Hey! I'm back!!!

 

 It's been a little while.

I apologize for my absence on this blog. My research has taken different turn in the last couple of years, as you might expect in these times.

If there is one thing that I have learned over the course of that time it is this: get outside and walk more. Now that was sometimes hard to accomplish during the heat of summer, especially since tick season keeps me away from familiar paths. With that said, the weather is now permitting me to walk more and to enjoy the seasonal changes once more.

 I thank you in advance for your patience as I navigate Bloggers new menu and figure out what font and size I would like to use for future essays. While this font is slightly smaller than I would like once published but looks rather large initially in the prepublish stage. One must make do with one has available. Free without ads means less frills but that is okay with me. 

 I read a Corwin Le Corre, creator of the MovNat exercise system, twitter post the other day which had a great suggestion. Corwin suggested that we stand more than we sit on a daily basis. Now he is not suggesting that we just stand but he is stating that we sit too much.

Like with any new movement, our tissues appreciate a gradual change over time. Goals work. Every day stand a little more. It may seem silly but keep track of these goals and changes.

 We will talk more about subtle but profound movement additions you can add to your day. All movements matter.

 

God bless and be well, friends!

 

 

Recap of the Shoulder Health Exercises Class

Just a brief blog entry. 

I wanted to share a few of the slides that I displayed during the PowerPoint because I think they are important.

More mobility = less stability

There is a lot of space in the shoulder joint and the only way that the upper arm bone (the humerus) is attached to the body is by soft tissue (muscles, tendons, and ligaments).

Let's compare the hip joint to the shoulder joint.

As you can see with the x-rays, the hip joint is a 

very stable joint. The acetabulum (in Greek means vinegar cup) sits on top of the femoral head. I have even heard that when the thigh bone is removed from the hip socket it makes a "pop" sound because of the suction. Our body wants the femur to stay in the socket.

When you look at the next x-ray of the shoulder socket, what you may notice first is the largeness of the ball of the humerus (upper arm bone). The cup that that "ball" sits in (the glenoid fossa) is very small and shallow. My teacher describes it as looking like a snow man. Smaller at the top and larger at the bottom.

 What you can see from the center scapula in the picture above is the glenoid cavity (aka glenoid fossa) and how it is shallow and sort of shaped like a snow man. :-)

Knowing what your shoulder joint looks like and how to move it in a healthy way is key to keeping this important joint happy. 

Those that attended the workshop will remember
this video. I really appreciate having all these tools to help me learn what my shoulders are doing while I move my arm bone.

You can probably deduce from the x-ray above, our posture matters. My plan over the next several months is to expand on the original workshop topic of the shoulder joint in this blog and in my weekly Yoga classes. I have learned so much in the last year and a half, and there is so much more to discuss and learn that was not addressed fully in the workshop.

So with that said, I do hope you can attend class at either the PBPN Health Center or the Rossville Community Library very soon!

Questions: yoginiofoz@gmail.com

Take care and see you on the mat!!

Shoulder health: Simple exercises can help a complex structure.

"Anthropologists tell us the body that experiences stress has not changed 

much over the millions of years of being human. Our ancestors had the same 

anatomical and physiological characteristics as we who drive freeways and 

communicate via the information superhighway. We have an ancient body 

subjected to a modern problem: living with chronic stress."

~ Judith Hanson Lasater, PhD, P.T.

So here I am about to discuss the complex structure of the shoulder, and I start off this essay with a quote from my favorite teacher about stress. Why is that, or can you already feel physically what I am talking about when I allude to the connection between stress and the tightness of your shoulders? 

If we can easily agree that many carry "the weight of the world on their shoulders" then let us begin this topic with a radical idea: stress is not inherently negative. For example, our muscles need to be stressed (and then time to repair) to become stronger. Weight lifters are counting on stressing their muscles so that they can gain muscle mass in the process.

Okay, so stress isn't inherently bad. Got it. So what?

Ponder this for a moment: In this day and age, what we think can cause us stress.

Why is this important? One, we aren't running from a potential life threatening situation, like a hungry lion, which is great. THAT would be stress inducing! We don't have to forage anymore nor worry if we will have meat for dinner. Our hunter-gatherer days are over for at least first-worlders. Our obstacles and stress are less movement oriented and more about what we think. I am sure you could easily list at least 5 things that you think about daily that cause you stress.

If the stress in our bodies is caused mainly by what we think, then what should we do about it?

Great question: There are no easy answers, of course. My suggestion to you is to start to pay attention to how you hold your body especially just in a simple standing position when you aren't "stressed-out." Let us call that position your neutral standing position. Get to know how your body feels when you are comfortable and happy so that you can understand how you hold yourself when you are stressed. This is very important. I can teach you how to stretch your body and have healthy alignment but if you go back to that habitual stressed-out body shape because you aren't paying attention then the muscles will have a harder time finding their comfortable neutral position. 

Another radical thought: Sometimes we carry our bodies in a stressful position out of habit.

Arms crossed in front of the chest is a classic protective position. You are protecting your vital organs, you are closed off, AND you are shortening the muscles of the chest. Not a terrible position when you are cold but also not a great go-to position if you would like a healthy upper back, head, and neck relationship. (It just makes my shoulders hurt thinking about it.) 

Here's an exercise that I have my students doing these days (and I do every chance I get):

• Stand tall with the feet about hips width apart. 
• From a side-of-the-body perspective: Center of the hips over ankle bones so that the weight of the body is over the back 2/3rds of the feet. 
• Ears, shoulders (deltoids), hips, and ankle bones in line. 
• Pause. ARMS STRAIGHT. Release them towards the earth completely.
• Do not actively straighten the arms but allow them to feel heavy. 
• Pause. Allow the breath to be comfortable and easy.

NOTICE how hard it is to let go of the contracted muscles completely. Your arms are almost always either bent and working or at the ready for the next activity. Most people do not allow their arms to just hang at their sides, even if they aren't using them at the moment. 

I love this seemingly simple exercise. Just by paying attention and relaxing the arms fully, you will allow the stress to melt off of your muscles. Stress equals tension. During this practice we are not only paying attention to the tension in the body but actively letting go of it. Powerful stuff.

Next essay we will discuss the hands. By working with the arms and hands, we will indirectly (to us) start to soften the muscles of the neck. It's all connected and I have seen profound results so I hope you will try the exercise above 3 times before you decide that it isn't for you.

Thanks for reading.

Namaste`

P.S.  I will be teaching a class this fall that is entitled, "Shoulder Exercises for a Healthier You." Email me if you want updates and more information: yoginiofoz@gmail.com 

 

 

A new class on the horizon!

Something to look forward to this fall 2016!!!