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Mindful Morning Start #4

2013/06/06 5:28 PM / Leave a comment


Now that you have rocked, rolled and become still, it is now time to step up activating your body. Roll up to your hands and knees to begin a lower back stretch is in order. Make sure your fingers are facing forward and your toes/feet are flat on the bed or floor in the event the dog or cat or whomever, will not move over and give you your needed space! Hands should be under your shoulders or a couple of inches in front of the point on the shoulder and in line with your hips.

Begin with a flat back then drop your head downward, exhaling your breath, as you push the center of your back up opening the shoulder blades, widening your back and ending with the tucking of your tailbone.  (cat stretch)

Now reverse the motion, inhaling your breath, as you begin to arch your back, press your tail bone upward and drop your belly. CAM01043Your head should be last to come up. As you return to the upper arch stretch of your back, make sure your head is last to drop into its position. Your head should always be the final body part to complete the stretching movement. You are creating a wave with your body, a fluid soothing motion to the spine. (cow stretch). If you are not used to this, begin with 5 stretches each and work up to as many as is comfortable for you. When you have finished your last stretch, become still with a flat back. Begin to feel your body awaken. Listen to your body.

Ball Work

2013/02/22 2:34 PM / Leave a comment


A suggested low impact full body workout for the person with good balance can include a weighted fitness ball of 2- 20 pounds or a large fitness exercise ball. The preference is yours. This balance training exercise will challenge you with either type of ball. Make sure to work both the uphill and downhill slopes of the SANDDUNE™.

To begin, start tossing a small ball hand to hand, while padding or jogging is a good way to begin orienting your balance to this workout. Remember to pick a focus point; this will help you keep up your sense of balance as you train to improve your coordination and strength. Next, do side stretches holding the ball over your head, followed by gentle forward bending stretches for the back and hamstrings finishing with arching and leaning back to open up the front of the body.  You will want to have a wall or barre (something supportive) near you for these exercises.  Use of the ball with forward or back bends is based on how you feel about using the ball with these movements. Adding hips circles will get the knees and hip joints warmed up.

As a workout, try Figure 8 movements (small or large figure 8) or full body circles alternating directions with completion of each revolution. Do these while slowly padding, again taking care to do an equal amount of time on the uphill and downhill slopes. For example, make it a count of 5-20 circles on both slopes. Try circling a small ball around your core as you pad or jog. As you become more balanced and stronger, try passing the small ball under your leg for 1-2 minutes. This will challenge and strengthen your balance.