Category Archives: Blog
Exercises For A Stiff Lower Back
Hey, everyone! Today I’m bringing you some exercises for a stiff lower back. It’s a relatively common problem in our modern lifestyles. We spend too much time sitting.
Why Do You Have A Stiff Lower Back?
Because of all the time sitting lots of muscles tighten up. To fix this problem we need to spend a fair amount of time stretching and strengthening. Back pain can be caused by many things. Some areas to focus stretching are calves, hamstrings, glutes, and hip flexors.
I have a video series called the Squat Series where I cover a lot of stretches that can help lower back pain and stiffness. But there is a stretch that can help that I didn’t cover. The stretch for the hip flexors.
The Psoas
A major muscle that gets tight from long hours sitting is the psoas. This is a muscle that connects the upper leg bone, femur, to the spine. Because this muscle connects to the front of the spine it can actually pull the lower back out of alignment.
By getting this muscle back to a normal length, you can relieve some of this tension on the lower back and improve alignment in the spine. Even once this muscle is lengthened it’s important to keep it from shortening again. Sitting with proper spinal alignment is key. Don’t Be A Bag Of Bones is a short video that covers this.
The Stretch
So, onto the stretch already! We’re going to be doing a cobra stretch. Easy right? Lay on the ground and push your chest away while keeping your hips on the ground. Not so fast! There are a few points to keep in mind.
You have to think about lengthening your spine while you extend it. If you don’t do this your spine will bend unevenly. It designed to flex the same amount at each joint rather than a little or less along its length. Without this focus what usually happens is the lower back will extend a lot more than the rest of the spine.
Once you’re in a good stretch position take turns looking over each shoulder. This will emphasize the stretch on the opposite side. Hold the stretch for 1 to 2 minutes and do it often throughout the day!
Create a 30 Day Challenge and Smash Your Goals
If you’re any good at settings goals, you know what you want and you’ve even figured out how to get there. Now for the hard part. You have to implement your plan.
If you’re anything like me, you have a lot of goals you’d like to hit. This can create a lack of focus that’ll leave you bouncing from goal to goal.
Instead create your own 30 day challenge where you focus intensely on a single goal for 30 days. At the end of the 30 days you can reevaluate and either move on or work toward it for another 30 days.
This incremental approach will seem like you’re not getting much done, but before long all the little goals will add up to huge progress!!!
When Do I Use Passive Stretching?
I much prefer active stretching to passive stretching to improve flexibility. But that doesn’t mean passive stretching doesn’t have good uses.
Passive stretching is great for lowing the overall tension levels in the body and retraining muscles to hold less tension. My favorite time to use it is before bed so that I sleep better!
Nutrition Isn’t What You Eat, It’s What You Absorb!
Doctor Ben, not a real Doctor, here! The saying goes, “you are what you eat.” But that’s not exactly true. The truth is you are what you absorb. Many Industrially processed food are harder for our bodies to extract nutrition. I’m going to demo with my favorite example. Skim Milk!
Don’t Be a Bag of Bones – Support Your SPINE
Welcome back everyone! Today I’m talking about supporting your spine. We spend a lot of time sitting in furniture that does a lot of support work for us.
Unfortunately, that means the support muscles for our spine are pretty weak and out of use. It’s time to get them back into shape so we can keep a healthy alignment!
Does Spot Reduction Really Work?
Is spot reduction for real? No spot reduction isn’t real. But in the core, you can get an effect somewhat like spot reduction. When you have a weak core, you’ll have poor alignment.
Poor alignment can lead to a bulging waist and an undesirable measurement. By strengthening your core muscles you can improve your alignment and thereby reducing your waist measurement!
Make That Internal Weight Belt USEFUL Again!
The transverse abdominis, or TVA, is your internal weight belt. It holds all your organs in place and supports the spine. It wraps from the spine all the way around to the front of your belly.
All our time sitting in supportive furniture has limited our capacity to activate this muscle. But no more! Here’s a couple variations of a simple exercise that will reeducate you on how to activate this essential muscle.
Health Isn’t Genetics, It’s Lifestyle
Here’s the elephant in the room. The cold truth that no one want’s to accept. Aside from a very small minority, if you’re unhealthy it’s got nothing to do with your genes. There are plenty of auto-immune diseases that are “genetic” but they won’t manifest unless the right lifestyle circumstances exist.Continue reading
Ghee is EXPENSIVE so just make your own!
Ghee is pretty expensive to buy. Especially if you buy high quality ghee. But it’s cool ’cause you can just make your own! It’s pretty easy and doesn’t take very long.
All you need is some butter, a good pot, something to strain the liquid butter with, and something to store the ghee in!
