Start with listening to your own body
I am very interested in gadgets and digital world and measuring stuff. I am wearing an activity bracelet to check my daily activity and quality of me sleep. As a massage therapist I used to rely on my own therapist to tell me if I have "tight muscles" and where especially. I go to body composition tests regularly. I weigh myself in every morning. I track the duration of my work out and check my heart rate. Sometimes I weigh in everything I put into my mouth. I have used an online food diary to track the calories and macronutrients I eat. I have tried dozens of health and fitness related apps. I do enjoy all of this but I realised very late in my life that I don't know my own body anymore. I was waiting for someone to tell me how to succeed. I was tired, injured often or at least in pain and I had no idea of what a normal good posture looked like.
I learned to listen to my own body when I was 30 years old. That is insane. I am still learning.
It was 2015 and I was having seriously annoying upper back pain for quite some time. I had big goals as an athlete to train hard and I really wanted to be in Team Finland for the next world cup. I realised the amount of training (10-16hrs per week) and a full time job was truly demanding. I was sick of this pain that had lasted for weeks and I started to google what I can do at home, as getting my regular massage did nothing. Eventually I found an online lecture series by Kelly Starrett (and Jill Miller) that I was brave enough to spend my money on. It was totally worth it. I tried Jill Miller's upper back sequence with some random rubber balls and it took 20 minutes and the pain was GONE. There had to be something to it.
The best exercise and diet plan is the one that you stick with.
I have not been able to find anything nearly as good as Jill Miller Yoga Tune Up Therapy balls and trust me, I have tried them all. You could call me CRAZY BALL WOMAN. And I would take it as a compliment. The balls are my true love when it comes to body maintenance and recovery. I don't know if you have ever seen roller derby, but it is brutal abuse for your body. I feel truly sorry for myself that I love no other sport like I love Roller Derby. I do gain cardiovascular benefits of course and I am stronger and faster and more agile... But it is a full contact sport and oh boy, it is tough. With these balls (amongst other techniques) I learnt to find my own weaknesses and fix them.
This is a picture of me VERY pregnant. I had a lot of lower back pain and my glutes were so stiff. This just a forward bend -Before and after a mobility session that lasted 15minutes.
To wrap this up my message is this: try to listen to your own body. If it is hurting then there is something wrong. Don't wait someone to tell you how short and tight your hamstrings are or how you are sitting too much and it is causing a, b and c. You have to either START moving your tissues or giving them some TLC. Preferably both. Don't stare at your digital information all day long. Instead focus on how your body is feeling. FEEL your body. *by all means keep tracking your progress and data if it keeps you motivated but remember that it doesn't tell you how you are feeling today.
I am not encouraging you to use any balls possible but I am pretty sure you don't have Yoga Tune Up balls (yet). Take whatever small-ish balls you have available (I once used an ORANGE). Or a tennis ball. Start giving yourself some self massage. The best thing I know is to level up and take two balls and do the following:
- Lay down on the floor place your feet flat on the floor and bend your knees.
- Place the balls between your shoulder blade and your spine (each on one side)
- Breathe and listen to your body
- If you are able to breathe full breaths without pain (discomfort is different thing and you'll learn more about it as you go on) raise your hands towards the sky/ceiling and start moving them. Make "snow angels". Reach high, pull shoulderblades together squeezing the balls.
- Move the balls higher up or lower just a few cm/ an inch and repeat. 2 minutes per spot and total of 10-16minutes will do.
You might want to raise your hips up for added pressure. But remember ALWAYS, a soft tool is better than a hard tool. I can not recommend lacrosse balls or any other ball that is HARD. Let me know if this needs a video or photos for demonstration.
This was a very long post for my liking but I haven't been writing properly in nearly 5 years so I have a lot to say---- stay tuned for my posture and body alignment series!
Happy New Year!
PS. Let me know what aches and pains you have, what "problem" areas you have and I might create something just for you!