15FEB: stability work

What I mean by stability is correctness of posture (specific to position, not just standing), and the ability to maintain that posture while under a load. Absence of this quality is what leads to injuries, my injury included. The way I train this quality is through static and slow tempo movements designed to tax my core, as well as supporting muscles around my shoulder joints, etc.

  1. Dynamic warm-up:
    Lots of movements I picked up from martial arts which raise your temp and loosen you hams, groin , shoulders, neck, etc. Anything works, really.

  2. Windshield wipers: 2 x 10
    A great way to loosen the spine and increase range of motion. Marginally works the obliques.

  3. Windmills: 10 each direction
    Another good way to work the rotational capability of your spine, but with more torso & upper spine focus than windshield wipers.

  4. Down dog / Cobra / Forward fold transitions: 3 x 30sec each
    The is great at stretching your entire body, and creating a natural posture, free of kyphosis or lordosis.

  5. Plank from elbows: (I did 90 seconds)
    This is a great way to work your transverse abdominus. Make sure you draw your navel up toward you spine.

  6. Back bridge: 3 x 20 sec
    20 seconds was plenty hard for me, so I'll have to keep doing these for a while.

  7. Scapular retractions: 2 x 5 (5sec isometric contraction on each)
    Start with your arms at your side and elbows bend 90 degrees. Rotate you palms up, and slowly draw you hands backward, as if your thumbs would touch behind your back. As you do this, squeeze your shoulder blades together as hard as you can. Make sure they don't shrug upward. Squeeze them back and down. When you are as far as you can go, hold the isometric contraction for 5 seconds, squeezing as hard as possible. The counters the slumped shoulders we get from desk jobs, and opens up the AC joint, so you are less likely to get shoulder impingements.

That's all. Not a fat-burning or muscle-building workout, but it is what I need right now.

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