by admin | April 8, 2019 2:17 pm | Exercise, Health, Main, Well Being
Back pain plagues millions of US citizens throughout their lifetime. Back pain can be due to repetitive strain on the back, an acute injury to the back, bony wear and tear on the back or even from simple fatigue. Some experience back pain because they work in a sitting job and the back and abdominal area are weakened due to lack of exercise.
Many cases of back pain can be avoided by exercising your back in a healthy way that strengthens the muscles and ligaments so that back pain will not be a problem again.
Strengthen The Core
The back is not the only thing that keeps your body upright. Your abdomen, together with your back, represents the “core” of your body. Both parts need to be functioning in order for you to have the ability to stand, stretch, and bend appropriately.
Perhaps one of the best exercises for a healthy back includes abdominal exercises. A weak abdomen puts too much pressure on the back to take on functions the abdominal area needs to participate in.
Abdominal exercises strengthen the overall core and will help you have a strong and healthy back.
What abdominal exercises work best?
Something as simple as sit-ups can help strengthen the abdominal muscles so that the core is strengthened. The exercises can be done in several ways to enhance the upper, middle and body muscles. For example:
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- Sit-ups with your legs straight—this strengthens the upper abdominal muscles
- Sit-ups with your legs bent—this strengthens the middle abdominal muscles
- Lying down and lifting your feet off the floor—this strengthens the lower abdominal muscles
Try to do these three kinds of sit-ups in different sets of ten at a time, and you will have a strong core that will help your back keep your body healthy and strong. As mentioned, you should do sets of ten of each of the three types of exercises and do about ten sets a day. This involves about three hundred different exercises that may make your abdomen sore for a day or so.
Pilates
Pilates is another core strengthening form of exercise. Pilates is best learned through a DVD lesson or personalized lessons from a Pilates instructor. It is a toning type of activity that strengthens the core, including the abdominal and back muscles. The training is easily learned and can be a part of your daily exercise routine.
Simple Back Exercises
You can strengthen the back alone although most exercises that strengthen the back also strengthen the abdominal muscles as well. Either way, you have a healthier back as a result.
Leg Lifts
One simple back strengthening exercise involves lying prone (on your stomach) and lifting your leg straight up a few inches off the ground. Do one leg at a time.
Ideally, you should do sets of ten backward leg lifts at a time before switching legs. Do several sets each day to strengthen the back.
Back Exercise Machines
There are machines you can use at the health club that isolate the back muscles. They involve sitting in a chair of sorts that bends backward when you straighten out your back so you are in a lying position.
Different weights can be added to the machine so that you can gradually increase your muscle strength with heavier and heavier weights. Do ten repetitions at a time and several sets of repetitions as part of an overall muscle strengthening routine.
Summary
A healthy back is all about core strength training. It includes not only exercises of the back but exercises of the stomach as well.
Flexibility exercises help your back as well and include things like bending from side to side to loosen the back stiffness and bending forward to touch your toes, which keeps your back from getting too tight.
by admin | April 1, 2019 2:12 pm | Babies & Children, By Doc Mueller, Health, Main
Hey, Summer is coming and your kids need to keep active during the summer. I just thought I’d throw out some ideas to help you get started.
- There is always the good old stand by “the classic water fight”, getting mom or dad into the action is always a family favorite that keeps everybody moving. Try adding water balloons to this classic game and you will have your kids running all afternoon.
- “Water Tag”: What I do is use just one smaller bucket and the hose. You play this just like regular tag but you throw the bucket of water at your victim (friend or family member) instead of touching them. The cold water not only keeps your kids cool but keeps them running to stay dry. You get the added benefit of watering the lawn.
Let’s look at a couple of drier games if you are not in the getting wet part of your summer (or day)
- “This Way and That”:
You can sing this to the tune of “Did you ever see a Lassie” or “The More We Get Together” you can look them up online if you don’t know the tune. Do all the actions as they are described in the Song. Falling down in this game may be the best part. The little kids just get the giggles every time they fall down so it starts a giggle fest.
Did you ever hop on one foot, on one foot, on one foot?
Did you ever hop on one foot, going this way and that?
Did you ever jump on two feet, …
Did you ever skip in circles, …
Did you ever lift your arms up,…
Did you ever walk on tiptoe, …
Did you ever crawl back and forth, …
Did you ever stand on one foot, …
Let your kids make up more actions as you go along, this can keep them busy all afternoon long. (OK, I’m not a poet what can I say!)
- The Classic “Rowing Song”:
Perform the actions described in each verse as you sing this song with your child. Add verses as you think of other ways to move.
Row, row, row your boat
Gently down the stream.
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily
Life is but a dream.
Drive, drive, drive your gar quickly down the street …
Ride, ride, ride your horse up and down the trail …
Pedal, pedal, pedal your bike all around the town …
Fly, fly, fly your plain way above the clouds …
With older children, you can get this going in a-round and it starts getting really funny and exciting as they compete with each other.
- “Hear My Fist”:
As you say the verses with your child, do the actions described. Begin this rhyme while standing up.
Hear my fist go thump, thump, thump
On my wide palm there.
Hear my hands go clap, clap, clap
High up in the air
Stretch my arms out to the side
As I spin around.
Now my hands reach down, down, down,
Till they touch the ground
Quickly now I sit right down;
Pull my legs up tight
Now I stretch them out so far,
Stretch with all my might
See my arms go up, up, up
Stretching up so high
See my hands come slowly down
In my lap to lie.
- “Nod Yor Head”:
As you say this with your child, perform the actions described.
Nod your head, bend your knees,
Grow as tall as big oak trees.
On your knees, slowly fall,
Curl yourself into a ball.
Raise your head, jump up high,
Wave your hands, and say, “Goodbye!”
Just like in the others use your imagination and your children’s imagination to take this to another level of fun!
- “My Shadow”:
A nighttime game with a flashlight or lamp. Dim the lights in the room and shine the flashlight or lamp on the wall. Say this rhyme and have your children perform the actions described in front of the light to cast a shadow on the wall. Have fun making up new verses and actions.
I nod my head; he nods his head.
I skip and he skips, too.
I clap my hands; he claps his hands.
he does just what I do.
I hop three times; he hops three times.
I jump and he jumps, too.
I climb upstairs; he climbs upstairs.
We blow a kiss to you.
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