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Category: Fitness

Wachlella Falls May 2012

 

This month I found a new (to me) trail, Wachlella Falls. This is the perfect hike to take out of town visitors who are looking for an easy, short hike (just over an hour total) that passes some amazing waterfalls. This hike is kid friendly and a good spot for a picnic. I plan on doing more of these this summer. Contact me if you are interested in joining us.

What are your favorite Oregon hikes?

Disabled Vet Turns “Can’t” into “Can” through Yoga

You have probably seen this video going around the internet of Arthur Boorman the disabled vet who transformed himself from couch potato to athlete! There is lots to love about this video – Arthur’s determination, his rapid strength and balance improvements, his weight loss and the amazing before and after photos where he looks like a different person. I love the 1:50 mark where he is doing modified yoga poses in his living room using a chair to steady himself and he falls completely over, legs in the air like a cockroach. Guess what happens next (2 min mark) he gets back up! Over and over again.

Oddly enough his yoga instructor is none other than wrestlemania star Diamond Dallas Page.

I won’t spoil the ending if you have not yet seen this video but I had tears in my eyes watching it. Makes loosing that last 10 lbs or getting up at 6 am tomorrow to hit the gym seem not so difficult. Do you have an amazing transformation story or are you just starting to make some changes in your diet or activity? Tell me about it.

The May Five Exercises

The May Five

 

Each month I assign my clients five exercises to work on every day. Here are your May Five.

See if you can go through these at least once today – in fact you could get up from your desk and try them right now, I’ll wait…

 

1) Plank:

From hands and knees, step back into a plank position (drop to your knees if you need to). Hold for one minute.

In plank you build core strength, strengthen your shoulder and back muscles and improve your shoulder girdle stabilization.

 

2) Flight:

 

 

Start lying on your tummy with arms by your side.  Reach back through your fingers and toes and lift your chest to come up into a small back extension.
Strengthens back extensors, abdominals, opens shoulders.

3) Roll Over:

Start Lying on your back with legs in the air, knees bent. Press your legs up towards the ceiling (lifting your hips) then slowly roll down.
Strengthens lower abdominals.

4) Seal

 

 

From seated, scoop your abdominals and round your spine. Lift your feet and hold on to your ankles. Slowly roll back onto your upper back, then roll back up to sitting.

Strengthens abdominals, improves spine flexibility, muscle control.

5) Side Angle:

 

 

Stand in a lunge with right knee stacked over your ankle. Rest your right arm on your right thigh, reach left arm to the ceiling.
Strengthens legs, opens hips, and stretches shoulders.

The April Five

Looking for some new moves this month? Fluid Movement & Massage offers five moves each month that incorporate yoga, Pilates, and strength work to help you increase your strength and flexibility. We suggest you do at least one minute of each of these every day.

The April Five

 

1) Leg Pull Back:

  • From seated, press up to a reverse plank with hands under your shoulders and fingers facing forward.
  • Exhale as you lift one leg; inhale as you lower your leg back to the ground.  Switch sides.
  • Shoulder stretch, core strength, hip stabilization.

2) Double Leg Stretch:

  • On your tummy, hands behind your back.
  • Exhale as you kick both legs in, then inhale as you extend arms and legs and reach out through your chest.
  • Back extension, shoulder stretch.

3) Swan Dive:

  • Start from a plank with knees down.
  • Slowly roll down through your spine onto your pelvis, lower belly then lower ribs.
  • Press through your hands to come back up to a flat back position.
  • Keep abdominals turned on; think of getting longer instead of gripping with your glutes.
  • Strengthens spine extensors, arms, and tummy.

4) Crescent Lunge:

  • From standing, step your left foot back into a lunge with your left heel off the ground.  Press into the ball of your back foot as you lift your inner thigh towards the ceiling.  Right knee stays over your right ankle.
  • Lift arms up towards the ceiling and lift your chest to come into a small backbend.
  • Hold for one minute then switch sides.
  • Hip stretch, balance, leg and back strength.

5) Bow:

  • Lying on your tummy.  Grab your right foot with your right hand and pull your foot towards your hip.
  • Slowly start to lift your foot up to the ceiling.  Hold here for five breaths then switch sides.
  • Quad/ hip flexor stretch.

Have questions about these? I will gladly take you through these exercises or answer any questions you have, just give me a call.

~Anne 503-705-4762