Do you yearn for a strong and flexible back along with a super flat tummy? So, what�s the relationship between a strong back and super flat tummy? When your back is strong and flexible, you will be able to work on strengthening and toning your core muscles. And, when your core shrinks and tones, you will enjoy a flat tummy. Bonus � better posture, better digestion, regular bowels, more energy, and a happier you!
In this article, we�ll be looking at some poses, 7 to be precise, that will stretch, strengthen, and tone your back. So are you ready?
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7 Yoga Postures for a Strong and Flexible Back
Parivrtta Trikonasana � Revolved Triangle Pose
As the name suggests, it involves a twist. Just make sure you twist from your abdomen while maintaining the length of your spine to reap the most out of this posture.
Stand with your feet together, palms resting along the body. Inhale and separate your feet about 4 feet apart. Raise your arms at shoulder level, palms facing the floor. Roll your shoulders down and away from your ears. Engage your core and lengthen your spine. Exhale and turn both feet to your right. Inhale and square your hips to the right.
Exhale and place your left palm inside your right foot. Inhale, twist your torso and lift your right arm up, fingertips pointing to the ceiling. Gaze at the fingertips. Beginning students should keep their head in a neutral position, looking straight forward, or turn it to look at the floor.
Hold the posture without compromising on your breath for seven breaths. Exhale, release the twist, and bring your torso back to upright with an inhalation. Repeat for the same length of time with the legs reversed, twisting to the left.
Marjariasana � Bitilasana � Cat Cow Pose
This flow is one of the simplest movements practiced in Yoga Vinyasas to warm up your back and core. But those who practice it daily vouch for its core and back strengthening benefits.
After completing Parivrtta Trikonasana on both sides, join the feet together. Inhale and swing your arms over your head. Exhale and fold forward, placing your palms on either side of your feet. Walk your legs back and drop your knees down to come into Table Top position.
Adjust your knees to stack them under your hips. Stack your shoulders over your palms. Allow the tops of your feet to press on the floor; toes extended backward. Spread the fingers and press the palms into the floor.
Inhale, arch your back, and gaze up, stretching your neck [Cow]. Hold for seven breaths. Exhale, round your back, pull your navel towards your spine, engage your gluteus muscles, and tuck your chin to the chest. Gaze down [Cat] and hold the posture for seven breaths.
Repeat the movement slowly ten times.
Tips: If you have a knee injury, fold your mat or use a folded blanket to add additional cushioning for your knees.
Bhujangasana � Cobra Pose
This backbend works wonderfully stretching your upper and lower back, toning the muscles, and strengthening them. Just do this stretch after a long day of sitting and experience its soothing impact!
Once you complete Cat Pose for the last time, bring your spine to a neutral position in Table Top. Gently walk your arms forward and lower your body to the floor. Stretch your legs backward. Allow the forehead to rest on the ground.
Adjust your palms to align them along with your chest, wrists stacked under your shoulders. Press the tops of your feet on the floor, toes extended back. Keep your legs active. Roll your shoulders down and away from the ears so that the shoulder blades come closer.
On an inhale, press the palms firmly into the floor and lift your forehead and chest off the mat until your ribs are completely away from the floor. Allow your hips to rest on the ground. Exhale and on the next inhalation, bend backward, tilting your head slightly back.
Deepen the stretch until your experience a tingle on your lower back. Hold the posture, squeezing your gluteus and pulling your navel to the spine, for seven deep breaths.
Exhale and slowly come back to lying.
Tips: Gaze forward if you have any neck injury.
Dhanurasana � Bow Pose
Bending your body like a bow improves the suppleness of your back. As you pull your heels away from the buttocks, the legs stretch, and tone. Other benefits � better digestion, flatter stomach, and toned arms.
From Bhujangasana, exhale and lie with your forehead on the floor. Separate your legs as wide as your hips. Bend your knees and allow the heels to come close to your buttocks. Let the big toes to come into contact. Hold the ankles with your palms. Inhale and lift your head and chest off the mat until your entire rib cage is up from the floor.
Balance on your lower abdomen and pull your legs away from your buttocks. Squeeze your buttocks to feel the stretch on your back. Hold the posture, breathing deeply, for seven deep breaths.
Variation: Practice Parsva Dhanurasana by turning your torso sideways on an exhalation. Maintain the legs. Come back to center before repeating on the other side.
Setu Bhandasana � Bridge Pose
This posture strengthens your core, legs, back, and hips. Feel free to use a block or anything else to support your lower back.
Release your legs and palms and lie down on your abdomen, resting the forehead on the floor. Take five deep breaths to relax your body and breath. Turn to your right and lie down on your back, hands resting on the sides, palms flat on the floor.
Roll your shoulders down to rest them firmly on the floor. Bend your knees, separating them hip-distance apart. Allow your knees to fall towards each other slightly. Pressing the feet and palms into the floor, inhale, and lift your hips away from the floor.
Exhale, squeeze your thighs and roll them inward. Lift your hips higher to bring your chest closer to the chin. If possible, interlace your fingers beneath you.
Hold the posture breathing for seven long, deep breaths.
Exhale and slowly release your hips to the floor.
Variation: Once you are in Bridge Pose, inhale and lift your right leg perpendicular to the floor and hold for five breaths. Exhale, release the right leg, and repeat on your left.
Chakrasana � Wheel Pose
It is a complete body strengthener and toner. However, if you have a meniscus, ligament, wrist, or shoulder injury, please refrain from practicing this pose as it could worsen the pain and inflammation.
Keep your legs just as you kept for Setu Bhandasana. Place your palms at shoulder level, fingers pointing towards you. Pressing the palms and feet into the floor, lift your head and body off the floor. Tilt your head backward and gaze up to feel the stretch on your neck.
Stretch your thighs and shoulders. In the final position, your body looks like an arch, almost like a wheel. Breathing deeply, hold the posture for seven deep breaths.
To release the position, lower your body till it touches the ground. Straighten your legs.
Tips: Avoid the posture if you have hypertension or vertigo and during menstruation.
Ardha Matsyendrasana � Half Spinal Twist
Ardha Matsyendrasana translates into the half twist pose of the king of fishes. An excellent detoxifying pose, it works on stretching and strengthening your upper back.
After completing Chakrasana, turn to your right and sit with your legs extended forward. Bend the right leg, lift it and place it close to your left hip. Bend the left leg and place it under the right buttocks. Inhale and lift your left arm up. Exhale and bring the left arm around your right leg and hold your right toes. The left armpit should rest outside the left knee.
Place your right arm on your back, allowing the right fingertips to rest on your left thigh. Exhale and twist to your right. Look over your right shoulder and fix your gaze at one point. Hold for seven breaths.
Inhale and come back to center slowly and stretch out your legs. Repeat on your left side.
While certain poses outlined above might feel terrible during the first practice, regular practice will make you perfect.
So start practicing these poses to tone your back and improve your core!
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic and spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss options on the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
Additional Topics: Preventing Spinal Degeneration
As we age, it’s natural for the spine, as well as the other complex structures of the spine, to begin degenerating. Without the proper care, however, the overall health and wellness of the spine can develop complications, such as degenerative disc disease, among others, which could potentially lead to back pain and other painful symptoms. Chiropractic care is a common alternative treatment option utilized to maintain and improve spine health.
Besides your personality body alignment says a lot about how your muscles and joints are working. Learn more about assessing your postural deviations and how to fix them!
Many studies show that how you feel and look is directly linked to your posture. Even the people know how important is to have good posture, most them don�t do anything to improve it.
Many of you probably live with deformed backs and imbalanced hips, and, of course, deal with the pain that you think is normal.
How dangerous can be to live with bad posture? It can lead to plenty of problems:
� Chronic back, shoulder and neck pain
� Headaches
� Injuries to feet, knees and hips
� Fatigue
� Stiffness
� Difficulty breathing
� Muscle atrophy and weakness
� Impingement and nerve compression
� Digestion issues
� Carpal tunnel syndrome
� Sciatica
If you are suffering from any of these problems, you should understand proper posture and learn about your own postural deviations.
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Correcting Your Alignment
To solve a problem, you first need to find out what causes it. Most of the postural deviations occur as the muscles that work to hold a joint in place are imbalanced.
You can correct imbalances by strengthening the underactive muscles and to stretching the overactive muscles
Standing Assessment
For you who are not sure whether your posture is good or it needs a little correction, do this standing assessment first:
� Put on form-fitting clothes,
� Stand shoeless, tall but comfortable, do not trying to force yourself to stay in perfect posture.
� For an honest assessment, close your eyes and march slowly in place a few times.
� Have a friend take a full body picture of you
Here�s what a properly postured body should look like:
� Picture � posture
Standing Assessment Postural Deviations
I � Back, Shoulders, Hips, And Head
Here�s how you can correct these deviations:
Deviation 1: Sway Back � Hips Press Forward and Sit In Front Of the Ribs
Overactive muscles: erector spinae, gluteus maximus and medius, hamstrings and quadratus lumborum Stretches: Runner�s stretch, seated glute stretch, world�s greatest stretch, hamstring stretch, lying crossover, hamstring self-myofascial release (foam rolling)
Underactive muscles: Iliopsoas, rectus femoris (hip flexors and lower abs) and external obliques
Strengthening exercises: Cocoon, hanging leg raise, exercise ball pull-in and scissor kick
Deviation 2: Lower-Cross Syndrome
Excessive Curve In The Low Back, Pelvis Is Tilted Forward
Overactive muscles: erector spinae (hip flexors and low back) and Iliopsoas
Stretches: quadriceps self-myofascial release, quadriceps stretch, pyramid stretch over ball, hug knees to chest and kneeling hip flexor,
Underactive muscles: gluteus maximus and abdominals
Strengthening exercises: Pelvic tilt to bridge, exercise-ball hip bridge, single-leg glute bridge, frog sit-up and leg elevated crunch,
Deviation 3: Rounded Shoulders
Shoulders In Front Of Ears
Overactive muscles: Pectoralis minor and major (chest)
Stretches: Front deltoid stretch, chest stretch on stability ball, dynamic chest stretch, elbows-back stretch, chair upper-body stretch
Underactive muscles: Rotator cuff, serratus anterior (muscles in the back surrounding the shoulder blades and rear delts) and lower trapezius,
Strengthening exercises: Seated cable row, shoulder external rotation, back fly with band, rear- delt row
Deviation 4: Forward Head
Ears In Front Of Shoulders
Overactive muscles: Neck extensors, levator scapula (muscles behind the neck that tilt the head back) and upper trapezius,
Stretches: Neck self-myofascial release, sternocleidomastoid stretch and chin to chest,
Underactive muscles: Neck flexors (muscles in front of the neck that tilt the head forward)
Deviation 5: Upper-Cross Syndrome
Rounded Shoulders With An Excessive Curve
Overactive muscles: Trapezius, pectoralis major and minor, levator scapula, neck extensors (the back of your neck, upper back, traps, and chest)
Stretches: Neck self-myofascial release, front-delt stretch, chin to chest, chest stretch on stability ball, elbows-back stretch, chair upper-body stretch and dynamic chest stretch
Underactive muscles: Rotator cuff, rhomboids, lower trapezius, deep neck flexors (muscles in the back surrounding the shoulder blades, rear delts, and in front of the neck) and serratus anterior
Strengthening exercises: back fly with band, seated cable row, isometric front-neck exercise, rear-delt row and shoulder external rotation,
Deviation 6: Head Tilt
Head Tilted To One Side (Can Be Accompanied By Rotation toward That Side)
Overactive muscles: Sternocleidomastoid tilted toward the midline.
Stretches: Side neck stretch, sternocleidomastoid stretch and neck self-myofascial release,
Underactive muscles: Sternocleidomastoid tilted away from the midline.
Strengthening exercises: Perform daily activities (e.g., chewing, pulling, lifting, carrying, and using a cell phone) evenly on both sides, isometric side-neck exercise
Deviation 7: Uneven Shoulders
One Shoulder Sits Higher Than The Other
Overactive muscle: Trapezius (muscle running from the back of the neck into the shoulder girdle) on the elevated side
Stretches: Side neck stretch, neck self-myofascial release
Underactive muscles: Serratus anterior
Strengthening exercises: single-arm high-pulley row, perform daily activities on both sides
Deviation 8: Uneven Hips
One Hip Sits Higher Can Give The Perception Of Leg Length Discrepancy
Overactive muscles: hip abductors, internal and external obliques, erector spinae and quadratus lumborum on the raised side
PUSH-as-Rx � is leading the field with laser focus supporting our youth sport programs.� The PUSH-as-Rx � System is a sport specific athletic program designed by a strength-agility coach and physiology doctor with a combined 40 years of experience working with extreme athletes. At its core, the program is the multidisciplinary study of reactive agility, body mechanics and extreme motion dynamics. Through detailed and continued assessments of the athletes in motion and under stress loads offer a clear scientific picture of body dynamics. This system also has helped many athletes come back from injury faster, stronger, and ready to safely return to their sport without losing a beat after recovery. Results demonstrate clear improved agility, speed, decreased reaction time and advantageous postural-torque mechanics.� PUSH-as-Rx � offers specialized extreme performance enhancements to our athletes no matter the age.
Here at PUSH we Are Experts In Specialized Techniques To Accommodate Your Body To What Ever Sport You Are Practicing.
Please Recommend Us: If you have enjoyed this video and/or we have helped you in any way please feel free to recommend us. Thank You.
PUSH-as-Rx �� is leading the field with laser focus supporting our youth sport programs. The PUSH-as-Rx �� System is a sport specific athletic program designed by a strength-agility coach and physiology doctor with a combined 40 years of experience working with extreme athletes. At its core, the program is the multidisciplinary study of reactive agility, body mechanics and extreme motion dynamics. Through continuous and detailed assessments of the athletes in motion and while under direct supervised stress loads, a clear quantitative picture of body dynamics emerges. Exposure to the biomechanical vulnerabilities are presented to our team. Immediately, we adjust our methods for our athletes in order to optimize performance. This highly adaptive system with continual dynamic adjustments has helped many of our athletes come back faster, stronger, and ready post injury while safely minimizing recovery times. Results demonstrate clear improved agility, speed, decreased reaction time with greatly improved postural-torque mechanics. PUSH-as-Rx �� offers specialized extreme performance enhancements to our athletes no matter the age.
Please Recommend Us: If you have enjoyed this video and/or we have helped you in any way please feel free to recommend us. Thank You.
Malik Decquir shares his reason for staying determined in sports by never giving up and being consistent. Malik found Push-as-Rx �� in order to enhance his physical performance and his experience changed his outlook. He expresses how happy and comfortable he is at Push as Rx and offers his greatest gratitude to the trainers who were there when he needed them the most, giving him great advice, and pushing him to become the best at Push-as-Rx �.
PUSH-as-Rx ���is leading the field with laser focus supporting our youth sport programs.� The�PUSH-as-Rx ���System is a sport specific athletic program designed by a strength-agility coach and physiology doctor with a combined 40 years of experience working with extreme athletes. At its core, the program is the multidisciplinary study of reactive agility, body mechanics and extreme motion dynamics. Through continuous and detailed assessments of the athletes in motion and while under direct supervised stress loads, a clear quantitative picture of body dynamics emerges. Exposure to the biomechanical vulnerabilities are presented to our team. �Immediately,�we adjust our methods for our athletes in order to optimize performance.� This highly adaptive system with continual�dynamic adjustments has helped many of our athletes come back faster, stronger, and ready post injury while safely minimizing recovery times. Results demonstrate clear improved agility, speed, decreased reaction time with greatly improved postural-torque mechanics.��PUSH-as-Rx ���offers specialized extreme performance enhancements to our athletes no matter the age.
Please Recommend Us: If you have enjoyed this video and/or we have helped you in any way please feel free to recommend us. Thank You.
Pablo Mena and his son came to Push-as-Rx �� with a great purpose, to gain strength and physical condition. After receiving care for a back injury, Pablo Mena was recommended to begin exercising at Push as Rx. That’s when Mena’s son joined in his workouts to continue supporting him and together with the help and patience of the trainers at Push, they were encouraged to finish their workouts.
PUSH-as-Rx �� is leading the field with laser focus supporting our youth sport programs.� The PUSH-as-Rx �� System is a sport specific athletic program designed by a strength-agility coach and physiology doctor with a combined 40 years of experience working with extreme athletes. At its core, the program is the multidisciplinary study of reactive agility, body mechanics and extreme motion dynamics. Through detailed and continued assessments of the athletes in motion and under stress loads offer a clear scientific picture of body dynamics. This system also has helped many athletes come back from injury faster, stronger, and ready to safely return to their sport without losing a beat after recovery. Results demonstrate clear improved agility, speed, decreased reaction time and advantageous postural-torque mechanics.� PUSH-as-Rx �� offers specialized extreme performance enhancements to our athletes no matter the age.
Please Recommend Us: If you have enjoyed this video and/or we have helped you in any way please feel free to recommend us. Thank You.
You could explore alternative treatments to treat your pain and other symptoms from degenerative disc disorder. As the name implies, they’re choices to medication, physical therapy, or operation�the typical “Western” approach to medicine.
You may consider going to your complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practitioner; CAM is a group of practices and therapies which aren’t considered part of traditional medicine. It offers acupuncture, homeopathy, and massage. Many patients reported these treatments have helped.
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Degenerative Disc Disease Alternative Treatment Overview
For degenerative disc disorder, you might want to try:
Acupuncture: Acupuncture uses quite fine needles�and no drug�to treat your pain. Professionals consider that you have an energy force called your Chi (additionally, it may be spelled Qi, but both forms are pronounced “chee”). You can grow physical sickness, for example back pain, when this force is blocked. Thus should free the Chi channels, which professionals call your meridians of your body up. Acupuncture works to restore a healthy, dynamic flow of Chi.
Acupuncture needles are almost as thin as strands of hair. Based in your symptoms and diagnosis that is precise, a professional will insert the needles; you’ll most likely have multiple needles fit during one session. Points that are exact will be targeted by the professional in the meridians of your body’s, and the needles will soon be made in for 20 to 40 minutes. It’s been suggested that acupuncture needles cause your own body to discharge specific neurochemicals, such as endorphins or serotonin, plus they help in the therapeutic process.
Herbal Remedies: Do your research, before attempting any herbal remedies and speak to your doctor. There could possibly be side effects that you simply are oblivious of� an herbal treatment could hinder a prescribed medicine you are taking, as an example. Some herbal remedies you might want to consider for degenerative disc disease are:
Devil’s Claw: Devil’s claw comes from southern Africa, where it has been put to use for countless decades to take care of arthritis fever, and gastrointestinal difficulties. It works as an anti inflammatory. Now, it’s used for conditions that cause pain and inflammation, like degenerative disk disease. It can be taken by you in a capsule.
SAMe (S-adenosylmethionine): It’s been suggested that SAMe is useful for the age-related “wear and tear” spinal conditions, including osteoarthritis and degenerative disc disease. As a bonus, there have been several studies that demonstrate it’s also great for treating depression. (Individuals afflicted by chronic pain can become depressed because of the means by which the pain changes their lives. Their continual condition can likewise change their body’s nervous system chemistry, resulting in a chemical imbalance and maybe melancholy.)
White Willow Bark: The white willow led in Europe to the development of aspirin. If you don’t need to choose the artificial variant (aspirin can irritate the gut), use white willow bark. It’s for conditions that cause pain or inflammation, like degenerative disc disorder. In addition, it provides relief for acute back pain.
Prolotherapy: This treatment has been tried by some patients and found that it works to reduce their pain from degenerative disc disease. Proponents of prolotherapy clarify that one of the issues associated with DDD is weak ligaments and tendons. Powerful, supporting ligaments and tendons are essential in your back simply because they help keep stability. Your ligaments and tendons need to work extra difficult to support your back, following your discs start to degenerate, basically weakening your backbone. Over time, though, they can degenerate, also; they can wear out or even tear. This leaves your intervertebral discs without the support they require.
Prolotherapy tries to stimulate development of new ligament and tendon tissues. Using an injection of a “proliferant” (a term utilized by prolotherapists�itis a mild irritant solution), prolotherapy is designed to kick-start the entire body’s healing process. The proliferant causes inflammation, which tells the entire body to begin healing itself by generating new tissue.
A prolotherapy injection goes right to the difficulty ligaments and tendons, and it takes several rounds of shots (and time) to have the effects. Speak to your physician in the event you think prolotherapy may be a choice for you personally.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic and spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss options on the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
By Dr. Alex Jimenez
Additional Topics: What is Chiropractic?
Chiropractic care is a safe and effective, alternative treatment option utilized to diagnose, treat and prevent a variety of injuries and conditions associated with the musculoskeletal and nervous system. A chiropractor, or doctor of chiropractic, commonly uses spinal adjustments or manual manipulations to help correct the spine and it’s surrounding structures, improving and maintaining the patient’s strength, mobility and flexibility.
The exercises you do before your workout may matter just as much as the main event. That’s why we tapped David Reavy, founder of React Physical Therapy in Chicago, to show us the best exercises to become a better runner. According to Reavy, getting the body warmed up pre-run is key, since “your muscles aren’t elastic.” By easing into exercise, you reduce your likelihood of injury and prime your body for the activity head. The four exercises in the video above will prep your muscles so you have a better (and safer!) run.
Watch the clip above to see Reavy demo the key exercises every runner should be doing regularly, or read up on the important moves below.
Hip flexor release: Start with your stomach on the mat, using your elbows and forearms to prop the upper body up so your chest is lifted off the floor. Bend your right leg at a 90-degree angle at your side and extend your left leg long on the floor behind you. Bend the left leg at the knee, bringing the foot toward the glutes 30 times. Switch the positioning of the legs and repeat the movement 30 times on the opposite side.
Lateral quad release: Start with your stomach on the mat and use your elbows and forearms to prop the upper body up, so your chest is lifted off the floor. Place a foam roller underneath the left quad with the right leg bent at a 90-degree angle to the right side of your body on the floor. Bend the left leg at the knee, driving the foot from the floor toward the glutes 30 times. Switch the positioning of the legs and foam roller and repeat the movement 30 times on the opposite side.
Four-way lunges: Start in a lunge position with your left leg in front. First, continuously move your hands from chest-height toward the mat, moving your torso back and forth slightly with the movement. Return to a regular lunge. Next, continuously twist your torso from left to right. Return to a regular lunge. After that, raise your hands up, bending the elbows at 90-degree angles on each side. Continuously lower each elbow toward your waistline one at a time to stretch your side body on the left and right. Return to a regular lunge. Do 10 to 15 reps of a standard lunge. Repeat all four exercises in a lunge on the other side, with the right leg in front.
Inner thigh squat: From standing, complete 10 to 15 deep squats with the toes turned slightly out to target the inner thighs.
When celebrity trainer Anna Kaiser calls and invites you to do a 5-day intensive workshop with her that mimics the exact workout she does on her famous clients, you don�t say no. At least�I�don�t say no. Because Kaiser, founder of�AKT In Motion, is one of the most motivating, positive, brilliant minds in the fitness industry. And she kicks major ass. This worked out perfectly since I was in the mood for a major ass-kicking.
So I said a resounding YES and shortly after found myself waiting patiently inside her Nomad studio one Monday morning a few weeks ago for day�numero uno�of the aforementioned workshop. On the agenda: 5 days of intensive classes, all led by Kaiser, that would give me a taste of the full scope of the concept behind her workout. (Her method, by the way, is an exercise routine rooted in functional movement combining circuit training with HIIT, strength, toning, dance cardio, Pilates, and yoga.) Oh, and PS,�Kelly Ripa,�Karlie Kloss,�Shakira, and other beautiful bods in Hollywood all call her on the reg to whip them into shape.
Day 1:�Happy Hour, her signature dance cardio class (below). We start with a warm up before we start rocking out to a beast of a playlist that gets us through an hour + of sweat drenching cardio. Anna (who by the way just had a baby), is working harder than any other person in the room, as revealed by all of our heart rate monitors that are displayed on a screen at the front of the studio. Her energy is palpable, and I leave the class feeling incredibly inspired and excited for the week of classes ahead of me.
Day 2:�I leap out of bed in the morning without hesitation (this is rare. Unheard of, actually) and make my way to the studio for Sweat Dream, a cardio-strength combo class using resistance bands hung from the ceiling. This class is no joke. By the end of the hour I can barely move my arms. But just like yesterday, Anna�s energy gets me through it, no problemo.
Day 3:�I wake up this morning extremely sore, as anticipated. But I feel great. Today�s class is called Tone, which consists of 45 minutes of total body toning followed by 15 minutes of foam rolling and deep stretching. This is actually the perfect day for this class because I am in desperate need of stretching. I am 10 minutes late which puts me in a state of panic the whole subway ride uptown, but I finally make it. Bonus: My heart rate is already through the roof and I�m sweating, and I haven�t even started the workout. The first 45 minutes are a challenge (think Pilates and barre-inspired strength moves) but it�s the cool down that really throws me over the edge. Yes, the cool down. We work our fatigued muscles out on the torture device known as the foam roller and suddenly I�ve never been so desperate to get back to toning. It hurts. BAD. The best kind of pain that is so brutal yet you know is doing your body so much good. By the time 15 minutes has ended I feel like I just had a 90-minute massage. I leave class and head immediately to Paragon Sports to pick up a foam roller for my apartment. I�ve used it every day, ever since. It�s changed my life.
Day 4:�Due to the aforementioned foam rolling, I feel pretty good. I am sore from head to toe but oddly also feel refreshed and renewed. I head to day 4 of class, known as 4Play. (4 exercises x 4 circuits, done through a combination of HIIT intervals and functional strength training, using weights, bands, balls, and anything else you can think of). This. Is. Hard. SO hard. I think about quitting, but then I look over at bright-eyed bushy-tailed Anna, and I instantly erase that thought from memory. As a plow through a series of weighted squats, I ponder how it is that she is pouring sweat and exerting more energy than all of us, yet doesn�t look tired in the least bit. Then I think about how she has a newborn at home and begin to wonder how many hours of sleep she got last night (Two? Three, maybe?) I decide to squat lower and suck it up because I literally have zero excuses not to.
Day 5:�The last day of the workshop! One would think I would be thrilled to be done with this journey of torture, but in actuality, I woke up this morning feeling sad. For the entire week, I committed to something that was doing my body, mind, and soul an incredible amount of good. I started each morning with one of the most positive, upbeat, inspiring woman I know. I tested my body to its limit. And I feel incredible. I go to class (a combination mixer of all of AKT�s offerings) and give it my all. I collapse into a sweaty fetal position on my mat at the end.
What did I do after? Go directly to the spa? Throw my gym shoes in the trash on the way out the door? No. I immediately went to the front desk and signed up for a double class for the next morning. Crazy? Yes. True story? Double yes.
I�ve been addicted ever since. And my body has never felt better. Karlie, I understand your obsession.
We may know Amy Schumer as the funny girl who can crack a joke on command, but there is one thing that the star of the new movie Snatched takes seriously: her workouts.
The proof in this video, which shows�Schumer�sweating it out under the watchful eye of her trainer Harley Pasternak. Pasternak�recently posted this clip of the comedienne�performing a two-minute cardio burst on a Helix. (More on that later.)
RELATED: 24 Fat-Burning Ab Exercises (No Crunches!)
�First of all, Amy’s naturally an athlete,� notes Pasternak who says Schumer has an effortless humor that lights up the room� and makes everyone around her smile. �She played sports at a high-level through high school and college, and was an aerobics instructor. So she’s very coordinated, and easy to push in the gym.�
So how exactly does Pasternak help keep Schumer looking her best? The simple seven, he says�that is, a circuit of seven strength moves that target the entire body. �The exercises sometimes vary, but I usually pick one exercise for each of the seven major body parts,� explains Pasternak who offered up the skater lunge, dumbbell stiff-leg deadlift, dumbbell curl press, single arm dumbbell row, lying dumbbell triceps extension with hip thrust, spider plank and Superman. �Sometimes I have her just pick one of these exercises and do anywhere from three to five sets with 15 to 30 reps. Other times I’ll have her do all seven exercises, doing one to three sets of 15 to 20 reps.�
Pasternak also has Schumer hit the Helix, a gym machine that works the body on a lateral plane. �Most of what we do is forward and back, so to find something that works us more side to side I think is really helpful for those under-worked muscles like the abductors and obliques, while still hitting the glutes and quads,� he says. �I mainly use the Helix as a cardio burst when doing a circuit, but it can easily be used for more prolonged bouts of cardio.� Don�t have access to a Helix? No worries. Pasternak, says you can put two towels underneath your feet and slide side to side on a hardwood floor to mimic the movement of the machine.
For overall wellness, though, Pasternak reminds us that walking is essential. �This is by far the most important thing that I can ever tell someone to do,� he says. �Get a Fitbit, set a daily step goal of at least 10,000, and keep moving.�
Now that you�re armed with Pasternak’s A-list tips, give Schumer�s simple seven a try:
Contents
1. Skater Lunge
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent. Hinge forward at waist as you raise left foot. Push off right foot and explode toward the left, landing on left foot with knees slightly bent; touch right toes to the ground behind left foot. Push off left foot and explode back toward the right, landing on right foot with left toes touching behind it. Continue, alternating back and forth. (Click here to see a photo.)
2. Dumbbell Stiff Leg Deadlift
Stand with feet hip-width apart and a dumbbell in each hand, palms face thighs. Brace core, and keeping weight in heels, hinge at hips and lower torso as you slide dumbbells down the front of thighs. Weights should only go down as far as hamstrings will allow without your back rounding. Slowly rise to standing, and then repeat.
3. Dumbbell Curl Press
Stand holding a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing out, with� hands shoulder-width apart and arms hanging in front of you. Curl the weight toward shoulders and then press weights up directly over shoulders until arms are straight. Lower back to start and then repeat.
4. Single Arm Dumbbell Row
Start from a lunge position with left leg forward and�left elbow resting on�knee. (Or, place left knee and left palm on a bench.) Grab a dumbbell with your right hand. Row the dumbbell up along your ribs, squeezing the right shoulder blade. Lower back to start and then repeat. When you switch sides, switch legs so that the right is forward.
5. Lying Dumbbell Triceps Extension With Hip Thrust
Lie faceup with knees bent, feet flat and a dumbbell in each hand. Extend arms straight up; palms face each other. Hinge arms at elbows, and lower dumbbells back toward ears. Contract triceps and extend arms back up as you simultaneously engage glutes and push hips up as high as possible. As you lower hips, lower dumbbells back towards ears again; repeat.
6. Superman
Lie facedown with arms and legs fully extended and shoulder-width apart. Simultaneously lift legs and arms at least 6 inches off the floor; hold for 5 seconds, lower and then repeat.
7. Spider Plank
Get into the �up� part of a pushup. Lift right foot, bending right knee and brining it toward the outside of right elbow. Return to start, switch legs and repeat on the left side. (Click here to see a photo.)
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