Tag: yoga

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Muscles in your body are a use-or-lose proposition. You need to use them to keep them strong!@ClevelandClinic

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Cleveland Clinic
@ClevelandClinic

Muscles in your body are a use-or-lose proposition. You need to use them to keep them strong!

You may not realize it, but we all start losing 1 percent of muscle mass each year after age 30. That’s why your diet in later years should not look the same as it did when you were younger, says endocrinologist Susan Williams, MD.

Skipping breakfast, eating fast food and being inactive in your 20s and early 30s might not hurt your health in the short term. However, poor nutrition and lifestyle habits take their toll over time.

People who embrace good habits early on really get ahead of the game, Dr. Williams says. But it’s never too late to start eating better and taking better care of your body.

Whether you’re 30 or 50, Dr. Williams offers three important tips to get started in eating right when you are thinking about your long-term health.

RELATED: Do You Know How Much Exercise You Really Need? 

1. Keep your weight in check

A roller coaster of weight gain and loss can change your body composition and leave you with more fat mass and less lean muscle mass.

2. Eat three balanced meals a day

You also want to limit your snacks in between. The word “balanced” is especially important because eating a wide variety of foods will help you prevent nutritional deficiencies.

Dr. Williams suggests this simple shopping list:

  • Lean proteins. Choose chicken, white fish, oily fish like salmon, eggs, tuna fish and red meat (less frequently than other protein).
  • Whole grains. This includes multigrain breads, and long-cooking rice or oats.
  • Veggies. Go for fresh or fresh frozen. Choose what’s in season and enjoy a variety to get the vitamins and minerals your body needs.
  • Fruit. Fresh fruit is best, followed by frozen. Canned fruit can be OK, but choose options in light syrup or water. Check the label and avoid added sugar.
  • Dairy. Choose milk, yogurts, cheeses and cottage cheese that are low-fat or fat-free.

Steer clear of cookies, cakes, pies, ice creams, juices and rich desserts. If that sounds like no fun, Dr. Williams advises treating these foods as treats. Save them for dining out or special occasions, but don’t make them part of your daily diet.

RELATED: Which Bread Is Best For You — Whole-Grain, Multigrain or Whole Wheat?

3. Use your muscles

Eating protein and being physically active are equal partners in the quest for maximum health, Dr. Williams says. Muscles are made of protein, but simply eating protein is not enough to save them.

“Muscles in your body are a use-or-lose proposition,” she says. “You need to use them to keep them strong.”

Can’t carve out time for the gym? Try this daily routine:

  1. In the morning, stretch for 10 minutes.
  2. At lunch, eat and then walk for 10 minutes.
  3. After dinner, spend 10 minutes with stretch bands or light weights.

Even a half hour of physical activity can make a world of difference, especially if you make it a habit in your 30s. “Don’t let your weight creep up while your muscle mass creeps down over your 30s and 40s,” Dr. Williams says. The longer you wait, the harder it will be to get started — and the more muscle you will have already lost.

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Just about any yoga pose that challenges you can help strengthen your core. But some can be particularly helpful for targeting those muscles.

Yoga has a lot going for it. It can help you tune in to your breath, relieve stress, and improve your balance and flexibility. It can also help tone your muscles — including your core.

“Understanding how to activate your core and utilize your core muscles is central to the physical practice of yoga,” says yoga instructor Valerie Williams, E-RYT 500.

Williams shares ways that yoga can help strengthen your core muscles and guides us through five poses that target your midsection.

Yoga poses to strengthen your core

Just about any yoga pose that challenges you can help strengthen your core. But some can be particularly helpful for targeting those muscles.

Start by holding each of the following poses for about two to three breaths at first. As they become easier, challenge yourself by holding them longer.

1. Tabletop balance

This pose can help strengthen your core and lengthen your spine, but it may not be right for you if you have chronic knee problems or difficulty with mobility in your arms or shoulders.

Person doing tabletop balance yoga pose
  1. Start on your hands and knees.
  2. Engage your core by pulling your belly muscles inward and keeping your lower back flat.
  3. Reach forward with your right arm. Keep your chin tucked.
  4. Lift your left knee and straighten it behind you. Keep your hips level and toes pointed downward.
  5. Return your hand and knee to the floor.
  6. Repeat on the other side.

2. Plank

This simple pose can help develop strength in your upper body, forearms, wrists and front abdominal muscles.

Person doing a plank yoga pose
  1. Start on your hands and knees.
  2. Lift your hips and straighten your legs out behind you, like you’re about to do a push-up.
  3. Engage your core by pulling your belly button upward.
  4. Pull your shoulder blades together and squeeze your front thigh muscles.
  5. Keep your body in a straight line from the crown of your head through your heels.

Variation: Drop to your knees to lighten the load.

3. Side plank

Side planks can help improve your balance and work your core without putting too much pressure on your back.

Person doing side plank yoga pose
  1. Start in a plank position.
  2. Plant your left hand on the floor as you turn your body and raise your right arm above you.
  3. Balance on the outside of your left foot, with your right foot on top.
  4. Make a straight line from your left palm, through your shoulders and all the way to the tips of the fingers on your right hand. Keep your hips stacked on top of each other with your bottom hip lifted away from the mat.
  5. Repeat on the other side.

Variation: To make this pose easier, bring your bottom knee to the floor.

4. Boat pose

This pose can be challenging at first. But it can give your core a good workout.

Person doing yoga boat pose
  1. Start in a seated position, with your knees bent.
  2. Lean back about 45 degrees and place your hands, palms down, on the mat behind you, bending your arms slightly.
  3. Lift your feet off the floor and hold your shins parallel to the mat. Balance on your sit bones (butt).
  4. Pull your belly muscles inward. Keep your chest lifted and your back straight. Point your toes up.

Variation: For an added challenge, extend your arms in front of you, parallel to the mat, or straighten both knees. At its most challenging, your body will take the shape of the letter ‘V.’

5. Chair pose

This standing pose puts a lot of focus on your thighs and ankles, demanding more from your core muscles.

Person doing yoga chair pose
  1. Stand up straight with your feet together.
  2. Bend your knees slightly and press your inner thighs together as you shift your weight to your heels.
  3. Drop your tailbone toward the ground, like you’re sitting in an invisible chair.
  4. Bring your palms together and raise your arms above your head.

Variation: To make this pose easier, bring your palms together in front of your chest. For an added challenge, sink your butt deeper into your “seat.”

Tips for your safety

Before you jump in, consider these guidelines to build your core strength with yoga safely:

  • Focus on your breath. Throughout your practice, keep your breath slow and deliberate. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth.
  • Move with care. Transition in and out of poses slowly to protect your muscles and joints.
  • Be gentle. Don’t try to force poses that aren’t working for your body. You should feel a stretch, but never pain.
  • Seek advice. If you are in pain, are recovering from injury or are concerned about whether yoga is safe for you, talk with a qualified health care provider, like a physical therapist, before starting any exercise program.

And, above all, enjoy the many benefits.

“Yoga is highly adaptable to your skill level and your goals,” Williams says. “And while it can certainly help strengthen your core and promote stronger muscles, it can also help you to live more mindfully and get in tune with your body.”

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A Strong Core is Your Best Guard Against Back Pain @ClevelandClinic

A group of adults are taking a fitness class together at the gym. They are working out on exercise mats and are holding a high plank.
A group of adults are taking a fitness class together at the gym. They are working out on exercise mats and are holding a high plank.

A physical therapist answers your questions

If you suffer from back pain, you’ve probably heard that strengthening your core can bring you some relief. But is this always true? And if so, how do you do it? We spoke with Cleveland Clinic physical therapist Patti Mariano, DPT, to find out.

Q: What is your core?

When most people think about the core of the body they think of the abdominal or six-pack area just below the ribs. While the abdominal muscles are an important part of the core, we consider other areas important, too.

Your core includes:

  • Front abdominal muscles — the rectus abdominis
  • Muscles along the side of your body — the internal and external obliques
  • A deep muscle that wraps around the front — the transverse abdominis
  • Muscles in your back that are located between your spine bones and run along your spine — the erector spinae and multifidi

Your core also includes the diaphragm and muscles of the pelvic floor. I also consider the gluteal muscles as core muscles.

Q: What is the relationship between core strength and back pain?

Theoretically, if your muscles around the low back are weak, your body will rely more on passive structures, including ligaments — the tissue that connects bone to bone — as well as the spinal bones or discs, which lie between the spinal bones, for stability, which can cause pain.

But some studies have shown that specific core exercises are not any more beneficial than general exercise for low back pain. What we know is that exercise in general can help, and focusing on core muscles may provide some additional benefit.

Q: What are some exercises for the core that can help with back pain?

Here are my top five:

  • Side plank — Sit on the floor with your right hand below your right shoulder and feet stacked. Lift your body, keeping your legs long, abdominals engaged and feet stacked. Hold. Repeat on the other side. You can modify this pose by dropping your bottom knee to the floor for extra support.
  • Plank — Kneel on all fours. Pull in your abdomen and step your feet behind you until your legs are straight. Keep your hands directly under your shoulders and your neck straight. Hold your abdomen and legs tight and avoid letting your lower back sag. Hold and breathe for 30 seconds. You can modify this pose by lowering your knees.
  • Bird dog — Kneel  on all fours. Reach one arm out in front of you, draw in your abdomen, and extend the opposite leg long behind you. Repeat on the other side.
  • Scissors — Lie on your back with your arms at your sides and legs pointed straight into the air above your hips. Press your lower back into the mat and tighten your abdomen. Lower your right leg until it’s a few inches from the floor. Raise your right leg up and begin lowering your left leg the same way. Continue switching right and left.
  • Upward dog — Lie face down with head slightly lifted and hands palm-down under your shoulders. Point your toes. Exhale, then press through your hands and the tops of your feet and raise your body and legs up until your arms are straight and your body and legs are off the ground. Keep your neck relaxed and long and thigh muscles tight as you hold and breathe.

For the plank exercises, start by holding them for 15 seconds to 30 seconds. For bird dog and scissors, try three sets of eight or 10 repetitions. For upward dog, do one set of 10 repetitions.

Q: Can you injure your back by trying to strengthen your core?

Any exercise performed incorrectly, whether it is core-strengthening or otherwise, has the potential to cause discomfort.

Twisting exercises or even incorrectly completing the exercises cited above can cause pain in the low back. But it’s highly unlikely that one repetition of an exercise will seriously harm your body, unless it’s an exercise using a very heavy weight.

The best way to keep your body safe is to listen to body cues such as pain during and immediately after an exercise, and the next day after exercising.

Q: When should you talk to a doctor about your back pain?

If any of the following is going on you should consult with your doctor:

  • Your pain has been going on for longer than a month, despite resting from activities that make it worse.
  • Your pain is getting worse.
  • Your pain wakes you from sleep.
  • Your pain is in your low back but also is going down one or both of your legs.
  • You notice that one leg is becoming weaker than the other.

Q: Where should you turn if you want help in creating a plan to address back pain?

Physical therapists train as musculoskeletal experts — they are the experts on muscles, bones and human movement. These professionals are the most qualified, aside from an orthopedic doctor, to assess back problems.

Since there are many factors that impact low back pain and many types of low back pain, it is a good idea to visit at least one time with a physical therapist for an evaluation and subsequent plan of care. This will give you an individually tailored plan with exercises that progress safely.

The idea of core strengthening, while beneficial, is just one piece of the low back pain puzzle.

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/2016/07/strong-core-best-guard-back-pain/

 

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BRIDGING: one of a physiotherapist’s staple exercises #corestability

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cesca.physio

BRIDGING
This is the one of a physiotherapist’s staple exercises, if in doubt…bridge 😂
Often when children are growing, they come up against muscle imbalances, which can lead to aches and pains. A great way to protect the body from these is by keeping a good strong core!
A tip my top #pilates friend showed me was rolling the spine up and down, like a Mexican wave 👋🏽! Go follow @excellencepilates @excellence_physio for much more specialist knowledge than I can offer 😁

HOW TO INCORPORATE INTO PLAY
Get some lovely little cars or animals on one side of your child, and help them create a BRIDGE (!) so you can drive those little toys under their bottom!
….a traffic jam can always help you keep their bottom up for little longer 😏

#physio #pilateslovers #physiotherapy #physiotherapist #yoga #yogateacher #paediatricphysiotherapy #childrensphysio #normaldevelopment #strongcore #therapyplay

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Yoga Poses That Can Strengthen Your Core Muscles @ClevelandClinic

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20h20 hours ago

 
 

Engage your abdominal muscles with these yoga poses that build a strong & stable center!

Contributor: Certified yoga instructor Patti Kopasakis, PT, DPT, SCS, RYT-200

Your abdominal muscles are just one component of your core. The gluteal muscles, diaphragm, hip flexors, and hip adductor muscles also comprise your core. These large muscle groups help control the movements you make throughout the day.  Strengthening these muscles helps to absorb forces from daily activities and decrease the forces that move through joints.

Here is a group yoga poses that can help to improve your core muscles. Try holding them for two to three breaths at first, then increase the number of breaths to challenge yourself. On the one-sided poses, be sure to repeat on the other side!

Note: Poses should be entered into and moved out of slowly to protect muscles and joints. If you are having specific pain that has been ongoing for longer than two weeks or you have a specific injury, it is always best consult a qualified health care provider, such as a physical therapist, who can develop a plan specific to your needs.

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/yoga-poses-that-can-strengthen-your-core-muscles/?