December blog 2018. We are designed to extend!

As part of our human evolutionary history, our bodies needed to extended and lengthen. This enabled us to reach for things that would otherwise be out of reach and to propel spears and weapons for us to survive and to climb up, along and over obstacles in search of food and materials.

Without this remarkable and extraordinary dimension to our movement repertoire (and if you think I am exaggerating, try dressing, washing, reaching high shelves, exercising, living without reaching your arms up or behind you…) life would have been very tough and no doubt for shortened.

The lives of modern-day man and woman, with their sustained chair pose and repeated arms-by-sides-two-dimensional-movements, are more akin to human mutation than advancement. If you are defensively puffing at this point with protestations that you don’t sit very much, just take a moment and write down exactly what position your body is in each day of your week, from the moment you get up to when you go to bed.

Include:

• eating, socialising and entertainment,
• time on the train or bus or car, reading, computer or iPad or phone,
• watching the goggle box
• hobbies, craft, games

I defy ANYONE to tell me, once they have worked it out, that they do in fact sit far more than they realised each week. That is because our whole western culture revolves around “THE CHAIR”.

My time this month, as with so many of you, is tighter than ever. As I hurry through my ‘To Do’ lists, even though I am on my feet, I find myself bent forwards more, leading with my head more, shoulders rounded morphing more and more into a Neanderthal.

The effect of sitting or slouching when you stand or walk, rarely reaching up with either your spine or arms is not a good one.

The results are:

• stiff joints in your shoulders neck and back
• tight muscles in your shoulders neck and back
• weak muscles in your shoulders neck and back

You get the idea. So when you really need flexibility, strength and mobility in your shoulders neck and back, to reach up and stretch, you may well find your reserves are depleted. As a result you are far more likely to over strain your body because the stiffness tightness and weakness lurks unbeknownst to you. Until you discover it that is…

The very fact that you are reading this suggests you are aware that your health needs investing in and you want to know how.

So my message to you (and to myself) is this: EVOLVE! ADVANCE!

Extend your spine.

Reach up your arms and stretch out wide and be the dynamic three dimensional biomechanical phenomenon you are designed to be.

I am setting out to plan AT LEAST 5 moments through my day when I will do just that.

What steps will you take today to avoid further mutation?