We're all feeling a little stir crazy. We've been home for weeks, the news is scattered with fear, and we're not sure when it's going to let up. As a result, we're likely moving less as we're still quarantined. Some of us gymgoers are also feeling the strain of not attending our favorite group fitness class, or hitting that weight rack for squat day. The best thing we can do involves movement! Movement encompasses a lot that we can do for our joint congruency, muscle mobility, and neuromuscular efficiency. Did you know that it’s healthier to sprinkle in physical activity and mobility throughout the day instead of reserving it for one session? Short bouts of burst training for 15-20 minutes are as effective as longer cardio sessions. Regular activity will move stress hormones, like cortisol, out of the bloodstream faster, and aid the circulation for our major organs.
During these times, I wanted to emphasize the important of healthy movement patterns and mobility. As we continue to adapt and stay calm, one of the BEST things we can do is to KEEP MOVING. In addition to the abundance of free online workouts available, it’s imperative to mix in movement and stretching as your day moves along. Whether that includes walking around your living room a few times, dancing to that new song you just heard, or taking your dog out for a walk, we can ALL benefit from staying active and healthy. Since we are likely sitting more often that normal, we want to make sure that we’re including stretching/flexibility training in little bursts. By sitting more, our joints can become stiffer and our connective tissue can develop repetitive compensatory patterns. These patterns can stiffen our lower back, overstretch our shoulders and tighten our hamstrings/hip flexors, which can alter gait mechanics and postural distortion. Luckily, there are ways to improve our posture, even when we're sitting! By working through a series of yoga-inspired stretches, we can help lengthen the tighter muscles and keep our ligaments in a healthy alignment and flow. In my next post, I'm going to discuss the role of fascia and how stretching can help this connective tissue stay supple and hydrated.
Comentários