| One of the latest crazes today is body | | | | Repetitive, habitual movement is debilitating to the |
| makeovers. Typically though, they start from the | | | | body. Unlike machines that routinely do precise, |
| outside in; better hair, skin, etc. The only lasting | | | | repetitive functions, the body was not designed |
| makeover starts from the inside out. Colon | | | | for this type of movement. In the short term, |
| cleanses are great, but if you really want to get | | | | the body adjusts joint alignment to better |
| "down to the bone" start with your posture. | | | | facilitate the habitually performed movements. |
| Look at how many middle-aged businessmen and | | | | This joint alignment, however, tends to discourage |
| women walk around as if their executive chair is | | | | movements other than the habitual ones. In the |
| still attached to their backsides. When you think of | | | | long term, the joint itself becomes worn out |
| a "spry" elderly person, don't they still possess | | | | resulting in painful movement and loss of range of |
| reasonably good posture? Conversely, when you | | | | motion. |
| think of a young person who is not a good | | | | Think about people working on a computer |
| physical specimen per se, what kind of posture do | | | | keyboard all day. Of the wrists' total range of |
| they have? | | | | motion, only one, up and down, is constantly used. |
| While our shoulders can both externally rotate | | | | The wrists' joints become subject to infirmities |
| (try touching your elbows behind your back) and | | | | due to moving exclusively like this. Carpal tunnel |
| internally rotate (with your arms down at your | | | | syndrome is one such condition, whereby a nerve |
| sides bring the knuckles of your hands together in | | | | passing through the wrist is compressed. |
| front of you), we are constantly internally rotating | | | | - For the wrists, hold your forearm with your |
| our shoulders. Grab the steering wheel of the car, | | | | opposite hand and move the hand back and forth |
| talk on the phone, type at the computer - you | | | | left to right. This provides the all-important lateral |
| get the idea. To balance this we must also do | | | | flexion to the wrist. This will allow you to spend |
| more (a lot more!) to externally rotate our | | | | those hours at the computer without paying for it. |
| shoulders. A sedentary, technologically based | | | | PRACTICE THIS EXERCISE: To alleviate the |
| lifestyle engenders repetitive movement that | | | | problem of habitual movement, find and perform |
| de-conditions the body and creates disinterest in | | | | opposite types of movement. In the case of |
| the mind. | | | | working at a computer, occasionally drop your |
| - Hold your hands together behind your back and | | | | arms to your sides. Now, shake them so your |
| move your shoulders around. | | | | hands flop around, swinging back and forth quickly |
| - When sitting, grasp under the chair with your | | | | and loosely, especially at the wrists. Incorporating |
| hands and lean to the left and right. | | | | non-habitual movement into daily activities |
| These are easy, safe and effective... and the | | | | minimizes the negative effects of sitting, standing, |
| results are accumulative. | | | | and driving. |
| DEMONSTRATION: At workshops I demonstrate | | | | Habitual movement, like a dull lecture or TV show, |
| how posture degenerates over time: In our youth | | | | also bores the mind. There is no variety so the |
| we stand upright with good posture - then slowly | | | | mind has nothing new, no reason to stay |
| start to lean forward and become rigid, getting | | | | interested any longer. Like when you put your |
| shorter and shorter, as our head comes forward | | | | pants on, by the time you get one leg in, your |
| and shoulders round forward. As the decades | | | | mind says "buh-bye." After doing this task |
| pass, it worsens, and old age posture is typically a | | | | hundreds of times, it has lost interest. Now, if you |
| stiff, bent over position. It's obvious we have to | | | | happen to get yourself tangled up and start to fall |
| do maintenance for our body, especially as we | | | | over, about halfway down, your mind recognizes |
| get older. There are inevitable changes that occur | | | | this as something different. It becomes actively |
| to the body over time. These changes can be | | | | involved again, just in time for your landing, |
| slowed dramatically, however, when we get | | | | however precarious that may be. |
| smart about compensating for technology and put | | | | Both the mind and body like new and different |
| our body through its paces. Otherwise, once the | | | | stimulation. Everybody is looking for an edge |
| aging process commences, we start going downhill | | | | today, a way to stand out from the crowd, be |
| faster and faster, almost like we are being | | | | different, thus more likely to get a date, a job, a |
| pushed. | | | | raise or promotion, etc. Nothing will affect |
| One client put it this way, "when I was 48 I was | | | | everything you do, across the board, like |
| going on 38 but now I'm 53 going on 63." | | | | improving your posture. And it doesn't cost |
| Repetitive Movements | | | | anything. |