Day 8 and we are rolling quite literally today.
Today we are working with the spine again.
It really is pivotal not only to movement, but to our consciousness as well.
It is the channel of communication between the mind and the body and when working well will have us feeling lighter, more vibrant and aware.
Today's movement is rolling on the spine.
If you have any concerns about doing this movement, it is better to heed them, and work with the stretches from Day 3.
But if you can they are another great stretch, similar to the helicopter swings, that I find quite liberating for the body.
It is so lovely to roll like we were when we were kids and explore the muscles of the spine as we do so.
Always listen to your body. Go gently and rest if it asks you to.
Many are now coming into classes with lower back issues. In these cases, I always ask what sort of activities they do or not do. Are they seated for long hours at work? Do they do a lot of running or walking or cycling? Are they getting enough water? or enough protein? These things are just some of the things that affect the strength and flexibility of the spine.
Tight hamstrings can cause the lower back muscles to also become tight, so if this is the case for you, you may like to incorporate more hamstring stretches, such as in the video for Day 4 into your daily life. Remembering to keep the knees bent to ensure the lower back is relaxed, if you're not sure, check yourself out in a mirror whilst you do it.
We also sit a lot more these days and when we slouch and round out the lower back, we are not using the core muscles that support the spine, so this too can create issues.
And then there's the question of are you hydrated enough?
The body is approximately 70% water, with more in the brain, and a high content in the muscles, as well as required for the cerebrospinal fluid amongst so many other things. So can you see how water intake could cause spine issues?
Finally there is the question of the amount of protein you are getting in your diet.
One of the huge ah-ha moments for me when I was completing my yoga teacher training, was when I was taught about protein. Protein is vital to our health, it is involved in almost every metabolic process in the body and part of every cell structure of the body.
The point that struck me most was when I was told that when there isn't enough protein in our body it will take it from the areas of the body such as muscle fibres where there is plenty, which is often from areas such as the spine.
So these are things you could now start to consider as you become more aware of your body.
A point to note now as we are into the second week, is that no two mornings will be the same.
So become the silent observer of your body each morning.
Look at things with new eyes as if for the first time.
And as always, Enjoy!
Tx
Today we are working with the spine again.
It really is pivotal not only to movement, but to our consciousness as well.
It is the channel of communication between the mind and the body and when working well will have us feeling lighter, more vibrant and aware.
Today's movement is rolling on the spine.
If you have any concerns about doing this movement, it is better to heed them, and work with the stretches from Day 3.
But if you can they are another great stretch, similar to the helicopter swings, that I find quite liberating for the body.
It is so lovely to roll like we were when we were kids and explore the muscles of the spine as we do so.
Always listen to your body. Go gently and rest if it asks you to.
Many are now coming into classes with lower back issues. In these cases, I always ask what sort of activities they do or not do. Are they seated for long hours at work? Do they do a lot of running or walking or cycling? Are they getting enough water? or enough protein? These things are just some of the things that affect the strength and flexibility of the spine.
Tight hamstrings can cause the lower back muscles to also become tight, so if this is the case for you, you may like to incorporate more hamstring stretches, such as in the video for Day 4 into your daily life. Remembering to keep the knees bent to ensure the lower back is relaxed, if you're not sure, check yourself out in a mirror whilst you do it.
We also sit a lot more these days and when we slouch and round out the lower back, we are not using the core muscles that support the spine, so this too can create issues.
And then there's the question of are you hydrated enough?
The body is approximately 70% water, with more in the brain, and a high content in the muscles, as well as required for the cerebrospinal fluid amongst so many other things. So can you see how water intake could cause spine issues?
Finally there is the question of the amount of protein you are getting in your diet.
One of the huge ah-ha moments for me when I was completing my yoga teacher training, was when I was taught about protein. Protein is vital to our health, it is involved in almost every metabolic process in the body and part of every cell structure of the body.
The point that struck me most was when I was told that when there isn't enough protein in our body it will take it from the areas of the body such as muscle fibres where there is plenty, which is often from areas such as the spine.
So these are things you could now start to consider as you become more aware of your body.
A point to note now as we are into the second week, is that no two mornings will be the same.
So become the silent observer of your body each morning.
Look at things with new eyes as if for the first time.
And as always, Enjoy!
Tx
