Wrist Stretch for people who use Trekking Poles

I end most of my Yoga classes with this gentle and effective wrist stretch.    This  subtle movement lengthens and “tractions” the joint.  The radius and ulna bones in the healthy forearm articulate.   Creating  s p a c e  in the wrist joint and lengthening the space in the forearm enable better articulation and function.  Keep in mind:

• Less is more.
• Purposely work shorter/smaller than your brain wants to.
• Forget about the Destination – Focus on the Journey.
• Invest the time to feel the subtlety of this movement.
• BREATHE!
• Allow this movement to bring mindfulness to your hand, wrist & forearm.
• Learn it so that you can use it when you need it.

A good friend and I filmed this one morning so we  could share it with AdventureBuddies!  After a long day at the computer or after a rigorous hike, try this and relieve tension/tightness/stress in the wrist joint.

Be loving and gentle with yourself    Try it and let me know what you think?

Trail Tip: ALLERGIES

My ENT doctor strongly recommended something that has changed my life and significantly reduced my allergy response to CA    Nasal Saline Spray:

• non-addictive, non-invasive, simple stuff
• spray as many times a day as I like
• I put a spray bottle everywhere – my car, my bedside table, my purse, my hiking pack
• Spraying after a hike is HUGELY helpful (as well as during)
• I’ve reduced my intake of OTC allergy medication to almost none, even in peak season
• I’m happier!
• I got the Walgreen’s generic brand in both sizes.

Very Important:  Spray outward towards your cheekbone, not straight up your nose.   Click for  More allergy tips on this blog.

Pole Walking Classes all over the Bay Area

Determining which poles best suit a person’s issues and goals is an important part of the learning process.  We use all 3 types of poles, helping participants figure out what works best for their structure (fit), their issues and their goals.

Take a look at this Article in the Pacifica Tribune this morning.  We offer 3 levels of classes so anyone can learn great skills to more fully enjoy the outdoors.

• How to use POLES for Hiking & Outdoor Exercise
• How to use POLES for Balance, Mobility and Basic (Functional) Walking
• Walking Workout:  Urban PoleWalking for Health & Fitness (Nordic Walking)

Regardless of your activity level, you can achieve many benefits from learning these skills.  Your back and knees will thank you and you’ll feel taller.

Increased circulation to the brain is a good thing!  Being outside, with your buddies, enjoying a full body experience is the triple win of poles!

Check our calendar for all class listings, including Rocky Mountain National Park!

Balance Exercise for the Trail

This balance exercise can be done anywhere but start next to a wall or support.

DO NOT start as Bob is doing on a post!   He’s just showing off for his trainer!

Shift to one leg and stand squarely on that leg.

Make sure you stand tall (think of lifting from your ribcage) so you’re not collapsing into the standing hip.

Touch the same knee.  If easy, touch the same foot.    Switch legs.   Touch the opposite knee.   If that’s easy, touch the opposite foot.

Work up to a set of 10 repetitions.

When it gets easy, slow it down.

Try to make your movements fluid.

Remember, the journey is at least as important as the destination!

Another good thing to do for improving balance is to walk on sand.

We did a sand hike in Bodega last week and it was wonderful for my ankles!

Hope to see you OTT (on the trail) in 2012!

Trekking Poles FAQ: Are Hiking Poles for Everyone?

No, but… Using poles provides many benefits for people who like to walk or hike.  Optimal use of poles encourages better posture, endurance, confidence and gait.  Using the upper body muscles helps to preserve joints all over the body.

In the literally thousands of people I’ve encountered over the last 15 years, I’ve met a handful that really were not pole people.  One lady was so uncoordinated, that she was terrified.  It was a bad fit.   People that have progressed to a walker often can no longer benefit.   A hiking buddy of mine (who loves to talk) trips on poles when he uses them.  Best for him to not have poles.

Sometimes people have to ease into learning new skills like using poles – or any new thing (think orthotics).   Here’s a very recent example:  One lady was given this prescription:  Use your new poles for only three to five minutes, 2 or 3 times a day.  Consistency/Frequency with very low intensity & duration.   She then went out for an hour with a friend and overdid it.  She damaged her fragile shoulder and hated her poles.   She admitted she was out too long, was distracted and did not focus on her form.   She called her poles “toxic.”   I silently shook my head in frustration at her admitted and blatant violation of her body.  She blamed the poles even while admitting her ridiculous and (as it turned out) dangerous behavior.   Rather than gently and progressively lubricating the shoulder joint and slowly building muscles that support the shoulder, she ended up back at the doctor’s office in severe pain.

Poles COULD have helped her in many ways, but she did not listen to either her body or her trainer.   Regular readers of this blog know that I like to focus on the positive.  So I end this post with happier thoughts.

“To be interested in the changing seasons
is a happier state of mind
than to be hopelessly in love with spring.”  ~ George Santayana

“Giving people self-confidence
is by far the most important thing that I can do.
Because then they will act.”  ~ Jack Welch

Back Pain Tip: Take a Walk – A REAL Walk!

People with back pain were once told – Go to Bed!  Now physicians and therapists often say – Take a walk!

But do these wellness professionals intend for you to walk with your spine rigid ??? You might as well go to bed.    No, they envision the natural movement pattern of the spine.   Yet, so many people walk without any thought to the movement of their spine.

I walk, therefore I exercise.  Really?

Watch people walk.  How many are really getting exercise?  How many are walking, head crooked into a cell phone or doing what I call walking old?  What will help you achieve a more natural walking gait that will help your spine?    Here are some ideas:

• Focus!  Put your attention into your walk.  Get off the cell phone, off the IPod, out of the external and really notice your form.
• Notice your arm swing, your stride length, how your feet move, where you’re looking.
• Are you breathing?
• Give a mental lift to the bottom of your rib cage.
• Notice what happens to your form when you think of adding attitude to your walk.
• Think of cues like sachet, strut, sassy and see what happens to your form.
• Roll your shoulders up, around and back.
• Think of retracting and depressing your shoulder blades (see scapular stabilization on this blog).  This recruits the muscles that support and elongate the spine and feels really GOOD.
• Learn how to use POLES to really strengthen your back muscles and to lock all this attitude in for your entire walk.
• Create Positive Muscle Memory:  Give yourself a mental pat on the back when you’re focusing on your form.
• Give yourself a mental pat on the back when you are not focusing on your form.  You remembered LATE!

Posture and Memory: How to improve both!

Yikes!   SO many things to remember all the time.   To maintain optimal and erect posture is WORK.   So how do I coach people to lengthen, elongate, lift, scan and BE  TALL?

My two best tools:

1. If something enters your realm of consciousness, honor it.
2. Every time you stop and start, press your RESET button.

That’s it!

I shall elaborate, but first, I need to talk about what a teacher or trainer does in order to achieve the desired result.   If I said the same thing to you 20 times and you were not “getting it,” who is at fault?  And, yes, there is fault here.   Well, I, as the instructor need to change my message.   I need to find another way – something that resonates for YOU.

That’s why I have so many cues in my toolbox that sound similar – I’m looking for the key to your lock, so that you will feel the lift, feel the difference, achieve the optimal (fill in the blank, in this case POSTURE) result.

Now for elaboration on my TWO tools:
#1)    DON’T try to remember everything.   Just allow whatever floats into your brain to be there; recognize and honor it, follow it.   That cue, that reminder, is linked with others so they naturally follow.   Forcing good form does NOT work.

#2)   What and were is your reset button?
What:   An imaginary button that you mentally press that brings you into your optimal posture.
Where:  Probably the middle of your chest.
When:   Press it every time you stop and start and then FORGET ABOUT IT.   When you remember to press it, give yourself a pat on the back.   When you forget – well you remembered, but just a little late.  Yippee!  Give yourself a high five!

What works for you?

Trekking Poles for use with Wheelchairs?

I was initially very skeptical about using poles with wheelchairs.

Why?  Because we teach people to use big pushing muscles – muscles in the back that support and elongate the spine.  My concern was that the more fragile pulling muscles (like the anterior deltoid) might be used and therefore strained.   Also, I thought some control of the chair might be compromised.

But Guess What?  At the No Barriers Summit, I spoke with Liesl, the paraplegic pictured below, who said she loved them.  Why?  Because they’re great for cross training.

So like orthotics, or using poles or learning any new skill – weave it in gradually.  Please don’t over do it.  and…enjoy your poles!

Notice that Liesl’s straps are snug?  This helps prevent hand strain, improves her power and allows her to use arm and back muscles for movement.    Notice that her arms are relatively straight and close to her body?  This helps recruit larger muscles in the back.    Her good form is part of why she enjoyed this pole session!

Photos are compliments of Melanie at LEKI.  As always, click on any photo to enlarge.  Press the back button to return to post.

Using poles to push forward

Using lats for pulling

Practice turning

And, lest you even THINK of feeling sorry for Liesl, be advised that she is an airplane mechanic in Alaska.

Poles pictured are LEKI Corklite Aergon SpeedLock.

Biking and Nordic Walking in the Bay Area: Crystal Springs Reservoir

This lovely locale is easily accessible, paved the entire way with gently rolling hills along a beautiful reservoir.  For bikers:  do this Mon-Fri.  Weekends are too busy with walkers for biking.

This is a great biking option year-round.  In Springtime, there’s an amazing array of flowers.   Bring your binocs – you never know what you might see.  Bike + Binocs = Bird-mobiling.

You can start at either end.  I usually start at the North end.   There’s a large gravel parking lot at the corner of Skyline & San Bruno Ave.   This ride direction is a bit more difficult because there’s more uphill on the return.   Also, it ensures that I do both segments (which are separated by an easy piece on the road).  Walkers can stay on the path, but bikers have to veer off to connect the 2 segments.  If you start at the south end, it’s off of Highway 92.  For more info, check this link. Or this one.

These photos were taken in early May.  The red flowers are columbines.  I’ve never seen such an abundance of columbines – thousands – just below (south of) the dam.

ACE Trainers: POLES Seminar & Waterfall Hike, Rocky Mountain National Park

On June 11, 2011, I’ll be teaching a POLES for Hiking Field Seminar at Rocky Mountain National Park.  We’ll explore roaring waterfalls as we hike, learn and explore.  This is a magical trail and a wonderful place to learn skills that enable people to achieve the many benefits of hiking with poles.

This class is offered thru the Rocky Mountain Nature Association for anyone who loves to hike.  In addition, ACE-certified personal trainers can get .8 credits for this class by contacting me thru this blog for more info.

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