want to help you take a small step towards moving better so you can live better!
We need to start by lengthening out those hip flexors with a kneeling hip flexor stretch:
Also once you are stretched out you need to take every opportunity to walk around and always use the stairs. Utilize other strategies such as asking your Human Resource Department if you could be proactive and get a standing desk to improve your health and productivity.
Next do quad stretches - you need to lengthen out those quads and then start using them to make your knees feel better:
Stretching regularly throughout the day will revitalize your nerves and muscles with the main goal of feeling better when you leave work or school.
Finally do a toe touch hamstring stretch - remember these from when you were a kid? You need to do them because your hamstrings are getting tight sitting there all day long, every day with your knees bent.
Remember the stairs! Stairs not only get your heart and lungs working well, but they make your hips, knees, and ankles move through a great range of motion that will increase the health and strength of those joints.
Look for the up coming Part 2 when we continue correcting these daily grind problems.
