Strengthen & Rehabilitate While You Walk

Establishing proper gait/walking is important to correctly pattern muscle development in your upper & lower extremities, and spine which results in superior coordination, joint support, and flexibility. With each step you take specific muscles should contract and others should relax to propel you forward. When this does not happen your body's supportive mechanisms break down and can lead to joint pain and early degeneration, reduced flexibility, and decreased coordination.

Stride Breakdown & Benefits:

Strengthen core & alignment
As you bring your right leg forward your left arm should advance forward- this should create a slight twist in your spine. This twist engages the small muscles of your spine and your abdominal muscles to create the support and alignment your body requires to move efficiently. This twist is particularly important to help maintain integrity of the spinal structures.
Strengthen & stretch lower extremity
A look at the foot show a that the toes extend slightly to allow for heel strike and glute activation for support of the knee. As the leg follows through the toes grab the floor and then push off which utilizes the gastrocnemius, ham, and glutes. The opposite arm then comes forward as the opposite leg swings through and forward and the process starts all over again.
Watch video for complete demonstration: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFl57bKsNGk
Do you know someone that walks to work? Help them maximize their commute and share these tips!

Hip Flexor Stretch- A must for today's lifestyle

Fairly recent advances in technology are creating a shift from an active lifestyle farming- hunting-gathering to sedentary desk jobs and long commutes where it is not uncommon to sit for hours at a time. This shift can cause adaptations to occur in the body including shortened hip flexors.

The hip flexor stretch is important to counter these adaptations and it takes only 2 minutes out of your day to complete. Some affects of shortened hip flexors include lower back pain, hip pain, shortened stride, forward flexion, limitations in hip rotation, knee strain and many others. The stretch is simple and can be performed in various ways, demonstration is "one knee down" version of stretch.

Functions of the hip flexor:
-connect the lumbar spine and pelvis to the lower extremity
-allow hip flexion and external or outward rotation
-allow lumbar flexion & a small amount of lumbar extension
3 Easy Steps:
1) Finding a padded surface for comfort, slowly take a knee and place the other leg in front of your body with a fairly wide (>2 ft) separation between the back of the front foot and the the of the opposite leg.

2) Slowly bring your pelvis or hips forward forward while maintaining un upright posture with your body.  The stretch should be felt on the front side of the rear leg.

3) Hold stretch for at least 30 seconds.  Breath slowly and relax the muscles being stretched.  Do not bounce.  After 30 sec switch to the other side.

Modifications: For those with knee pain this stretch can be performed by lifting the back knee off the ground.

Do you know someone that sits all day at work or in commute? Help them out and share this stretch with them today!