in the october edition of "i've got your back" we talk about the importance of keeping your movement vocabulary broad even as colder temps set in! it's easy for us to have a more limited range of activities as the temps chill out and we aren't playing outside as much, but it's crucial that we keep moving in all directions. these side bends can help you stay supple and smooth through the months ahead.
:: sit sideways in a chair ::
with your right arm on the back of the chair, keeping your pelvis and particularly your left hip anchored to the chair, reach your left arm up and away, overhead, moving into an arch. it's not about how far your top hand can reach over - you can even rest that hand on your head if you want! it's about getting as much space as you can between your hip and your armpit and spreading out your ribs. it's tempting to collapse onto your left arm, but use that to push you further into the bend. it's important to have a lot of lift, like a high jumper trying to clear a bar. make sure you're going up up and away! stay for a few breaths, noticing how the opening and stretch changes as you fill and empty your lungs. repeat on the other side.
as we move into winter, make sure you're still doing a variety of movements - reaching, pulling, pushing, twisting, bending, crouching, etc. imagine that you're in a giant bubble, a big sphere, and that you have fingerpaint on your hands and feet. over the course of a week, would you coat the whole bubble in paint? can you make sure you're really moving in all directions? there are lots of ways to make sure that you still have a broad movement vocabulary – play around until you find one you enjoy!
and don't forget about our winter balance challenge ... the snow will be here any day now!
listen to the full audio here and
stay tuned the last wednesday of the month for "i've got your back" at 8:20(ish) on wtip.org's north shore morning show!
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