Keeping on our favorite theme of more bang for your buck and speaking of quick and easy winning wellness activities…
Change directions.
Here’s are four moves to do anywhere, anytime that energize and revitalize your whole body.
These come to us through our resident yoga expert Anna Van Fleet who is a certified Bikram instructor and a wellness industry expert. She says it’s important to remember that “we need to move the spine in all directions after being immobile in a meeting or at our desks. Movement stimulates and heals the spine and the discs which don’t have blood flow when sitting. You have to get the disc juice (synovial fluid) pumping through the spine after you’ve kinked up the hose.”
In Anna’s yoga training, “We say motion is lotion for the back.”
Olga demonstrates Anna’s moves below…
ONE: Start with a standard side bend to each side. Exhale as you bend, hold, inhale, come back to center, pause, exhale and bend to the opposite side, hold. Hold each side for five breaths.
TWO: Next, open up your chest with a back-bend. Put your hands on your hips toward your rump with your elbows pointed to the wall behind you. Exhale as you lean back. Lift your chin and let your head tilt back as well. Take your gaze as far back as you can, but be sure to mind your balance carefully. Hold for 5 breaths.
THREE: Next, drop into a forward bend. Exhale as you bend forward. Bend your knees so you are able to touch the floor. Relax you neck and let your head dangle gently. Hold for five breaths, then slowly raise you torso up one vertebrae at a time, as if you are unfolding your spine.
FOUR: End with a little swing action! Twist from one side to the other five or six times. Your arms should swing freely in their full range of motion and your heels should come up off the floor. Twist and shout! Ok, maybe don’t shout but definitely breathe and enjoy!
This is the essence of “loosen up” my friends! Go for it!
And… PS. Best wishes to Anna on Maternity leave! We miss you already.