Here we are in November in a year where time has often felt, somehow abstract and disjointed. For many, our time doesn’t feel so familiar. We have more time to do some regular things in our lives and yet less or no time or opportunity for others. It’s all disorientating and ever shifting. Getting our head around this can swing from days where we feel pretty together, to days where the sense of free fall into the abyss is a more accurate description.
Since the start of the pandemic, I have noticed a quiet but gradual decline in energy levels and general strength with the people I am working with. This is both in my Simply Move! and Simply Fit! classes as well as with the people I am treating one to one. Part of this is the mental fatigue of the constant despair and disbelief of what is going on around us. The other part is the change in our overall activity levels in our everydays. I know there are lots of people who are still moving their bodies with online classes and taking regular walks, runs and cycles which is a life line to sanity.
But that’s not what I’m talking about here. I’m talking about the life where once we REGULARLY walked to the bus stop, the coffee shops, the train station, the helping out of our friends, families and neighbours with any and all manner of physical tasks; the popping in to somewhere to collect something, the nipping here and there in and out of the car over and over and over again, day in and day out.
We may have once considered this use of time of ‘getting to places’, as wasted time. I too have had those thoughts. However, if you added together the accumulative amount of reaching bending twisting our bodies in-and-out-up-and-down into vehicles and buildings, it is a VAST amount of time.
For most people, despite the life affirming dedicated bursts of exercise performed in their day, this is a WEENY amount of time in comparison to the rest of the day which can be spent largely standing or sitting. Without the prompts to move so as to undertake a task, we are morphing into being only as fit as our lives permit. Which frankly, for many, is NOT VERY FIT.
In a nut shell, the bits of us that need the most attention right now are our buttocks, thighs and arms. Sitting on the former, more than we have ever done in the history of humanity is turning those vital and strong body-holding-together muscles, perilously close to hanging-by-a-thread muscles. You may not sense there is much change now, but the accumulative effect of moving less and less over time, leads to more and more weakness in your body which inevitably results in our bodies malfunctioning with us plagued with aches and pains.
So what’s to be done?
See below my friends for some buttock action, leg loving, arm revolutionising suggestions.
Don’t just do them once or twice a day. Do them throughout the day moving this way and that, to be the human-moving-being you were designed to be. Start with just a handful of repetitions, slowly and gently if you feel uncertain about these moves. Progress as you feel able to steadily increasing the pace and repetitions to feel your muscles working hard and your heart rate increasing.
Lean your body over onto one leg while raising the other leg up.
Lengthen your spine, drop your shoulders, breathe and squeeze your pelvic floor!
Adjust your position until you feel the work in your buttocks thighs and lower tum.
On hands and knees, thread one arm through the gap between opposite arm and leg
Lengthen your spine, drop your shoulders, breathe and squeeze your pelvic floor
Keep hips over knees and shoulders over hands. Adjust position until you feel your buttocks thighs and lower tum work.
Feet apart as wide as possible and turned outwards.
Lean one arm over one leg and stretch arm and sides.
Lengthen your spine, drop your shoulders, breathe and squeeze your pelvic floor!
Adjust your position until you feel the work in your buttocks thighs and lower tum.
In addition throw in some squats and buttock clenches and press ups on the wall, while you sit or wait for the kettle or listen to an audio book or podcast. Mix it up, turn up the groovy music, throw your arms in the air and
MOVE . YOUR . BODY . MORE . MORE . MORE .
tim main 20th November 2020 at 8:47 am
Great stuff Rachel.
Rachel Kili 20th November 2020 at 11:30 am
Dear Tim
Thank you! I really appreciate you taking the time to let me know what you thought.
Delighted to hear this month’s blog was useful.
Best wishes
Rachel
Jill Ashurst 20th November 2020 at 8:55 am
All looking good Rachel.
Is that the ‘scared cat’ sneaking back in?
I can feel a few more demos in the local Garden Centre making an appearance and buttock clenches at the Sainsburys check out.
Thanks
Rachel Kili 20th November 2020 at 11:28 am
Dear Jill
Ha!Ha! Yes the scared cat has been re-released! About time I thought.
Please let me know what your fellow garden lovers and grocery shoppers make of your demonstrations…
They are in for a treat!
Best wishes
Rachel
Bev Walker 20th November 2020 at 9:22 am
I love it…your stick folk are riddled with fun while demonstrating serious stuff!
Rachel Kili 20th November 2020 at 11:25 am
Hello Beverley
What lovely feedback! Thank you. I have such fun thinking of ways the stick folk can demonstrate what’s in my head! I’m glad they are speaking clearly to you!
Best wishes
Rachel
Helen R Morrison 20th November 2020 at 9:33 am
Thank you. Another blog where you have hit my particular nail on the head.
I am getting constant buttock and hip pain, so will be having a go right now at the exercises.
Hope your own injuries are recovered now.
Take care.
Helen
Rachel Kili 20th November 2020 at 11:14 am
Dear Helen, I’m sorry to hear about your hip and buttock pain. Hopefully these exercises will get on top of the problem. Do let me know if not.
I’m much improved thank you but continue as ever, the life long investment in my health!
Best wishes
Rachel
Helen R Morrison 20th November 2020 at 2:35 pm
Hi,Rachel. I got a good bit of relief this morning from doing the exercises and will persist. I will get in touch soon if they don’t work.
I’m glad that you are recovering. You are a great advert for your own therapy as well as being a great inspiration to the rest of us.
Thank you again,
Helen
Rachel Kili 23rd November 2020 at 10:59 am
Hello Helen
I’m pleased to hear the exercises eased your symptoms, let’s hope that continues. If not I would be happy to help if needs be.
Best wishes
Rachel
Helen R Morrison 24th November 2020 at 1:57 pm
Thank you, Rachel.
I have a plan which I will follow through if you think it’s a good one.
Quick background is that about 10 weeks ago a perfect storm of agonising pain began. Old ankle pain kicked in at same time as really, really bad wrist pain from overworking it for many years and then my old sciatica decided to have a go as well. The combination was dreadful day and night. About three weeks ago I gave in and contacted the doctor ( had done exercise/resting/hot things on sore bits/cold things on sore bits/paracetamol/alcohol and quite a lot of bad language). I have gone through two calls with nurse, appointment with nurse,bood tests, phone call with doctor and finally today a doctor saw me!!! He is pleased with my determination to follow your exercises and to generally keep active but is sending me for an x-ray. At the moment it is only the hip that is causing me an issue and I thought after the x-ray I would get in touch with you for a proper consultation in whatever form that takes.
Does that sound a sensible plan to you? I just thought x-ray result might help to inform your recommendations.
Take care,
Helen