A little over a week ago, I posted six movements I call – Movement Restoration and Exploration. These six movements compose the first week of what I teach every new client to help them begin their movement practice journey. Have you tried them?
If no,
How does your body feel? Pain? Aches? Do you want to feel better? If so, check them out and give them a try for a week and then come back to this email.
If yes,
Great! How does your body feel? Ready for week two?
Week Two: Chair Yoga for Back Pain
These three super sweet movements are a part of the second week of my teaching. It is a part of a series I call – Chair Yoga for Back Pain – Movements for the Office.
Most of us sit for 6+ hours per day (or even more). The most important place for you to move… is in the very position you spend your time. Which means your chair is one of the most important places for movement. Moving from the seated position is Vital for our long-term health and wellness!
Together, these three movements express the 3-D mobility of your spine. I have had great success using these movements personally and with clients to ease low back pain and hip pain.
An added benefit about these movements, that I love, is how they stimulate my brain. I immediately feel like I’ve had a shot of movement caffeine. I’m more alert, present, aware, and my work productivity improves. These movements provide a serious bang for the buck.
This week’s movement challenge:
Continue practicing the original Movement Restoration and Exploration 2-3 times per day.
AND…
Read and reread the instruction and then do all three Chair Yoga movements every day, performing 3-5 reps per movement once every 50-90 minutes that you are in the seated position. Once you have these movements down, it should only take 1-3 minutes to go through this flow. We all have 1-3 minutes to spare throughout the day. This should not take away from your day. In fact, it will give you back more time.
If you experience pain, resistance, or have any questions, please feel free to send a comment to the Youtube video or contact me directly.
Seated cat cow
I love this movement because I can feel the full segmental flexion and extension of my spine. And when I can’t because of back tension or pain… my body knows the movements… and these movements can help release the tension… reducing the pain.
This can be done with head held in extension or allowing full flexion similar to traditional quadrupedal cat/cows. I also like to add in head and neck mobility in both positions.
Seated side body
I love how this movement lengthens my spine in lateral extension without moving the opposite side into lateral flexion… and I can feel it from my fingertips, throughout my arm and shoulder, through my low back side body, into hips, down to the knee. This is a position of length that our bodies rarely experience… and desperately need.
Seated rotation
I find the focus of this movement awakens the relationship between my thoracic spine to hips. I can feel spine move segment by segment… I can sense which joints are allowing movement and which are holding it down. Once I find a good spot… I will softly move in and out of it… encouraging length… without forcing it. It should feel like a soft stretch… not massive.
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