In this blog series, I offer tips, techniques, and advice on how to reduce and/or eliminate low back pain. Today’s low back pain tip introduces an indispensable exercise called “The Bridge”. This is NOT the same as a yoga bridge, so please read on to find out how to perform a proper Bridge exercise; one that Holly regularly uses to help her clients with low back pain.

The Glutes

One of the most important muscle groups to strengthen in order to prevent and recover from low back pain is the glutes, better known as ‘your butt.’ Your glutes are supposed to be the largest and one of the most powerful muscles in your body. I think you know that is not the actual case for most people. Your glutes are used for maintaining good posture, standing, sitting, walking, hip and knee stability, and protecting the low back from injury.

The Common Problem

Our glutes are supposed to play a huge role in almost every movement we need to perform. However, in our society, most people sit for a large part of their day. When we sit, our glutes are inactive and become weak and the muscle atrophies. Not only that but when we sit our thigh muscles tighten and shorten. These muscles are attached to our hips so that when we finally do stand up our hips are held in place and these tight muscles prevent us from fully straightening. So, we force ourselves to straighten up and that force goes straight into the low back. And, what happens? The low back is injured. How many people do you know that have simply tried to stand up or pick something up and in the blink of an eye they injured their back? That is the result of too much sitting leading to weak glutes and tight thighs and not properly engaging core and glutes to stand up.

I need glutes. What do I do? The Bridge is the Answer!

There are many, many exercises to strengthen your glutes, but the best, basic, back safe exercise to get you started is called the Bridge. You can start this exercise even when you have chronic low back pain and safely activate and strengthen your glutes! And in addition, Bridges also strengthen your core, which includes your abdominal muscles and deeper core stabilizers along with your obliques and back erector spinal multifidus muscles. It is an excellent core builder and as long as it is performed properly, the Bridge does not put pressure on the low back; it is very safe. This is also a great exercise for people who are unable to squat due to back, hip, or knee pain. You also strengthen your thighs, hamstrings and quadriceps, your calves, and more.

Holly shows you how to properly perform a Bridge. Watch the video below and add it to your exercise program today!

I hope this information has been helpful to you.

If you’d like more personalized help with your health, I’d be happy to help you get started on the road to vibrant health. You can email me with any questions, or you can sign up for an initial free Vitality Breakthrough Strategy Session and I can help you determine your next best steps to health! If you’re ready to get started now, check out my health coaching and training services. They are available in-person local to the San Francisco Bay Area, or distance coaching and training is available for non-local clients.

With Love, Holly

Sometimes it’s not so easy. Perhaps, you’ve grown older, been injured, or have an illness and all of a sudden this simple movement has become difficult and you may feel vulnerable and exposed to further injury.

Standing up and sitting down are common and necessary tasks for successful activities of daily living. However, injuries occur frequently during this seemingly simple task. The most common being a low back injury. These injuries are easily preventable. Using proper body mechanics, sitting down and standing up become quite safe and much easier to perform. In the video below, Holly shows you how, simply and clearly.

A strong core, glutes, and thighs are what you need!

Stay tuned for more blogs on strengthening your core, glutes, and thighs. These are critical components of sitting down and standing up that I demonstrated in the video above. Check out my previous post on how to safely strengthen your glutes and core called “Low Back Pain? Bridges can Help!”

I hope you found this blog helpful.

If you’d like more personalized help with your health, I’d be happy to help you get started on the road to vibrant health. You can email me with any questions, or you can sign up for an initial free Vitality Breakthrough Strategy Session and I can help you determine your next best steps to health! If you’re ready to get started now, check out my health coaching and training services. They are available in-person local to the San Francisco Bay Area, or distance coaching and training is available for non-local clients.

With Love, Holly

Learn how to create great posture at any age with the Straighten Up Exercise! Good posture is a must-have for everyone as it is a key component for retaining safe mobility as you age.

What happens if you don’t maintain good posture with your back straight, shoulders centered, and your head aligned with a straight spine?

The hunched-over posture or upper-crossed syndrome.

Well, you’ve probably seen people who are a bit stoop-shouldered, and perhaps their head is tilting forward. This is becoming the new normal for people who spend a lot of time on their phone, computer, or iPad, or even sitting down in a slouched forward position.

What is happening?

The problem that occurs with decades of bad forward-leaning posture is that your body – the smart miracle that it is – tries to adapt itself to accommodate the position that we spend most of our time in. That means that your front neck muscles will shorten and strengthen along with your chest and front shoulder muscles. At the same time, your rear neck and shoulder muscles will weaken and lengthen, along with your rhomboids – the muscles between your shoulder blades. This adaptation makes it now normal for you to have a stoop-shouldered posture with a forward-tilted head. This is called the upper-crossed syndrome and it is not what you want at all.

Your head is a heavy weight!

Your head is a heavy weight and having it forward all the time can lead to back pain, poor balance and stability, and loss of physical height. In fact, if you allow the upper-crossed syndrome to go unchecked, it will become worse and your spine may even change shape to keep you nicely hunched over. That is a world of hurt and you don’t want to go there!

Correct your posture with the Straighten Up Exercise!

One great exercise to help you correct and prevent the upper-crossed syndrome – yes, as long as your bones haven’t changed shape – you can completely reverse this muscle adaptation. And, the Straighten Up Exercise is one of the keys to helping you do this. Watch this video and Holly shows you how, simply and clearly. Start performing this exercise today and watch your posture improve day by day!

A strong core, glutes, and neck flexors, rear delts, and rhomboids are what you need to Straighten Up and Stand Tall at Any Age!

Stay tuned for more blogs on strengthening your core, glutes, and other postural muscles. These are all critical components of creating good posture that I demonstrated in the video above. Check out my previous post on how to safely strengthen your glutes and core called “Low Back Pain? Bridges can Help!”

I hope you found this blog helpful.

If you’d like more personalized help with your health, I’d be happy to help you get started on the road to vibrant health. You can email me with any questions, or you can sign up for an initial free Vitality Breakthrough Strategy Session and I can help you determine your next best steps to health! If you’re ready to get started now, check out my health coaching and training services. They are available in-person local to the San Francisco Bay Area, or distance coaching and training is available for non-local clients.

With Love, Holly