MEOW - Mobility Exercise Of the Week - Thoracic Rotation

"MEOW"

Twisty Child's Pose:  

This is a mobility exercise to increase thoracic rotation.  With a band anchored to something solid and wrapped around your outside shoulder, sit into child's pose.  Place your hand behind your head and begin to rotate towards the anchor point, keeping your hips down to lock out the lumbar spine. You are looking for 50+ degrees of rotation.  If you cannot get 50 degrees without using the band for assistance, this is a great exercise for you...

MEOW - Mobility Exercise Of the Week

"MEOW"

Below is an exercise to improve ankle dorsiflexion.  If ankle range of motion is limited, which is fairly common, it can cause major problems up the kinetic chain (i.e. plantar fasciitis, tight calves/achilles, sore knees, hip pain, back pain, etc.).  

• Place a stick in front of your big toe.
• In a lunge position, push your knee to the outside of the stick until you feel your heel wanting to come off the ground.
• Move back and forth 20-30 times, gradually pushing further into your end range. 
• Do this 2-3x daily if range of motion is limited. 

This is also a good way to assess dorsiflexion.  You should be able to place the stick a fist's distance from your big toe, and be able to touch your knee to it without your heel coming off the ground.  As you can see, my ankle range of motion is limited (because of a major ankle injury in Mexico, but that is another story), so I have work to do... 

WOW, COW, and MEOW

"WOW"s, "COW"s, and "MEOW"s are ways to challenge yourself on a weekly basis. Here is the workout, challenge, and mobility exercise of the week for June 8-14. Try to do each one at least once.

WOW: Workout Of the Week

• 5 pullups 
• 10 pushups
• 15 burpees
• Sprint 30 seconds
• Rest 1 minute
• Repeat 5x
• Modify movements as needed

COW: Challenge Of the Week

• Step out of your comfort zone and try a new class this week (e.g. Aquatics, Zumba, Crossfit, Barre, Turbokick, TRX,  Hip Hop Twerk, etc.).  There are so many ways to challenge yourself physically, and trying something new will challenge your brain as well.  Grab a friend or go solo and meet new people.  Don't be afraid to look dumb!

MEOW: Mobility Exercise Of the Week

• Most of us are tight in our upper back, or thoracic spine; especially if we sit at a desk and use a computer most of the day.  Below is a great exercise to mobilize each segment along the T-spine.  You can do this multiple times a day.  I recommend following it up with a nice, easy child's pose for 60-90 seconds.