Happy Holidays!

Before you wrap this year up, make sure you go all out & C-E-L-E-B-R-A-T-E.

Have some fun & play time with friends & family, but also take time to celebrate your personal wins.

Remember when you connect celebrating yourself with new habits, it increases the chances you'll build new behaviors and and create lasting transformation.
 
It's also a great way to prep for ringing in the new year.

Here are 3 simple ways to prep for 2023:

1. Celebrate Your Wins.  Grab a partner and start sharing all the things you're proud of in 2022.  Your goal is to come up with 30-50 brags.  When you get stuck, your partner says, "what else?" to trigger you to think of more.  It's normal to get stuck so the partner is key.  Turn this exercise into a game by seeing who can come up with the most brags, the fastest for a prize. There is always both good and bad. Find & focus on the good for this exercise.
2. Make Space.  Let go of the old, make space for the new.  What do you need to declutter, release, or repurpose in your home or life so you have room for the upgrade you're trying to make?
3. Focus. Decide on your 1 thing to focus on in the new year so you don’t sabotage yourself.  It could be related to your fitness, relationships, finances, or education.  Whatever you feel is the next step for you to move along your wellness adventure. 

Go celebrate!
Mollie & Ender
 
P.S. If having more energy, ease & flow are part of your 2023 wellness priorities, here are some workout & burnout rest tools to help you get started:

REST TOOLS:
 
Ho. Ho. Ho. It’s time to Roll.  Our favorite foam roller is on sale until 12/31/22. It’s like having a PT, Chiro, Massage Therapist in one and the closest we can get to sending our hands home with you.  You can find it here*.
​
Stock up on bands to build a strong core:

Core Bands*
 
Super Bands*

REST CAMPS:
 
Grab your tools then let us show you our favorite massage & stretch moves with them in one of our online camps.

• Mini Massage Camp™: How To Foam Roll & Stretch For More Freedom & Flow.  Reshape your day with 10 minutes of trigger point massage & stretching using your hands or the foam roller for more energy & mobility. Learn more.

 

• HIP Camp™: Stretch & Rest Posture Moves & Tools.  Reshape your body in less than 10 minutes a day using workout recovery tools to find & treat ALL your spots (tight, tender, weak ones) so you have a strong, confident, pain-free body.  Learn more.

 
CAMPS WITH A CAUSE:
 
For every camp sale, we’ll make a 15% donation to the Senior Dog Rescue Program at Beagle Freedom Project to help with their medical care.

REST YOUR GUT: 

Get started on your Clean Eating Adventure with The Nutrition Starter Set. It'll help give your gut a bit of a rest break for 30 days by decreasing the toxic load from inflammatory foods and allergens. You'll learn a simple, safe way to detox for better energy, less inflammation, and/or to release some weight.

3 DAY REST ADVENTURE: 

If you're worn out, burned out, or just in need of a time out, our free 3 Day Rest Adventure is for you. Say Yes To Rest

*denotes affiliate link

FYI  Beagle Freedom Project is a fav organization of ours that rescues and rehomes animals who have been used for lab testing in the United States and abroad. In addition, they also work tirelessly to champion laws and legislation to ban the cruel practice of animal testing nationwide. 

I’ve known what I wanted to share with you this month, but it’s been delayed because you know life… 

I’ve had to focus on family and taking care of my energy to celebrate my dad’s life as he passed away peacefully with my brother’s and I by his side at the end of July. 
 
The more I look at pictures and have memories pop up, it’s becoming clear that dad was a big influence on my love of nature & water which ties into what I wanted to share with you.
 
I grew up on South Florida beaches and lakes just like dad. My dad was a Bass fisherman his whole life. He later became a hunter after we lived in Louisiana, and he spent time with our Cajun relatives.
 
Thinking of when I was younger, it feels like the longest periods of time I spent with dad was fishing on his Bass boat. He even taught us to water ski behind it. So embarrassing! 
 
Dad also loved to sit outside in the morning with his coffee and just watch nature. OK, so he was also known to get his BB gun out to scare away squirrels and raccoons from the pecans or bird feeders. 
 
But this Vietnam Army vet, who called yoga therapy “yogurt” while at one of his inpatient rehab stays, had his own way of meditating by calming and grounding himself through nature or on the water. He just didn’t know that’s what he was doing.
 
Here are 3 ways you can easily tap into the healing power of water and nature yourself:

1. CALM YOUR BRAIN: visualize or sit in nature or near water and do some Cooling Breathwork.   

2. CALM YOUR BODY: try this Qi Gong "Fountain" exercise. It’s a moving meditation to help you get in the flow and “just be water.” It can be done in sitting or standing. Kids love it. It’s a fun one to do when you need a quick break to clear your mind, calm your body, or recharge. Just 7 reps can make a difference and help you find your flow.  Watch this short video to learn how simple it is to do.

3. CHALLENGE YOUR BODY & BRAIN: go Stand Up Paddle Boarding to get the benefits of the calming meditative powers of nature AND the core challenge to your balance & coordination from stabilizing on the water.   

Hopefully this will inspire you to spend more time in nature or near the water. If you’re not able to get outside, you can do the first two inside. And if you’ve never SUP, well what are you waiting for? It’s so much fun and a great thing to try over Labor Day weekend.
 
Go try some "yogurt" :)
Mollie
 
P.S. Summer Savings Alert.  It’s time to Roll.  Our favorite foam roller is on sale until 9/30/22. It’s like having a PT, Chiro, Massage Therapist in one and the closest we can get to sending our hands home with you.  You can find it here*.  
 
Then let us show you our favorite massage & stretch moves with the Rollga in one of our online camps.

*denotes affiliate link

How's your stretching going?

Did you practice calming your body with gentle stretching vs overstretching like we went over in the last Fit Blog?

Hope so because it's time to kick your stretch skills up a notch with the 3-IN-1 Hip Stretch!

It's an active recovery stretch for cyclists and spin lovers that takes less than 2 minutes.

TBH we’ve held back on sharing this one for a while. We really need you to listen to your body so you don’t injure your knee doing it. Ease into this one especially if you have tight hips, IT Band or knee issues.

Before you try these moves, please read through everything below so you get the most out of it and stay safe.

• Listen to & know your body. If you have chronic knee pain due to arthritis or old injuries, you may need to modify the quad stretch position (at video 0:47 and 1:50) significantly. See suggestions below on how to modify it.
• Make sure you have a soft surface or thick mat to do it on to protect your knee.
• Do this stretch sequence after you cycle (or workout) so that your hips and core are thoroughly warmed up.
• As always be gentle with the stretching. It should not be painful. Sharp pain means STOP especially around the knee cap. Fascia stretching pain can burn but it stops right after you stop stretching. If you’re holding your breath or tightening your face, you are over-stretching.
• You can foam roll your glut and quad muscles before you do these 3 moves.  We show you how to roll out your tight hips in HIP Camp™.
• Go slow and pause the video until you know your body and the 3 moves especially if you’ve had a history or have current flare ups in your IT band, bursitis, dislocated kneecaps or other patella femoral issues.

Watch the video here.  Find the flow sequence, modifications, and how to intensify below the video.
​
​

THE 3 STRETCH MOVES:

This 3-IN-1 Hip Stretch sequence is primarily a hip flexor stretch (unlocks the front of the hip) that moves into the fascia above (in your core muscles) and below (in your quad muscles) to work the front fascial line.

For each stretch move, breathe and pull your belly up and in. Pace yourself and pause the video if you need more time to focus on your form. Listen to the cues in the video but the overall sequence and flow is:

1. Hip flexor lunge stretch (video at 0:10 seconds)- left leg forward, kneel on right knee and press hips forward to stretch front of right hip.
2. Runner’s lunge stretch (video at 0:22 seconds)- hands on the floor, chest to left thigh, step back with right foot into a lunge with right knee off floor.
3. Quad stretch prep (video at 0:32 seconds)- lower right knee onto floor, bend right knee, twist and reach back with left hand for your foot as you look over your shoulder.
4. Runner’s lunge with a twist (video at 0:43 seconds)- go back into the runner’s lunge and twist/reach up to the ceiling with your left hand.
5. Quad stretch (video at 0:47 seconds)- bring chest up tall with your shoulders over hips, pull your belly up & in, reach back for your right foot with left hand to stretch your thigh, and if able reach back with right hand for your right foot (only if your chest and shoulders have the mobility to do that while you hold your balance).
6. Hip flexor stretch (video at 1:00 seconds)- slowly release full quad stretch as you move back into the original hip flexor stretch before you step forward with your right leg into standing.
7. Switch sides and repeat stretch moves #1-5:

• Left hip flexor stretch (video at 1:10)
• Runner’s lunge (video at 1:28)
• Left quad stretch prep (video at 1:35)
• Side Bend in hip flexor stretch (video at 1:45)- new vs runner’s lunge twist #4
• Left quad stretch (video at 1:50)
• Left hip flexor stretch (video at 2:00)

HOW TO INTENSIFY:

• Bring your arm overhead with a side bend during the Hip Flexor Stretch (video at 1:45)
• Add a Twist during the Runner’s Lunge by reaching toward the ceiling (video at 0:43)
• Bring your chest up tall during the Quad Stretch (as Ender does in the video)
• Reaching back to stretch your quad with both hands is more intense than one hand 

HOW TO MODIFY the Quad Stretch (video at 0:47 and 1:50):

• You can keep your chest on your front thigh instead of chest upright toward the ceiling as Ender is doing in the video.  He is showing an advanced position that is putting the hip flexor and quad on full stretch while you’re also stretching up into your core and shoulder/s It’s a lot of fascia (full front line). If you sit a lot, this is going to be intense.
• You can prop your foot on something like a stool, workout bench or sofa versus reaching back for your foot while doing the chest up position Ender is in for the quad stretch or put your chest on the front thigh.

Change the position entirely if needed for the quad stretch so it’s less intense and less fascia stretching at the same time:

• You can lie down on your side with the thigh you are stretching on top and reach back for your foot and stretch your thigh/quads. Once done get back in the lunge position and finish the full movement sequence.
• You can stand up and reach back for your foot to stretch your quad. Hold onto wall, counter or chair if you need to for balance.
• Modifying and working your way into this full quad stretch is a way to progress your mobility and the elasticity of your fascia. If you’re not seeing progress or have old injuries and scars, we show you how to use fascia tools to release your tight hip spots in HIP Camp™.

 
OVER TO YOU: 
The 3-IN-1 Hip Stretch helps open up the front of your hips for better posture and less tension on your back and knees.

Once you get these 3 moves down, you can do the flow in less than 2 minutes for active recovery after riding or workouts to release the front of your hips, core and quad’s.

You may notice one foot is harder to reach due to hip tightness and that one side is harder to balance due to hip weakness. That's normal but you can balance out and improve overtime with practice.

There are a lot of ways you can progress yourself with the 3-IN-1 Hip Stretch as you bring the spring back to your tissue especially if you sit a lot for work or exercise.
 
Enjoy!
Team Core Power
 
P.S. Want more stretch moves & massage tools to release your tight & tender hip & core spots? Join us in HIP Camp™.

​Do you feel pain when you stretch? If so, it’s a sign you’ve gone too far.

Remember healthy tissue isn’t stiff. It’s elastic. Bungee cord like versus rope like.

You can bring the spring back to your body with stretching no matter your age but there is an art to stretching.

Just like we've evolved from flip phones to smart phones, we've made advances in stretching that can help you have better results.

First you have to learn to stop over-stretching.

If you experience pain with stretching, your body will tighten up more.

Why? The body’s response to pain is to protect, tighten up, guard.

Gentle stretching is key to stop over-stretching.

Stop stretching as far as you can go.

Start stretching at about 90% of your pain-free range of motion.

The goal is to calm the body so the tissue will lengthen and let go.

Here are some basic stretch principles to practice that'll help improve your elasticity:

BE GENTLE
Don’t force the motion or your body will tighten up. Check in with your face and neck. Are you tensing up because the movement is uncomfortable? That’s a sign you’re stretching too far.

BREATHE
Always breathe while stretching to help hydrate the tissue and increase the circulation to the area. Slow, deep breaths are calming.

FOCUS
Be mindful while stretching and focus on what you are feeling in your body as you stretch. Imagine restoring the spring in the tissue vs. pushing to your limits to get taller or more flexible.

Stretching the fascia can feel like a burning sensation, but it should go away as soon as you stop stretching. Feel for the tissue to let go, releasing before you stretch farther into the movement. 

CHANGE THE TEMPO
Stretching with proper breathing prepares your nervous system for your next activity.  Fast, shallow breaths will turn on your nervous system. Slow, deep breaths will calm your nervous system. 

Breathe and stretch faster before exercise.   Breathe and stretch slower after exercise for recovery.

CHECK YOUR FORM
Stretch with good form and control.  Hold positions for 2-3 breaths before your workouts and a little longer after workouts.

MOVE MORE
Take mini movement breaks throughout the day to help your fascia be healthy and elastic.  It all adds up whether it’s 3 breaths, 3 reps, or 3 minutes of movement.

Become more mindful of these principles as you stretch each day to help you feel and move better. 

Let pain be your guide at first as a sign that you need to back off. Go slow, breathe, and let the tissue let go before you stretch deeper.

If you want to make lasting changes in your flexibility and posture, you’ll want to learn how to use fascial stretching and trigger point massage tools. We show you how in our online HIP Camp™.

HIP Camp™ routines are designed to help you release your most glued down stuck spots (whether they’re from chronic injuries or intense workouts) so you can move & perform pain-free. 

Let’s get you stretching with (lasting) benefits!
Team Core Power
 
P.S. Ready to reshape your body in less than 10 minutes a day? Join us for HIP Camp™: Stretch & Rest Posture Moves & Tools to help you have a strong, confident, pain-free body.

I'm sure you've heard about how to exercise your core muscles in your trunk area but did you know you’ve got a foot core too?

We’ve got 4 layers of muscles in feet- i.e. the intrinsic muscles. 4 layers!!! Doesn’t seem like there is enough room, does it? 

Most of the time you only hear about the plantar fascia (connective tissue) as it gets all the attention when it’s flared up, i.e. plantar fasciitis.

They may not be as vocal when you’ve got a foot injury, but the foot intrinsic muscles are important too.  They make up your foot core and help provide stability of the arch and control toe movements. They play a huge role in functional movements and by helping with your balance and posture. 

It's very easy for them to be weak or even turned off due to tight spots in your calf and foot fascia. They LOVE to be lazy when you’re wearing cushy shoes (all that cushion in our shoes helps with impact on our joints but encourages our foot core to not work very hard).

So how about we give them some love in honor of Valentine’s day?

1. DO A FOOT CORE CHECKUP.

You probably know if you have a high arch, low arch or no arch but let’s see how your foot core muscles are doing.  This might be easiest to do in front of a mirror where you can see your foot vs trying to look down at your foot. Or you could video and look at it after you do the moves.

Stand on one leg. Hold onto a counter, wall or chair if needed to but with as little support as possible. Don’t lock out your knee- keep a soft knee.

What do you see going on in the foot your standing on?

Is there any flickering going on in the top of your foot tendons or any movement side to side from trying to keep from falling over?

Or is your foot like a flat pancake on the floor with no arch? Or maybe it’s like a dead fish- limp, no life?

Are your toes holding on for dear life to the floor, so you don’t fall over?

How does it feel?

Does it hurt to stand on one foot? 

Are you wondering where the floor is?

Is it hard to balance? Are your hips working hard moving side to side to keep you upright?

No judgment just look and feel what’s going on or not going on.

What happens if you bend your knee slightly?  Any changes?

Now check out the other foot.  Go through same questions and then compare to other foot.

Flat arches, no signs of muscle activity on top of your foot, difficulty balancing and/or your toes flexed and trying to grip on the floor are signs your foot core muscles need some attention. 

One foot core may be having more issues than the other one. It'll depend on which hand you are dominant and what kind of activities you do each day. Also if you've had any injuries on one side.  It doesn't matter, both sides probably need attention.
 
2. GIVE YOUR FOOT CORE SOME LOVE.

Massage your foot core:

Self-Massage on the bottom of your feet with your hands or massage tools will help release trigger points (tender spots). Keep it simple and use a tennis ball, racket ball or even dog toy if you don’t want to buy a massage tool. Roll back and forth from the ball of your foot to the heel or find tender spots to hold pressure on for a few breaths then move to another tender spot.

You can do foot massage in sitting or standing. Sitting is less intense than standing. Massage the bottom of your foot as described to get to the foot core muscles. You can gently massage the top of your foot with your hands but the top (dorsum) of your foot is more sensitive and more bony.

If your foot is flared up, you can do ice massage by rolling back and forth on the bottom of your with a frozen water bottle for several minutes.

An added bonus to massaging your feet is that the bottom of your foot has acupressure spots for every organ in your body. When you massage your foot, you’re sending calming signals to your whole body.
 
Stretch your foot core:

Stretching the tight spots in your toes, ankles, and calves in sitting or standing can help your foot core turn on. 

• Toe stretches: bend/flex or straighten/extend them using the floor. Intensify the stretch by lifting your heel off the floor. Standing is more intense also.  If it’s too intense, just use your hand to stretch your toes.  Don’t over do it. Be gentle but add as much weight as you need to feel a stretch.

 
Strengthen your foot core:

Full body and barefoot workouts like Yoga or Pilates will help strengthen your foot core.

• Form Check In’s: being mindful of having good form or balanced feet during standing activities and workouts will help your foot core muscles turn on.  Imagine a triangle on the bottom of your foot- place equal weight on ball of 1st toe and 5th toe and center of the heel.  Pay attention and check in regularly to your foot position anytime they have contact with the floor.

• Toe lifts: In sitting, you can try to pick up with objects with your toes or keep foot on floor and try to scrunch a towel with your toes.

• Arch lifts: Put your foot on floor with toes straight and spread as much as you can. Imagine a string attached to the middle of your foot as you try to lift your arch off the floor while your toes stay in contact with the floor. If that doesn’t make sense to you, place your hand on the table. Lift your palm off the table while your fingertips stay in contact with the table. Try the same move with your foot. Lift your arch off the floor while you keep your toes in contact with the floor.  You should feel a tightness or almost cramping in the arch if your foot muscles are working. Hold a few seconds. Repeat the move a few times.

​Challenge your foot core:  

Pilates Reformer work, unstable surfaces (like Bosu ball or foam surfaces) and doing band work resistance exercises barefoot are some of my favorite ways to challenge the foot core.

Support your foot core: 

Good arch support will help keep your foot in good alignment which helps your foot core turn on properly. You might need some extra arch support if you have very flat feet or high arches, stand a lot each day, or do an impact sport like running.  It could be a simple over the counter foam insert to a custom orthotic.

Typically, the liner that comes in your shoe is crap.  You’re not looking for a huge build up under the arch. Just a little arch support so it’s not completely collapsed, and you aren’t getting pain in your feet or knees with activities. You can learn from a health professional how to use kinesiotape to calm down foot pain if you get flare ups and support your arch but it’s important to also strengthen your foot core to help avoid foot injuries.
 
3. DO A RECHECK.

If you try any of the above foot care tips, recheck to see how your foot core is doing. Stand again on one leg and see what’s going on down there. 

Do you see more activity on the top of your foot, have better balance and/or a little bit of arch activity where there is some space between your foot and the floor?

How does it feel? Hopefully you’ll feel more contact with the floor and more grounded or stable overall. 

Even though your feet are at the end of the line, they’re the first body part in contact with the ground which then causes a chain reaction up the leg and into your trunk muscles.  They need just as much love as the rest of your body. Just a few mini moves for the foot core make a big difference in your posture and balance.

Give your foot core some love each day!

Mollie

P.S.
Want more tips on how to check your form? Here's a Fit Blog that'll help.

Want more massage tools & stretch routines to support and challenge your foot core (and hip core) We’ll show you how in HIP Camp™.