General Fitness

Guilt Free Spring Quiche

May 6, 2013 By Jacqueline Garay Leave a Comment

It’s been a while since I posted a great, carb-free, breakfast (or lunch and dinner) meal. So, how about a delectable, crust-less, vegetable, quiche for a delicious guilt-free meal? This quiche is vegetarian but still protein packed and you cannot go wrong with this easy recipe. Quiche is so great during the spring for a light, warm, breakfast in the still chilly morning hours. It is also paleo inspired and filled with nutrients to fuel your body for the long day ahead!

Ingredients
10oz broccoli florets (about 2 cups)
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped spring onions
1 cup spinach
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 cup 0% M.F Greek Yogurt
4 egg whites (carton -3/4 cup)
2 whole eggs
1/2 cup + 2 tbs shredded feta, cheddar, or goat cheese
salt and pepper to taste
1/8 tsp nutmeg

Directions
Preheat your oven to 400F. Meanwhile, over medium heat, cook the onions, mushrooms, garlic, and spinach for a few minutes until the spinach is wilted. For this you can use 1/4 tsp of coconut oil as needed or some healthy cooking spray. Then, whisk together the eggs, egg whites, Greek yogurt, nutmeg, 2 cups of cheese, and the salt and pepper. Stir in the cooked vegetables and broccoli in to the egg mixture. Next, pour the mixture in to a 9 inch pie pan, wiped with minimal coconut oil (1/8 tsp melted), then top with the remaining cheese. Cook for 30-35 minutes until lightly browned and enjoy! I like to devour this quiche with a cup of Sencha green tea or organic french press coffee in the morning.

Nutrition per serving (yields 6)
106.8 calories, 5.3g carbs, 4g fat, 12g protein

For more recipes, diet advice, or information on nutrition please visit my Contact page.

Filed Under: Detox, Diets, Fat loss, General Fitness, Gluten Free, Motivation, Nutrition, Paleo, Recipes, Spring, Sugar Free, Weight Loss

Simple Pilates Moves for Golfers

April 1, 2013 By Jacqueline Garay Leave a Comment

As golf season approaches, I have more than a few clients who are scrambling to get the last leg of golf specific training in before they hit the links. For these athletes, I like to mainly focus on rotation, balance and stability. These three things are obviously important to any golfer. There are also a handful of exercises that benefit the golfer that might not be so obvious. Of course, we know each golfer has individual needs, as with all athletes, but these three simple Pilates exercises should be a part of every golfer’s routine.

Pelvic Tilt

This is usually used as a warm-up exercise, but great to help create more mobility and coordination in the pelvis, hips and lumbar spine; all of which are important during the golf swing as power is transferred from lower body to upper body.

Start by laying on your back with your knees bent and feet hip-distance apart. Keep your arms by your side as you inhale to prepare. As you exhale, begin to tilt your pelvis back and you will feel your lower back touch the floor.

Inhale as you tilt your pelvis in the opposite direction, away from your rib cage, feeling a slight arch in your lower back. Repeat the exercise for 10-20 repetitions. Be sure to feel your transverse abdominals stay engaged throughout the entire exercise while keeping the rest of your upper body still.

Check out this video.

Bridge

This exercise challenges the stability of the pelvis, lower back and core while strengthening the gluteals, which are tremendously important for creating power and stability during the golf swing. There are several variations of this exercise. The basic Bridge starts lying on your back with your knees bent and feet hip-distance apart. You should focus on trying to recruit your gluteals throughout the exercise, not your hamstrings. This will take practice and concentration.

Inhale to prepare and exhale to lift your hips to a bridge position, from your shoulders to knees.
Inhale to stay in this position and exhale as you lift one foot slightly off the floor without shifting or dropping your hips.
Inhale to return the foot to the floor and exhale as you lift the other foot off.
Inhale as you lower the foot and exhale as you lower your hips back to the floor.

The leg lifting off the floor can gradually lift higher to make the exercise more challenging. Eventually the full Bridge takes the lifted leg into extension to the ceiling, then lowering the leg parallel to the supporting leg, lifting the leg back to the ceiling and then finally back to the floor. Start with the basic Bridge first, then progress as you get stronger in your gluteals.

Check out this video.

Side Lying Leg Circles

This exercise helps improve mobility of the hip joint, stability of the core while also challenging balance. Hip mobility, or internal and external rotation, will affect the back swing and downswing. First, during the back swing, the golfer will load and coil into the hips. Then, on the downswing, he will post into and rotate around the hips. If hip mobility is limited, a golfer will have too much lateral motion during the golf swing.

This exercise starts side-lying, with the supporting arm extended over the head and the top arm touching the floor for stability. During the exercise, lift in your core and supporting side to avoid sinking into the floor.

Inhale as the top leg lifts away from the supporting leg, only as far as you can maintain pelvic stability.
Exhale as you begin to circle the top leg while the rest of the body remains as still as possible.
Inhale to finish the circle. Repeat the circle 8-10 times and then reverse the circle.
Repeat to the other side.

Keep the abdominals engaged throughout the exercise and keep tension out of the shoulders.

Check out this video.

Of course, there is so much more to a golf fitness program, but these three simple Pilates exercises can be done anywhere, in very little time and give amazing results.

If you have any questions or want help with your own golf game, please visit my Contact page.

Filed Under: Athletes, Exercises, Flexibility, General Fitness, Golf, Mobility, Motivation, Physio, Pilates, Poses, Posture, Sports, Workouts

Yoga or Pilates? How To Choose

March 26, 2013 By Jacqueline Garay Leave a Comment

When people discuss the physical benefits of exercise, they tend to focus on the three S’s: Strength, Stamina and |Slimming. With this in mind, their training program usually consists of weight-lifting to build muscle with some form of aerobic activity to build cardiovascular endurance and burn calories. However, lately there is a second tier of benefits we’re beginning to value. These benefits include flexibility, coordination, balance, posture, and stress relief.

It is not that these secondary benefits weren’t always important it’s just that they’re more in the forefront these days due to the growing popularity of so-called “softer” training modalities. Two of the most popular of these types of exercise are Yoga and Pilates.

What’s the difference?
Yoga, of course, has been popular in North America for many decades. Pilates, however, is a newer trend whose benefits are expressed by many celebrities. Many people would like to try one of these gentler forms of exercise but are confused as to which would better meet their needs. The correct choice for you depends on your goals. Simply put, the difference between Yoga and Pilates reflects the difference between Eastern and Western cultures. Both systems build strength and flexibility; the difference between them is not only physical, but also philosophical.

Yoga basics
Let’s talk Yoga first. Yoga is based on the Eastern idea of moving energy through your body. The more freely the energy flows, the more energetic and centered you feel. Physical tension hinders this flow and may result in areas becoming tight, more rigid, and even painful. The physical goal of Yoga is to keep the body supple and strong through controlled strengthening and stretching. In addition, there is also a far more powerful dimension to Yoga that is often overlooked. Yoga began as a spiritual discipline with its roots in Eastern forms of meditation. The physical postures condition the body however, combined with proper breathing, are aimed at calming the mind. Yoga participants learn to stay calm and control their breathing while holding challenging physical postures. When these principles of Yoga are incorporated into your lifestyle, they lead to an overall awareness of your body and a tool to achieve inner and outer balance and peace of mind.

Pilates basics
Pilates, on the other hand, is physical conditioning first and foremost — and there’s nothing quite like it. Its creator, Joseph Pilates, created this type of exercise as a way to rehabilitate injured soldiers after World War I. Pilates can be done on specific Pilates exercise equipment or as a series of mat exercises.

Pilates’ uniqueness lies in the fact that all movements originate from the commonly overlooked core muscles that lie deep in the abdomen and surround the spine. A beginner Pilates class often focuses on isolating these muscles in order to engage them effectively.

Pilates is a highly effective way to improve body awareness and posture and promote graceful, fluid motion. Machine-based Pilates actually has more in common with weight training than with Yoga as it involves moving against resistance, provided by springs. However, Pilates focuses on strengthening without the constant shortening of muscles that occurs with most weight-lifting sessions. This results in the development of long, lean muscles without added bulk.

Make the right choice for you
Generally speaking, although both Yoga and Pilates provides many benefits, Yoga’s focus is about how it makes you feel, with the added benefit of stretching and strengthening muscles. Pilates’ main goal is to tone muscles effectively, affecting the way you look, carry yourself, your posture, and how you move. If you are looking for a limbering, rejuvenating, workout that will provide as much of a lift for your brain as your body, I’d recommend Yoga. If you’re interested in a more dynamic system of muscle conditioning, and want to improve your core strength, Pilates may be the answer.

In fact, it doesn’t have to be an either/or choice. After all, no single training system can give your body all the types of conditioning it requires. That is why experts suggest a variety of activities, from Pilates to running, biking, Yoga and more. My best recommendation is to try everything. Experience it all — and see what works best for you. Personally, I prefer a mixture of both Yoga and Pilates for my clients. East or West, the important thing is to explore and try out new things!

If you would like more information on Yoga or Pilates or just general fitness, please visit my Contact page.

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Filed Under: Exercises, Fat loss, Flexibility, General Fitness, Mobility, Motivation, Pilates, Poses, Stretching, Workouts, Yoga

Paleo Clean Eating Spring Challenge!

March 25, 2013 By Jacqueline Garay Leave a Comment

I notice that lately alot of my friends, family, clients, and random people I hear in coffee shops and yoga classes are all doing their own version of Spring cleanses. This goes anywhere from the Dr. Oz three day shake cleanse to juice fasts to “I am not eating anything until I faint”. Since some of these “cleanses” are not exactly healthy or sustainable I thought I’d introduce something that is not only super healthy but also incredibly sustainable. Say hello to Paleo. But first of all..what the heck is Paleo?

The above image will give you a sort of an idea of what Paleo really is. Its not Atkins or South beach, instead its incredibly healthy, it will boost your immune system, give you tons of energy, and great skin! Need some more clarification? The chart below will help with that….

Now, on to the challenge! This challenge is in leiu of all these crazy and slightly extreme spring “cleanses” I have been hearing about so much lately. On top of that, its fun! And maybe you can win something. For this clean eating/living “Paleo” challenge I would like you, yes YOU, to vow for 30 days to eat a clean diet based on vegetables, fruit, healthy fats, lean meat, and NO grains, dairy, added sugars, or artificial/processed foods. I will be extending this challenge to my friends, family, clients, and any one else who I hear talking about a random spring cleanse at the grocery store.

For any of you out there would like to participate in the challenge this is how it goes.

How the Challenge Works

You can gain a total of 10 points per day and lose an unlimited number of points. The person with the most points at the end of the challenge wins. You can do this with your family, friends, co-workers, the list goes on. Invite everyone to do the challenge with you!

Food

You Gain: +1 point per “Clean/Paleo” meal or snack (with a max of 5 points per day). If every meal/snack you have is a “Clean Paleo” option you gain an extra bonus point of +1.

You Lose: -1 point every time you have a serving of a “Non-Clean/Paleo” meal/drink/snack. Or you consume red meat more than once per week (this is my little addition we are doing at home). You can receive an unlimited amount of negative points in a day. (Example: Eating a turkey sandwich is -1 point, having 4 beers is -4 points)

Sweat

You Gain: +1 point for 20 minutes of stretching or yoga, +1 point for doing 30 minutes of cardio, and +2 points if you do a total of 60 minutes of exercise throughout the day (ex: 20 min stretch, 30 minute cardio, and 15 minutes of strength training would get you 4 points. Running or playing a sport for 60 minutes would get you +2 points)

What you have to do

Eat Clean, Workout, Limit Red Meat to Once a Week, and Set a Personal Goal: One or two that you think are challenging but also realistic to complete in a 30 day time frame.

What to Eat and NOT to Eat

Do Eat: Fruit, Vegetables, Lean Meat and Eggs, Nuts, Seeds, Olive Oil, Tea, Dark Chocolate (No added sugar), Red Wine, Potato Vodka, Tequila (can all be consumed in moderation).

Do Not Eat: Grains (corn, oats, rice, wheat), Dairy (cheese, milk), Legumes (beans, soy, peanuts),Added Sugar (fructose, dextrose, table sugar, high fructose corn syrup, etc), Anything Processed (if you cant understand the label don’t eat it), Alcohol (that is not Red Wine, Potato Vodka, or Tequila).

For shopping lists that will help make deciding what is okay and not okay to eat check out either of these shopping lists below. The Vegetarian Shopping List is a great option for those individuals out there who are primarily vegetarians but would like to try a challenge such as this.

Paleo Vegetarian Shopping-List

Practical Paleo Guide to Paleo Foods

For more information about healthy eating, the Paleo diet, Nutrition, or Fitness please visit my Contact page.

Filed Under: Cellulite, Cures, Detox, Diets, Fat loss, General Fitness, Gluten Free, Holistic Medicine, Motivation, Nutrition, Paleo, Recipes, Spring, Sugar Free, Weight Loss

Paleo Banana Chocolate Mug Cake

March 23, 2013 By Jacqueline Garay Leave a Comment

Mug cake seems to be a huge trend lately, especially among fitness professionals who like to get a good serving of protein in any way they can that isn’t in the form of boiled chicken.

I decided to try to create a super quick, super easy, delicious, mug cake for you just in time for Easter. Forget about those calorie laden, sugar filled Cadbury Cream eggs and try out this delicious Paleo inspired, gluten free, wheat free mug cake! This version doesn’t have protein powder, however, you can add a half a scoop of protein to this recipe if you also had 1 tbsp of Greek Yogurt.

Paleo Banana Chocolate Almond Butter Mug Cake

1/2 banana, mashed up
1 1/2 tbsp coconut oil
1 egg (can take out the yolk for diet purposes)
1 tbsp maple syrup and/or honey
1 tsp coconut flour, sifted
Splash of organic vanilla extract
1 tbsp chocolate chips
1 tbsp almond butter

In large mug mash up banana. Add in almond butter, oil, and the egg and mix well. Next, add maple syrup, coconut flour, and vanilla and mix until well combined. Fold in chocolate chips. Microwave on high for 1 min 30 seconds to 2 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

For more information about healthy recipes or if you have any nutrition questions or comments of your own please visit my Contact page.

Filed Under: Diets, Fat loss, General Fitness, Nutrition, Paleo, Recipes, Sugar Free, Weight Loss

Yoga Pose Challenge: Fallen Angel

March 14, 2013 By Jacqueline Garay Leave a Comment

Fallen Angel is one of my favorite Yoga poses and it is perfect as we head in to the Spring. Aside from the aesthetic beauty of the pose, I love the story telling that dances around the posture. It embodies what it must be like to fall from grace, to hit the ground hard, but remember once you have hit rock bottom that there is no such thing as falling from grace because no one can ever take it away from you. It is our birthright and our duty to maintain it and keep our inner grace shining. This posture presents a huge physical challenge as well as emotional. Practice keeping your grace regardless of your circumstances, keeping yourself in a place of allowing, and remembering that the past is behind you and the present is full of opportunity. So enjoy the coming Spring, knowing that the lift and grace always come from within.

Fallen Angel

Begin in a squat. Balance on the balls of your feet, quads engaged, hands to your heart. Keep the spine long, crown of your head lengthening up towards the sky and shoulders down your back. Now, twist! Begin on the right side, left elbow to the outside edge of the right knee. Feel the twist happening from the center of your spine, your ribs, your core (no need to take it up the cervical spine), keep the neck long, shoulders relaxed and hips squared. A good trick here is to make sure your knees are in line with one another – if the left knee is poking out in front of the right it means your hips are uneven. Draw the crease if the left hip back, and both knees and hips will level out.

From here, gently place the palms of the hands down onto the floor, shoulder-width apart with your fingers spread wide (index pointing forward). Lift your hips up, placing the outer right thigh on top of the left upper arm/elbow. Keep the right elbow squeezing in – think chaturanga with the arms (alternatively place the outer right hip on top of the right elbow – this can be a good way to start while you’re still building strength for the full pose. You can imagine you’re making a little table top here with your elbows and triceps, placing your knee and hip on top). Lean forward, keeping the gaze up and heart reaching ahead and keep shifting your weight onto your arms until your feet lift off the floor. There is no jumping or kicking involved to get here. You are now in Parsva Bakasana (side crow), find your balance, breathe and make sure you don’t crunch up around the neck! Eventually that right arm will float, and we’ll work up towards straight arms. From side crow (bent elbow version), split and extend your legs out to the side moving into Eka Pada I, beginning with the bottom leg first. Activate every single muscle of the legs and keep the chest moving forward – don’t drop your gaze! As we’re just on a short pit stop here, enjoy the pose but begin preparing to lean even more of your weight forward. The trick to getting from Eka Pada I to fallen angel is to slide the right elbow in towards the waist, almost to the lower ribs. Lean forward, keep hugging everything in and use your core strength to slowly slowly lower your temple down towards the floor. We are not going for a face plant here – you actually want to keep next to no weight on your head, all the strength is still coming from the core (in the full pose the cheek barely grazes the mat) as opposed to collapsing your whole body weight down. Make sure the right shoulder stays lifted here! Keeping the right elbow to your waist, start to extend the left leg straight up towards the sky above. With the outer right thigh still balancing on the elbow, angle the right foot up towards the left leg, keeping the right knee bent. Both feet are now pointing up towards the sky, so spread those toes, relax your face… And smile. Breathe here, lower your weight back onto the arms and either come out Vinyasa style through Chaturanga or gently make your way into child’s pose. Now do the other side

For more information about Yoga or Fitness, please visit my Contact page.

Filed Under: Exercises, Flexibility, General Fitness, Mobility, Motivation, Poses, Posture, Spine, Spring, Stretching, Yoga

Pilates for Rehabilitation and Posture

March 3, 2013 By Jacqueline Garay

Pilates exercise has been introduced to the physical therapy community in recent years to enhance rehabilitation programs by focusing on spinal and core stabilization. This particular method can be incorporated into a patient’s treatment plan to improve strength, range of motion, coordination, balance, muscular symmetry, flexibility, and proprioception. Pilates can either be performed as mat work on the floor or on a spring-resistant apparatus, known as Reformer work. The patient, with the guidance of a physical therapist or certified Pilates Instructor performs efficient functional movement patterns, closed-chain and open-chain patterns, as well as multiple planes and positions provided for varied rehabilitation programming with many different diagnoses. Plyometric, CNS, and cardiovascular work can be incorporated in to any Pilates program and is most often performed on the Reformer.

The best part of Pilates for rehabilitation is that the most important principles of Pilates are consistent with an exercise program that supports back health and functional mobility.

In particular, learning awareness of neutral alignment of the spine and strengthening the deep postural muscles that support this alignment are important skills for the back pain patient.

Patients with pain stemming from excessive movement and degeneration of the intervertebral discs and joints are particularly likely to benefit from a Pilates exercise program. In addition, postural asymmetries can be improved, thus decreasing wear and tear resulting from uneven stresses on the intervertebral joints and discs.

Pilates improves strength, flexibility and suppleness of the muscles of the hip and shoulder girdle. Fluid and supported movement through these joints helps prevent unnecessary torque on the vertebral column.

The Pilates program also teaches awareness of movement habits that may stress the spine, and helps the patient change these habits to those that preserve neutral alignment. Awareness of excessive tension and the use of proper focus helps the patient use the body efficiently.

For most people, back pain is the result of Thoracic Kyphosis, or as I like to call it Quasi Modo syndrome. Most of the Pilates mat exercises strengthen the muscles necessary to properly support the spine and bring an awareness about what proper posture actually is. It’s not enough just to do Pilates mat exercises; if you want to improve your posture and heal your back pain, you must incorporate Pilates into your daily life. You must translate the Neutral Spine, the feeling of length, and the Abdominal Scoop into your desk job. If you can incorporate the deeper Pilates concepts into your daily life, you’ll notice changes immediately — in your back pain, in your posture, and in your sense of well-being.

For more information about Pilates, Pilates for Rehabilitation and Posture, or questions about fitness please visit my Contact page.

Filed Under: Flexibility, General Fitness, Mobility, Pain, Physio, Posture, Rehab, Spine, Sports, Stretching, Uncategorized, Weight Loss, Workouts

Detox Yoga: Twist in to Spring!

March 1, 2013 By Jacqueline Garay Leave a Comment

It’s that time of the year when we start to pull out our summer clothes and bikinis and we might be feeling a little less then excited to bare some skin. Yoga is the perfect way to not only shape up for the warmer months, it also helps to detoxify our internal organs, boost our metabolism, and clear up our skin after a long winter.

Twists are wonderful ways to get the blood flowing and clean out stale air in our lungs and stale thoughts in our mind. You can think of twisting like wringing out a dirty dish rag. At the end of our cleaning we always wring the sponge out. As you spring clean your body, you’re ringing out the kidneys and liver and cleaning out any junk in the trunk so to speak. Your body will not only feel lighter but you’ll have more spring in your step and more energy.

In Chinese Medicine, the liver is associated with the spring time so it helps to detoxify the liver and clear our vision in order to make room for fresh, new ideas. In the winter we are more reflective and we plant the seeds that can then bloom in the spring. In order to flower, we need lots of fresh water and oxygen. Yoga breathing is the most efficient way to bring more oxygen in to our lungs and to increase our circulation and metabolisms. Forward bends and inversions with our legs overhead helps to reverse the flow of blood, stimulate the lymph system and refresh our minds and spirits.

Certain postures like Eagle pose are known to stimulate the circulation in the legs and can help combat cellulite and vericose veins. Warrior 3 is a great way to strengthen our legs and core and wonderful for all over body toning. It is also a pose of confidence and action and in the spring we can really step forward with our new ideas and eating/exercise plans with pride and determination.

Bridge pose and supported shoulderstand are great ways to stimulate the thyroid gland which can help stimulate our metabolic rates and help us find our own confidence in our bodies as they are.

I’ve created a sequence for you to do for your Spring Detox/Summer Shape Up plan and I’ve included some modifications as well so a very beginner or an advanced yogi can do this routine.

yo-forward_bend_f 1. Standing Forward Bend
Standing with feet hip distance apart, hinge forward at your hips while keeping a slight bend in your knees. Lay your chest on your upper thighs as you let your head fall toward the floor. Engage your quadriceps muscles, and slowly try to straighten your legs, making sure your knees don’t lock and your hips stay over the center of your feet. Hold for 5–8 slow, deep breaths.

yo-eagle_f 2. Eagle Pose
Bend your knees slightly and cross your right leg over your left leg high at the thigh, then try to double cross it behind the left calf or ankle. Wrap your left arm under your right and back over top, and press your palms together. Squeeze thighs tight and pull your belly to your spine while you sink lower, bending slightly at the knee and forward at the waist. Hold for 5 breaths, then repeat with arms and legs reversed.
Make it easier: If double-crossing your legs is too challenging, cross just once at the thigh and rest your top foot’s toes on the floor for balance. If your shoulders are too tight to double-cross your arms, wrap under only and press the backs of your hands together.

yo-warrior_iii_right_f 3. Warrior III
Stand with your feet together and point your right toe behind you, tipping your weight forward onto your left leg. Continue to lift your right leg and drop your head and torso until you are in a straight horizontal line from head to toe, hands at your sides. Make sure your right thigh, hip, and toes (pointed or flexed) stay facing down to the floor; imagine balancing a tea cup on your lower back. Keep your left kneecap lifted, not locked, and keep your balance centered in the middle of your foot. Hold for 5 breaths, slowly come back to a standing position, and switch legs.
Make it easier: Reaching your arms out to the side like airplane wings can help you keep your balance, or you can hang onto the back of a chair or reach out and touch a wall if balancing on 1 leg is too difficult. The important thing is to keep your back flat and your body in a straight line.

yo-half_bridge_f 4. Bridge Pose
Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the mat, hip-distance apart. Press down into your feet, and lift your hips and butt off the floor. Push your shoulders down away from your ears and interlace hands under your hips, pressing fists down into the mat. Tighten your hamstring and butt muscles and your core, and hold for 5–8 breaths. Lower slowly to the floor, and repeat 2 more times.

yo-shoulder_stand_f 5. Supported Shoulder Stand
Lie on a mat with a folded blanket or folded second mat under your shoulders, so that your neck and head are 1–2 inches lower than your shoulders. Pushing your hands palms-down against the mat at your sides, bend your knees. Lift your feet, butt, and lower back off the mat and reach your legs over your head, aiming your toes toward the floor behind you. Pushing your back farther off the ground, bend your elbows and place your palms against your lower back for support as you lift your legs straight into the air and reach your feet toward the ceiling. Be sure your weight is distributed evenly across your shoulder blades and back of your head. Hold for 30 seconds at first, then gradually work up to 5 minutes.
Make it easier: Snuggle your back and butt up to a wall, then twist around so your legs are straight up the wall while you lie back on the floor. (Your butt should still be tight up against where the surfaces meet.) Press your thighs into the wall as you keep your feet parallel, slightly flexed, and hold for 5 minutes.

I hope you find this helps add a lightness to your mind, body and spirit. Now go outside and take a deep breath of fresh spring air in and celebrate your own beautiful uniqueness and body. The beauty of yoga is it is not only skin deep it, it penetrates on every level of your being. Always remind yourself that everything you could possibly ever, want, have or need is right here inside of you.

If you have any other questions about Yoga, Detox, or Fitness in general please visit my Contact page.

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Filed Under: Cellulite, Cures, Detox, Flexibility, General Fitness, Lymphatic Drainage, Mobility, Rehab, Spine, Stretching, Weight Loss, Workouts, Yoga

Thoracic Kyphosis and T-Spine Mobility

February 22, 2013 By Jacqueline Garay 1 Comment

By now, you should be convinced that attaining and maintaining mobility in your thoracic spine is a good idea for many reasons. Kyphosis of the thoracic spine is a virtual epidemic (just take a look around at everyone the next time you’re in a coffee shop or classroom – rounded backs abound) and everyone at some time or another has felt a little twinge of shoulder pain when doing a particularly adamant set of pull-ups.

Before you start with the exercises, let’s first figure out the extent of your thoracic immobility. The industry standardized way of determination is a simple one:

Lie down on the floor, back flat against it.
Your knees should be up with your feet and glutes flat on the floor.
Lock your elbows and bring your arms directly overhead, attempting to touch your wrists to the ground above your head.
Make sure to maintain contact between your lower back and the floor; don’t arch your back to get your hands in place.

If you can’t lay flat on the ground as described above and touch your wrists to the ground, you have poor thoracic mobility. If you really had to struggle through discomfort or even pain (don’t fight through pain!), you have less than ideal thoracic mobility. And if you were able to breeze through this drill, you should probably still work on more mobility, just to shore up what you already possess.

Here is one of my favorite drills to improve Thoracic extension and mobility. Get in a similar position to the starting point of the thoracic mobility evaluation. Knees up, feet and glutes on the floor, foam roller underneath your upper back/thoracic spine. Put your hands behind your head, pull your elbows as close together as they’ll go, let your head drop to the floor, and try to “wrap” yourself around the foam roller. Extend your thoracic spine as far as it will go – then roll, pausing on the painful parts. Make sure to roll neither your neck nor your lower back; just keep it to the thoracic spine. Roll slowly or rather quickly. As long as you linger on the tender spots, you’ll be fine.

The thoracic spine is also good for rotation. It’s actually the segment of the spine that we should be using to rotate and twist, not the lumbar spine. The lumbar spine has a maximum rotational range of 13 degrees; the thoracic spine can rotate 35 degrees. Lately, though, there is a huge emphasis placed on rotational flexibility, and people are trying to improve flexibility of the lower half of the trunk when it should be used for stability. This can cause lower back pain and lumbar instability. You’re far better off rotating with the part of the spine that’s meant to rotate.

Here is a video for Side Lying rotations.

Lie on your right side with a foam roller or pillow underneath your left knee, which should be bent about 90 degrees. Right leg should be straight. Arms straight ahead and parallel to the ground, hands together. Then, making sure to keep your hips and lumbar spine stable (press down on the roller with your leg to emphasize this), rotate along the thoracic spine until your upper back and outer arm are flat against the ground, or as close to flat as you manage (with greater mobility, this will come more easily). Tense your abdominal muscles in order to help keep your lumbar spine from rotating. You should feel the rotation in your chest and upper back. Do ten rotations on each side, holding for a couple seconds at the end of each rep.

The tennis ball technique, as I like to call it, is also useful. You use two tennis balls, which act as a pivot for thoracic spine extension. This is actually a great place to start for a lot of people who are just beginning down this road. Here is a link to a video and description of the exercise.

These are just a few of many drills you can do to improve thoracic mobility and extension. The severely immobile should do these drills, probably every day, until things improve. The foam roller stuff is always good to do, though, just to keep you loose and lumber, but for those that are limber and can breeze through the other drills I wouldn’t make them a regular part of your workout routine. Yoga, too, can be a great way to stay mobile and flexible if done properly. Unfortunately, many people take yoga to the extreme and round or arch or twist from the wrong place. It’s important to know what you are doing (which includes making sure you don’t arch back or round from the lumbar spine) and to select a teacher who is very respectful of your limits and who encourages you to stay well within your comfort zone. Many people end up injuring themselves doing yoga with poor form.

The next step is to address soft tissue. Keep in mind if you are currently suffering from pain it is best that you see a professional such as a registered massage therapist, a physiotherapist, a chiropractor, or an athletic therapist to have the area properly assessed.

For more information on how to improve your posture, thoracic mobility, and yoga or fitness please visit my Contact page.

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Filed Under: Athletes, Flexibility, General Fitness, Injuries, Mobility, Pain, Physio, Posture, Rehab, Spine, Sports, Stretching, Workouts, Yoga

Sprains and Strains: What’s The Difference?

February 13, 2013 By Jacqueline Garay Leave a Comment

I see a lot of clients who complain about straining a certain muscle or spraining their ankle, however, for the most part a lot of them do not know what their injury actually is or the difference between a sprain and a strain. This is important because sprains and strains are among the most common injuries in sports. Here are some facts about sprains and strains from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

What is a sprain?
A sprain is a stretch and/or tear of a ligament, the fibrous band of connective tissue that joins the end of one bone with another. Ligaments stabilize and support the body’sjoints. For example, ligaments in the knee connect the upper leg with the lower leg, enabling people to walk and run.

What is a strain?
A strain is an injury of a muscle and/or tendon. Tendons are fibrous cords of tissue that attach muscles to bone.

What causes sprains and strains?
A sprain is caused by direct or indirect trauma (a fall, a blow to the body, etc.) that knocks a joint out of position, and overstretches, and, in severe cases, ruptures the supporting ligaments. Typically, this injury occurs when an individual lands on an outstretched arm; slides into a base; jumps up and lands on the side of the foot; or runs on an uneven surface.

Chronic strains are the result of overuse (prolonged, repetitive movement) of muscles and tendons. Inadequate rest breaks during intensive training precipitates a strain. Acute strains are caused by a direct blow to the body, overstretching, or excessive muscle contraction.

Who gets sprains and strains?
Professional and amateur athletes and the general public, as well, can sustain this injury. People at risk for the injury have a history of sprains and strains, are overweight, and are in poor physical condition.

What activities make athletes most susceptible to sprains and strains?
All sports and exercises, even walking, carry a risk of sprains. The anatomic areas most at risk for a sprain depend on the specific activities involved. For example, basketball, volleyball, soccer, and other jumping sports share a risk for foot, leg, and ankle sprains. Soccer, football, hockey, boxing, wrestling, and other contact sports put athletes at risk for strains. So do sports that feature quick starts (hurdling, long jump, running races, etc.).

Gymnastics, tennis, rowing, golf-sports that require extensive gripping-have a high incidence of hand strains. Elbow strains frequently occur in racquet, throwing, and contact sports.

What are the signs of a sprain?
While the intensity varies, pain, bruising, swelling, and inflammation are common to all three categories of sprains: mild, moderate, severe. The individual will usually feel a tear or pop in the joint. A severe sprain produces excruciating pain at the moment of injury, as ligaments tear completely, or separate from the bone. This loosening makes the joint nonfunctional. A moderate sprain partially tears the ligament, producing joint instability, and some swelling. A ligament is stretched in a mild sprain, but there is no joint loosening.

What are the signs of a strain?
Typical indications include pain, muscle spasm, muscle weakness, swelling, inflammation, and cramping. In severe strains, the muscle and/or tendon is partially or completely ruptured, often incapacitating the individual. Some muscle function will be lost with a moderate strain, where the muscle/tendon is overstretched and slightly torn. With a mild strain, the muscle/tendon is stretched or pulled, slightly.

• Back strain. When the muscles that support the spine are twisted, pulled, or torn, the result is a back strain. Athletes who engage in excessive jumping (during basketball, volleyball, etc.) are vulnerable to this injury.

• Hamstring muscle strain. A hamstring muscle strain is a tear or stretch of a major muscle in the back of the thigh. The injury can sideline a person for up to six months. The likely cause is muscle strength imbalance between the hamstrings and the muscles in the front of the thigh, the quadriceps. Kicking a football, running, or leaping to make a basket can pull a hamstring. Hamstring injuries tend to recur.

How are sprains and strains treated?
Rest, ice, compression, and elevation usually will help minimize the damage. It is important in all but mild cases for a medical doctor to evaluate the injury and establish a treatment and rehabilitation plan. A severe sprain or strain may require surgery or immobilization followed by months of therapy. Mild sprains and strains may require rehabilitation exercises and activity modification during recovery.

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