I wanted to share a quick video on a great whole-body mobility exercise.
This whole-body mobility exercise is great. You have probably felt the stiffness and pain that happens when you sit all day. Most of us sit far too much, which can lead to various problems throughout the body. When you sit, your hip and chest muscles get tight, while the muscles on the back of your body tend to get stretched out and weak.
Imbalances of the Body
This leads to imbalances in the body and poor posture. Over time, these imbalances can create pain and even injuries. Your hips probably feel tight and sore, and your lower back aches. You might experience other symptoms, such as knee pain, which can be traced back to tight hip flexors. It is important to do exercises such as the one in this post to keep your body mobile and healthy.
CLICK HERE to watch the YouTube video.
This exercise is called the Lunge with a Back Reach. This exercise loosens up your hips, mid-back, shoulders, and neck. It doesn’t require any equipment and takes hardly any room. Do 3 to 5 repetitions on each side. This exercise will help reverse all the things we discussed that happen when you sit too much. The Lunge will help stretch out your hip flexors, and the back reach will help stretch out your tight chest and shoulder muscles.
I had Donnalee demonstrate.
Lunge with a Back Reach
Lunge forward, bring your arms up and reach back. Bring your arms back down, step back to standing and then lunge back with the other leg. Take a big step back to deepen the stretch and help to loosen up that hip. Activate the glutes to stretch out the front of the hip again and work on the front of the hip, improving range of motion. You’re loosening up the mid back and loosening up your shoulders. Arch your head back to work on loosening up that mid back, which tends to be tight.
Arch your Back and Head
Make sure you only arch your back and head if it feels comfortable. There should be no pain or compression in your back or neck. If the arch is too much, working your arms overhead will also help stretch your shoulders and chest.
2 to 3 Repetitions
See if you feel looser in your hips, shoulders, mid-back, and neck. These areas are typically tight and stiff in people who sit for long periods. I recommend that you start with 2 to 3 repetitions, then you can increase to 5 repetitions on each side, for a total of 10 repetitions. Give that exercise a go!
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Take care!
Rick Kaselj, MS
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