Part 4 of Car Seat Calisthenics!
This one will help wake up that core! I want you to think TALL, chin tucked slightly, abs engaged from the bottom up, ribcage down, and hip hinge from the glutes/hips. Only go as far down as your hamstrings allow in order to keep that good hinge. Set the car seat on something to make it higher if needed. Push through your pinkies to engage shoulders and serratus anterior (remember her? She is besties with external obliques). Don’t sink into your shoulders, engage them! Keep that core engaged throughout and move mindfully. No bearing down my ladies with prolapse...none. Do what you can, skip what you can’t for now. If walking out and back with bent knees helps, do that. Note: I have *no* baby in the car seat, which would have been helpful to keep it more stabilized. Empty made it a LOT more challenging! Note again: This is sped up 2x so take it slow, breathing through the movement! Again, think: mindful movement, exhale on the effort. Oh wait, another note: if these are too hard, modify! ~If hamstrings are a hindrance for hinging, put the car seat up higher. ~Bend knees to start and work up to straight legs if too challenging at this time. ~Hip hinge, hip hinge, aaaaaand hip hinge! ~Walk out as far as you can while keeping core engaged and without any doming/bulging/pooching. ~KEEP YOUR RIBCAGE DOWN! Yes, even in standing. ~Use a mirror or video yourself and see what is going on so you know what to fix or high-five yourself for doing well 😎 Well done 🙌 You now have a quick, four part, car seat workout that you can squeeze in without even having to wake up a sleeping babe 😁
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Part 3 of Car Seat Calisthenics!
This time balance is challenged. We all need more balance, in all things 🧘♀️ I want you to think TALL, chin tucked, abs engaged from the bottom up, ribcage down, and hip hinge from the glutes (no rounded back! Only go as far down as your hamstrings allow in order to keep that good hinge. Set the car seat on something to make it higher if needed. Keep that core engaged throughout and move mindfully. No bearing down my ladies with prolapse...none. Do what you can, skip what you can’t for now. Note: I have *no* baby in the car seat. Note again: This is sped up 2x so take it slow, breathing through the movement! Again, think: mindful movement, exhale on the effort. Oh wait, another note: if these are too hard, modify! ~If hamstrings are a hindrance, bend your stance leg more. ~If single leg deadlift is too challenging at this time and/or balance is not there then do a double leg version. ~Hip hinge, hip hinge, aaaaaand hip hinge! ~Don’t use any weight and then work up. ~KEEP YOUR RIBCAGE DOWN! Yes, even in standing. ~Use a mirror or video yourself and see what is going on so you know what to fix or high-five yourself for doing well 😎 Stay tuned for part 4! Part 2 of the Car Seat Calisthenics over here. I worked up an actual sweat doing these 😎 Again.
I want you to think TALL, chin tucked, abs engaged from the bottom up, ribcage down! No bearing down, my ladies with prolapse ...none. Do what you can, skip what you can’t for now. Note: I have *no* baby in the car seat. Note again: This is sped up 2x so take it slow, breathing through the movement! Think: mindful movement, exhale on the effort, and a delightfully neutral pelvis (pubis on the same plane as ASIS (bone on the front of your "hips"), on the same plane as lowest ribs...so bolster your head if you need assistance getting those ribs down). Oh wait, another note: if these are too hard, modify! ~Keep one foot down at all times. ~Don’t use any weight and then work up. ~KEEP YOUR RIBCAGE DOWN! ~Only go as far overhead with shoulder flexion as you can while KEEPING RIBCAGE DOWN. ~Use a mirror or video yourself and see what is going on so you know what to fix or high-five yourself for doing well :) Stay tuned for parts 3 & 4! Part 1 of the Car Seat Calisthenics over here. I worked up an actual sweat doing these 😎
My nit picky eye sees some pelvic/lumbar rotation I wish I could unsee but alas....nobody is perfect. I want you to think TALL, chin tucked, abs engaged from the bottom up, and engage those serratus anterior muscles by pushing away with your hands from the pinkies! They are besties with your external obliques and work best as a team. No bearing down my ladies with prolapse...none. Do what you can skip what you can’t for now. I was playing around with kicking at different angles which may be part of my rotation issue but do what you can with *minimal* lumbar or pelvic motion and slow it WAY down, as in slower than you think seems reasonable. This should work those abs isometrically and glutes actively. Note: I have *no* baby in the car seat. He was napping 😴 Note again: This is sped up 2x so take it slow and use your breathing to help with the movements! Think: mindful movement. Stay tuned for parts 2-4! Hmmm, yes. A good reminder. Get off your bum and do whatever it is you’re meant to be doing. You’re already headed in the right direction, now keep chipping away at it. Enjoy the process as much as possible. And remember, it is all impermanent, ever-changing, glorious in its own way.
Happy Monday! What this all boils down to is, be more mindful! Because, sometimes, it’s going to look like ☝️this☝️. And that’s okay!
Notice your habits and if they are not in alignment with your goals, work to change them! With posture it just takes a lot of repetition. These aren't earth- moving concepts. They are simple, actionable things that you can do over and over and over again. Make a sticky note (or 10!) and put one anywhere you look frequently to remind you. If I can help one of you lift and carry better then I am full of joy over here! It isn’t going to be 100% of the time, and likely not even 70% of the time that you’ll have this wonderful posturing. I don’t! You just need to do a little here and a little there, and be more body aware. And it totally helps. For those of us labeled with various pelvic health ailments, it is scary to read what the interwebs have to share on things like diastasis recti and particularly pelvic organ prolapse. Sure, you need to be more aware and change up a few habits but it is all for the better and will serve you well into old age when everyone else is dealing with overuse injuries from a lifetime of bad posture and mechanics. So, high five to you for taking the first steps! Good posture and alignment that best suits *you* and excellent breathing strategies will allow you to perform most of what you wish to do. But, obviously, please seek guidance from a qualified medical or exercise specialist who deals with these kinds of things regularly and understands the unique circumstances of postpartum rehab and pelvic health issues. Having a go-to women's health/pelvic floor physical therapist is one of the best tools to have in your lady bits tool box. (Oh my gosh, so many puns in that sentence!) If you have any questions, please reach out to me and I will do my best to assist you and/or point you in the right direction. We are in this together! YOU are not alone, my friend. It sounds so simple, huh? It can be, but for some it is SO HARD. My favorite thing to do is get down on the floor, prop my legs up on a table/bed/couch/ottoman and just chill out.
Focus on doing your really amazing 360 breathing and moving those ribs laterally (out to the side). Hang out as long as you feel comfortable, but I usually end up spending anywhere from five minutes to an hour (if I fall asleep!). So deeply relaxing. The back can relax fully, too, which is great for tension/pain. Let your legs really flop to the sides and pay attention to *anywhere* you are holding tension. I store mine in my left groin and jaw 😎 So mindfulness is key here. Put something under your head if it is uncomfortable for your neck or your ribs thrust too much. See if you can feel your breathing down into your pelvic floor. This will help relax things, big time. To me, it feels like my bum is expanding/opening, and that is how most people describe the sensation in my experience. This is a good thing for all my tight pelvic floors! You have to learn how to let go and allow it to expand fully in order for it to effectively contract completely and at the right time. |
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