19 posts tagged “exercise”

This one is a little more difficult and can be dangerous. Please – safety first. There are handrails on the staircase for a reason. And, although the reason may not be the following, they will serve as excellent stability boosters for the following exercise.

Last post you tried walking backwards up a hill. Other than being unusual, it is not that difficult for most people. Of course, there are ways to make it more difficult. We’ll save that for another post.

Our home is built into a hill on the shore. It is about a 50 foot rise from the water to our driveway/front entrance. The front entrance is actually the third storey out of four. You can imagine there are a lot of stairs. And, when my husband and I designed the home, we chose to have higher than average ceilings, therefore, the staircases are longer than normal as well. Do not worry, we thought ahead: there is an elevator for future considerations.

To stumble out of bed in the morning (today at 40F but sunny) and reach the hot tub on the deck requires 2 full flights of stairs plus the few steps outdoors. Now, I wouldn’t attempt the following first thing in the morning before my muscles are warmed up, but I do try it once in a while during the day for variety.

Pick any staircase where no one else is around – this is not something to try in a mall.  With your dominant side closest to the handrail, grasp the rail with that hand at the base of a set of stairs. Now, carefully, walk in reverse up the flight of stairs. It will feel quite strange and you will need the handrail for a while. Gradually, loosen your grip on the rail over time until you are barely touching it. Try not to swivel your head around and look behind you while doing this exercise. The goal is to look straight ahead just like you do when you are going down the stairs normally. You are reversing all the motions, not changing anything except your direction. This exercise will work your muscles differently and will definitely give your brain a bit of a workout as well.

Have fun. Be safe.

To variety…

Susan Crutcher, RRPr, CPTN-CPT, PHC

Life Empowerment Mentor, Health & Wellness Coach, Baby Steps to Success Expert

www.SueCrutcher.com; www.Sutopia.com

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Permission to reprint. This article (and all articles on this blog) is copyrighted by Susan Crutcher. You have permission to reprint this article in its entirety as long as you include the following credit with the article:

Susan Crutcher is the author of “Health & Wellness Made Simple” and is currently working on a series of self empowerment books which incorporate her baby steps to success theory. She is a life empowerment mentor, health and wellness coach, baby steps to success expert and motivational speaker, is certified in personal training and over a dozen complementary care modalities with over 30 years of teaching experience. Susan is manager of Greystone Retreat (a luxury rental home on Georgian Bay), co-founder of Academy of Holistic Modalities Inc (holistic education), editor of the Reflexology Registration Council of Ontario (RRCO) newsletter ‘In Touch’ and a founding member of the Grey-Bruce Spiritual Network (GBSN). Download and enjoy a free sample of her book at: www.SueCrutcher.com

Well, Sue, that certainly is a strange lead-in. Yes, it is. Lots of things are strange … particularly how things connect in our minds at times.

There I was, walking backward up a steep hill (well ahead of the unit in case of an incident … wouldn’t want to be crushed by a falling outhouse!) supervising angles and distance below the unit when I realized … about half way up … my shins and glutes were not happy. Ah ha! Something to write about on my blog, I thought to myself…

Quite some time ago there were a series of posts on walking and baby steps to changing your routine – variations on a theme. This is one I hadn’t thought of at the time.

When we walk in our normal manner (or do any other routine for that matter), our body quickly adapts to the methodology. It is important to constantly add in little ‘surprises’ to keep the body ‘on its toes’ so to speak. This one (and tomorrow’s) will do just that.

Is there an area near you, perhaps where you walk now, that has a fairly steep incline? Yes? Perfect.  If not, see if you can think of one. If not, try this the next time you chance upon a hill.

Walk normally until you get to the incline area. Then, turn around backwards and walk up the incline in reverse. If you don’t do this regularly, you may need to pay extra attention to your surroundings … it is more difficult than you think.  While walking in reverse, be aware of how your body is reacting differently. The way it automatically adapts for balance; your weight distribution on your feet; the different stress on your knee and hip joints; the new sensations in your muscles.

These types of exercises are important parts of adaptation for your brain and are very useful as we age. The more aware we are of our spatial orientation, the better balanced our bodies will be. The more balanced we are, the less chance of falling and being injured.

Tomorrow: a variation on this concept.

To better balance…

Susan Crutcher, RRPr, CPTN-CPT, PHC

Life Empowerment Mentor, Health & Wellness Coach, Baby Steps to Success Expert

www.SueCrutcher.com; www.Sutopia.com

+ + + + 

Permission to reprint. This article (and all articles on this blog) is copyrighted by Susan Crutcher. You have permission to reprint this article in its entirety as long as you include the following credit with the article:

Susan Crutcher is the author of “Health & Wellness Made Simple” and is currently working on a series of self empowerment books which incorporate her baby steps to success theory. She is a life empowerment mentor, health and wellness coach, baby steps to success expert and motivational speaker, is certified in personal training and over a dozen complementary care modalities with over 30 years of teaching experience. Susan is manager of Greystone Retreat (a luxury rental home on Georgian Bay), co-founder of Academy of Holistic Modalities Inc (holistic education), editor of the Reflexology Registration Council of Ontario (RRCO) newsletter ‘In Touch’ and a founding member of the Grey-Bruce Spiritual Network (GBSN). Download and enjoy a free sample of her book at: www.SueCrutcher.com  

Here it is, all in one place for you.  I apologize – it does take more than 1 minute to complete.  However, it is less than two minutes.  I’m sure everyone will be able to fit this routine into their day at least one time.

·                       Ball your hand into a fist

·                       Squeeze tightly

·                       Open wide, splaying fingers as far open and apart as you can

·                       Ball back into a fist

·                       Repeat 3 times

·                       Extend your left arm in front of you without locking your elbow

·                       Tilt hand up 90 degrees (or whatever you can)

·                       With your right hand, gently pull the index finger of your left hand toward you

·                       Follow through, pulling back each finger in sequence.

·                       Switch hands

·                       Repeat with opposite hand

·                       Extend your left arm

·                       Tilt your hand up 90 degrees (or whatever you can)

·                       Using your right hand, gently pull all the fingers on your left hand toward your wrist

·                       Hold for a second but do not over-extend.  You should feel a stretch but no pain.

·                       Release

·                       Switch hands and repeat

·                       Extend your left arm

·                       Tilt your hand DOWN 90 degrees (or whatever you can)

·                       Using your right hand, gently pull all the fingers on your left hand toward your wrist

·                       Hold for a second but do not over-extend.  You should feel a stretch but no pain.

·                       Release

·                       Switch hands and repeat

·                       Extend your left arm in front of you (without locking elbow)

·                       With your right hand, gently pull your thumb DOWN and toward your wrist

·                       Bring it back to neutral

·                       With your right hand, gently pull your thumb UP and back toward your wrist (this will not work nearly as well as down. Do not worry … just stretch it a bit)

·                       Bring it back to neutral

·                       Repeat with other hand on other arm

·                       Put both of your palms together (like a prayer) in front of you at face level

·                       Extend your fingers and thumbs while keeping palms together.

·                       Press palms together strongly

·                       Hold

·                       Keep the base of your palms together and gradually lower your hands until your lower arms are horizontal (or as close as you can get them to horizontal).  You will likely be around your chest area

·                       Hold

·                       Now, take your hands down further keeping the fingers and upper palms together (allow lower palms to separate if needed)

·                       You will feel a stretch on the inside of your fingers and wrists

·                       Hold

·                       Repeat

Power to the geeks!

Sue Crutcher, Baby Steps to Success Expert

Personal Trainer, Life Empowerment Mentor

Here it is, all in one place for you.  I apologize – it does take more than 1 minute to complete.  However, it is less than two minutes.  I’m sure everyone will be able to fit this routine into their day at least one time.

·                       Ball your hand into a fist

·                       Squeeze tightly

·                       Open wide, splaying fingers as far open and apart as you can

·                       Ball back into a fist

·                       Repeat 3 times

·                       Extend your left arm in front of you without locking your elbow

·                       Tilt hand up 90 degrees (or whatever you can)

·                       With your right hand, gently pull the index finger of your left hand toward you

·                       Follow through, pulling back each finger in sequence.

·                       Switch hands

·                       Repeat with opposite hand

·                       Extend your left arm

·                       Tilt your hand up 90 degrees (or whatever you can)

·                       Using your right hand, gently pull all the fingers on your left hand toward your wrist

·                       Hold for a second but do not over-extend.  You should feel a stretch but no pain.

·                       Release

·                       Switch hands and repeat

·                       Extend your left arm

·                       Tilt your hand DOWN 90 degrees (or whatever you can)

·                       Using your right hand, gently pull all the fingers on your left hand toward your wrist

·                       Hold for a second but do not over-extend.  You should feel a stretch but no pain.

·                       Release

·                       Switch hands and repeat

·                       Extend your left arm in front of you (without locking elbow)

·                       With your right hand, gently pull your thumb DOWN and toward your wrist

·                       Bring it back to neutral

·                       With your right hand, gently pull your thumb UP and back toward your wrist (this will not work nearly as well as down. Do not worry … just stretch it a bit)

·                       Bring it back to neutral

·                       Repeat with other hand on other arm

·                       Put both of your palms together (like a prayer) in front of you at face level

·                       Extend your fingers and thumbs while keeping palms together.

·                       Press palms together strongly

·                       Hold

·                       Keep the base of your palms together and gradually lower your hands until your lower arms are horizontal (or as close as you can get them to horizontal).  You will likely be around your chest area

·                       Hold

·                       Now, take your hands down further keeping the fingers and upper palms together (allow lower palms to separate if needed)

·                       You will feel a stretch on the inside of your fingers and wrists

·                       Hold

·                       Repeat

Power to the geeks!

Sue Crutcher, Baby Steps to Success Expert

Personal Trainer, Life Empowerment Mentor

One more stretch before it all comes together tomorrow.

• Put both of your palms together (like a prayer) in front of you at face level
• Extend your fingers and thumbs while keeping palms together.
• Press palms together strongly
• Hold
• Keep the base of your palms together and gradually lower your hands until your lower arms are horizontal (or as close as you can get them to horizontal).  You will likely be around your chest area
• Hold
• Now, take your hands down further keeping the fingers and upper palms together (allow lower palms to separate if needed)
• You will feel a stretch on the inside of your fingers and wrists
• Hold
• Repeat

This exercise is a little more complex but invigorating to your hands.

Sue Crutcher, Baby Steps to Success Expert

Life Empowerment Mentor

You’re almost there.  Today’s post is for those technical people who do not consider their thumb to be a finger.  In case you missed stretching your thumbs over the last couple of days, today we will take care of that.

• Extend your left arm in front of you (without locking elbow)
• With your right hand, gently pull your thumb DOWN and toward your wrist
• Bring it back to neutral
• With your right hand, gently pull your thumb UP and back toward your wrist (this will not work nearly as well as down. Do not worry … just stretch it a bit)
• Bring it back to neutral
• Repeat with other hand on other arm

That’s it for today.  Tomorrow we pull it all together into a routine that will take less than a minute of your time.

To Gumbie…

Sue Crutcher, Baby Steps to Success Expert

Continuing on our variation on a theme: hand and wrist stretches…

You’re almost there …

Adding to what you have already learned this week:

• Start with the stretch from Monday (making a fist and letting go)
• Followed by yesterday (stretching each finger individually)
• Followed by stretching all your fingers toward your wrist at one time

Now, add (pay attention here … there is only one minor variable from yesterday but it is important to do it correcty):

• Extend your left arm
• Tilt your hand DOWN 90 degrees (or whatever you can)
• Using your right hand, gently pull all the fingers on your left hand toward your wrist
• Hold for a second but do not over-extend.  You should feel a stretch but no pain.
• Release
• Switch hands and repeat 

Again, that’s it.  Simple. 

You’re almost through the routine …

Sue Crutcher, Baby Steps to Success Expert

Life Empowerment Mentor

Continuing on our variation on a theme: hand and wrist stretches…

Today we add in another portion of the series

Start with the stretch from Monday (making a fist and letting go)

Followed by yesterday (stretching each finger individually)

Now, add:

• Extend your left arm
• Tilt your hand up 90 degrees (or whatever you can)
• Using your right hand, gently pull all the fingers on your left hand toward your wrist
• Hold for a second but do not over-extend.  You should feel a stretch but no pain.
• Release
• Switch hands and repeat

Again, that’s it.  Simple. 

You’re halfway through the week and the series…

Sue Crutcher, Baby Steps to Success Coach

Life Empowerment Mentor

Continuing on our variation on a theme: hand and wrist stretches…

Today we add in another portion of the series

Start with the stretch from Monday (making a fist and letting go)

Followed by yesterday (stretching each finger individually)

Now, add:

• Extend your left arm
• Tilt your hand up 90 degrees (or whatever you can)
• Using your right hand, gently pull all the fingers on your left hand toward your wrist
• Hold for a second but do not over-extend.  You should feel a stretch but no pain.
• Release
• Switch hands and repeat

Again, that’s it.  Simple. 

You’re halfway through the week and the series…

Sue Crutcher, Baby Steps to Success Coach

Life Empowerment Mentor

Next section of the routine (baby steps to accomplishment) to be completed by Friday.

Start with the exercise you learned yesterday.

Then, add:

• Extend your left arm in front of you without locking your elbow
• Tilt hand up 90 degrees (or whatever you can)
• With your right hand, gently pull the index finger of your left hand toward you
• Follow through, pulling back each finger in sequence.
• Switch hands
• Repeat with opposite hand

That’s it.  Such easy stretches but so helpful.

Sue Crutcher, Baby Steps to Success Coach

Life Empowerment Mentor