Fast Friday - Functional Oblique Abdominal Muscle Practice - Holding Straight
Friday, February 06, 2009
Jolie Bookspan, M.Ed, PhD, FAWM
- Stretch out on the floor. Turn to the side, standing on one hand and one foot
- Hold straight as long as you can. Don't sag. Feel how to hold yourself straight and relaxed.
- For more, raise the top leg. Keep body straight, instead of bending forward at the hip. Don't increase the inward curve at the lower spine when you raise the leg. Keep neutral spine.
Photo is of one of my students, Dr. Hanley Owen, a physician from Fairbanks Alaska, who took a workshop with me at the Wilderness Medical Society meeting 2008. Check my web site CLASS page for workshops this summer - DrBookspan.com/classes.
Instead of curling forward and sideways to exercise abdominal muscles, this drill retrains oblique abdominal the way you need them in real life - to keep you straight instead of slouching to the front or side when carrying shoulder bags and other loads, including yourself.
---
Questions come in by the hundreds. I make posts from selected ones. See if your answers are already here by clicking links and archives. Read success stories of these methods and send your own.
Subscribe to The Fitness Fixer e-mailed to you. Click "updates via e-mail" - (trumpet icon).
Find fun topics on the Fitness Fixer Index.
Subscribe to The Fitness Fixer e-mailed to you. Click "updates via e-mail" - (trumpet icon).
Find fun topics on the Fitness Fixer Index.
---
Labels: abdominal muscles, endurance, fast fitness, neutral spine, posture, strength
5 Comments:
At Friday, February 06, 2009 8:39:00 AM,
Anonymous said…
This is a great post - I love how you show exercises that allow us to retrain our positioning in real life. I am an editor/proofreader by trade and I spend a lot of time with my head down, reading. Do you have any posts that address how to maintain proper positioning in a head-down postion? Much appreciation, Shannon
At Friday, February 06, 2009 4:04:00 PM,
Jolie Bookspan, M.Ed, PhD, FAWM said…
Shannon, great work. Try Tax Preparation Health.
Keep in touch and send in your success photos. Sounds like you will have many.
At Sunday, February 08, 2009 10:47:00 AM,
Anonymous said…
Greetings!
I love this place and your books.
I had a question or two and do not know how to get them answered though::(
I have a few simple questions regarding things in the books. One is knotting or balling of muscles. I have this issue with the upper part of my left upper "buttock" area. I thought it was back pain but when I went thru the book it was not. Infact I do not ahve any back pain now! And can do a full range of motion(if I want to, but I refuse to bend at the hip for anything anymore!)
The second thing is this. The hip stretches seems to have helped the most out of the whole and started me to a swift recovery(almost fully there accept for the darn knot!).. The stretch explenation and pictures for stretching the side of the hip are very confusing to me(sorry!). I have been unable to figure that one out.
Anyway the only place I could think of to possible get an answer to this stuff from the books was here. But I do not know where to post here to get the right answer:(
Sorry for my english..(I feel so much better though! I can do things I couldnt do just a month ago!)
DD
At Sunday, February 08, 2009 9:20:00 PM,
Unknown said…
Jojo Philippines
I am an avid martial artist and a teacher at the same time. I tried looking for healthy ways to help me in my knee problem. When I saw your fitness fixer website, I was like (Wow!) hooked into this. I always can't wait for the next one.
I love the health tips on food and drinks, I have thought about it and changed some of my practices. Thanks!
I tried all of the stretches and exercises on Fast Fitness Friday and I have lost 6 pounds for using them for only three weeks. (Note: I couldn't try all of them yet) Is there any local distributor in the Philippines? I was wondering if the latest edition was released here.
Thanks a lot! Continue the great work! God bless!
At Monday, March 09, 2009 6:21:00 PM,
Jolie Bookspan, M.Ed, PhD, FAWM said…
DD, great work. See if you are tightening or clenching that area. Many "conventional fitness" instructions involve clenching the backside (gluteal muscles). It is not healthy or comfortable (as you know) and does not help motion or function. Tightening the backside is just another of many odd, counterproductive fitness myths. Keep full range of motion at the hip in all directions, of course, just without putting body weight on your discs with bad bending. I think you already have the idea.
For a pleasant side stretch try Fast Fitness - Great Hip, Side, Leg, and I.T. Stretch. Keep us posted on your successes. With your healthy way of happy empowered thinking, it sounds like you will have continuing achievements.
JoJo - beautiful.
Send photos and more of your story if you want to, for Fitness Fixer success stories. I am not sure what you want for "local distributor in the Philippines?" Fitness Fixer is free everywhere. Click the label nutrition under posts for all posts with fun healthy food. Check my web site for books that show all kinds of changes to healthy living, eating, thinking... I can mail books internationally to you. Signed copies direct from me - www.DrBookspan.com/books.
Post a Comment
<< Home