SOLCORE FITNESS

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stretch exercises for back pain

How to Sit Ergonomically and an Exercise to Help Your Shoulders

Sitting At Your Desk Like This Will Help Your Back and Neck Pain

How’s it going? It’s Ekemba from SolCore Fitness again, and I’ve gotten some questions about best posture for sitting. This could be in a desk or in a car. So there are some things you can do to have good posture. I start by saying that sitting, in general, is terrible, anything stagnant on your body is not good, it wants to move around, so that’s why this big shift towards standing desks has been okay, but now you have different problems. So instead of back problems, you have foot problems. Instead of hip problems, you have circulation problems. Your body wants to move, so get up and move around a lot. Take a walk around the block, do some jumping jacks, move your body around a little bit, break up the time in between sitting down. When you are sitting, you have three main points. First and foremost, you want to look at the top third of the screen, that way then your neck doesn’t go to too much extension or flexion and throws your posture off and throws you spine off. The other two is you want your elbows and hips approximately 90 degrees, that way you don’t have too much compression at the hip and the elbow. And you can see this is a little bad for me, but again, I want to look at the top of the screen, so I’ll sacrifice that a little bit. Use this Exercise to Open Up Your Shoulders While you’re sitting there, you can move too. So in this posture, everything rounds, so I can open up my shoulder girdle with what’s called a five-part shoulder. It’s a movement to generally open up the whole shoulder girdle. You start by sitting forward in your chair, getting as tall as possible, reach your arms out to the side and try and push your arms away and try and touch either wall. Staying tall as you push your arms away from your body, you lift up to the ceiling and trying touch the ceiling. You push your arms forward in front of you allowing your shoulders to come down with you, and once they’re parallel, you do a row. You keep your upper arms by your side and you stay tall, you open the doors and close the doors, and you do one arm at a time, try to point towards your opposite shoulder blade, and then you go back out to the other side. So, here’s how it looks all together. Push lift, forward, down, row, open close, one arm at a time, reach and repeat. Do it you know five to ten times provide periodically throughout the day, and you’ll notice, there are certain parts that are difficult, so opening up or bring your arm behind you, that says to you that you have specific areas you need to stretch. So the best thing I know is myofascial stretching ELDOA to open up different chains of muscles at different joints in your spine, so you sit with a little bit more with better posture. So try that five-part shoulder and good luck to you. Find out more @ Facebook Google Plus Twitter Pinterest Instagram Youtube

Personal Training Success Story Santa Fe

Personal Training Success Story Santa Fe – Brian

Yipe! That is the sound Brian makes at the end of a class right before the wall stretch happens (L5/S1 ELDOA). This epitomizes what Brian is about. He is the ultimate dichotomy, a structured gypsy. He embraces both his mountaineering free spirit and team athlete mentality of making sure he puts in the work.

Brian graced Santa Fe with his presence about 4 years ago after growing up in Colorado, being a mountaineer for 20 some years, and working as contractor in Seattle. He has already lived a full life and wants to continue to do so, so when his back pain started up he started looking for answers.

You see after years of climbing up mountains and working with his hands Brian developed a lot of back pain to the point where he was in a lot of pain.  You wouldn’t know it from his super positive, engaging, and happy demeanor but there were times when he would be down for the count for 4-6 weeks with back pain.

He fortuitously came to us when we needed some men for an ELDOA class that we were doing a photo shoot for. He was friends with the photographer and heard it was a class for back pain and was down to try anything that would fix it.

During that first class he was in shock (like everybody) about how challenging these simple looking postures were. But after the class he (like everybody) felt fantastic. He felt that he had finally found what he had been looking for and joined our class.

It has been over two years that Brian has been with us and his results have been remarkable. I’ll let him tell you in his own words, but because of that free spirit, joy and the hard work he puts in, Brian is our January Member of the Month.

1) What made you decide you wanted/needed to start a program?

My back pain was so bad that I was being knocked out of my life for 4-6 week blocks. I couldn’t do anything. This started infrequently, but was getting more frequent.

2) What did you do before?

Well, at the start I just pushed through it because it wasn’t that bad, but as time went on, it was becoming unbearable. I tried everything. I went to Yoga classes, worked out, and did those 10-pack Rolfing sessions they recommend.

3) What results have you achieved since starting your program that you are proud of? My back pain is pretty much nonexistent.  I feel so much more aware in my body and I feel much stronger.

4) Do you have a favorite exercise? Least? What do you like or don’t like about them? The Frogs are really challenging, but I know that they are good for me. The wall stretch is great. I feel really good right after I do it.

5) What are some challenges or goals you are currently working on?

I would like to continue to get stronger and have more freedom in my body.

6) What do you like best about our program/ having a trainer? I love the personal attention and the fact that this program really works!

7) What advice would you give to the other SolCore Fitness members?

Just keep coming and do what you can each day.

8) What would you say to someone on the fence about joining our program?

If you put in the work this program works.

 

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A Holistic And Scientifically Based Cure For Back Pain In Santa Fe ELDOA

ELDOA, Along With A Holistic Personal Training Program Will Eliminate Back Pain.

Being in the health and fitness field and helping people get rid of back, neck and hip pain, I get a lot of articles sent my way for examination. And I love it! So keep them coming. I love reading about what is going on in all corners on the health and fitness field(s). I really appreciate that people are trying to learn more and are looking for solutions outside of surgery and consistent pain medications. This article is influenced by an article published in the Wall Street Journal about back pain. You can see the WSJ article here: (  http://www.wsj.com/articles/new-help-for-back-pain-1448311243  ).

A little Backgound On When I Had Back Pain

SolCore Fitness Personal Training Santa Fe was birthed out of the necessity. I had back pain from a pinched L4-L5 vertebrae and intermittent Sciatic pain. I tried medications (knowing full well it wouldn’t cure me), chiropractic (helped for a week or so), yoga (didn’t work and made it worse) and some physical therapy exercises that also didn’t work and made it worse. And even though I had all these failures I knew that there had to be some way to “put myself back together.”

Enter ELDOA.

Because of the belief that I could put myself together, I found a program called Soma Training/Therapy, which contains ELDOA. This program completely blew what I knew out of the water and got rid of my back pain. Prior to finding this system, I did what most people did and used general formulaic answers to problems that arose for myself and my clients. But after getting hurt and seeing that this formulaic way of thinking wasn’t working, I was forced to find what would work consistently. Which brings me to the article. The first thing that caught my eye was the fact that people are realizing consistent surgery and medications are not the way. It has been said that only 1% of the people who go in for back surgery even need it. This article ( http://www.nbcnews.com/id/39658423/ns/health-pain_center/t/back-surgery-may-backfire-patients-pain/#.Vxu1iZMrLeQ  ) talks about how surgery is being used as a cure-all and as a bi-product for pain medication (particularly opioids). But it’s not working. And as the article just prior states, it is really hard to see the cause of back pain from an MRI. Further, if you are looking at  a person 30 years old or older, you are going to see some sort of damage to the spine. The problem is that the observed damage is generally asymptomatic and/or is not the root cause of the pathology. The idea should be to look at the body holistically, to see how multiple different factors are playing into the issue. Once you do this, you can start to think about using specific stretches and exercises to normalize (correct) the different areas that are causing the imbalanced body. And when you talk of specifics you must take into the consideration the biomechanics of the body. The initial WSJ article that was sent to me, lists four exercises that should help your back pain. However, as I stated before there could be numerous reasons that you have back pain. The exercise recommendations used in the article seem to assume that the issue is coming only from the spine. In an effort to analyze the exercises and for ease, let’s just go ahead and assume that indeed the problem is originating in the spine. Now let’s examine the exercises.
  • The first, is an exercise that you execute while seated and you roll yourself over between your legs. This exercise is working with the idea that leaning forward will open the back part of your spine, which it will. But it is not very specific as to the level of the spine and as to where the disk bulge/herniation is happening. When you subject a force on the discs, you are going to be working under Pascals Law. This law states that the pressure is distributed evenly on a spherical surface (like the nucleus) and it will go to the weakest point. Meaning that in this exercise you may be trying to open the back of the spine by flexing forward and closing the front. However if your issue originates in the front that creates a problem because the pressure will go to the weakest point.
  • The second exercise is performed lying on your back knees flexed to approximately 90 degrees with your feet on the floor. In this position you rock your legs back and forth. I am not a fan of this exercise… AT ALL! Here’s a little spinal biomechanics. Any time the spine is subjected to a rotational force it gets compressed. If you have some sort of pinch or bulge, a compression will make it worse. Now add the fact that your lower back is the fulcrum of the movement and you have the weight of the legs as you move into this rotational motion. Adding that force (your legs – weight and length) to the movement and you get MORE  force compressing the pinch or bulge.
  • The third one is called the Mckenzie press-up or, in yoga, the cobra. The idea here is similar to the first exercises in that the move opens the front part of the spine by closing the back part, “pushing” the disc back in. Since most pathologies are posterior lateral (back and to the side) it makes sense that you would want to migrate it forward. The first problem with this is, again, Pascals Law. Laws are funny like that. The second issue is whether the spine is in a good enough place and whether it has enough space to move properly to allow it to go forward. Considering most people don’t because of our modern lifestyles, it would not be a good idea. This is one of the main movements that caused me to get worse. I tried it first in PT exercises and then in a yoga class that I was told would be good for my back. Woops.
  • The fourth is a standing side bend with your hand on the wall for a fixed point. A little more spinal biomechanics. When you side bend you will also get some rotation. And remember rotation causes compression which will more than likely cause the issue to get worse.
If you want to mobilize and give your spine some space, then the best things to do are to be able to translate it side to side and to do ELDOA’s. You can see an info video here and a montage of ELDOA’s and Myofascial stretching…. HERE. (This video is for example purposes only and was not designed to be followed). Again your back pain could come from a lot of different sources and needs to be addressed as such. Don’t settle for a formulaic system to solve it. If you are truly looking for a cure to back pain, find a practitioner near you who is educated in Soma training/therapy and knows ELDOA. I have been back pain free for 8 years and I’m not held back in the least. ELDOA along with a complete health and fitness program has also helped hundreds of our members get rid of pain and achieve a level of fitness greater than they ever thought. If you are in Santa Fe and would like to attend a free ELDOA class this Saturday April 30th at 11 am please register HERE. Get more information @  Facebook Google Plus Twitter Pinterest Instagram Youtube    

Personal Training Success Story

Personal Training Success Story – Denise Johnson

Denise Johnson is one of those people who just intrinsically know how to work hard. She was an emergency room nurse while living in Colorado and used to workout by riding 250 miles a week and competing in races. She and her husband Bill have both worked hard to have a good life and make a difference in this world. They have three great, intelligent kids and a therapy practice that helps kids from troubled homes. So it was a little frustrating for Denise when she started having back pain and “just” working hard didn’t help. She decided to reach out to us because of a recommendation from her good friend Amy Weyrauch. After she was explained on why this system would help her back pain she was hopeful, but she knew that it was going to be challenging. Now when you are used to riding 250 miles a week and then find yourself doing, what you perceive, as “just” a stretch, it can be a little frustrating. But what you do after feeling the frustration (as we ALL who have done this have experienced) is where you either succeed or fail. You can make up a bunch of excuses and quit and say, “It’s not for me. “ Or you can trust the process and yourself and know that it is going to take a little work to reap the new life it will give you. Obviously since she is the March member of the month and a personal training success story, Denise chose the latter. 1) What made you decide you wanted/needed to start a program? My back was in constant pain from Spinal Stenosis. I always had pain and it was frustrating. I also wanted to reconnect to my health and fitness. I had developed apathy about it, and knew it needed to change. “If you don’t have your health and fitness you don’t have anything. You wont be able to enjoy the life that you have created because you will not feel like yourself, be in pain and not have vitality.” 2) What did you do before? I used to be a spin instructor and used to lift weights. Back when I lived in Denver, CO I used to compete in bike road races and train by ridding 250 miles per week. I used to run, but had to stop because it hurt my back WAY too much. I walk a lot even though I know that that will also hurt my back. I had also gone to every different kind of modality and it hadn’t really done anything. I was lukewarm on the idea of trying any of them again. 3) What results have you achieved since starting your program that you are proud of?  My back feels fantastic! The whole program has really helped, but the myofascial stretching and the ELDOA’s really helped. I now know how to move properly. Being educated on how to address my body and how to perform the exercises correctly has really helped me. I am now more connected to my health and fitness and what it means for me to be fit. 4) Do you have a favorite exercise? Least? What do you like or don’t like about them? I love all the exercises that involve lifting weights. It feels really good to move like that. I dread the ELDOA’s and Myofascial stretching, even thought I know that they are what I need the most. I still do them, but they are really difficult. 5) What are some challenges or goals you are currently working on? Myself!!! 6) What do you like best about our program/ having a trainer? The education. I love learning how to move properly. You could study it, but that would take forever and even then I might not get it right. So this was invaluable to teach me how and why. The fact that I have been able to correct and alleviate the pain is very exciting to me. 7) What advice would you give to the other SolCore Fitness members? Stick with it. It is a difficult mental adjustment, as you get older. Having support along the way is necessary. 8) What would you say to someone on the fence about joining our program? If you can’t make a commitment to yourself you wont be able to fully commit to anything. If you are in pain this is the program that is for you. Get more information @  Facebook Google Plus Twitter Pinterest Instagram Youtube      

See how she found the time for herself…

Personal Training Success Story: Liz Cale

I have known Liz since Fall of 2013. She is the President and COO of Santa Fe Properties and she was referred to my first ever structured group class “Posture Perfect” by her friend and coworker, Georgette.  When we first sat down to do her consult,  I instantly liked her. She is just one of those people that feels good to be around. I was really surprised to  learn how many physical issues she had and the pain that she felt on a daily basis, and the fact that she was such a happy person was even more incredible! At the time she was working with another personal trainer, seeing a Chiropractor once a week and was thinking that she was going to have to get neck surgery to alleviate her pain. When she first started the class, I was actually a little worried. It was very difficult for her to get in and out of the stretches. All I could think was “I hope she doesn’t quit.” Now that I know Liz, I know that this was NEVER a possibility. I have seen Liz get consistently better over the years and she has over come some immense challenges. Liz’s intelligence, positive attitude, friendly demeanor, willingness to learn and change, and dedication makes Liz our March member of the Month and I am privileged to share her Personal Training Success story: What made you decide you wanted/needed to start a fitness program? I had a lot of pain in my neck, Thoracic (trunk). It got to the point where I use a standing desk at my office because sitting was too painful. What exercises or fitness programs had you tried before?  I had a membership at Santa Fe Sport and  Medicine and was working with a trainer. I was also seeing a chiropractor once a week to keep out of pain. But the workouts that I was doing were not what I needed. In fact they were down right dangerous for where I was and when I started the classes, I stopped with that so that I could focus on the classes and getting better. What results have you achieved since starting your program and are proud of? I was able to not have another surgery and stopped having to see the chiropractor. And even though this was not my main goal, I lost inches and really toned my body. In fact, I was out one night and was with a group of people and one of them was a past client who I had worked with for a long time. And when we were going around and introducing ourselves to each other and it got to us being introduced and he heard that it was me, he he just stopped and said “No way!” It felt pretty good. Do you have a favorite exercise? Least? What do you like or don’t like about them? The wall (L5-S1) is by far my favorite stretch, because it feels so good. The Frogs (series of inner thigh abductor myofascial stretches) are the most challenging of the myofascial stretches. It’s not that I don’t like them, it is that they are really challenging to me. What are some challenges or goals you are currently working on? Creating more space in my Thoracic is a big, and it is difficult because my job is counterproductive to that. Eating regular meals has also been a challenge, and I need to make it a priority. What advice would you give to the other SolCore Fitness members? Have a good mindset. You can’t accomplish any goal without a good mindset. If you have a good mindset, it gets you through the hard times. What would you say to someone on the fence about joining our program? Try it! But if you do, have a good mindset and be open about it. Get more information @  Facebook Google Plus Twitter Pinterest Instagram Youtube