Tribe todays blog is giving away some of my magic, so please read this blog carefully and practice these amazing techniques. I love blowing clients away with hacks, tricks and methods of increasing function, removing pain, increasing power and flexibility within 5 minutes.
“Other exercise professionals - feel free to borrow these tricks”
You see i have undertaken a number of very clever courses all of which prove that the mind/nervous system is running the body and can give and take away all of your function. If your balance (vestibular system) eyes, proprioception and breathing aren’t 100% your body wont be either.
Pain and function (TIP NUMBER 1)
Your breathing is the most important thing going on in relation to your nervous system, and functions. We mostly breath through our chest (maybe it’s vanity by holding our bellies in) but by doing this your brain feels a little threatened (NOT SAFE) as you are just using part of your lungs. If you are experiencing pain and it’s not from a trauma or you cant explain it, if you are stressed or cant sleep or if your blood pressure is high and you would like to reduce it try this drill:
- Belly or diaphragmatic breathing: because you will be using parts of your lungs you may not have used in years you may feel a bit dizzy afterward for a few seconds.
- You could test your pain level or flexibility (toe touch) before and after this exercise:
- Simply put your hand on your belly and push it out once or twice to experience having a fatter belly.
- Now take a big deep breath in from the mouth at the same time as pushing your belly out and do this a number of times until it becomes natural. Keeping your hand on your belly help the breathing along by pushing your belly back in when your breath out.
- Now after every breath move your hand lower until your hand is right at the bottom of your tummy(try and feel for the air touching your hand as it moves lower and lower).
- Finally try and count four seconds as you breath in, hold for 4 seconds, four seconds on the exhale and four seconds holding.
Power and flexibility
There is loads going on with your body and brain at anyone time and this could explain how on some days you are weak as a kitten and somedays as strong as bull. We forget through lack of use how our body moves, where our body is and because of this our body doesnt feel SAFE and takes back power and function. Also the balance relationship from eyes, ears and body becomes less effective and removes function too.
Please try both of these super simple methods below to improve your flexibility/function and power they really work. firstly test something like a flexibility test sitting trying to touch your toes or standing hands together seeing how far you can twist around (demo in video).
Saccade Stack (TIP NO 2): medically used for testing function of the vestibular (balance) system but can be used excellently for correcting the system too which in turn will improve flexibility, power and function.
- Put your fingers up in front of your face about 10-12 inches apart.
- Focuss on each finger as fast as you can whilst keeping your head stable.
- Focuss on each finger about 10-15 times and then retest your flexibility or function.
- Now try the vertical saccade stack, its the same drill only the fingers are above and below your eyeline at a 12in distance.
- Retest all of your flexibility and function......improved????
- Dont forget to test something, function flexibility or even power. Spinal flexibility works really well.
- Rub your hands very vigorously over every joint and muscle as if you where very very itchy not forgetting the lower back.
- Retest your function. (to improve the results get a friend to rub and gently thump all along your spine)
Most of you should have had results:
Please let me know your stories or how you have got on with these drills, I use them daily and see huge improvements on a daily basis with clients young and old.
I have loads more of these hacks and tricks, if you would like to know more please get in touch..
Regards
Glenn Hill
07983570574