In a world where the pursuit of quick fixes for low back pain prevails, the journey to lasting relief often seems elusive. Many turn to an array of solutions, including back pain stretches, strengthening exercises, pilates, abs workouts, or the simplicity of lying in bed. However, the reality is that these approaches, while potentially providing short-term relief, may inadvertently exacerbate the problem in the long run. Dr. Stuart McGill asserts that the key to addressing low back pain lies not in immediate solutions but in a more profound understanding of how our daily movements impact the spine.

Dr. Stuart McGill is a retired professor of spine biomechanics at the University of Waterloo in Canada. He is widely recognized as a leading expert in the field of spine biomechanics and lower back pain. Dr. McGill has conducted extensive research on the biomechanics of the spine, spine stabilization exercises, and rehabilitation strategies for individuals with low back pain.

Dr. McGill draws a compelling analogy between the spine and a wire coat hanger. Much like the repeated bending of the hanger weakens and fatigues it over time, the cumulative effect of continuous bending takes a toll on the human spine. This article aims to unravel Dr. McGill’s insights and present a comprehensive guide to tackling low back pain through an approach he terms as “spinal hygiene.”

Source: engin akyurt / Unsplash

While acknowledging that the true remedy for low back pain varies for each individual, Dr. McGill proposes a three-step methodology to potentially alleviate discomfort. This approach involves not only recognizing the movements and postures that trigger pain but also adopting a conscious and intentional approach to the positioning of the spine throughout the day. By understanding the principles of spinal conservation, individuals may empower themselves to break free from the cycle of recurring back pain and build a foundation for long-term relief.

In this comprehensive exploration, we will delve into the intricacies of each step, demystifying the cumulative effect on the spine, guiding readers through the modification of their postures for lower back pain relief, and unveiling the technique of the hip-hinge—a pivotal element in Dr. McGill’s methodology.

The information for this article is largely based on a video shared by Jeremy Ethier. Jeremy Ethier is a distinguished kinesiologist and fitness trainer who stands as a co-founder of Built With Science. With a staggering 6 million subscribers on his YouTube channel, Ethier has built a reputation for providing lucid information firmly grounded in robust scientific research.

Through practical applications and insights into incorporating these principles into daily life, this article aims to equip individuals with the knowledge needed to embark on a journey of spinal hygiene, fostering a renewed sense of spinal health and well-being.

Let’s dive deeper into McGill’s easiest way to fix lower back pain for good.

Source: Photo by Kindel Media from Pexels

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The Easiest Way to Fix Lower Back Pain for Good

The spine, likened to a wire coat hanger by Dr. McGill, undergoes a cumulative effect with repeated bending, much like bending the hanger back and forth until it fatigues and breaks. Identifying specific postures or movements that trigger low back pain is the first step in reducing the cumulative load on the spine. Whether it’s prolonged sitting, tying shoes, or certain exercises, recognizing and modifying these activities is crucial for a sustainable solution.

Posture Modification for Lower Back Pain Relief

Dr. McGill emphasizes the importance of proper standing and sitting postures to relax the back muscles. A self-assessment allows individuals to find the position that maintains an upright posture without engaging the low back muscles. This section will guide readers through the steps of the assessment and provide insights into adopting spine-conserving postures in daily activities.

Mastering the Hip-Hinge Technique

To further enhance spinal hygiene, Dr. McGill recommends implementing a hip-hinge technique, demonstrated through the “short stop squat.” This section will break down the steps of the short stop squat, emphasizing how to maintain a pain-free or “sweet spot” posture while performing tasks like tying shoes, lifting objects, or engaging in gym workouts. The article will stress the importance of incorporating this technique into daily activities to prevent added strain on the spine.

Practical Applications in Everyday Life

This section will offer practical tips on integrating the three steps into daily routines. Readers will learn how to modify their approach to tasks like bending over, picking up objects, and even performing weightlifting exercises in the gym. The focus will be on fostering a mindset of spinal hygiene and incorporating these practices seamlessly into daily life for long-term low back pain relief.

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In the quest for sustained relief from the throes of low back pain, Dr. Stuart McGill’s three-step approach emerges as a beacon of understanding and empowerment. Through the lens of spinal hygiene, this comprehensive guide has unravelled the intricate relationship between daily movements and the well-being of the spine. Dr. McGill’s analogy of the spine as a wire coat hanger, susceptible to cumulative fatigue, resonates as a profound metaphor that encourages a shift from quick fixes to a more deliberate and mindful approach to spinal health.

As we navigate the complexities of modern life, where sedentary lifestyles and repetitive movements contribute to the prevalence of low back pain, Dr. McGill’s wisdom can help everyone. The acknowledgment that there is no universal solution for low back pain allows individuals to embark on a personalized journey of self-discovery. By identifying specific postures and movements that trigger pain, modifying daily postures for lower back pain relief, and mastering the art of the hip-hinge, individuals can reclaim agency over their spinal health.

The practical applications outlined in this guide provide a roadmap for seamlessly integrating these principles into everyday life. Whether it’s adjusting the way we tie our shoes, pick up an object, or engage in exercises at the gym, the emphasis on spinal conservation becomes a guiding principle. The incorporation of the abdominal brace, the discovery of pain-free postures, and the conscious effort to move in a spine-friendly manner are transformative steps toward mitigating stress on the lower back.

Crucially, Dr. McGill’s teachings extend beyond a mere regimen; they advocate for a paradigm shift. Spinal hygiene becomes a way of life—a commitment to moving intentionally, avoiding static positions, and nurturing the spine’s resilience. It is a holistic approach that not only aids in the recovery from existing pain but also serves as a steadfast foundation for preventing its recurrence.

In essence, the journey toward spinal health is a continuous process, requiring dedication and mindfulness. By implementing the principles discussed herein and cultivating an awareness of one’s body, individuals can forge a path to lasting relief. Dr. Stuart McGill’s three-step approach to low back pain offers not just a remedy, but a transformative philosophy—one that encourages a harmonious coexistence with the spine and a renewed sense of well-being. As we embrace the principles of spinal hygiene, we embark on a journey toward a healthier, more resilient back—one step at a time.

For a full explanation from Ethier, utilising Dr. McGill’s knowledge, simply watch the video below.

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What is Forward Head Posture?

“Forward head posture (also known as “text neck”) is not something you should just ignore as it can have a major impact on your aesthetic, long-term health, neck pain, and even affect certain lifts your performance in the gym.”

How do you Fix it?

“Luckily, forward head posture correction is simple given that you perform the proper exercises and stretches. When it comes to the forward head posture “fix”, you need to focus on two things; stretching/massaging the muscles that have become shortened and using exercises to strengthen the muscles that have become weakened.”

“Although I wouldn’t call it a quick fix to forward head posture, given that you perform what is shown in this video daily and stick to the stretches/exercises consistently you’ll see major improvements pretty quickly. I suggest taking a picture of your forward head posture before starting the routine, and after a week or two in order to track your progress.”

How to Fix Forward Head Posture – Video

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Why forward head posture is detrimental for your health?

Forward head posture, also known as “text neck” or “forward neck posture,” occurs when the head is positioned forward of the shoulders, straining the muscles, joints, and ligaments of the neck. This common postural issue, often exacerbated by modern lifestyles involving prolonged screen time and sedentary activities, can have significant detrimental effects on your health. Let’s explore some of the reasons why forward head posture is considered harmful:

1. Increased Strain on Neck Muscles: Forward head posture places an increased load on the muscles at the back of the neck, particularly the upper trapezius and levator scapulae muscles. These muscles have to work harder to support the weight of the head when it is positioned forward, leading to muscle fatigue, tension, and discomfort.
2. Impact on Spinal Alignment: The spine is designed to maintain a natural curvature for optimal function and support. Forward head posture disrupts this alignment, potentially leading to imbalances throughout the entire spine. This misalignment can contribute to chronic neck pain, headaches, and even affect the alignment of the upper back and shoulders.
3. Strain on the Cervical Spine: The human head is relatively heavy, and when it is consistently positioned forward, it creates an increased load on the cervical spine (neck). Over time, this can contribute to wear and tear on the spinal discs, leading to degenerative changes and an increased risk of conditions like herniated discs.
4. Impaired Respiratory Function: Forward head posture can impact respiratory function. When the head is positioned forward, it can affect the ability of the respiratory muscles, such as the diaphragm, to work efficiently. This may result in shallow breathing and decreased lung capacity, potentially leading to respiratory issues over time.
5. Altered Biomechanics and Joint Stress: The altered biomechanics caused by forward head posture can lead to increased stress on the cervical facet joints. This increased stress may contribute to joint degeneration and the development of conditions like cervical osteoarthritis.
6. Neurological Implications: The spinal cord, which is an extension of the brain, travels through the vertebral column. Forward head posture may compromise the space available for the spinal cord, potentially affecting nerve function. This can lead to symptoms such as tingling, numbness, and weakness in the arms and hands.
7. Aesthetic Concerns: Beyond the physical health implications, forward head posture can also affect one’s appearance. It may contribute to the development of a rounded shoulder posture, creating an impression of slouching and diminishing overall postural aesthetics.

To address forward head posture and mitigate its detrimental effects, individuals can focus on improving ergonomics, practicing regular neck exercises and stretches, maintaining good posture, and incorporating strengthening exercises for the neck and upper back muscles. Seeking professional guidance from healthcare providers or physical therapists is advisable for a comprehensive assessment and personalized intervention.

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What is Forward Head Posture?

“Forward head posture (also known as “text neck”) is not something you should just ignore as it can have a major impact on your aesthetic, long-term health, neck pain, and even affect certain lifts your performance in the gym.”

How do you Fix it?

“Luckily, forward head posture correction is simple given that you perform the proper exercises and stretches. When it comes to the forward head posture “fix”, you need to focus on two things; stretching/massaging the muscles that have become shortened and using exercises to strengthen the muscles that have become weakened.”

“Although I wouldn’t call it a quick fix to forward head posture, given that you perform what is shown in this video daily and stick to the stretches/exercises consistently you’ll see major improvements pretty quickly. I suggest taking a picture of your forward head posture before starting the routine, and after a week or two in order to track your progress.”

How to Fix Forward Head Posture – Video

Learn More

Add Nordic Curls and Reverse Hyperextensions into your training.

Why forward head posture is detrimental for your health?

Forward head posture, also known as “text neck” or “forward neck posture,” occurs when the head is positioned forward of the shoulders, straining the muscles, joints, and ligaments of the neck. This common postural issue, often exacerbated by modern lifestyles involving prolonged screen time and sedentary activities, can have significant detrimental effects on your health. Let’s explore some of the reasons why forward head posture is considered harmful:

1. Increased Strain on Neck Muscles: Forward head posture places an increased load on the muscles at the back of the neck, particularly the upper trapezius and levator scapulae muscles. These muscles have to work harder to support the weight of the head when it is positioned forward, leading to muscle fatigue, tension, and discomfort.
2. Impact on Spinal Alignment: The spine is designed to maintain a natural curvature for optimal function and support. Forward head posture disrupts this alignment, potentially leading to imbalances throughout the entire spine. This misalignment can contribute to chronic neck pain, headaches, and even affect the alignment of the upper back and shoulders.
3. Strain on the Cervical Spine: The human head is relatively heavy, and when it is consistently positioned forward, it creates an increased load on the cervical spine (neck). Over time, this can contribute to wear and tear on the spinal discs, leading to degenerative changes and an increased risk of conditions like herniated discs.
4. Impaired Respiratory Function: Forward head posture can impact respiratory function. When the head is positioned forward, it can affect the ability of the respiratory muscles, such as the diaphragm, to work efficiently. This may result in shallow breathing and decreased lung capacity, potentially leading to respiratory issues over time.
5. Altered Biomechanics and Joint Stress: The altered biomechanics caused by forward head posture can lead to increased stress on the cervical facet joints. This increased stress may contribute to joint degeneration and the development of conditions like cervical osteoarthritis.
6. Neurological Implications: The spinal cord, which is an extension of the brain, travels through the vertebral column. Forward head posture may compromise the space available for the spinal cord, potentially affecting nerve function. This can lead to symptoms such as tingling, numbness, and weakness in the arms and hands.
7. Aesthetic Concerns: Beyond the physical health implications, forward head posture can also affect one’s appearance. It may contribute to the development of a rounded shoulder posture, creating an impression of slouching and diminishing overall postural aesthetics.

To address forward head posture and mitigate its detrimental effects, individuals can focus on improving ergonomics, practicing regular neck exercises and stretches, maintaining good posture, and incorporating strengthening exercises for the neck and upper back muscles. Seeking professional guidance from healthcare providers or physical therapists is advisable for a comprehensive assessment and personalized intervention.

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Not only did it introduce me to the world of mindful movement, but it also sculpted me into a devoted Pilates enthusiast. Join me as I share my personal journey, complemented by a detailed BetterMe review, unraveling the distinctive features that fueled this transformative experience.

The Genesis of My Pilates Journey:

Like many, my fitness journey had its highs and lows. I sought an exercise routine that not only challenged my body but also provided a mental escape from the daily hustle. That’s when I stumbled upon a Pilates app that promised a holistic approach to fitness – a promise it more than delivered on.

Week 1: A Tentative Beginning

In the initial week, I approached Pilates with a mix of curiosity and uncertainty. The app’s user-friendly interface guided me through fundamental exercises, introducing me to the core principles of Pilates – controlled movements, proper breathing, and core engagement. I felt a subtle shift in my awareness and posture, laying the groundwork for the weeks to come.

Week 2: Building Confidence and Strength

As I progressed into the second week, the app’s structured workout plans became more challenging. The combination of mat exercises and equipment-free routines built my confidence and strength gradually. What stood out was the app’s ability to adapt to my fitness level, ensuring a tailored experience that kept me motivated.

Week 3: Unveiling the Power of Precision

Week 3 marked a turning point as the app delved into precise movements and targeted muscle engagement. I began to appreciate the intricacies of Pilates, understanding how each movement contributed to overall strength and flexibility. The app’s detailed instructions and video demonstrations were instrumental in refining my technique.

Week 4: Pilates Enthusiast Unleashed

By the fourth week, I had transitioned from a tentative beginner to a full-fledged Pilates enthusiast. The app’s progressive approach and variety of workouts kept the routine engaging. From core-strengthening exercises to dynamic movements, I felt a sense of accomplishment with each session. The Pilates principles had become second nature, influencing not only my workout but also my daily life.

Key Features that Propelled My Transformation:

1. Personalized Workouts: The app tailored workouts to my fitness level, ensuring a gradual progression that kept me challenged but not overwhelmed.
2. Expert Guidance: Video demonstrations and expert-led sessions provided clarity on each exercise, fostering a deeper understanding of Pilates principles.
3. Variety and Engagement: The app’s diverse range of workouts, including mat exercises and equipment-free routines, prevented monotony and kept me engaged throughout the month.

The App’s Impact Beyond Workouts:

What sets this Pilates app apart is its holistic approach. Beyond the physical exercises, it incorporates mindfulness and stress reduction techniques. Weekly reflections and wellness tips added a mindful layer to my fitness journey, contributing to an overall sense of well-being.

Becoming a Pilates enthusiast wasn’t just about completing a month-long workout routine; it was a transformation in mindset and lifestyle. This app, with its thoughtful design and comprehensive approach, played a pivotal role in my journey.

In this detailed review, I’ve highlighted the app’s strengths and its impact on my fitness and well-being. If you’re considering delving into Pilates or seeking a fitness routine that goes beyond the physical, exploring a dedicated Pilates app might just be the catalyst for your own transformative journey.

When training in the gym, or any kind of exercising really, every set and every rep you do does something to your body. By now, you should know that you are actually tearing muscles on your body when training hard, and when these muscle tissues repair, they grow bigger and stronger. Those are the basics of hypertrophy training, or building muscle.

One thing you might not know is that within each rep and each set of any exercise, you are also putting stress in the often overlooked joints of the body. The most common joints we put a lot of stress on are the knees and the elbows – and most of us don’t even realise it.

Elbow pain, whether on the inside or outside, can be a formidable obstacle, hindering training, diminishing performance, and, quite simply, hurting. But you want to stop that and change your life around no? After all, that is why you clicked on this link.

Source: Rehband

The foundation of the insights for this article rests on a video presentation by Jeremy Ethier, a distinguished kinesiologist and fitness trainer who stands as a co-founder of Built With Science. With a staggering 6 million subscribers on his YouTube channel, Ethier has built a reputation for providing lucid information firmly grounded in robust scientific research.

Check below how to fix elbow pain and bulletproof your body by relying on the knowledge and expertise brought on the table by Ethier.

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How to Fix Elbow Pain (Bulletproof Your Body)

To unravel the mystery of elbow pain, let’s explore three key culprits and actionable steps to not only alleviate the pain but also prevent its unwelcome return.

1. Weak Forearm and Grip Strength:

The first suspect in the case of elbow pain is often an imbalance in forearm strength and weak grip strength. Numerous studies have consistently linked weak extensor muscles in the forearm to elbow pain, especially during repetitive gripping activities. The extensor muscles on the outside of the forearm are heavily involved during gripping, and if they are weak, they become susceptible to overuse and fatigue.

Remedy: Strengthen your forearms, particularly the extensors, and improve overall grip strength. Begin with standard wrist extensions using lighter weights and gradually increase over time. For inside elbow pain, perform wrist curls instead. Progress to functional movements like single-arm suitcase carries to enhance overall grip strength and endurance.

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2. Shoulder and Scapular Instability:

Above the elbow, another potential troublemaker is weakness in the muscles responsible for stabilizing the shoulder and scapula. When these stabilizers are weak, the muscles around the elbow joint work overtime during pushing and pulling exercises, leading to overuse and pain.

Remedy: Focus on strengthening the middle and lower traps with exercises like scapular pull-ups. Incorporate external rotation movements to fortify the rotator cuff. Develop a routine of these exercises, aiming for daily or at least a few times per week, to enhance stability and reduce the strain on your elbow.

3. Ignoring Pain Signals:

The third culprit is often our own tendency to push through pain. When discomfort arises in joints, ignoring it can exacerbate the problem. By the time we feel pain, overuse has already occurred. Continuing to train in this state can worsen the situation.

Remedy: Listen to your body and choose less stressful exercise variations. Dumbbells become essential allies, allowing for a neutral grip that minimizes stress on forearm muscles. Opt for exercises like hammer curls, dumbbell rows, and neutral grip chest presses. Pay attention to wrist positioning during exercises and avoid excessive flexion or extension.

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In conclusion, addressing elbow pain involves a multifaceted approach. Dedicate time to forearm and grip training, strengthen shoulder and scapular stabilizers, and be mindful of exercise selection and wrist positioning. Remember that joint stress often indicates imbalances or weaknesses elsewhere in the body. By addressing these underlying issues, you pave the way for pain-free workouts and long-term joint health.

Watch the video below for more information.

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Taking care of your elbows is crucial for anyone engaging in weightlifting for several reasons:

1. Preventing Injuries: The elbow joint is prone to various injuries, including tendinitis (such as tennis or golfer’s elbow) and overuse injuries. Proper care and preventive measures can significantly reduce the risk of these injuries.
2. Consistent Training: Elbow pain or injuries can disrupt your training routine. By maintaining elbow health, you ensure consistent and uninterrupted weightlifting sessions, which are essential for progress and achieving fitness goals.
3. Long-Term Joint Health: Weightlifting places stress on joints, and the elbows are particularly susceptible. Caring for your elbows means preserving joint health in the long run, preventing chronic issues and ensuring that you can continue lifting weights throughout your life.
4. Enhanced Performance: Healthy elbows contribute to overall strength and performance. When your joints are functioning optimally, you can lift heavier weights, perform exercises with proper form, and achieve better results in terms of muscle growth and strength gains.
5. Avoiding Pain and Discomfort: Elbow pain can be a significant hindrance during weightlifting. It not only diminishes the enjoyment of your workouts but also affects your focus and ability to push yourself to the maximum. Taking care of your elbows helps avoid unnecessary pain and discomfort.
6. Balanced Muscular Development: Neglecting elbow health may lead to imbalances in muscle development. For instance, if forearm muscles are weak or if there’s an imbalance between flexors and extensors, it can affect the overall strength and aesthetics of your arms.
7. Preventing Overuse Injuries: Weightlifters often engage in repetitive gripping and lifting movements, leading to overuse of the forearm muscles and tendons connected to the elbow. Taking precautions helps prevent overuse injuries and conditions associated with excessive stress.
8. Facilitating Recovery: If you do encounter minor strains or discomfort in your elbows, proper care can facilitate quicker recovery. This may involve adjusting your training routine, incorporating specific exercises for elbow health, and allowing sufficient time for rest and recovery.

In essence, taking care of your elbows is an investment in your overall well-being, enabling you to enjoy the benefits of weightlifting without the setbacks of injuries or chronic pain. Incorporating exercises to strengthen the supporting muscles, maintaining proper form, and listening to your body are essential components of elbow care for weightlifters.

Important Morning Stretches to Fix Achy Shoulders, Tight Hips and Stiff Back

Longevity hacks! Lately, it has become a thing to find out how to live longer and healthier. And like any human being likes it, why not find a way to achieve that without having to go through a long and arduous process.

However, sadly, that is not how life happens. Life hacks can be helpful to some degree, but when it comes to your health, cutting corners is not advisable. Ultimately, you should consult your trusted doctor before

In a recent insightful discussion on Athleanx.com, renowned fitness experts Jeff Cavaliere and Jesse Laico uncovered 12 predictors of very poor health as individuals age.

Jeff Cavaliere is a fitness trainer, physical therapist, and the creator of the popular fitness YouTube channel called ATHLEAN-X. He is known for his expertise in strength training, conditioning, and sports medicine. Jeff Cavaliere served as the Head Physical Therapist and Assistant Strength Coach for the New York Mets in Major League Baseball from 2006 to 2009.

Jesse Laico is his trusted client and now partner in business who, every once in a while, appears on the videos alongside Cavaliere.

Source: Barbara Olsen on Pexels

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Understanding and addressing these predictors early on can significantly impact the quality of life in later years. This article delves into each predictor, providing detailed insights and expert advice on how to improve them based on the valuable information shared by the experts.

1. VO2 Max – Burst Training for Cardiovascular Health (4-5 mins burst, 4-5 mins rest, 4-5 sets, once a week): Jeff and Jesse emphasize the importance of improving VO2 max, a measure of aerobic fitness. High-intensity cardiovascular conditioning, involving short bursts and adequate rest, once a week, is recommended to optimize overall cardiovascular health and decrease all-cause mortality.
2. Hydration (0.75 ounces per pound of total body weight a day): Proper hydration is crucial for cell function and overall well-being. Aim for approximately 0.75 ounces of water per pound of total body weight daily to maintain optimal hydration levels.
3. Weaknesses – Apley Scratch Test: Identifying and addressing weaknesses is crucial for maintaining functional mobility. The Apley Scratch Test is a useful assessment to gauge and work on restoring lost functionalities.
4. Corrective Exercises – Joint Protector, Decay Preventer: Incorporate corrective exercises such as joint protectors and decay preventers to prevent the decay in function, optimizing current performance, and ensuring long-term health.
5. Grip Strength – Arm Hang and Farmer Carry: Grip strength is a key indicator of overall health. Improve grip strength by incorporating exercises like the arm hang and farmer carry for a minimum of two minutes.
6. Weight Training and Limiting Machines: Weight training, especially with dumbbells and barbells, is essential for maintaining muscle mass and overall functionality. Limit reliance on machines to engage the grip strength and ensure a comprehensive workout.
7. Training Focus – Finding Your Intensity/Volume Balance for Sustainability and Longevity (10:40): Balance training intensity and volume for sustainability and longevity. High-intensity workouts provide compressive stress, while high volume may lead to junk volume. Find the right balance to optimize your fitness routine.
8. Adjusting Caloric Intake – Keep Nutrient-Dense Food, Cut Empty Calories: As muscle mass decreases with age, adjust caloric intake by focusing on nutrient-dense foods and cutting empty calories to avoid unwanted weight gain.
9. Saunas and Cold Water Immersion: Incorporate saunas and cold water immersion for 12 minutes combined per week. These modalities offer hormonal benefits and increase overall body resilience to stress.
10. Jumping and Running: Preserve the ability to jump and run for maintaining functional mobility and overall fitness as you age.
11. Mental Stress – Cognitive Weightlifting: Engage in cognitive weightlifting through activities like learning languages, reading books, engaging in conversations, solving puzzles, and using mental apps to maintain optimal brain function and mental acuity.
12. Regrets – Remove Old Regrets, Prevent New Ones from Forming: Addressing mental well-being is crucial. Work towards removing old regrets and adopting practices to prevent new ones from forming for a healthier and more fulfilling life.

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Source: Tia-Clair Toomey Instagram

In conclusion, the comprehensive insights provided by fitness experts Jeff Cavaliere and Jesse Laico serve as a roadmap for individuals seeking to defy the predictors of very poor health as they age. Each aspect, meticulously discussed in this article, offers a proactive approach to aging, emphasizing the significance of conscious choices in ensuring a healthier and more fulfilling life in later years.

Each of these predicators of very poor health, if addressed early on and worked on, you can be sure to have a healthy and somewhat injury-free life!

In essence, this comprehensive guide serves as an empowering resource for those looking to take charge of their health and well-being throughout the aging process. By incorporating these strategies into their daily lives, individuals can actively defy the predictors of very poor health and pave the way for a vibrant, healthier, and more fulfilling future.

Watch the video below for more information and the conversation between Jeff Cavaliere and Jesse Laico that is the groundwork for the article presented.

Longevity refers to the length of a person’s life, often used to describe the duration of a person’s overall health and well-being. It goes beyond just the number of years lived and encompasses the quality of life, health, and vitality during those years.

Improving longevity involves adopting healthy lifestyle choices and practices that contribute to a longer and healthier life. Here are some key factors to enhance longevity:

1. Healthy Diet: Consuming a balanced and nutrient-rich diet is crucial. Include a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats. Limit intake of processed foods, sugary beverages, and excessive amounts of red meat.
2. Regular Exercise: Engaging in regular physical activity is a cornerstone of longevity. Both aerobic exercises (such as walking, jogging, or swimming) and strength training contribute to overall fitness and health.
3. Adequate Sleep: Quality sleep is essential for physical and mental well-being. Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per night to support optimal functioning of the body and mind.
4. Stress Management: Chronic stress can negatively impact health and contribute to various diseases. Adopt stress-reducing practices such as mindfulness, meditation, deep breathing, or engaging in hobbies.
5. Social Connections: Maintaining strong social ties and connections with friends and family is associated with improved mental health and longevity. Social interactions provide emotional support and a sense of belonging.
6. Avoiding Harmful Habits: Refrain from smoking and limit alcohol consumption. Smoking and excessive alcohol intake are linked to various health issues that can shorten lifespan.
7. Regular Health Check-ups: Routine medical check-ups and screenings help detect and address health issues early, increasing the chances of successful treatment and prevention.
8. Cognitive Stimulation: Keep the mind active through lifelong learning, reading, puzzles, and engaging in activities that challenge cognitive abilities. Cognitive stimulation is associated with better brain health.
9. Maintaining a Healthy Weight: Obesity is linked to a higher risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers. Maintaining a healthy weight through a combination of diet and exercise is essential for longevity.
10. Genetic Factors: While genetic factors play a role in longevity, lifestyle choices can significantly influence how genes are expressed. Making healthy choices can positively impact genetic predispositions.

It’s important to note that longevity is influenced by a combination of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. Adopting a holistic approach to health and consistently practicing healthy habits can contribute to a longer and more fulfilling life. Always consult with healthcare professionals for personalized advice based on individual health needs.

Why You’re Always Tired and How to Fix It

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We know, sleep is imperative for many reasons. Not only it resets your body, gives you energy for the following day, but it is also when your brain is creating synapses and fortifying memories and your muscles are repairing and getting stronger and bigger.

Needless to say that sleep is one huge contributor factor to a person’s well-being and health. But that doesn’t mean you cannot wake up at 5 in the morning to being a routine that could positively impact your life. That is what Mike Diamonds did, anyway.

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Dr. Mike Diamonds is a retired medical doctor who is now an online fitness coach and a YouTuber. He has close to a million subscribers on his channel and he usually uses his own body transformation as an example of how to help people become their better selves. He is also the creator of the website Sculpt by Science.

For an entire year, Diamonds took on the challenge of adopting Dr. Andrew Huberman’s morning routine. If you’re not familiar with Andrew Huberman, he is a neuroscientist and tenured Professor in the Department of Neurobiology at the Stanford University School of Medicine.

It was Huberman’s morning routine that Mike did it religiously for an entire year and decided to share the insights in a video he uploaded. Below you will find the key takeaways from his 5am morning routine that will change your life, should you choose to follow too.

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Before we get into the results and what Mike’s learned, let’s rewind 11 months, where Mike stumbled upon Huberman’s video. It hit him hard. Ever felt like the person you are meets the one you could’ve been? Mike was in that mental paralysis, screaming for help. Huberman’s wisdom became his lifeline, and he shared the journey on YouTube—1.4 million views later, here we are.

Now, Huberman’s routine, in a nutshell. First off, rise and shine at 6:30 a.m. No need to religiously follow the 5:00 a.m. club; just ensure it’s early. The golden hours from 4 a.m. to 8 a.m. are your secret weapon against distractions—no texts, no social media. Time to execute the game plan.

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But how does one pull off waking up early? Simple. Set goals the night before, write them down, set an alarm in another room, and voila! You’re up, no excuses. Now, the game-changer—salted water instead of your beloved morning coffee. Delaying caffeine intake by 90 minutes syncs with your body’s natural rhythms, making that java jolt more potent.

Next up, soak in the morning sun. A 15-minute walk not only fuels your vitamin D but sets the tone for an energetic day. Combine this with intermittent fasting, a powerhouse for fat loss, muscle gain, and overall metabolic awesomeness.

Now, Mike’s personal favourite—fasted workouts. Caffeine becomes your workout buddy, and trust him, it’s a game-changer in a caloric deficit. But let’s talk cold showers. Tough to stick with, but the energy rush, muscle recovery, and immunity boost make them worth it.

Source: Pixabay

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Into the focused work zone. Dr. Huberman’s golden 90 minutes of distraction-free productivity. Turn off the phone, avoid the internet, and tackle your most important tasks. Break your fast with oatmeal or just find your flexible rhythm.

“It doesn’t have to be done in the order Andrew Huberman has done them, but including them into your day-to-day routine will be super effective and having this level of flexibility will be to your advantage,” Diamonds says.

Sometimes, Mike break his fast accordingly, sometimes sooner and sometimes earlier. “But I’ll make sure that I’m always eating in an 8-hour window period and that I’m fasting for 6 hours […] because those are the hours that work for me.”

In the end, it’s not about a rigid routine but incorporating these gems into your day. So, what’s your take? Have you tried any of these tips? Wake up at the crack of dawn, fasting ninja, or cold shower warrior?

Give it a go and you might inspire the next in line.

Watch the video below for more information from Mike Diamonds himself.

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Staying young, both physically and mentally, offers a multitude of health benefits that extend beyond the pursuit of aesthetic appeal. First and foremost, maintaining a youthful lifestyle contributes to enhanced physical well-being. Regular exercise, a cornerstone of youthfulness, not only helps in maintaining a healthy weight but also boosts cardiovascular health, strengthens bones, and improves overall flexibility. These physical benefits, in turn, reduce the risk of chronic conditions and promote longevity.

Secondly, embracing a youthful mindset fosters mental resilience and cognitive well-being. Engaging in activities that challenge the mind, such as learning new skills or participating in social interactions, promotes neuroplasticity— the brain’s ability to adapt and grow. This can lead to improved memory, cognitive function, and a reduced risk of age-related cognitive decline. Moreover, a positive and curious mindset associated with youthfulness contributes to lower stress levels, better mental health, and an overall sense of vitality.

Lastly, the pursuit of staying young encourages healthy lifestyle habits, including proper nutrition and skincare. A well-balanced diet rich in antioxidants and nutrients supports cellular health, skin elasticity, and immune function. Adequate skincare, with practices such as sun protection and hydration, not only enhances external appearance but also promotes skin health, reducing the risk of skin-related issues. Ultimately, the holistic approach to staying young intertwines physical, mental, and lifestyle factors, fostering a comprehensive foundation for overall well-being.

Source: Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels

But how can one simply explain 3 habits a person needs to stay young? Well, we leaned into a video shared by Brendan Jones, from the Goal Guys, and his journey to achieve better health and longevity.

The Goal Guys are two brothers (Brendan and Cam Jones) with a YouTube channel with more than 400,000 subscribers. They share videos in which they take on “different goals in fitness and productivity.”

Hang on as this is going to be a lengthy ride as we learn through Brendan’s eyes how and what he learned about longevity and health. Or you can just skip to the last paragraph to see Brendan’s takeaways on the 3 habits you need to stay young.

3 Habits You Should Have to Stay Young

Brendan Jones, a 24-year-old man, has been worried about getting older since his hairline started to recede. He’s afraid of getting wrinkles, losing strength, and running out of time to accomplish his goals. However, he’s been told that many of his fears about aging are unfounded. There are a few key habits he can adopt to slow down the aging process and one major change he can make to avoid living a shorter life.

In her book “True Age,” pathologist Dr. Morgan Levine argues that rather than looking at Brendan’s chronological age (how many years he’s been alive), he should instead focus his attention on his biological age, which tracks the rate at which his body is changing and breaking down over time. It sounds complicated to track all this information, but everything Brendan needs can be found in a simple blood test. By tracking these changes, it’s possible for Brendan to enjoy a full year of life while his biological age barely gets older.

Hoping to find his own affordable way to biohack his aging, Brendan read through Dr. Levine’s book and discovered he had a number of habits that might be causing him to age faster than he originally thought.

When it comes to decrease biological age, the key is to increase capacity for resilience. If you push yourself out of the comfort zone, your body’s response will go into a different mode where it restores and repairs itself.

This repeated cycle of stress and response tends to cause biological age to flatline so the body can remain fit and ready to take on whatever challenge comes its way.

Easily the most studied approach for creating a stress and response cycle to slow down aging can be achieved through diet. By changing how much, when, or just what foods to eat, researchers first found a link between diet and longevity when they began testing subjects on calorie-restricted diets. The subjects were still getting the levels of nutrition they needed, but they were doing so in a 20-calorie deficit until their bodies reached the low end of their ideal weight.

As someone who spent a decent amount of time trying to build muscle, the prospect of cutting until he’s 15 pounds lighter and below 140 pounds is not appealing at all to Brendan.

He then explores alternatives to traditional calorie restriction for extending his lifespan, discovering promising options like time-restricted eating and fasting. These methods trigger a stress-response cycle similar to calorie restriction without necessitating significant weight loss. A six-month study on time-restricted eating showcased participants testing two and a half years younger upon completion, actively reversing the aging process.

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Seeking a manageable approach, Brendan finds time-restricted eating requires only willpower within a designated window of time. Diversifying his dietary strategy, Brendan reevaluates specific foods, uncovering that diets high in animal protein may accelerate aging. Considering plant-based protein sources like quinoa, lentils, or beans becomes an appealing substitute, aligning with his goal of extending life. This exploration signifies a pivotal step in Brendan’s journey toward a more mindful and intentional approach to nutrition and aging.

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The second way he can apply short-term stress to his life in order to slow down the effects of Father Time, and that is through exercise. If he wants to live longer, he needs to work harder.

Brendan’s commitment to exercise is evident as his alarm blares at 2 AM, signaling the start of his running routine with unwavering dedication. However, moderation is the cornerstone of his approach to exercise longevity. Striking a balance that challenges his body without risking overtraining is crucial—no excuses, no quitting, but no compromising recovery.

Acknowledging the pitfalls of extreme training, Brendan opts for a more sustainable path. Ultra-marathon runners, studied for their aging patterns, revealed that pushing too hard could accelerate aging. The quest for longevity through exercise involves finding the sweet spot—pushing oneself without exceeding limits. Enter high-intensity interval training (HIIT), a program hailed by researchers for its ability to strike this balance effectively.

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Source: RUN 4 FFWPU / Pexels

HIIT’s principle involves pushing to the maximum intensity for short bursts, followed by a break allowing the heart rate to settle back to around 60% of capacity. This cycle, coupled with resistance exercise, addresses the two vital components of long-term health: cardio and strength. Brendan’s commitment to this balanced and efficient exercise regimen underscores his dedication to optimizing his well-being for the journey ahead.

If Brendan knows how to slow down aging through the right diet and exercise, what are the areas of life that will cause his internal clock to tick faster, causing him to grow old ahead of his chronological age? Acknowledging the well-known culprits like smoking and binge drinking, Brendan focuses on the paradoxical relationship between moderate stress, daily stressors, and their impact on the aging process.

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In Brendan’s exploration, he recognizes that while the key to slowing down aging lies in building resilience through moderate stress, the day-to-day stress in our lives seems to counterintuitively speed up our biological clocks. Work-related anxieties, financial stress, or the perennial feeling of time scarcity trigger the production of cortisol, initiating the body’s fight or flight response.

While cortisol itself is not inherently harmful, the problem arises when its production remains active throughout the day, fuelled by a ceaseless influx of text and email alerts, social commitments, and even concerns about the taste of a meatless chili. Brendan reflects on Dr. Levine’s insights, emphasizing that, despite our stable physical needs for shelter and food, the modern era introduces higher levels of daily stress, impacting sleep quality and compromising the immune system’s ability to ward off sickness and disease.

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Understanding that reducing stress isn’t as straightforward as changing dietary habits or incorporating exercise, Brendan cites Stanford researchers who assert that transforming how stress is perceived can significantly alter its effects on health and performance. Individuals who embrace the positive aspects of stress, viewing it as an energy source and motivator, tend to perform better and experience positive health effects compared to those who solely perceive stress as a negative force to be avoided.

Brendan identifies a second key to mitigating the adverse impacts of stress—fostering a mindset that emphasizes the ability to succeed despite difficult circumstances and a willingness to reach out to others before feeling overwhelmed and run down. This insight leads Brendan to a broader societal observation, noting a sharp decrease in social connections and a rise in loneliness among young people. He laments the shift towards spending more time alone, a trend exacerbated by factors like technology, modern work culture, and urban environments fostering isolation.

Sharing a personal note about moving to a new city during lockdowns, Brendan admits to the challenges of building new connections and finding close friendships. Despite acknowledging the complexities of addressing societal changes contributing to loneliness, Brendan emphasizes the individual responsibility to invest effort in building and maintaining friendships. He encourages a shift in priorities, urging people to allocate time for social interactions alongside work, exercise, and personal pursuits.

Source: Courtesy of CrossFit Inc.

In Brendan’s view, there’s no ideal number of friends, but the consensus suggests that maintaining three to six close relationships is sufficient for a rich and socially fulfilling life. While building connections may not be inherently easy, Brendan underscores the significance of starting with one or two meaningful connections, positioning individuals halfway towards a socially fulfilling life.

According to Brendan Jones’ exploration of staying young, three key habits include:

1. Moderate Stress with Resilience Building:
   • Embrace moderate stress that pushes individuals out of their comfort zones, fostering resilience.
   • View stress as a positive force that energises and motivates rather than solely a negative to be avoided.
   • Cultivate a mindset that emphasizes the ability to succeed despite difficult circumstances.
2. Mindful Diet and Exercise:
   • Adopt a diet that promotes longevity, considering factors like calorie restriction, time-restricted eating, and choosing plant-based proteins over heavy reliance on animal proteins.
   • Engage in exercise with moderation, focusing on finding a balance that challenges the body without leading to overtraining.
   • Incorporate high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and resistance exercise for optimal cardiovascular and strength benefits.
3. Nurture Social Connections:
   • Prioritise building and maintaining meaningful social connections.
   • Acknowledge the importance of friendships for both mental and physical health.
   • Actively invest time and effort in fostering social relationships, understanding that even a small handful of close connections can contribute to a socially fulfilling life.

Drawing inspiration from Dr. Levine’s book, Brendan’s biggest takeaway is the power of small changes. He rejects the notion that drastic measures like working out for six hours a day or spending millions of dollars are prerequisites for slowing the effects of aging. Instead, Brendan advocates for meaningful changes tailored to individual lifestyles and schedules, urging others not to let stress weigh them down. In a concluding note, Brendan reassures readers to embrace the aging process and not to panic when blowing out the candles on their birthdays.

These habits, according to Brendan, offer a holistic approach to slowing down the aging process, emphasizing the power of small changes tailored to individual lifestyles.

Watch his video below for all the information you want about these 3 habits you should have to stay young.

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Jeremy Ethier is the co-founder of Built With Science. With a robust online presence boasting over 5.5 million subscribers on YouTube, Ethier imparts knowledge grounded in comprehensive research and delivers it with clarity.

Ethier emphasizes the efficiency of the body’s resource management and waste elimination mechanisms. When the body ceases training, its strength diminishes, paralleling the decline in the ability to utilize the full range of joint motion.

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In the contemporary era, many individuals neglect their joints’ complete range of motion for prolonged periods. Jeremy highlights the dwindling mobility of the shoulders, hips, back, and ankles, attributing it to a lack of usage.

To illustrate the contrast between certain cultures, think of how Southeast Asians comfortably assume deep squat positions in their daily lives, while many in Western cultures struggle to do the same. This discrepancy underscores the widespread deficiency in joint mobility.

Try to sit down and stand up without using your hands or knees for support. If you struggle to do it, or simply cannot, this simple test reveals limitations in joint mobility.

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How To Unlock Your Full Body Mobility in 5 Minutes

Acknowledging the importance of short yet consistent routines, Ethier talks about how to unlock your full body mobility in 5 minutes with a mobility routine tailored to address common trouble areas: hips, upper back, and ankles. He underscores the significance of form and modifications to optimize each exercise’s effectiveness.

The routine commences with a spine-loosening exercise that involves rounding the back while controlling breathing. This is great after long periods of laying down.

Ethier introduces the “World’s Greatest Stretch,” a multi-part exercise that targets the hips, upper back, and ankles. Demonstrating each part, he emphasizes knee and foot positioning to maximize the stretch’s impact.

Source: Pixabay / Pexels

Moving on, Ethier demonstrates the “Asian Squat,” a modified squat that incorporates heel elevation using a rolled-up towel. This exercise primarily targets the hips and ankles, enhancing joint mobility.

Transitioning to the upper back and chest, do a half-kneeling rotation stretch against a wall. This exercise enhances upper back mobility while avoiding hip rotation.

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To conclude, how about “Wall Slides,” an exercise to strengthen smaller back muscles, aiding in maintaining long-term mobility improvements? It is important to maintain form and apply progressive overload to improve each time.

Each exercise should be performed for approximately a minute. Ethier encourages focusing on high-quality repetitions during each exercise, promoting consistency and gradual improvement.

Watch the full video below to understand how to perform each movement and why they are the secret exercises to unlock your full body mobility in 5 minutes.

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Mobility plays a pivotal role for athletes across various disciplines, providing a foundation for optimal performance, injury prevention, and overall athletic prowess. Regardless of the specific sport or activity, mobility holds significant importance for several key reasons:

1. Enhanced Movement Efficiency: Improved mobility enables athletes to move more efficiently and effectively through a full range of motion. This translates to greater agility, speed, and coordination, which are essential for excelling in sports that involve quick and dynamic movements.
2. Injury Prevention: Adequate mobility reduces the risk of injuries by ensuring joints can move freely and muscles can function optimally. Proper joint alignment and muscle balance help distribute forces evenly during movements, reducing the likelihood of strains, sprains, and other injuries.
3. Optimized Technique and Skill Development: Proper mobility allows athletes to execute techniques with precision. Whether it’s a golf swing, a tennis serve, or a basketball jump shot, having the necessary joint range of motion allows athletes to fully engage their muscles and generate power while maintaining proper form.
4. Increased Strength and Power Generation: Mobility contributes to improved muscle activation and engagement. Full range of motion enables muscles to contract more effectively, resulting in increased strength and power output. This is particularly crucial in sports that require explosive movements, such as sprinting, jumping, and throwing.
5. Functional Performance: Many sports demand multi-planar movements that require flexibility and joint mobility. Athletes who can move fluidly in all directions are better equipped to perform complex and functional movements that mirror the demands of their sport.
6. Recovery and Regeneration: Adequate mobility promotes better circulation and blood flow, which aids in the delivery of nutrients and removal of waste products from muscles. This can expedite recovery after intense training sessions and competitions.
7. Longevity and Consistency: Maintaining good mobility can contribute to an athlete’s long-term career and consistency in performance. Over time, athletes with proper mobility are less likely to develop chronic issues that could hinder their ability to compete at a high level.
8. Sport-Specific Adaptations: Different sports require specific mobility demands. For instance, gymnasts need exceptional shoulder and hip mobility, while swimmers benefit from a flexible upper body and ankles. Adapting mobility exercises to the specific requirements of a sport can significantly enhance an athlete’s performance.
9. Mental Confidence: Improved mobility can boost an athlete’s self-confidence, knowing they have the physical capacity to execute movements and techniques without limitations. This mental assurance can positively impact their overall mindset and approach to competition.
10. Holistic Athletic Development: Mobility training is an integral component of a well-rounded training regimen. Integrating mobility exercises alongside strength, endurance, and skill training helps athletes achieve a comprehensive level of fitness and performance.

In summary, mobility is a foundational element that underpins an athlete’s ability to move effectively, prevent injuries, execute techniques, and optimize performance across various sports. By prioritizing mobility as an essential aspect of training, athletes can enhance their overall athletic capabilities and excel in their chosen disciplines.

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And how would you do that? With the help of Jeff Cavaliere. He was the head physical therapist of the New York Mets for 3 years and is now a YouTube sensation. He delivers clear information without noise on his ATHLEAN-X YouTube channel.

When seeking to make adjustments in your daily routine to alleviate discomfort or pain, you can place your trust in Cavaliere. The upcoming paragraphs are derived from his insights on rectifying posture with just four movements.

How To Fix Your Posture in Only 4 Moves

If an individual is dealing with poor posture, they are likely conscious of this concern and would likely welcome a straightforward approach to address it. Cavaliere presented a four-step plan, targeting the most prevalent posture irregularities in order to swiftly attain an improved, upright posture. The plan demonstrates how to address issues like rounded shoulders, a hunched back, crooked neck, forward head, and tilted pelvis.

By incorporating the uncomplicated exercises provided, noticeable improvements can be experienced almost immediately, setting the path toward a sustained correction of poor posture.

The principal trouble spots for individuals with poor posture include the neck, shoulders, mid-back, and pelvis. For instance, prolonged periods of sitting, such as at a desk or while driving, often result in slouched shoulders and a rounded upper back.

In response to the downward pull on the head, an upward tilt of the head is often adopted to maintain a straight-ahead gaze. Unfortunately, this compensatory action leads to over-arching of the neck and weakening of the deep neck flexors. Additionally, the upper spine curving forward often triggers a posterior pelvic tilt, causing the pelvis to rotate underneath. This malalignment leads to tight hamstrings and a weakened lower back.

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Fortunately, there are targeted solutions for each of these problematic areas that can effectively rectify posture issues without requiring an extensive daily time commitment. These exercises are efficient and impactful, but consistent adherence is essential for achieving lasting correction. It’s worth noting that addressing posture is a process, and while posture-damaging habits may have developed over a lifetime, expecting immediate correction within an hour is unrealistic

The 4 moves to fix your posture presented by Cavaliere are:

1. Thoracic spine extension
2. Face pulls
3. Neck flexors
4. Anterior pelvic tilt

Although not an instantaneous fix, these posture correction exercises yield immediate benefits in terms of enhanced mobility in the affected regions, facilitating a sense of increased ease and freedom of movement. With ongoing consistency, lasting changes in posture can be achieved, resulting in heightened strength and a more appealing appearance.

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An essential consideration when it comes to posture and physical exercise, as previously mentioned, is the significance of avoiding weightlifting while the body is significantly misaligned. Engaging in weightlifting with poor posture only serves to reinforce dysfunctional patterns.

This approach can lead to compensations in other parts of the body’s kinetic chain and potentially result in injury. Prioritizing posture correction before focusing on strength training is a more prudent strategy, ultimately reinforcing the newly established optimal posture.

Watch the video below from Jeff Cavaliere to have a full explanation on the 4 moves to fix your posture, how to perform them, and why they are so effective.

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While nutrition alone cannot prevent injuries, maintaining a healthy and balanced diet can play a crucial role in supporting overall health and reducing the risk of certain injuries. Adequate nutrition provides the body with essential nutrients and supports various physiological processes that contribute to injury prevention. Here are a few ways proper nutrition can help:

1. Bone health: Consuming sufficient amounts of calcium, vitamin D, and other essential nutrients helps promote strong bones and reduces the risk of fractures and stress fractures.
2. Muscle strength and recovery: Consuming enough protein, which is crucial for muscle repair and growth, can help maintain muscle strength and support recovery after exercise or physical activity. Strong muscles provide better stability and reduce the risk of musculoskeletal injuries.
3. Ligament and tendon health: Consuming a diet rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants helps support the health and integrity of ligaments and tendons, reducing the risk of sprains, strains, and tendonitis.
4. Inflammation reduction: A diet rich in anti-inflammatory foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats, can help reduce chronic inflammation in the body. Chronic inflammation can contribute to injury development and delay the healing process.
5. Weight management: Maintaining a healthy weight through a balanced diet can reduce the strain on joints and lower the risk of injuries, particularly in weight-bearing activities.
6. Hydration: Staying properly hydrated supports optimal joint lubrication, muscle function, and overall physical performance. It can help prevent dehydration-related issues, such as muscle cramps and fatigue, which can increase the risk of injuries.

While nutrition is an important aspect of injury prevention, it should be combined with other preventive measures, such as proper warm-up and cool-down routines, appropriate training techniques, rest and recovery, and overall good physical conditioning. Consulting with a healthcare professional or registered dietitian can provide personalized guidance on nutrition strategies to support injury prevention based on individual needs and circumstances.

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To discover how to fix lower back pain in an instant, we look no further than the expertise of Jeff Cavaliere. Jeff Cavaliere was the head physical therapist of the New York Mets for 3 years and is now a YouTube sensation. He delivers clear information without noise on his ATHLEAN-X YouTube channel.

When it comes to changing things around in your daily routine to fix some discomfort or pain, Cavaliere is someone you can rely on. So the next few paragraphs are based on what he talked about regarding how to fix lower back pain in an instant.

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How To Fix Lower Back Pain in an Instant

The information presented in the following paragraphs was based on a video shared by Cavaliere where he unravels the enigma surrounding the gluteus medius—the elusive culprit behind your back pain. Below you will see an exercise that can provide instant relief and also other exercises engineered to permanently banish the lower back pain issue from your life altogether.

You can perform a quick self-assessment by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and raising one foot off the ground. Take note of whether the opposite hip noticeably drops. If it does, it suggests weakness in the gluteus medius on that side. Repeat the test with the other foot and observe if you need to shift your weight significantly to lift the foot. This imbalance in weight distribution can particularly impact activities like squatting.

To swiftly address this issue, lie down with the affected side on top – if your right lower back is bothering you, lie on your left hip. Locate the tender area just outside the bony prominence of your pelvis and apply pressure with your thumb. While maintaining this pressure, move your leg down and forward and then back and upward. Extend your hip and lift your leg sideways towards the ceiling, ensuring your toes point downward to engage the gluteus medius. Repeat this motion approximately 10 times until you feel the muscle tension release.

Subsequently, you can alleviate the spasm in the trigger point by fully contracting the gluteus medius and holding this position for as long as you can. Since this muscle is often weak, you may only manage 30 seconds to a minute. Afterwards, stand up, and you should experience immediate relief on the affected side.

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Sustained consistency is crucial. As you ease tension in this muscle, you’ll likely notice improvements in your squat performance. Increased depth and alleviation of any previous low back discomfort during exercises can be attributed to the restored equilibrium in force between both legs.

While this provides a rapid but temporary solution, the root cause, being the weak gluteus medius, necessitates consistent exercises for your low back.

Here are 3 exercises, each meticulously tailored to bestow resilience upon your low back. First on this triad is the “hip bump” against an accommodating wall. Next emerges the “sack swinger,” a whimsically named contender that embraces resourcefulness by commandeering a dog leash instead of a conventional dip belt. And rounding off this trinity, a call to revisit the very movement that constituted your treatment, now impeccably repurposed as a low back fortification exercise.

In summation, consistency is your faithful companion on this transformative journey. As the orchestration of muscular equilibrium unfolds, you’ll likely marvel at the crescendo in your squat performance—deeper depths and an absence of erstwhile low back vexations will bear testimony to the harmonious unity of force between your ambidextrous lower limbs.

For a full explanation and video orientation on how to perform the exercises that will help you find out how to fix lower back pain in an instant, play it below.

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While nutrition alone cannot prevent injuries, maintaining a healthy and balanced diet can play a crucial role in supporting overall health and reducing the risk of certain injuries. Adequate nutrition provides the body with essential nutrients and supports various physiological processes that contribute to injury prevention. Here are a few ways proper nutrition can help:

1. Bone health: Consuming sufficient amounts of calcium, vitamin D, and other essential nutrients helps promote strong bones and reduces the risk of fractures and stress fractures.
2. Muscle strength and recovery: Consuming enough protein, which is crucial for muscle repair and growth, can help maintain muscle strength and support recovery after exercise or physical activity. Strong muscles provide better stability and reduce the risk of musculoskeletal injuries.
3. Ligament and tendon health: Consuming a diet rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants helps support the health and integrity of ligaments and tendons, reducing the risk of sprains, strains, and tendonitis.
4. Inflammation reduction: A diet rich in anti-inflammatory foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats, can help reduce chronic inflammation in the body. Chronic inflammation can contribute to injury development and delay the healing process.
5. Weight management: Maintaining a healthy weight through a balanced diet can reduce the strain on joints and lower the risk of injuries, particularly in weight-bearing activities.
6. Hydration: Staying properly hydrated supports optimal joint lubrication, muscle function, and overall physical performance. It can help prevent dehydration-related issues, such as muscle cramps and fatigue, which can increase the risk of injuries.

While nutrition is an important aspect of injury prevention, it should be combined with other preventive measures, such as proper warm-up and cool-down routines, appropriate training techniques, rest and recovery, and overall good physical conditioning. Consulting with a healthcare professional or registered dietitian can provide personalized guidance on nutrition strategies to support injury prevention based on individual needs and circumstances.

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An esteemed figure in the field of kinesiology and fitness training, Jeremy Ethier stands as the co-founder of Built With Science. With a robust online presence boasting over 5.5 million subscribers on YouTube, Ethier imparts knowledge grounded in comprehensive research and delivers it with clarity.

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Ethier’s insightful guidance has birthed two distinct 5-minute exercise options, as featured in one of his instructional videos. These exercises present swift and uncomplicated solutions aimed at alleviating back pain and mitigating the unnatural curvature of the spine. When amalgamated, they constitute an ideal 10-minute daily regimen, targeting a multifaceted approach to posture improvement.

The core principle underlying this routine revolves around the mobilization of constricted regions within the body, bolstering areas that have grown weakened, and actively addressing any existing asymmetries. Ethier’s explanation underscores the program’s purpose: to holistically fortify and realign the spine, ultimately cultivating a healthier and more balanced posture.

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Source: CrossFit Inc / Depositphotos

This regimen not only offers a practical solution to the discomfort caused by back pain but also provides a comprehensive strategy for rectifying postural irregularities. Ethier’s strategic amalgamation of exercises systematically addresses both the underlying causes and the visible symptoms, creating a well-rounded approach to postural improvement.

In essence, by dedicating a mere 10 minutes of your daily routine to these targeted exercises, you embark on a transformative journey toward enhanced spinal health and improved overall well-being. Ethier’s expertly curated routine serves as a testament to the potential for positive change, empowering individuals to take charge of their posture and consequently, their quality of life.

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The Perfect 10-Minute Daily Posture Routine that EVERYONE Needs to Do

So what is this perfect 10-minute daily posture routine that everyone needs to do? There is one focused on the upper body and another one focused on the lower body.

Upper Body-Focused Routine: Routine 1 – Enhancing Upper Body Alignment

1. Over-and-Back Movement Perform 10-15 slow repetitions. This motion will help release tension in your shoulders, counteracting the forward hunching posture.
2. Cobra Pose Engage in 5-10 slow repetitions with a brief pause at the apex. An exceptional stretch that counterbalances the effects of extended sitting by restoring natural joint alignment.
3. Stand and Reach Execute 5-10 reaches on each side, pausing at the end position. This exercise addresses imbalances caused by slouching in one direction while seated.
4. Wall Slides with Chin Nod Complete 2 sets of 10-15 repetitions. By strengthening the lower trapezius muscles and reinforcing weakened neck flexors, this exercise aids in reversing the slouched posture.

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Lower Body-Focused Routine: Routine 2 – Enhancing Lower Body Alignment

1. Quadruped Thoracic Rotations Perform 10 repetitions on each side with a brief pause at the peak. Promotes mobility and alignment in the thoracic spine, vital for overall posture improvement.
2. Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch Hold each side for 30 to 45 seconds. This stretch alleviates tightness in the hip flexors caused by prolonged sitting.
3. Pigeon Stretch Hold each side for 30 to 45 seconds. Enhances hip mobility and counteracts the effects of extended periods of sitting.
4. Glute Bridges Complete 2 sets of 10-15 repetitions with a brief pause at the top. After performing the preceding exercises, engage in glute bridges to activate your glutes properly.

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Bringing It All Together: By combining both routines, you have just completed an ideal 10-minute daily posture regimen. Consistent practice will yield noticeable improvements in both comfort and posture within a few weeks.

Watch the video below for all the information you need from Jeremy Ethier.

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Maintaining good posture is important for several reasons:

1. Physical Health: Proper posture helps distribute the forces of gravity evenly through your body, reducing strain on muscles, ligaments, and joints. This can help prevent aches, pains, and discomfort, particularly in the neck, shoulders, back, and hips.
2. Spinal Alignment: Good posture supports the natural curves of your spine (cervical, thoracic, and lumbar), which helps keep your spine in proper alignment. This can prevent issues like spinal misalignment, herniated discs, and other spinal problems.
3. Breathing and Digestion: Correct posture allows your lungs to expand fully, promoting efficient and unrestricted breathing. It also provides more space for your digestive organs, aiding in digestion and preventing discomfort.
4. Muscle Function: When you have good posture, your muscles work more efficiently, allowing them to function optimally. This can prevent muscle imbalances and overuse injuries.
5. Joint Health: Proper alignment of your joints reduces the risk of excessive wear and tear, decreasing the likelihood of developing conditions like osteoarthritis.
6. Appearance: Good posture contributes to a more confident and positive physical appearance. Standing tall and with confidence can also boost your self-esteem.
7. Circulation: Proper posture helps maintain healthy blood circulation throughout your body, preventing the buildup of pressure in certain areas and reducing the risk of varicose veins and related issues.
8. Nervous System: Correct alignment of the spine can help ensure that your nervous system functions optimally, transmitting signals effectively between your brain and the rest of your body.
9. Injury Prevention: Good posture reduces the risk of strain, sprains, and injuries that can occur from poor body mechanics.
10. Mental and Emotional Well-being: There’s a connection between posture and mood. Good posture can have a positive impact on your mental state, promoting feelings of confidence and reducing stress.

In summary, maintaining good posture is crucial for overall physical health, preventing discomfort and pain, and ensuring that your body functions optimally. It contributes to your well-being, both physically and mentally, allowing you to live a healthier and more comfortable life.

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Dr Aaron Horschig is a physical therapist, coach, and creator of Squat University. He is one of the most respected authorities when it comes to squatting and everything related to your stance and knees.

Although people grew up acknowledging that shoes are designed to protect our feet, this fact is a bit skewed. Yes, it protects our feet from stepping on something that could hurt us, or from the elements of nature, but shoes as we know can also be doing more harm than good.

See below what Horschig had to say about all of this.

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Source: Isaac Taylor on Pexels

What Happens to Your Body if You Don’t Wear Shoes for 30 Days?

According to Dr Aaron Horschig, there are 6 big things you will notice if you don’t wear shoes for 30 days.

1. Toes spread out – a sign of a healthy foot
2. Less foot pain – specifically those people dealing with plantar fasciitis
3. Stronger feet – by allowing your toes to flat out on the ground enhancing foot function and stability
4. Better arch control
5. Improved balance – great for athletes and to reduce falls and risk of injury
6. Enhanced lifting technique – better foot stability leads to better lifting technique as a whole

See the video for a full explanation from Dr Aaron Horschig.

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Walking barefoot, also known as barefoot walking or barefooting, has gained popularity due to its potential benefits for foot health and overall well-being. Here are a few reasons why some people choose to walk barefoot:

1. Strengthening the feet: Walking barefoot allows the muscles, tendons, and ligaments in the feet to work more naturally. It can help improve foot strength, balance, and stability, as the feet are actively engaged in adapting to different surfaces.
2. Enhancing proprioception: Proprioception refers to the body’s ability to sense its position, movement, and balance. Walking barefoot stimulates the nerve endings in the feet, enhancing proprioceptive feedback and promoting better body awareness and coordination.
3. Improving foot mechanics: Wearing shoes, especially those with thick soles or arch support, can alter natural foot mechanics. Walking barefoot allows the foot to move and flex more freely, promoting a more natural gait pattern and potentially reducing the risk of foot-related issues such as flat feet or bunions.
4. Sensory experience: Walking barefoot provides a unique sensory experience, allowing you to feel and connect with different textures, temperatures, and surfaces beneath your feet. This can be refreshing and enjoyable, enhancing your connection with the environment.
5. Potential pain relief: Some individuals find that walking barefoot can help alleviate certain foot conditions or discomfort, such as plantar fasciitis or Morton’s neuroma. However, it’s important to consult with a healthcare professional for personalized advice, as barefoot walking may not be suitable for everyone or for certain conditions.

While there are potential benefits to walking barefoot, it’s essential to consider individual comfort, safety, and the specific environment. It’s recommended to gradually transition to barefoot walking, starting with short periods on safe and clean surfaces to allow the feet to adapt. Additionally, certain situations, such as walking in public areas or on rough terrain, may require the use of appropriate footwear for protection and hygiene.

Ultimately, the choice to walk barefoot should be based on personal preference, comfort, and any specific recommendations from healthcare professionals.

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11 Morning Habits to Build Muscle Faster

As soon as you wake up, you can begin getting stronger. How? By incorporating these morning habits to build muscle faster.

1. Big breakfast
2. Get workout done as soon as you wake up
3. Drink coffee
4. Take a cold shower
5. Eat lots of protein early on
6. Wake up around the same time on most mornings
7. Pack a lunch
8. Get hydrated
9. Get bright light exposure
10. Supplement with vitamin D
11. Meditate

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Knee pain can significantly impact a person’s life and limit their ability to engage in activities they enjoy, including exercise. Typically, individuals with knee pain find themselves faced with two options:

1. Seeking medical advice from professionals like physicians, chiropractors, or even well-meaning family members, who often advise them to stop exercising altogether.
2. Ignoring the warning signs of pain and pushing through it, which can eventually lead to further injury and the need to stop exercising.

Both paths can bring about various challenges, such as weight gain and frustration from the inability to perform tasks involving heavy lifting or running long distances. BOXROX has previously written about how to avoid knee pain and injury, but if you clicked on this link, it means that ship has sailed.

So how can you fix knee pain? Is it even possible? Yes, it is, but you will need the help of someone who knows what they are doing such as doctor Aaron Horschig.

Dr Aaron Horschig is a physical therapist, coach, and creator of Squat University. He is one of the most respected authorities when it comes to squatting and everything related to your stance and knees.

How To Fix Knee Pain

There could be a few reasons why your knees are in pain, but Horschig says the most common one is revolving the patella, the bone in front of your kneecap, and something called patellar tendonitis. Patellar tendonitis, also known as jumper’s knee, is a condition characterized by inflammation and irritation of the patellar tendon. The patellar tendon connects the kneecap (patella) to the shinbone (tibia) and is responsible for transmitting the force produced by the thigh muscles to the lower leg.

The first exercise you need to do to fix knee pain on your patellar is the Spanish squat isometric in which you will use a thick resistance band. Do 5 sets of 45-second hold.

Source: Matthew Sichkaruk on Unsplash

From that, you need to modify your training, and decrease the stress in the short term. So you need to do exercises that put load on your tendon, but doesn’t continue the pain cycle – or heavy slow resistance training.

One exercise to achieve this is a slow Bulgarian split squat. Take 3 seconds to lower your body to the squat position and 3 seconds to come back up. Do 3 sets of 15 reps.

“This is going to allow your body to improve load tolerance at that tendon without making anger.”

See the video for more information.

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There are many possible causes of knee pain, including:

1. Injury: Knee injuries are a common cause of knee pain. They can occur from a variety of causes, such as sports, falls, or accidents.
2. Overuse: Repetitive activities or overuse of the knee joint can cause pain, especially in athletes or people who perform physical labour.
3. Osteoarthritis: This is a degenerative joint disease that occurs when the cartilage that cushions the knee joint wears down over time, causing pain, stiffness, and swelling.
4. Rheumatoid arthritis: This is an autoimmune disorder that causes inflammation in the joints, including the knee joint.
5. Gout: Gout is a type of arthritis that can cause sudden, severe pain in the knee joint due to the buildup of uric acid crystals.
6. Tendinitis: Tendinitis is an inflammation of the tendons that attach muscles to bones. It can cause pain in the front, back, or sides of the knee.
7. Bursitis: Bursitis is an inflammation of the bursae, small fluid-filled sacs that cushion the knee joint. It can cause pain, swelling, and stiffness in the knee.
8. Meniscus tears: The meniscus is a rubbery, C-shaped disc that cushions the knee joint. Tears in the meniscus can occur as a result of a sudden twist or turn, causing pain, swelling, and stiffness.
9. Patellofemoral pain syndrome: This is a condition that causes pain in the front of the knee, around the kneecap. It can be caused by overuse, injury, or misalignment of the patella (kneecap).
10. Osgood-Schlatter disease: This is a condition that affects children and adolescents, causing pain and swelling just below the knee joint due to inflammation of the growth plate.

It’s important to see a doctor if you experience knee pain for a longer period to determine the underlying cause and receive appropriate treatment.

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Strengthening your lower body is important for overall fitness and can also help improve your performance in sports and daily activities. Here are some reasons why:

1. Improved balance and stability: A strong lower body can help improve balance and stability, which is important for preventing falls and injuries, especially as we age.
2. Increased athletic performance: A strong lower body is essential for many sports and activities, such as running, jumping, and squatting. Improving lower body strength can help improve your performance and reduce your risk of injury.
3. Improved posture: A strong lower body can help improve your posture by supporting your spine and reducing strain on your lower back.
4. Reduced risk of chronic diseases: Lower body exercises can help improve blood flow, reduce inflammation, and increase bone density, which can reduce your risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and osteoporosis.
5. Easier daily activities: A strong lower body can make it easier to perform everyday activities such as walking, climbing stairs, and carrying groceries.

Overall, having a strong lower body can improve your physical health, enhance your athletic performance, and make daily activities easier and more comfortable.

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Dr Nicholas Nguyen is a chiropractor in Australia. He is a certified fitness instructor and personal trainer for over 10 years. He has a YouTube channel with over 500k subscribers where he uploads content about fitness and mobility.

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6 Best Exercises For Lower Back Pain

Nguyen says these exercises are great if you are coming out of the pain stage and moving on to the “healing phase.”

If you had back pain before and now it is gone, you need to use this time to prepare your body for other back pain issues in the future. “You don’t want your back to stiffen up again and get pain again, so these mobilisation techniques are going to help you to keep you pain-free for the longer term.”

The exercises are:

1. Sphinx pose
2. Cobra pose
3. Prayer pose
4. Reverse Russian twist
5. Spinal rocks
6. Hip drop stretch

See the video to know how to perform each and every one of these exercises.

4 Effective Lower Back Exercises to Prevent Injury and Back Pain

6 Stretches to Reduce and Prevent Injury

Lower back pain can occur due to various factors, and it is a common complaint among many individuals. Several reasons can contribute to the pain experienced in the lower back:

1. Muscle strain or sprain: Overuse, poor posture, or sudden movements can strain or sprain the muscles and ligaments in the lower back. This can lead to pain and discomfort.
2. Poor posture and body mechanics: Maintaining improper posture while sitting, standing, or lifting heavy objects can put excessive stress on the muscles and structures of the lower back, leading to pain over time.
3. Herniated or bulging discs: The discs in the spine act as cushions between the vertebrae. If a disc herniates or bulges, it can put pressure on nearby nerves, causing lower back pain.
4. Arthritis: Degenerative conditions like osteoarthritis or spondylosis can affect the joints and discs in the lower back, resulting in pain and stiffness.
5. Sciatica: Compression or irritation of the sciatic nerve, which runs from the lower back down to the legs, can cause radiating pain, numbness, or tingling sensations in the lower back and legs.
6. Injury or trauma: Accidents, falls, or sports-related injuries can lead to lower back pain if the muscles, ligaments, or bones in the back are affected.
7. Other medical conditions: Certain medical conditions like kidney stones, infections, or spinal abnormalities can also cause lower back pain.

It’s important to note that individual cases of lower back pain can vary, and it is recommended to consult a healthcare professional for an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

Source: Samuel Rios on Unsplash

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While nutrition alone cannot prevent injuries, maintaining a healthy and balanced diet can play a crucial role in supporting overall health and reducing the risk of certain injuries. Adequate nutrition provides the body with essential nutrients and supports various physiological processes that contribute to injury prevention. Here are a few ways proper nutrition can help:

1. Bone health: Consuming sufficient amounts of calcium, vitamin D, and other essential nutrients helps promote strong bones and reduces the risk of fractures and stress fractures.
2. Muscle strength and recovery: Consuming enough protein, which is crucial for muscle repair and growth, can help maintain muscle strength and support recovery after exercise or physical activity. Strong muscles provide better stability and reduce the risk of musculoskeletal injuries.
3. Ligament and tendon health: Consuming a diet rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants helps support the health and integrity of ligaments and tendons, reducing the risk of sprains, strains, and tendonitis.
4. Inflammation reduction: A diet rich in anti-inflammatory foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats, can help reduce chronic inflammation in the body. Chronic inflammation can contribute to injury development and delay the healing process.
5. Weight management: Maintaining a healthy weight through a balanced diet can reduce the strain on joints and lower the risk of injuries, particularly in weight-bearing activities.
6. Hydration: Staying properly hydrated supports optimal joint lubrication, muscle function, and overall physical performance. It can help prevent dehydration-related issues, such as muscle cramps and fatigue, which can increase the risk of injuries.

While nutrition is an important aspect of injury prevention, it should be combined with other preventive measures, such as proper warm-up and cool-down routines, appropriate training techniques, rest and recovery, and overall good physical conditioning. Consulting with a healthcare professional or registered dietitian can provide personalized guidance on nutrition strategies to support injury prevention based on individual needs and circumstances.

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Stop Sitting, Start Stretching: 5 Tips To Improve Flexibility

Sitting for too long in front of a computer is preventing you from moving around and being more active. This can have serious consequences on your health and longevity. To name a few, here are some problems that can occur from sitting in front of a computer for long periods regularly:

1. Poor Posture: Sitting for prolonged periods can lead to poor posture, which can cause back pain, neck pain, and headaches.
2. Weight Gain: Sitting for long hours can slow down your metabolism, leading to weight gain. Moreover, the lack of physical activity can cause the body to store excess calories as fat.
3. Increased Risk of Heart Disease: Sitting for long hours can increase the risk of heart disease by reducing blood flow and increasing the risk of blood clots.
4. Eye Strain: Staring at a computer screen for long hours can cause eye strain, dry eyes, and blurry vision.
5. Muscle Weakness: Sitting for long hours can lead to muscle weakness, particularly in the lower back, hips, and legs.
6. Increased Risk of Diabetes: Sitting for long periods can cause insulin resistance, which can increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
7. Anxiety and Depression: Sitting for too long can lead to anxiety and depression, which can be attributed to the lack of physical activity and social interaction.

The best way you can challenge that is to move! But, just like with any workout or exercise, some are more recommended than others.

If you sit around for too long in front of a computer on a regular basis, check out some of the best stretches to get your mobility and fitness back on track without having to sort to a gym membership.

10 Stretches You Should If You Work In Front of a Computer

As mentioned earlier, sitting in front of a computer will get your body stiff and can be detrimental to your joints and health. These stretches below are designed in a way that you can do them without having to leave your workplace.

Physiotherapists Bob Schrupp and Brad Heineck from the YouTube channel Bob and Brad (with more than 4.5 million subscribers) exemplified 7 stretches you should be doing such as tucked chin, stretched neck, wrist twisting and stretching.

The next 3 stretches were not covered by Bob and Brad, but they are great to help your mobility as well.

This one below is called seated spinal twist, which is great for your spine mobility and to wake up your core and back muscles.

Follow that with some shoulder shrugs that can be done seated or standing up.

Lastly, to open up your chest and get the blood flowing better, you should add some chest stretches to your daily routine at the workplace.

Further even more your knowledge by scrolling down.

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Stretching regularly offers numerous benefits for the body and mind. Here are some of the key benefits:

1. Improved Flexibility: Regular stretching can increase flexibility and range of motion, making daily activities easier and reducing the risk of injury.
2. Reduced Muscle Tension and Pain: Stretching can help relieve muscle tension and pain by improving circulation and increasing blood flow to the muscles.
3. Improved Posture: Stretching can help improve posture by lengthening tight muscles and reducing imbalances between muscle groups.
4. Reduced Risk of Injury: Stretching can help prevent injuries by improving muscle flexibility and joint mobility.
5. Increased Energy Levels: Stretching can help boost energy levels by increasing blood flow and oxygen to the muscles.
6. Reduced Stress and Anxiety: Stretching can help reduce stress and anxiety by promoting relaxation and improving mental focus.
7. Improved Athletic Performance: Stretching can improve athletic performance by increasing flexibility, reducing muscle fatigue, and improving muscle coordination.
8. Improved Recovery: Stretching can help improve recovery time after exercise by reducing muscle soreness and increasing blood flow to the muscles.

Overall, stretching regularly can help improve overall physical and mental well-being, making it an important part of a healthy lifestyle.

Source: Barbara Olsen on Pexels

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How to Fix Knee Pain for Life

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When you are younger, people have warned you about it. “Sooner or later you will feel pain in your knees,” some might say. Others would claim it is inevitable to feel knee pain during their life. But that does not have to be the case, per se.

That is because you are about to see how to fix knee pain for life with the help of two guys famous in the fitness industry: Ben Patrick and Will Tennyson.

Ben Patrick is commonly known online as the Knees Over Toes Guy. He is an American fitness coach who overcame a debilitating knee and shin pain when he was younger. His fitness programs revolve around fixing knee issues and strengthening them forever.

Will Tennyson is a Canadian YouTuber who uploads fitness routines, nutrition advice and lifestyle content on his channel which has over 1.85 million subscribers. He struggled with body image as a younger kid but has since bounced back after discovering weightlifting and he wants to make people as enthusiastic about fitness and wellness as he is.

The two of them got together to develop the ultimate routine to fix knee pain forever. Check it out.

Source: Courtesy of CrossFit Inc.

How to Fix Knee Pain for Life

Well, to be fair, Will Tennyson didn’t develop this ultimate routine for fixing knee pain for life. He is actually the subject of the video because he has very bad knees. He even has nicknames for his knees (one is Anakin because it’s gone to the dark side, and the other is Obi-Wan because it is his last hope).

Anyway, what exactly is this routine that will fix knee pain for life? This is what Ben Patrick told him.

“I would invite you to do 2 to 3 days a week,” he says. The exercises are:

• Sled push
• Backwards sled pull

This is just part of the routine, but if you already have some knee pain or is prone to knee injuries, begin with the above exercises, especially the backwards pull. “This is the one that’s safest to do more often. That sounds ridiculous, but I advise people to put in 100 miles backwards.”

The next exercises are also part of a routine for you to strengthen everything around your knees to get rid of the pain and keep it away.

• Weighted tip toes curl
• Reverse step ups
• ATG split squats

And that is it. Apply progressive overload, either by incrementing weight, reps, or frequency of the workouts, and you will have a pain-free knee for life.

According to Ben Patrick, you should already feel the relief of pain in your knees after two weeks even if you do only backward sled pulls.

For more information, click on the video below.

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5 Most Common Causes of Knee Pain

There are many possible causes of knee pain, including:

1. Injury: Knee injuries are a common cause of knee pain. They can occur from a variety of causes, such as sports, falls, or accidents.
2. Overuse: Repetitive activities or overuse of the knee joint can cause pain, especially in athletes or people who perform physical labour.
3. Osteoarthritis: This is a degenerative joint disease that occurs when the cartilage that cushions the knee joint wears down over time, causing pain, stiffness, and swelling.
4. Rheumatoid arthritis: This is an autoimmune disorder that causes inflammation in the joints, including the knee joint.
5. Gout: Gout is a type of arthritis that can cause sudden, severe pain in the knee joint due to the buildup of uric acid crystals.
6. Tendinitis: Tendinitis is an inflammation of the tendons that attach muscles to bones. It can cause pain in the front, back, or sides of the knee.
7. Bursitis: Bursitis is an inflammation of the bursae, small fluid-filled sacs that cushion the knee joint. It can cause pain, swelling, and stiffness in the knee.
8. Meniscus tears: The meniscus is a rubbery, C-shaped disc that cushions the knee joint. Tears in the meniscus can occur as a result of a sudden twist or turn, causing pain, swelling, and stiffness.
9. Patellofemoral pain syndrome: This is a condition that causes pain in the front of the knee, around the kneecap. It can be caused by overuse, injury, or misalignment of the patella (kneecap).
10. Osgood-Schlatter disease: This is a condition that affects children and adolescents, causing pain and swelling just below the knee joint due to inflammation of the growth plate.

It’s important to see a doctor if you experience knee pain for a longer period to determine the underlying cause and receive appropriate treatment.

Source: Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels

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Strengthening your lower body is important for overall fitness and can also help improve your performance in sports and daily activities. Here are some reasons why:

1. Improved balance and stability: A strong lower body can help improve balance and stability, which is important for preventing falls and injuries, especially as we age.
2. Increased athletic performance: A strong lower body is essential for many sports and activities, such as running, jumping, and squatting. Improving lower body strength can help improve your performance and reduce your risk of injury.
3. Improved posture: A strong lower body can help improve your posture by supporting your spine and reducing strain on your lower back.
4. Reduced risk of chronic diseases: Lower body exercises can help improve blood flow, reduce inflammation, and increase bone density, which can reduce your risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and osteoporosis.
5. Easier daily activities: A strong lower body can make it easier to perform everyday activities such as walking, climbing stairs, and carrying groceries.

Overall, having a strong lower body can improve your physical health, enhance your athletic performance, and make daily activities easier and more comfortable.

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Liv Townsend is known online as Livinleggins. She is a self-taught yoga teacher that has accumulated a big following. She posts daily tips on her Instagram account about stretching, yoga and mobility. You can also check out her YouTube channel here.

We know mobility training is not the hottest topic in the fitness world, especially when it comes to building muscle. However, there are a few benefits of doing mobility work regularly that we know will spark your interest more in this type of training.

1. Improved flexibility: Mobility training can help increase the range of motion in joints, which can improve overall flexibility and mobility.
2. Reduced risk of injury: By improving joint mobility and flexibility, mobility training can help reduce the risk of injury during physical activity or daily movements.
3. Better posture: Mobility exercises can help improve posture and alignment, which can reduce pain and discomfort in the neck, shoulders, and back.
4. Enhanced athletic performance: Mobility training can improve mobility and range of motion, which can translate to better athletic performance in sports and physical activities.
5. Improved joint health: Mobility training can help maintain and improve joint health, which can reduce the risk of joint-related conditions such as osteoarthritis.
6. Reduced muscle tension: Mobility exercises can help release muscle tension, which can reduce pain and discomfort in the body.
7. Improved balance and stability: By improving joint mobility and stability, mobility training can improve balance and reduce the risk of falls.

With that in mind, you will find below the 5 best bodyweight exercises for amazing mobility according to Townsend.

Source: Courtesy of CrossFit Inc.

5 Best Bodyweight Exercises For Amazing Mobility

As you are about to see, although mobility is almost seen as a taboo or a waste of time in the bodybuilding community, you are probably already doing many of the best bodyweight exercises for amazing mobility.

Here are the 5 best bodyweight exercises for amazing mobility according to Liv Townsend.

1. Squat
2. Dead hang
3. Cossack squat
4. Single-leg deadlift
5. ATG split squat

Townsend explains in the video below exactly which muscles get targeted in each exercise so you will know if you want better mobility in your quads, ankles, glutes, or another part of your body.

VIDEO – 5 Best Bodyweight Exercises For Amazing Mobility

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How Often Should You Exercise Your Mobility?

The frequency of mobility training depends on several factors, including your current level of mobility, your goals, and your overall exercise program. In general, it is recommended to perform some form of mobility exercises at least two to three times per week.

If you have limited mobility or range of motion, you may need to focus on mobility exercises more frequently. Conversely, if you are already quite mobile, you may only need to perform mobility exercises once or twice per week to maintain your range of motion.

Source: Tia-Clair Toomey Instagram

It is important to listen to your body and avoid overtraining, which can lead to injury. If you experience any pain or discomfort during your mobility training, you should consult a healthcare professional and adjust your training program accordingly.

Remember that consistency is key when it comes to mobility training. By incorporating regular mobility exercises into your routine, you can improve your flexibility, joint health, and overall physical performance.

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Knee problems can happen to any of us. Whether it is because of age, genetics, or simply putting too much stress on your knees that it ends up becoming an issue to other movements.

The iliotibial or IT band is a long fibrous band of fascia tissue that runs from the outside of your hip down to the outside of your knee. According to Mayo Clinic, it helps lift your leg to the “front and to the side of your body, and it supports your knee during flexion and extension.”

In other words, when your IT band is overworked or even injured, it hurts like hell. So how to fix IT band syndrome and knee pain? For that, we turn to the expertise of the guys from Mind Pump.

The Mind Pump Podcast is an online radio show that talks all fitness related and, usually, is provocative. Its hosts are Sal Di Stefano, Adam Schafer, Justin Andrews, and Doug Egge. They also have a YouTube channel with more than 700k subscribers.

In a video, Adam and Sal explain how to fix IT band syndrome and knee pain. Check it out.

How To Fix IT Band Syndrome and Knee Pain

According to Sal, if you do a lot of squats you can feel the pain around your hips. If you are a runner and feel pain around your knee, it could also indicate that you have IT band problems. And this is how you fix it.

Sal explains how to use the foam roller to fix IT band. “This is going to hurt a lot, especially if you already got some issues with your IT band.” The idea is to lay sideways on top of the foam roller with your hips and roll down until you find a spot that hurts a lot. Stay on that spot for 10-15 seconds and don’t tense your body up. Make your way all the way down to your knee.

Another exercise you should be doing, right after the foam roller, is the leg swing.

Adam shows how to do some knee dynamic stretching to wake up your muscles. “It will feel like you’re cramping. Do not be afraid of the cramping, you’re waking up stuff that’s fallen asleep on you. Just stick with it, fight through it.”

Source: Brucklyn Complex

To strengthen your IT band, you may use the gym machine abductor and adductor. Or wrap a band around above your knees and do lateral side steps.

In short words, that is it. That is how to fix IT band syndrome and knee pain. To see how to perform the exercises and correct movements described earlier, click on the video below.

VIDEO – How To Fix IT Band Syndrome and Knee Pain

Strengthening your knees can bring many benefits, including:

• Preventing injury: Strengthening the muscles that support your knees can reduce the risk of knee injuries, such as strains, sprains, and tears.
• Managing pain: If you have knee pain, strengthening the muscles around the knee joint can help alleviate pain and discomfort.
• Improving mobility: Stronger knees can increase your range of motion and help you move more easily.
• Enhancing athletic performance: Strong knees are essential for many sports and physical activities, and improving their strength can help you perform better and reduce the risk of injury.
• Supporting overall health: Your knees are an important part of your body’s overall structure supporting your entire weight on them. Keeping them strong can help support your overall health and well-being.

Overall, strengthening your knees can help improve your quality of life and reduce the risk of knee-related problems and injuries.

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Maintaining good posture is essential for overall health and well-being. Poor posture can lead to a host of physical problems, including back pain, neck pain, headaches, and fatigue. By doing a daily posture routine, you can help improve your posture and reduce the risk of these health problems.

Here are some of the benefits of doing a daily posture routine:

• Improved posture: A daily posture routine can help strengthen the muscles that support good posture, making it easier to maintain good alignment throughout the day.
• Reduced pain and discomfort: Poor posture can lead to aches and pains in the neck, shoulders, back, and hips. A daily posture routine can help alleviate these discomforts by improving the alignment of your body.
• Increased energy and focus: When your body is properly aligned, it can function more efficiently, which can lead to increased energy and focus throughout the day.
• Improved breathing and circulation: Good posture allows your lungs to expand fully, which can improve your breathing and increase the oxygen flow throughout your body. This, in turn, can improve circulation and promote overall health.
• Reduced risk of injury: When your body is properly aligned, you are less likely to strain or injure your muscles, joints, and ligaments.

Overall, doing a daily posture routine can help you feel better, move more easily, and improve your overall health and well-being. And if you’re looking for the perfect 5-minute daily posture routine, you found it. It was created by Jeremy Ethier.

Jeremy Ethier is a kinesiologist and fitness trainer, co-founder of Built With Science. His YouTube channel has over 4 million subscribers and he delivers clear information with sound background research.

Check it out.

Source: CrossFit / Depositphotos

The Perfect 5-Minute Daily Posture Routine for 2023

This is Ethier’s perfect 5-minute daily posture routine. And as the name implies, you can and should be doing this every day to reap its benefits. Your physical health will thank you later.

This set of movements is comprised of 5 exercises that will reverse your hunchback spine and improve your mobility overall. Below is the perfect 5-minute daily posture routine.

• Over-and-backs – 1 minute
• Quadruped back rotations – 30 seconds each side
• Prone arm circles – 1 minute
• Couch stretch – 30 seconds each side
• Glute bridge with 5-second-hold at top – 1 minute

As you can tell, this daily posture routine will work your upper body, lower body and focus a lot on your back and the muscles that surround your spine.

To fully understand how to perform each of the exercises that are part of this perfect 5-minute daily posture routine, click on the video below.

VIDEO – The Perfect 5-Minute Daily Posture Routine for 2023

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Simple Exercise Routine to Tone Flabby Arms

Having back pain can prevent you from doing many exercises. When it comes to training your abs, it can be increasingly difficult. Crunches, leg raises, planks. All of these can put stress on your back and make the task not only painful but also useless.

And that is exactly what you want to prevent. So you need to choose the best core exercises for back pain that can be out there. This is where Critical Bench comes in to help you out.

Critical Bench is a website focused on health and strength that delivers many tips on how to get stronger, fitter and healthier. Their YouTube channel has almost 1 million subscribers.

The best core exercises for back pain were shown by coach Brian Klepacki, a certified strength and conditioning specialist. Check it out.

Source: CrossFit / Depositphotos

Best Core Exercises For Back Pain

So what are the best core exercises for back pain according to coach Klepacki? Here is the list:

1. Cat / Cow
2. Bird Dog
3. T-Spine Twist
4. Bent-Knee Drop
5. Bent-Knee Twist

Protecting the spine is incredibly important when it comes to choosing the best core exercises for back pain. If you are experiencing tightness, stiffness, soreness and day-to-day aches from increasing sitting and/or decreased activity, some of these exercises might still be too difficult for you.

In the end, even though these are some of the best core exercises for back pain, you should always listen to your body. If it hurts while doing any of these, stop immediately. Seek a professional for treatment and don’t try to fight through the pain.

To understand how to perform any of these best core exercises for back pain, click on the video below to see coach Brian Klepacki explaining himself.

VIDEO – Best Core Exercises For Back Pain

To further your knowledge, BOXROX has curated a list of links that could be useful for you. Click on any of these to improve your fitness and longevity.

10 Best Stretches For Lower Back Pain and Stiffness

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How to Get Back On Track with Your Fitness and Health Goals – New Year’s Resolution Revisited

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3 Unusual Stretches for Better Flexibility

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Matt Wenning is a 3x world champion powerlifter and has continuously worked with the US Army to help people become stronger and more athletic. On his YouTube Channel, he shares everything related to increasing your power from heavy squats to bench presses.

The shoulder is a rare muscle that can move upwards, downwards, and rotate. You need healthy shoulders to perform nearly any upper body lift, especially the big ones such as overhead presses, bench presses and pull-ups. So it would be best if you did everything you can to recover the strength in your shoulders.

Check out Matt Wenning’s 5 best tips and exercises to recover from shoulder pain.

5 Best Tips and Exercises to Recover from Shoulder Pain

1. Face Pull

You can do this exercise with a band or a cable. Wenning prefers to use the resistance band as you get to squeeze more at the end of the movement, to get a good contraction in your shoulder blades.

Face Pull: Muscles Worked, Benefits, Technique and Variations

“What this exercise will do is counter all the anterior pressure that you do in your workouts and even if you’re not a big workout guy, it’s going to counter the anterior pressure that you deal with at your desk,” Wenning says.

2. Reverse Fly Pinky Up Wide Raise

Next in Wenning’s list of 5 best tips and exercises to recover from shoulder pain is the reverse fly with a twist – utilising a wide range of motion and with the pinky finger up.

“This will help your posture, help your neck if you get a lot of headaches and neck pain and shoulder pain.”

This exercise will target your rear delt, which helps if you do a lot of heavy bench press putting pressure on the shoulder.

3. Reverse Incline Scapular Retraction

In many people, shoulder pain comes because the shoulder starts rolling forward creating a lot of impingement issues due to not having a strong upper back. “This is a great exercise to pull away the bicep.” Wenning believes this exercise ensures your bicep won’t get over your back exercise, helping improve your shoulder health.

4. Rotating Press on the Floor

This exercise is good for the supra and infraspinatus. Lay on the floor with a pair of dumbbells and hold them above your body, with elbows touching the floormat, as if you were ready to do a bench press.

Without moving your elbows up or down, pinned to the ground, lower the dumbbells down to your hip line, touch the ground, and lift it up surpassing your head and touching the ground again above your head.

5. Cable-Driven Rear Delt Fly

Lastly on Wenning’s 5 best tips and exercises to recover from shoulder pain is a rear delt fly utilising a cable machine.

It is difficult to isolate the rear delt and Wenning explains that this movement, with a cable machine, is great to tackle that void.

And those are the 5 best tips and exercises to recover from shoulder pain shared by Matt Wenning. If you want to know how to perform one or more of the movements described above, click on the video below.

VIDEO –  5 Best Tips and Exercises to Recover from Shoulder Pain

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Muscles of the Shoulders

The muscles of the shoulders are important so that maybe you have a better understanding of why these 5 best tips and exercises to recover from shoulder pain actually work.

Trapezius muscle

The trapezius is a large triangular muscle that covers the back of the neck and extends to the lower spine. Acting primarily to move the scapula (shoulder blade) in all directions, it also helps to turn the head. The upper part of this muscle is innervated by C6, C7 and C8, while its lower portion is innervated by C5 and C6.

The trapezium acts as an arm extensor when you reach behind your back or forward over your head. If you rotate your arm outwardly while reaching up in front of or behind your body, this muscle will contract during those movements as well.

Latissimus dorsi muscle

The latissimus dorsi isa broad, flat muscle located on the posterior of the body. They cover almost all of your back and extend from your lower back to your armpits. The muscle is responsible for moving your arms up and down, as well as rotating them inward (adduction) and outward (abduction).

Rhomboid muscles

The rhomboids are located between the scapula and thoracic vertebrae. They are involved in shoulder movements and also help maintain posture.

The muscles of the shoulders are important.

The muscles of the shoulders are important for many movements, especially arm and shoulder motions. They also play an important role in maintaining healthy shoulders.

Conclusion

The muscles of the shoulders are important for movement, support and stability. They can be injured by overuse, poor posture or improper lifting techniques. If you experience any pain in your shoulders, talk to your doctor about how to best manage it.

Now tackle your workout with the 5 best tips and exercises to recover from shoulder pain that you saw at the top of the page.

What is Forward Head Posture?

“Forward head posture (also known as “text neck”) is not something you should just ignore as it can have a major impact on your aesthetic, long-term health, neck pain, and even affect certain lifts your performance in the gym.”

How do you Fix it?

“Luckily, forward head posture correction is simple given that you perform the proper exercises and stretches. When it comes to the forward head posture “fix”, you need to focus on two things; stretching/massaging the muscles that have become shortened and using exercises to strengthen the muscles that have become weakened.”

“Although I wouldn’t call it a quick fix to forward head posture, given that you perform what is shown in this video daily and stick to the stretches/exercises consistently you’ll see major improvements pretty quickly. I suggest taking a picture of your forward head posture before starting the routine, and after a week or two in order to track your progress.”

How to Fix Forward Head Posture – Video

Learn More

Add Nordic Curls and Reverse Hyperextensions into your training.

Zach Long, an internationally famous physiotherapist and strength coach, is known as the Barbell Physio. His focus is on helping athletes improve their sports performance, recover rapidly from injuries and optimise their movement.

Check out his ultimate mobility test posted on YouTube Channel bodybuilding.com and see for yourself how you’re doing.

The Ultimate Mobility Test

“If we don’t have good mobility, our ability to get into an optimal position for the lifts that we care about […] will be limited,” Long explains. That is why it is important to keep your mobility in check and this is what the ultimate mobility test is all about.

This is comprised of 3 tests for body parts that Long believes to be the most commonly most limited in people. They are:

• Ankle
• Thoracic spine
• Lats

The first part of the ultimate mobility test is a typical way to check if you have good ankle mobility. On one knee, plant your foot one hand away from the wall and then try to touch the wall with your knee without taking your foot off the ground.

If you can do with a distance of a full hand away from the wall, you have great mobility. If you can do with a 3-finger distance from the wall, your ankle mobility is good, but if you cannot touch the wall from a 3-finger width out, you need to work on ankle mobility.

Source: Courtesy of CrossFit Inc.

If your thoracic spine is not good, overhead lifts will suffer as you cannot lock out in position and you put more stress on the neck and the lower back. To test it, sit on your heels with thighs against the wall, put the arm closer to the wall between your knees and twist outwards and rotate. See how your collarbone can rotate.

If it’s below 50 degrees angle, you need to improve it as well. Make sure to test it on both sides.

For the last part of the ultimate mobility test, you sit with your legs crossed and your back flat against a rig or wall. Grab a PVC pipe with a shoulder-width grip, lock your elbows out and see if you can open your arms up fully to where you touch that PVC to the rig or the wall above your head.

Make sure you don’t arch your back off the wall or bend your elbows during this test.

Ready to do the ultimate mobility test right now? Click on the video below to see exactly how to do each movement.

VIDEO – The Ultimate Mobility Test

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Is has been created by Jeremy Ethier.

The Perfect 10 Minute Daily Posture Fix Routine (Stop Back Pain!)

“Sitting for the majority of the day can lead to the development of the posture where the head protrudes forward, the mid back and shoulders round forward and the lower back arches excessively with an anterior tilt of the pelvis. Which can then lead to tightness and aches and pains in the neck, shoulders, lower back, and other areas.”

Source: RX'd Photography

“To reverse the adverse effects of sitting too much, I’ll be showing you two quick and easy 5-minute corrective routines with 8 exercises for posture that you can do anywhere, that are designed to mobilize these tightened areas (fix rounded shoulders), strengthen the weakened muscles (fix hunchback posture) , and work on correcting any asymmetries. Let’s get straight to covering the exercises for better posture.”

First Routine – Upper Body

“The first routine will focus primarily on the upper body. The first exercise is over and backs. This exercise is used to open up and stretch the shortened chest and shoulder muscles, which will help fix hunchback posture. Next, we’re going to move onto the cobra pose.”

“This is arguably one of the single best exercises for better posture because if you go joint by joint, the entire body is almost completely reversed in this stretch position compared to a typical sitting posture. The next exercise is the stand and reach, which will be used to help correct some of the asymmetries developed from slouching one way when sitting. Next, we’re going to move onto wall slides and chin nods that’ll help strengthen the weakened lower traps that contribute to that hunched over posture, and the weakened neck flexors that contribute to that forward head posture.”

Second Routine – Lower Body

“Next, we’ll move onto the second routine, which focuses on exercises for posture for the lower body. First, we’ll use quadruped thoracic extensions to work on “mid-back” mobility that gets stiffened from sitting and not only promotes that hunched over posture but can also cause problems and compensations in the lower back and lower body.”

Source: Anastasia Shuraeva on Pexels

“Next, we’re going to move onto stretching out the hip flexors which have become tightened over time and are pulling the pelvis into that anterior pelvic tilt with the kneeling hip flexor stretch. Then, we’re going to move onto the pigeon stretch, that not only further lengthens the tightened hip flexors, but also helps open up the hips with external rotation and addresses any asymmetries present there to best set us up for success in the strengthening exercise we’ll do next. Lastly, we’ll move onto glute bridges to help awaken and strengthen the glutes that tend to become inactive and weakened as a result of prolonged sitting, and are now pulling the pelvis into that anterior pelvic tilt.”

Rep Ranges and Timing Guidance

“So, here are the two routines all summarized with rep range and timing guidance for each of the exercises that’ll help you fix that hunchback posture and reverse the effects of sitting too much.”

Routine 1 (Upper Body Focus)

• Exercise 1: Over-And-Backs (~10-15 slow reps)
• Exercise 2: Cobra Pose (~5-10 slow reps with pause at top)
• Exercise 3: Stand And Reach (~5-10 reaches each side, pause at end position)
• Exercise 4: Wall Slides With Chin Nod (2 sets of 10-15 reps)

Routine 2 (Lower Body Focus)

• Exercise 1: Quadruped Thoracic Rotations (~10 reps each side with pause at top)
• Exercise 2: Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch (~30-45 second holds each side)
• Exercise 3: Pigeon Stretch (~30-45 second holds each side)
• Exercise 4: Glute Bridges (2 sets of 10-15 reps with pause at top position)

How Often?

“I’d suggest aiming to perform both of these routines at the very least once a day, and ideally each twice a day if you do sit quite a bit. As it’s the consistency and frequency with these routines that’s key.  But, keep in mind as well though guys, that sitting is just part of the problem.”

“I mean we see similar postural imbalances in those who stand all day as well. The real problem is not taking regular breaks, not being aware of your posture throughout the day, and just not moving enough in general.”

“So, focus on improving those aspects, while incorporating the exercises for better posture mentioned in this video, and you’ll be able to create positive long lasting changes and as a result look, feel, and perform that much better.”

Video – 10 Minute Daily Posture Fix

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Muscles of the lower body

The lower body is made up of the legs and hips. These two areas combined are responsible for supporting your entire body weight, so it’s important that they’re strong and healthy. If you’re experiencing pain or discomfort in these areas, learn more here about what might be causing it—and how to treat it naturally!

10 Minute Daily Posture Fix – Quadriceps

The quadriceps are a group of four muscles that make up the front of the thigh. Together, they are responsible for extending (straightening) and flexing (bending) the knee. The quadriceps are used during running and jumping, as well as other activities such as squatting and cycling. They’re also important for everyday movements like getting up from a chair or climbing stairs.

10 Minute Daily Posture Fix – Adductor magnus

The adductor magnus is the largest of the adductors. It originates from the posterior superior iliac spine, the hip bone, and sacrum. Its insertion is into the linea aspera of femur. The fibers run parallel to each other and are directed obliquely downward and laterally to insert at their lower border onto a ridge on the medial side of the shaft of fibula called “tuberosity”.

10 Minute Daily Posture Fix – Gluteus maximus

The gluteus maximus is the largest muscle in your body, making up about 30 percent of your total mass. It’s responsible for hip extension and abduction, which means that it helps keep you upright and allows you to move one leg away from the other when walking or running. This large muscle also gives your buttocks their shape (no pun intended).

10 Minute Daily Posture Fix – Hamstrings

The hamstrings are the muscles on the back of your thighs. They run from just above your knees to just below your hips and perform many important functions, including bending your knee and hip as well as helping you extend (straighten) your leg behind you. The hamstrings are made up of three muscles: semimembranosus, semitendinosus and biceps femoris (long head).

The short head of biceps femoris is located further down toward the knee joint than its long counterpart; thus, it contributes more to flexing or bending at that joint in comparison with extending it. Semitendinosus and semimembranosus come together along their mid-sections with a fibrous band called a “tendon,” which connects them to bone near each other’s attachments on either side of pelvis’ central tendon (linea alba). This tendon serves an important function by keeping these two muscles connected so they can work together during activities such as running or jumping like a basketball player dunking a ball into hoop!

10 Minute Daily Posture Fix – Soleus

The soleus is a muscle in the lower leg. It is one of four muscles that make up the calf and it is located deep to (underneath) both the gastrocnemius and superficial to (above) the tibialis posterior. The soleus has its origins on the lateral aspect of your femur and fibula, runs through your tibia down to attach at your heel bone (calcaneus).

The soleus is considered one of the deepest muscles in your body. It is responsible for plantar flexion, which means it helps you point your toes towards you when walking or standing up from lying down on your stomach or backside.

10 Minute Daily Posture Fix – Muscles in the legs and hips

The muscles of the lower body are important for balance and posture, walking and climbing stairs. They also help you to maintain control over your movements. The large muscles of the lower body include:

• Quadriceps (four-headed) – These muscles are located at the front of your thigh, on top of your kneecap. They straighten your knee during running or jumping.
• Adductor magnus – This muscle is found in both men and women, but it’s much larger in men than in women. It helps to hold the thigh close to the body; for example, when you walk up stairs or run up a hillside.
• Gluteus maximus – This large muscle gives shape to your buttocks (also called gluteal muscles). It helps you bend forward while keeping your back straight or bending sideways toward one side while keeping both legs straight; for example, when you’re lifting something heavy off the floor with one hand while standing on one leg only

Conclusion – 10 Minute Daily Posture Fix

We hope you’ve found this information useful. It’s important to know what muscles are in your body so that you can strengthen them and avoid injury. There are many factors that go into building muscle, including genetics, diet and exercise routine (which we will cover in future articles).

Jeff Nippard is a natural professional bodybuilder and fitness coach who shares tips and training programs on his YouTube channel. 

If you have been lifting for any significant amount of time, you have probably dealt with an injury. Now you will understand how to treat injuries of any kind if you are an avid gym goer or if you are currently suffering from one.

How To Recover From Any Injury

According to Nippard, the most common body parts that bodybuilders suffer injuries are the shoulders, knees and lower back. So, how to recover from any injury, including these mentioned?

Nippard gives 5 top tips to recover from injuries.

1. Don’t Get Injured

Sounds unusual and easier said than done, but prevention is the best medicine for injuries. How to prevent injuries? The first thing is to do a proper warm-up.

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Also, pay attention so that you are always doing the proper technique of any exercise. Take a close look if you are sleeping enough and don’t discard stress as a factor in becoming injury prone.

Source: Roman Odintsov on Pexels

2. Find a New Goal for a Period of Time

If you got an injury that prevents you from doing what you were doing, then find a new goal for a period of time. There is a possibility that you can do other exercises without hurting yourself, and that can give you some sense of purpose instead of a feeling that you cannot work on your fitness journey any longer.

3. Don’t Get Emotionally Attached to Old Numbers

Check your ego! You are injured, or coming off an injury, so whatever numbers you used to lift are probably not going to be the same right now.

Source: Victor Freitas / Pexels

Ease into it. Especially after or during an injury period, just because you could lift heavier, doesn’t mean you should lift heavier weights.

4. Careful with Recovery Gear

This includes foam roller, lacrosse balls, massage devices, cryotherapy and more. You cannot just foam roll out of an injury, but you should use that to warm up before lifting.

“I’d pay more attention to your training itself such as by training lighter or choosing exercises that don’t cause you any pain and fine-tune your sleep and nutrition.”

5. Build Confidence

After going through all the previous steps of how to recover from any injury, it is time to lift weights again and it can be a tough balancing act. You don’t want to jump back too quickly, but you also don’t want to delay your comeback forever.

Nippard builds his confidence back by gradually exposing himself to heavier and heavier weights over the course of months while focusing on technique over anything else.

And that is how to recover from any injury according to Jeff Nippard. Click on the video below to see his full explanation.

VIDEO – How To Recover From Any Injury

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How to Fix Lower Back Pain

“Low back pain is by far the most common source of discomfort we deal with.  The irony is, a lot of times what we feel is rooted in the lower back is actually caused by muscles not in the back at all.  In this video, I’m going to show you how the glute medius could be the real cause of your back pain and a quick exercise you can do to relieve your discomfort instantly.  Once gone, I’m also going to show you a few additional exercises you can do to make sure your low back pain never returns.”

“The gluteus medius is sandwiched between the glute maximus and minimus and lies in and around the hip area.  The role of the muscle is to abduct your hip or lift your leg out to the side in either standing or side lying and to keep your pelvis level whenever you take a step.  Prolonged sitting during the day as well as an unequal weight distribution when standing are two of the most common reasons for this muscle to get weak and imbalanced.”

Weak Glutes

“You can quickly test to see if you have the makings of a weak glute medius by standing with your feet shoulder width apart and lifting one foot off the ground.  First take note whether or not your opposite hip drops significantly.  If it does, this would indicate a glute weakness on that side.  You would repeat with the opposite foot as well.  When you do this you would also want to see if you had to dramatically shift your weight to one side just to lift that foot off the ground.  If you do, this would indicate that you have an unequal weight distribution when standing and it would be especially troublesome when squatting.”

Movement Strategy

“To fix this quickly, you will want to lay down on the ground with your affected side on top.  If your right lower back was bothering you then you would want to lie on your left hip.  From here, take your thumb and place it on the area most sore.  You should feel that this is going to happen just to the outside of the bony prominence of your pelvis.  From here, push to hold back the trigger point and start flossing your leg down and in front of you and then back and up.  Your hip should be extended and then lifted into abduction towards the ceiling (being sure to point the toes down to keep the glute medius in focus).  Do this about 10 times until you feel the tension in the muscle release.”

“Now, you can burn out the spasm in the trigger point by getting into the fully contracted position of the glute medius muscle and holding as long as you can.  Generally, because this muscle is often very weak, this may not be any longer than 30 seconds to a minute.  Once you cannot hold it any more you will stand up and you should notice an immediate relief of the pain on that side.”

“This is the quick but not permanent fix for this problem. Since the underlying cause is weakness in the gluteus medius muscle you will want to back this up with some exercises for your low back that you can do a few times a week.  I show you three options for this.  The first is the hip bump against the wall.  The second is called the sack swinger, and can be done with a dog leash if you don’t have a formal dip belt.  The last is actually doing the same movement that you did for the treatment, but this time as a strengthening exercise for your low back.”

“Whatever you do, just be sure you are consistent.  You will also see that as you relieve the tension in this muscle that your squat performance improves as well.  Your depth should be increased and any low back pain that you felt by doing the exercise should be gone since you will now be able to do them with equal force through each leg.”

Video – How to Fix Lower Back Pain

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Muscles of the back

The back muscles are a collection of different muscles that allow us to move the spine and torso, and they help us maintain posture. The back muscles are divided into different groups based on their location in the body.

The intercostal muscles

The intercostal muscles are a group of muscles that connect the ribs to the sternum and help with breathing. The intercostal muscles are innervated by intercostal nerves, which are part of the sympathetic nervous system. In addition to helping inspire air into your lungs during inhalation, they also assist in exhalation by contracting while you exhale.

The external intercostal muscles (also called deep or innermost intercostals) run vertically between each rib and assist in inspiration. They’re generally larger than their internal counterparts, which run horizontally between each rib. Both sets are assisted by other muscles responsible for rotation and stabilization of movement as well as diaphragmatic contraction during respiration.

The intercostal nerves

The intercostal nerves are a collection of sensory fibres that run between adjacent ribs. The nerves are part of the autonomic nervous system and carry pain signals from the chest wall to the spinal cord.

Injuries to these nerves can cause dull, aching pain in your chest and may make it difficult for you to take deep breaths.

Extensor muscles

The back extensor muscles extend the spine and are also called dorsal muscles because they run along the back of the body. These muscles include:

• Trapezius
• Levator scapulae
• Rhomboid major and rhomboideus minor

The longissimus thoracis group (erector spinae)

The longissimus thoracis group (erector spinae) is a set of muscles that runs along the back. There are three parts:

• Longissimus dorsi: Located on either side of the vertebral column, this muscle extends from the lower cervical spine to the sacrum and coccyx. Its function is to extend and rotate your upper body.
• Spinalis dorsi: This muscle lies underneath the longissimus dorsi and extends from your neck to your lower back. Its function is also to extend your upper body but also helps stabilize it by supporting its weight while bending forward or backward.
• Iliocostalis lumborum: Also known as “the short head” because it’s shorter than other parts of this group, this muscle begins at two different points on each side (your low back).

Multifidi or Multifidus spinae (or simply Multifidus)

The multifidi are located in the lumbar spine, sacrum, and coccyx. They are responsible for lateral flexion of the vertebral column. They are innervated by the dorsal rami of the spinal nerves.

Sacrospinalis

The sacrospinalis is the deepest muscle of the back. It lies within a sling that surrounds your spine, where it connects with your sacrum (the triangular bone at the bottom of your spine). The sacrospinalis works with other postural muscles to support and stabilize your pelvis, lower back, upper thighs, and tailbone.

Conclusion

In summary, the back muscles can be divided into three groups: extensors (which flex and extend the vertebral column), flexors (which flex the vertebral column), and rotators. They are all innervated by different nerves, which supply sensory information from the skin of the back or neck.

The longissimus thoracis group is a complex muscle composed of several smaller muscles that work together to create movement in different directions depending on what position your body is in at any given time.

Follow these tips to help you alleviate your back pain.

This is excellent for anyone that spends a lot of time sitting or in an inactive state. It can been designed and explained by Jeremy Ethier.

10 Minute Daily Posture Routine

“Sitting for the majority of the day can lead to the development of the posture where the head protrudes forward, the mid back and shoulders round forward and the lower back arches excessively with an anterior tilt of the pelvis. Which can then lead to tightness and aches and pains in the neck, shoulders, lower back, and other areas. To reverse the adverse effects of sitting too much, I’ll be showing you two quick and easy 5-minute corrective routines with 8 exercises for posture that you can do anywhere, that are designed to mobilize these tightened areas (fix rounded shoulders), strengthen the weakened muscles (fix hunchback posture), and work on correcting any asymmetries. Let’s get straight to covering the exercises for better posture.”

Source: RX'd Photography

10 Minute Daily Posture Routine – Upper Body

“The first routine will focus primarily on the upper body. The first exercise is over and backs. This exercise is used to open up and stretch the shortened chest and shoulder muscles, which will help fix hunchback posture. Next, we’re going to move onto the cobra pose. This is arguably one of the single best exercises for better posture because if you go joint by joint, the entire body is almost completely reversed in this stretch position compared to a typical sitting posture. The next exercise is the stand and reach, which will be used to help correct some of the asymmetries developed from slouching one way when sitting. Next, we’re going to move onto wall slides and chin nods that’ll help strengthen the weakened lower traps that contribute to that hunched over posture, and the weakened neck flexors that contribute to that forward head posture.”

10 Minute Daily Posture Routine – Lower Body

“Next, we’ll move onto the second routine, which focuses on exercises for posture for the lower body. First, we’ll use quadruped thoracic extensions to work on “mid-back” mobility that gets stiffened from sitting and not only promotes that hunched over posture but can also cause problems and compensations in the lower back and lower body. Next, we’re going to move onto stretching out the hip flexors which have become tightened over time and are pulling the pelvis into that anterior pelvic tilt with the kneeling hip flexor stretch. Then, we’re going to move onto the pigeon stretch, that not only further lengthens the tightened hip flexors, but also helps open up the hips with external rotation and addresses any asymmetries present there to best set us up for success in the strengthening exercise we’ll do next. Lastly, we’ll move onto glute bridges to help awaken and strengthen the glutes that tend to become inactive and weakened as a result of prolonged sitting, and are now pulling the pelvis into that anterior pelvic tilt.”

“So, here are the two routines all summarized with rep range and timing guidance for each of the exercises that’ll help you fix that hunchback posture and reverse the effects of sitting too much.”

Source: MoveU

Routine 1 (Upper Body Focus)

• Exercise 1: Over-And-Backs (~10-15 slow reps)
• Exercise 2: Cobra Pose (~5-10 slow reps with pause at top)
• Exercise 3: Stand And Reach (~5-10 reaches each side, pause at end position)
• Exercise 4: Wall Slides With Chin Nod (2 sets of 10-15 reps)

Routine 2 (Lower Body Focus)

Exercise 1: Quadruped Thoracic Rotations (~10 reps each side with pause at top)

Exercise 2: Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch (~30-45 second holds each side)

Exercise 3: Pigeon Stretch (~30-45 second holds each side)

Exercise 4: Glute Bridges (2 sets of 10-15 reps with pause at top position)

How Often?

“I’d suggest aiming to perform both of these routines at the very least once a day, and ideally each twice a day if you do sit quite a bit. As it’s the consistency and frequency with these routines that’s key.  But, keep in mind as well though guys, that sitting is just part of the problem. I mean we see similar postural imbalances in those who stand all day as well. The real problem is not taking regular breaks, not being aware of your posture throughout the day, and just not moving enough in general. So, focus on improving those aspects, while incorporating the exercises for better posture mentioned in this video, and you’ll be able to create positive long-lasting changes and as a result look, feel, and perform that much better.”

Video – 10 Minute Daily Posture Routine

Learn More

How to Increase Chest Size and Strength

Best Way to Train the Chest for Hypertrophy (Muscle Mass)

3 Hacks for a Bigger Chest

Upper Chest Exercises Ranked (Best to Worst)

9 Best Dumbbell Chest Exercises

Muscles of the back and shoulders

The back and shoulders are large muscle groups that provide support and movement. They’re also involved in many other tasks, such as breathing and digestion. The musculature of the back is divided into three regions: cervical (neck), thoracic (chest/upper back), and lumbar (lower back).

10 Minute Daily Posture Routine – Trapezius

The trapezius is a triangular muscle that covers the upper back, neck and shoulder. Located between the shoulder blades, it helps move the shoulder blades and rotate your arms inward (adduction).

The trapezius has three main parts: upper, middle and lower.

10 Minute Daily Posture Routine – Latissimus Dorsi

The latissimus dorsi is a large flat muscle located on the back. It originates from the spinous processes of T7–T12, iliac crest, lower border of scapula and inserts onto the lower border of humerus. This muscle acts as an extensor, adductor and medial rotator of the arm.

To strengthen this muscle:

• Perform pull-up exercises
• Do lat pulldowns

10 Minute Daily Posture Routine – Teres Major

The teres major is a muscle that helps to rotate and flex the arm. It is located in your upper back, above your shoulder blade (scapula).

The teres major muscle originates on the lateral border of your scapula and runs down to meet with other muscles at the medial border of your humerus (upper arm bone). The teres major inserts into the part of your humerus closest to its centerline, called its head.

The synergist for this muscle is the subscapularis, which lies underneath it. Together these two muscles help you lift your arms up over your head when they’re bent at right angles or straight out in front of you (supination). The antagonist for this movement is pectoralis minor, which also attaches onto scapula but on its lower half instead of lateral one like teres major does.

10 Minute Daily Posture Routine – Rhomboid Major

The Rhomboid Major is a triangular shaped muscle that attaches to the scapula and is involved in shoulder elevation and scapular adduction. It also works with other muscles to elevate, rotate, retract, and depress your scapulae.

Levator Scapulae

• Location: Levator scapulae is located in the upper back between the shoulder blades.
• Function: The muscle elevates (raises) the shoulder blade and assists in tilting it posteriorly, which is important for movements like shrugging your shoulders. It also helps to rotate the head and neck to one side during certain activities such as deglutition or chewing food.
• Origin and insertion: The levator scapulae originates from three different regions: superior transverse processes of C1-C4 vertebrae; medial surface of cervical spinous process C5-T1; lateral half of superior nuchal line (back part where neck meets head). It inserts into several points on each side of vertebral border and upper margin of medial border of scapula (shoulder blade).

Pectoralis Major

The Pectoralis major is a large fan-shaped muscle that covers the front of the chest. It is one of the largest muscles in the body and makes up about one-fifth of the entire mass of the upper body.

The pectoralis major attaches to your sternum and rib cage on both sides, as well as to your humerus (upper arm bone). Contraction pulls these three bones together, bringing your arms closer to your body.

The clavicular head (or “clavicular” meaning “related to clavicle”) originates on cartilage at either end of each collarbone, while its sternocostal portion attaches to ribs two through five via tendons from their cartilage as well as overlying muscle tissue between them. This muscle group plays an important role in posture because it helps keep shoulders back while you stand upright; when it contracts with force during heavy lifting or pushing motions such as bench presses or push ups. It also increases intra-abdominal pressure which stabilizes core muscles during movement like running or jumping.

Serratus Anterior

The serratus anterior, or the serratus muscle, is located in the chest and helps to stabilize the shoulder blade during movement. This muscle is also responsible for helping to lift your shoulder blade during breathing as well as pulling it forward and down.

The serratus anterior originates along ribs 1-9 of your ribcage and attaches to your scapula (shoulder blade). The insertion point for this muscle can be found near where your scapula meets with your upper arm bone (humerus).

Conclusion – 10 Minute Daily Posture Routine

We hope you’ve enjoyed learning about the muscles of the back and shoulders. It’s important to know your anatomy so that you can keep it healthy and strong—especially if you work out regularly!

Use these movement routines to fix your posture and pain.

The most dominant athlete ever to compete in CrossFit decided to share her everyday stretches. Earlier last month, Toomey shared a video explaining what she does to maintain her mobility at a high level, something every athlete needs to look out for to stay in the best shape.

Toomey Everyday Stretches

Her stretches are very focused on ankle mobility and posture. See the video or read below how to do each everyday stretch from the Fittest Woman on Earth.

Tia begins with a traditional ankle and leg stretch. She lunges forward with her knee resting on the yoga mat, shifting the knee forward past the toes, she can also put her body weight on top of the quad that is being stretched for additional pressure. Hold this position for 30-120 seconds on one leg and then shift to the other one.

Source: Pixabay / Pexels

Following that, again in a lunge position, Tia-Clair Toomey stretches her hip flexor by having the front knee over the ankle and the back knee positioned further back. Let your hip sink to the ground and feel the stretch.

For the upper body, Tia-Clair Toomey everyday stretches focus, firstly, on the front delts and upper chest. Lay prone on the mat with one arm extended and roll your back as though you would fall onto the extended arm.

Lastly, move to a child’s pose to stretch the lats. Lean forward with your arm outstretched to feel the pull in your targeted muscles.

And simple as that, those are the movements Tia-Clair Toomey practices on her everyday stretches. Give it a go. It should not take longer than a couple of minutes to pump some blood into your muscles and awaken them for your training session.

Check out 2 exclusive interviews BOXROX had with Tia-Clair Toomey:

Coaching, Mat Fraser, and Improving Specific Techniques

Tia-Clair Toomey Opens Up About Mental Game and the CrossFit Games Programming

See more mobility and stretching articles you might find useful:

5 Dynamic Stretching Exercises for Fitness and Strength Athletes

8 Stretching Exercises to Improve Mobility & Recovery you can do at Home

Stop Sitting, Start Stretching: 5 Tips To Improve Flexibility

3 Unusual Stretches for Better Flexibility

How to Fix Tight Hamstrings in 22 Days

6 Stretches to Reduce and Prevent Injury

7 Satisfying Hip Opening Exercises for Tight Hips

Best Chest Stretches To Warm Up For Bench Press

5 Post Workout Stretches (Recommended by A CrossFit Games Athlete)

That’s your back “talking” to you with pain.

No wonder, as roughly 80% of the population experience backache at least once at some point in life. More often than not, CrossFit athletes are prone to lower back aches caused by numerous reasons. Then there’s chronic sore back that may haunt people for their whole lifespan.

Source: Courtesy of CrossFit Inc.

However, spine pain doesn’t prevent them from choosing safe and effective sports. As a matter of fact, some physical activities can even help fight this health issue.

How can sports be helpful in reducing your backache? What are the safest sport activities to try, if you’re struggling with pain in your spine? Find the answers in this article.

Back Pain and Sport Activities: What You Should Know

“The majority of back pains aren’t really that serious,” emphasizes Nancy Mitchell, a registered nurse and contributing writer for Assisted Living.

“Despite that, you shouldn’t take those for granted, especially if the pain is chronic. Schedule a consultation with your doctor and inquire about the physical activities you’re allowed to perform. If you have already tried to do a workout, for instance, and you can’t stand practicing any of the positions, because the pain is unbearable, consult a healthcare specialist immediately. In other cases, you’re good to go, as movement and exercises are scientifically-proven ways to block pain and even more.”

Nancy shares the list of positive effects that sport activities can offer your aching back. Here’s what they do:

• Make your spine stronger and more flexible
• Allow discs to exchange fluids, hydrating and nourishing them
• Provide a soft massage
• Support muscles to achieve stabilization and comfort
• Relieve pain (due to the release of adrenaline, serotonin, endorphins, etc.)

You can alleviate pain and lumbar strain with back-friendly sports. What are they? See below.

Top 5 Safest and Helpful Sports for People Living with Back Pain

1)    Yoga

Yoga tops the list of the safest and most effective sports that people with back pain should definitely try. Based on the study, yogic exercises are used for successful treatment of low back aches.

Source: Rawan Yasser on Unsplash

This article lists yoga poses specifically for the back to help you relieve spinal discomfort. They ease moderate to severe spasms and provide functional improvements. Start slow and follow the principles of self-awareness and mindfulness while doing yoga.

2)    Low-intensity aerobics and workouts

The research shows that you can reduce your back pain by 52.5% with exercise, particularly aerobics. Aerobic exercises get blood flow to your muscles, stimulating and strengthening them to decrease stiffness and tackle the lower back pain instantly.

Here’s how to go about small-force training:

●       Consider simpler-looking exercises

In fact, Matt Scarfo, NASM Certified Personal Trainer and Resident Training & Nutrition Expert at Lift Vault, suggests that “If you prefer heavy workouts but suffer from back pain, you should replace deadlifts with alternatives. The top five of those are: a) barbell squats, b) step ups, c) prisoner good mornings, d) Bulgarian split squats, and e) kettlebell swings.

When you can’t forgive yourself for such a waste of time in your bodybuilding schedule due to soreness in your spine, there’s a trick for you – a deficit deadlift. Among all deadlifts, deficit pulls are the safest workouts for a bad back.”

If spinal pain is your partner for today, it won’t prevent you from building a huge back with deficit deadlifts.

Alternatively, take advantage of several specific core exercises.

●       Find dedicated stretches for lower back pain

Beware that the wrong type of stretch can do harm to your back. Bad stretches can actually exacerbate your pain. Learn more about the worst vs the best stretches for back pain and do healthier stretching exercises instead of the harmful ones.

●       Walk and run in moderation

Walking is by far the safest activity for individuals with a sore spine. On top of that, it’s highly effective as an intervention for low back pain, science says.

What about running?

Running exercise, if done in moderation, strengthens the intervertebral disc and reduces spinal pain.

Aren’t you dressed yet for a short run?

If it’s not the most convenient time for you right now, set an alarm for your running retreat tomorrow, get out of bed, and enjoy the morning run benefits outlined here.

●       Hop on an exercise bike

Backache sufferers can benefit from using exercise bikes. Such aerobic practice can keep your spinal structure healthy and work as a pain fighter.

Don’t have an exercise bike at home?

Not a problem. Motivate yourself to go to the gym and hop on it there.

3)    Cycling

Biking is a rather controversial sport, in this case.

Source: Courtesy of CrossFit Inc.

On the one hand, it promotes the performance of the musculoskeletal system and builds endurance. On the other – cyclists can easily hurt their backs, causing even more pain, mostly as a result of improper body positioning that leads to increased spinal stress.

Whether you try it outdoors or indoors, doing stationary bike workouts, for example, remember to maintain a proper biking posture.

And again: stick to the principle of moderation, starting a cycling regimen.

4)    Swimming

Spine surgeons state that swimming reduces nerve pain provoked by lumbar disc herniation. That’s why it can be a perfect sport activity for people tormented by agony in their backs.

Soak up the benefits of swimming and aquatic exercises by using the following tips:

• Begin with mild water exercises
• Try pool therapy
• Make the safest choice and opt for spine-friendly strokes: backstroke and freestyle
• Don’t overindulge in swimming workouts
• Avoid hyperextension

5)    Easy rock climbing

Climbers get inexpensive and powerful therapy, because climbing has been proved to demonstrate a positive effect on chronic low back pain. Low-volume climbs are beneficial in a therapeutic dosage.

What should you start with if you’re a complete noob in this sport?

According to Climbing House, indoor gym climbing is the best solution for a first-timer, even if you’re not in the top physical condition.

Safe and Effective Sports for Bad Backs: Key Takeaways

Back pain isn’t an automatic sentence to an immobile life. On the contrary, movement can save you from these sufferings. And there are some great sports to select from.

We’ve given you the safest choices with the highest potential to fix your back pain problem: yoga, low-impact aerobics, cycling, swimming, and rock climbing.

In addition, don’t forget about practicing spinal hygiene regularly as a preventative measure against a variety of complications in the future.

Keep your spine healthy and pain-free.

The shoulder is an intricate muscle as it can move horizontally, vertically, and also rotate. Athletes looking to improve their shoulder mobility must have exercises that target the longevity of this muscle group.

If you have pain at this exact moment, check out these 3 exercises to alleviate shoulder pain shared by physical therapist Dr. Andy Chen via the YouTube channel Bodybuilding.com, a website focused on all-things gym related with over 5.5 million subscribers.

3 Exercises to Alleviate Shoulder Pain

1. Kettlebell Arm Bar

According to Chen, this exercise puts your shoulder in a more compromised position, but if you build up to a heavy dumbbell, it is incredibly useful to increase your shoulder longevity.

The goal of this exercise is to stabilise the load in an awkward position (looks like the beginning of a Turkish get-up).

Once you can keep this position for over 45 seconds, you can progress to a heavier weight.

2. Heavy Carries

Source: Courtesy of CrossFit Inc.

This exercise works well your rotator cuff because when you carry something heavy, it is the rotator cuff that prevents your shoulder from coming off your socket.

You can either march in place while holding a kettlebell or a heavy dumbbell on one arm, or you can do farmer carriers where you actually walk around while holding the weight.

Try to keep as upright as possible and maintain the arm not glued to your torso, but slightly away from it.

3. Side Lying Press

“With the side lying press, we get a lot of protraction and external rotation happening at the shoulder blade to help promote the overhead movement,” Dr. Chen explains.

Simply sit on the floor, use one hand to keep your body supported, and press the kettlebell or dumbbell up above your head. If you want to restore mobility overhead, you have to move your shoulder blades.

These are the 3 exercises to alleviate shoulder pain that should get you back on track. To see how to perform each one of them, check out Dr. Chen’s video below.

VIDEO – 3 Exercises to Alleviate Shoulder Pain

Check out more content from BOXROX:

Top 3 Rotator Cuff Exercise Mistakes

Shoulder Workout Master Tip that Every Athlete Needs to Know

The Best Science-Based Shoulder Workout for Size and Symmetry

Best 7 Shoulder Exercises to Trigger Massive Growth

Important Short Daily Stretch to Improve Your Overall Mobility

How to Fix Elbow Pain (Bulletproof your Elbows)

How to Fix Forward Head Posture (Text Neck) with One Daily Corrective Routine

How to Bulletproof Your Knees with 1 Exercise

What is Forward Head Posture?

“Forward head posture (also known as “text neck”) is not something you should just ignore as it can have a major impact on your aesthetic, long-term health, neck pain, and even affect certain lifts your performance in the gym.”

How do you Fix it?

“Luckily, forward head posture correction is simple given that you perform the proper exercises and stretches. When it comes to the forward head posture “fix”, you need to focus on two things; stretching/massaging the muscles that have become shortened and using exercises to strengthen the muscles that have become weakened.”

“Although I wouldn’t call it a quick fix to forward head posture, given that you perform what is shown in this video daily and stick to the stretches/exercises consistently you’ll see major improvements pretty quickly. I suggest taking a picture of your forward head posture before starting the routine, and after a week or two in order to track your progress.”

How to Fix Forward Head Posture – Video

Learn More

Add Nordic Curls and Reverse Hyperextensions into your training.

Daniel Lieberman is Edwin M. Lerner II Professor of Biological Sciences and a professor of the Department of Human Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University.

Lieberman said he believes people are “exercised about exercise” and decided to debunk a few exercise myths. Check it out.

Harvard Professor Debunks Exercise Myths

1. Running Will Destroy Your Knees

According to Lieberman, this is the biggest myth about running. “There’s ton and tons of studies, more than a dozen randomised, controlled-perspective, gold-standard studies which show that people who run more are not more likely to get arthritis.”

The opposite is actually true. Physical activity, such as running, will cause your joints to repair themselves and to stay healthy.

How to Learn to Love Running

2. It’s Normal To Be Less Physically Active As You Get Older

Lieberman says that hunter-gatherers remained physically active as they aged because they were always doing stuff. “They had to lift things, carry things, and do stuff that keeps them strong.”

The problem is that as you get older you lose flesh in a term called Sarcopenia. With that, people lose strength and power making basic tasks more difficult. And because these tasks are difficult, people become less physically active which creates a vicious circle to become less fit.

As you get older you need to focus even more on strength training.

Related: This Is How to Train For Size and Strength In Your Later Years

Those were the two exercise myths debunked by professor Daniel Lieberman from Harvard University. If you want to see his full explanation, check out the video below.

VIDEO – Harvard Professor Debunks Exercise Myths

Read More: 14 More Exercise Myths Debunked by Physical Therapists

How to Fix Elbow Pain and Bulletproof your Elbows

“Now I’ve personally experienced elbow pain and tennis elbow before and I know it’s not fun. It hinders our training, diminishes our performance, and it just plain hurts.  So today I want to go over 3 elbow pain causes that are likely contributing to your elbow pain when working out and what you need to do in order to not only fix your elbow pain but the exercises to do for elbow pain that’ll prevent it from coming back. This way, you can start lifting pain free as soon as possible and protect this joint for life.”

Source: Unsplash

“The first culprit is an imbalance in your forearm strength and just weak grip strength in general. Weak extensor muscles in the forearm are the main culprit for elbow pain and studies cite “repetitive gripping” to be the cause of elbow pain.”

“So strengthening your forearms, especially your extensors, as well as increasing your overall grip strength is what’s key to creating bullet-proof elbows and has consistently been shown to be an effective approach to relieving elbow pain.”

Bulletproof your Elbows

“And the simplest way to start out is to regularly perform standard wrist extensions to help strengthen and build more endurance in your weaker wrist extensors. If however the pain you experience is on the inside of your elbow rather than on the outside, then you’d want to perform wrist curls instead of wrist extensions to help build the endurance of your wrist flexors since in this case you have the opposite imbalance.”

“So we addressed a problem below the elbow, but now we need to look above the elbow for some other possible elbow pain causes. And the most common culprit here is weakness in the muscles involved in stabilizing the shoulder and scapula.”

“Because a lack of stabilization here then means that the muscles surrounding your elbow joint will be forced to work overtime to compensate for that lack of stability during our pushing and pulling exercises. Which again leads to elbow pain due to overuse and over-dependence on these forearm muscles. I have put out quite a few videos that address these muscles (linked below). But some of the best options for you to get started with would be exercises like scapular pull-ups to help strengthen the traps, and then simple external rotation movements to help strengthen your rotator cuff.”

“The last cause of elbow pain when working out, or the worsening of your existing elbow pain, is often due to just trying to “push through the pain”. When you feel discomfort in your joints, don’t ignore it. For this reason, dumbbells will become your best friend as they allow you to manipulate your hand position into basically any position that feels comfortable. Basically, we want to take our hands out of a supinated or pronated position and instead into a neutral grip as much as possible, since this places the least stress on our forearm muscles and eliminates our tendency to excessively flex and extend our wrist as we perform our exercises.”

Bulletproof your Elbows

“In addition, to fix your elbow pain, you want to always be mindful of your wrist positioning during your exercises. Avoid flexing or extending your wrists excessively during exercises like chin-ups, curls, and even pushdowns as this creates a ton of stress on the forearm muscles and tendons. Instead, focus on keeping the wrist neutral and in line with your forearms as you perform these movements.”

To sum up the video, here are the steps and exercises to keep in mind for elbow pain:

First, dedicate more time to your forearm training and grip training.

• Pain on outside of elbow = Wrist extensions: 3 sets of 10 reps
• Pain on inside of elbow = Wrist curls: 3 sets of 10 reps
• Suitcase carries: 3 sets of 30s walks each side

Then, address potential weaknesses in your shoulder and scapular stabilizer muscles.

Scapular pull-ups: 3 sets of 10 reps

External rotation exercise: 3 sets of 5-10 reps

And finally, manipulate your exercises and be mindful of your wrist positioning to avoid worsening the pain.

Implement more neutral grip exercises: Hammer curls, neutral grip presses, neutral grip rows, etc.

But all in all, you need to realize that if you’re feeling stress in certain joints then it’s often a result of imbalances or weaknesses elsewhere in the body.

Video – Bulletproof your Elbows

Learn More

How to force muscle growth

What is Forward Head Posture?

“Forward head posture (also known as “text neck”) is not something you should just ignore as it can have a major impact on your aesthetic, long-term health, neck pain, and even affect certain lifts your performance in the gym.”

How do you Fix it?

“Luckily, forward head posture correction is simple given that you perform the proper exercises and stretches. When it comes to the forward head posture “fix”, you need to focus on two things; stretching/massaging the muscles that have become shortened and using exercises to strengthen the muscles that have become weakened.”

“Although I wouldn’t call it a quick fix to forward head posture, given that you perform what is shown in this video daily and stick to the stretches/exercises consistently you’ll see major improvements pretty quickly. I suggest taking a picture of your forward head posture before starting the routine, and after a week or two in order to track your progress.”

How to Fix Forward Head Posture – Video

Learn More

Add Nordic Curls and Reverse Hyperextensions into your training.

Source: Courtesy of CrossFit Inc.

How to bulletproof your knees in 5 minutes with 1 exercise: Backward Sled Pull

The backward sled pull, also known as the backward sled drag, is excellent for bullet-proofing your knees as it has the least impact on the joint while greatly increasing blood flow to the knees.

It is performed by attaching a harness to a sled and putting it around your hips, then walking backward while pulling the sled up and down a set length. You should feel the burn in your quads, hamstrings, and calves after a couple of rounds.

Backward sled pulls are one of the most knee-friendly exercises.

You’re not performing this exercise for reps, instead aim to work for around five minutes, starting at an easy pace.

Factors you’ll have to consider are speed, step reach, and weight, as they will all affect how the exercise feels. Friction between the sled and the floor will also differ between locations, so take that into consideration too when performing the backward sled pull.

Alter your speed, the length of your steps, and the weight on the sled to move at a brisk but sustainable pace. You want to find the ideal combination to feel the burn on your leg muscles, have a good rhythm, and cover enough range.  

Do this exercise three times per week for five minutes before your accessory work to activate blood flow to the knees.

Ben Patrick, better known as Knees Over Toes Guy, aims to get people to feel no knee pain.

Read more: 5 Exercises to Help Relieve Knee Pain

It is not uncommon to feel a certain stiffness around your hips, especially if you tend to spend a lot of time sitting down. While the hips are intended to be incredibly mobile, spending too much time in one position can make them feel tight.

Hip opening exercises are part of the solution. Read on to learn how to do them and why you should.

Why is hip mobility important?

The hips are a highly mobile joint which makes it possible for you to rotate from left to right, move forward, backward and from side to side.

Like the shoulder joint, the hips allow movement on all three planes of motion: the Sagittal Plane (forward and backward movements), the Frontal Plane (side-to-side movements), and the Transverse Plane (upward and downward movement).

Mobile hips will help you access your full range of motion, which is incredibly important when lifting weights for example. They will also allow for greater tension, which is essential during explosive exercises such as box jumps.

Healthy hips also play an important role in exercises that require power, such as kettlebell swings or deadlifts, and explosivity, such as sprinting.

Benefits of hip stretches

Mobile hips come with many benefits, both athletically and during day-to-day life.

• Flexible hips allow athletes to perform exercises with more power.
• Mobile hips can improve your efficiency in many sporting activities, from obvious ones such as squatting and deadlifting to more obscure ones such as diving or hurdles.
• Healthy hips allow for a more powerful hip extension, which is required in many activities.
• Prevent injuries in the knees and lower back. If you spend a lot of time sitting, your glutes are likely to be weaken and your hip flexors to tighten. As a result, you might begin to overcompensate with your knees and lower back to gain strength and power in other positions.

Best Hip Opening Exercises

The following exercise combined should take your hips through all their ranges of motion and get them flowing like honey.

You can either perform them before a workout as a warm-up, after your training session to simply relax, or during the day to add some mobility to your sedentary hours.

• Lunge
• Pigeon Pose
• Cossack Squat
• Open And Close the Gate
• Standing Figure 4 Stretch
• Cow Face
• Kneeling Side Bend

Lunge

Source: Patrick Malleret on Unsplash

The lunge is a classic hip opening exercise and is regarded as one of the best.

• Begin in a push-up or plank position, with your arms and legs extended, wrists right below the shoulders.
• Step your right foot forward, placing it just outside your right wrist.
• Stretch your hips forward, making sure your back leg remains straight.
• For a deeper stretch bring your elbows to the floor, placing them in line with your ankle.
• Hold the pose for around 10 seconds and return to the initial position, then swap sides.

Pigeon pose

This exercise to open your hips is common in yoga practice. It might feel a little uncomfortable as a beginner, but you should feel your mobility improving as you include it in your training routine.

• Begin on your hands and knees in a tabletop position.
• Bring your right knee to your right wrist and place your right ankle between your left wrist and your left hip. Advanced athletes will be able to keep their shin parallel to their wrists, but it’s perfectly okay if your mobility isn’t there yet.
• Straighten the left leg behind you, bringing both your knee and top of your foot to the floor.
• Make sure your hips and shoulders remain square. Generally, try to bring your left hip forward, and lower yourself to the ground.
• You should feel a deep stretch on your hips, hamstrings and even lower back.
• Stay in this position for around 10 seconds, then return to the initial position and repeat with the opposite leg.

Cossack Squat

You’ll require superb hip strength and mobility to perform this hip opening exercise, so it’s a great target to aim for if you’re struggling with it now.

“Most leg movements work in a forward/backward plane, but you can become more well rounded as an athlete when you move in all directions,” says Functional Bodybuilding founder Marcus Filly.

It is important to include the Cossack Squat in your routine because you don’t only want to stretch your hips, but also strengthen them.

• Stand up with feet wider than shoulder-width apart. Toes should be pointing forward, or slightly outwards, but not too much.
• Shift your weight onto one foot and start squatting until your hip is below the knee.
• One leg should bend, while the other remains straight.
• Chest should be kept upright and the hips down at all times.
• Push your body back to the initial position with the strength of your bent leg.

A good Cossack Squat workout for beginners would be 3 sets of 10-20 reps (5 to 10 on each leg).

Open and Close the Gate

This dynamic hip opening exercise will take your hips through their full range of motion when performed correctly. It’s an excellent exercise for improving mobility and range of motion in your hips.

• Start standing tall, with your feet about hip width apart and your shoulders relaxed.
• Transfer your weight onto the left leg and lift your right knee as high as possible in front of you.
• Open your hips as far as possible by bring the knee towards your right, keeping your body facing forward.
• Bring you leg back down and repeat the exercise with the other side.
• After you’ve done around 10 repetition on each leg reverse the exercise, starting with your knee high to your side and bringing it in front of you, as if you were closing a gate.

Standing Figure 4 Stretch

Source: Mathilde Langevin on Unsplash

This exercise does not only open your hips but also activates and stretches their opposing muscles, the glutes.

• Start by standing tall with your feet on the same line and your crown tall, shoulders relaxed.
• Lift your right leg and cross your right ankle over your left knee, pushing your right knee outwards. The pose should recreate a figure of 4 with your legs.
• Bend your right ankle and slowly bend your left knee as you push your hips downward and back, just as you would during a squat.
• Bring your hands to your hips or have them meet in front of your chest.
• Stop when you feel a good stretch in the right glute and relax. Hold the stretch for around 15 seconds.
• For a deeper stretch, bend your back and bring your hands to the floor.
• Slowly stand up and bring your right leg back to the ground in a controlled manner. Return to the initial position and repeat with the other leg.

Cow face

This pose stretches your outer hip muscles as well as your glute muscles.

• Start on a sitting position with your legs in front of you.
• Bend your right leg and bring the right knee to the ground in front of you, your right ankle close to your hips.
• Then bend your left knee and gently place it over your right knee. Keep your ankles bent.
• Make sure both glutes are on the ground and sit up tall.
• You’ll feel a deep stretch here, but if you’d like to intensify this stretch then bend forward keeping your lower back straight.
• Hold for around 15 seconds and then return to the initial position. Swap sides.

Kneeling Side Bend

This hip opening exercise stretches your inner hips and is a great way to relax.

• Kneel on the floor with your back straight and core tight.
• Bringing your glutes up, extend your right leg to the side, keeping it in one line with your hips.
• Ensuring your right leg is straight, extend your left hand overhead and bend your torso towards the right.
• You can place your right hand over your right leg for support.
• Keep your hips facing forward and think about extending your left side, rather than contracting your right.
• Hold this pose for 20 seconds, then return to the initial position and swap sides.

Should I do hip opening exercises?

You might need to perform hip opening exercises if you:

• Feel sharp pains around your hips or pelvis
• Have cramping or sore muscles along the upper leg
• Experience pain along your glutes, lower back or core
• Feel your strength at the top of your legs has decreased
• Suffer of discomfort when moving your hips

Hip opening exercises might not be the only solution; sometimes, you might also need to strengthen your hip flexors and core and leg muscles alongside. Always consult a trained and qualified professional if you experience constant and serious pain and discomfort.

Hip Opening Exercises Conclusion

While hip opening exercises are a great way to relieve hip tightness and pain – and can sometimes even have a positive effect on lower back pain – it is important that you don’t stop at that.

Instead, you should include movement throughout your day, and take your hips though their full range of motion during your daily activities.

Prevention is better than having to treat tight hips.  

What is Forward Head Posture?

“Forward head posture (also known as “text neck”) is not something you should just ignore as it can have a major impact on your aesthetic, long-term health, neck pain, and even affect certain lifts your performance in the gym.”

How do you Fix it?

“Luckily, forward head posture correction is simple given that you perform the proper exercises and stretches. When it comes to the forward head posture “fix”, you need to focus on two things; stretching/massaging the muscles that have become shortened and using exercises to strengthen the muscles that have become weakened.”

“Although I wouldn’t call it a quick fix to forward head posture, given that you perform what is shown in this video daily and stick to the stretches/exercises consistently you’ll see major improvements pretty quickly. I suggest taking a picture of your forward head posture before starting the routine, and after a week or two in order to track your progress.”

How to Fix Forward Head Posture – Video

Learn More

Add Nordic Curls and Reverse Hyperextensions into your training.

The Perfect Mobility Routine for Your Body

“Most people are lacking sufficient mobility in key areas. And typically, there are 4 main problem areas: the shoulders, thoracic spine, hips, and ankles. Therefore, what we’re going to do in this video is focus our mobilizations on these specific areas (e.g. hips mobility and ankle mobility). And we’ll also first determine if you truly could benefit from more mobility training in that specific area by running through a couple of mobility tests. By the end of the video, you’ll have a personalized mobility routine based on the body areas you could use the most work.”

“The first area we’re going to cover for mobility training is the shoulder joint. To determine your shoulder mobility it, simply reach one arm up and over your shoulder and your other arm up your back as far as possible.”

“Ideally you’ll want those fingers to touch but aim to at least get your arm to reach the top of your shoulder blade and your bottom arm can reach the bottom of your shoulder blade. Do the test on both sides and see how you do. The mobility drill that’ll help your shoulder mobility is this: just grab a cloth or towel, and hold it in each hand using the test position with both hands behind your back. Then, perform reps of gently pulling down on the towel while actively reaching downward with your top arm. Whereas to mobilize the bottom arm, perform reps of pulling the towel up while actively reaching up with your bottom arm each rep.”

The Perfect Mobility Routine for Your Body

“Next, we’ll move onto the thoracic spine. One of the best mobility tests for this area is to take a picture sideways in the mirror with your body relaxed. If your mid to upper back seems to round, then it could use some mobility work. First, we’ll mobilize the area with thoracic extensions. Here, place your elbows on a bench or couch with your hands together. Sit your hips back into your heels as you drop your chest towards the floor. Hold for a few seconds, then repeat this motion for more reps. Follow this up with cat cows.”

The Perfect Mobility Routine for Your Body

“Next, we’ll move onto the hips. The hips mobility test is simple; perform a bodyweight squat. If your feet turn out excessively on the way down, or your hips just seem to lock at a certain depth and you can’t go below parallel, or your hips tend to shift to one side during your squat, then your hips could use some more mobility work. If they do, then you’ll want to do the 90/90 drill. To perform it, bend both legs to 90 degrees. Then, while keeping your torso stacked over your hips, simply transition from one side to another by opening up your hips.”

The Perfect Mobility Routine for Your Body

“Lastly, we need to look at the ankle mobility. Perform a bodyweight squat and see how deep you can go without rising up off your heels or leaning forward excessively. Repeat this again, but this time with weight plates or a book under each heel, and see if your squat improves in terms of depth and form. If it does, then you’d likely benefit from the next ankle mobility drill. Simply find an elevated platform like a bench, couch, or even your stairs, and place one foot on top of it. Then, using your arms under your bench or couch, pull yourself forward to drive your knee directly over your toe while keeping your heel planted. Hold the end position for a few seconds, then repeat for more reps before switching sides.”

The Perfect Mobility Routine for Your Body

“Lastly, to tie everything together, we’ll add a weighted goblet squat to the end of our mobility routine. Here you’ll want to hold any weighted object like a backpack stuffed with books or weight plate out in front of you, then sit into a deep squat. Hold this position while keeping your chest up and rocking side to side to transfer the weight and stretch to one ankle at a time. This is a great way to further mobilize your ankles, hips, and mid-back in a functional position.”

“So, simply go through the tests for each of the 4 joints, and use that to determine what your daily mobility list will look like.”

Shoulder

• Towel Stretch: 5-10 reps per failed arm

T-Spine

• Thoracic Extensions: 5-10 reps
• Cat Cows: 6 reps each way

Hips

• 90/90 Drill: 5-10 reps each side

Ankles

• Bench Ankle Mobilization: 5-10 reps each leg

All

• Weighted Goblet Squat: 30-60 second rocking hold

“To see the best results, implement it daily or even 2-3 times a day, with about 2 sets per exercise. Do realize that you need to be mindful of the positions you’re in for the rest of the day. Make an effort to move more, as that is very likely the root cause behind your aches and tightness.”

Video – The Perfect Mobility Routine for Your Body

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5 Minute Posture Routine to INCREASE Your Height

“Are there exercises we can do to grow taller? Yes! That said, you’ll only become taller in the sense that you’ll reveal your natural height. Many of us sit for most of the day. Over time our bodies will learn to become extremely efficient sitters and lock us up in a hunched over, head forward, position. This reduces our height. There is, however, a 5 minute solution that can help improve your posture, undo the “damages” of prolonged sitting, and maybe even help you grow taller. Today I’ll show you the exact posture correction exercises and how to use them to grow taller in just 5 minutes.”

5 Minute Posture Routine to INCREASE Your Height

“First, let’s do a quick overview of the routine and the science behind how it helps you grow taller. If we take a look at the most common sitting posture, you can see how certain joints get locked up in poor positions. To improve our posture and relieve stiffness, we want to look for exercises that not only move these joints in the opposite way, but also strengthen the weakened muscles needed to keep the joints in the proper position for good. We’ll apply this concept to the three most common problem areas, and the areas that affect your height the most — the back, the shoulders, and the neck.”

“Let’s start the process of helping you become taller by focusing on your back. The first exercise, thoracic rotations, is going to help improve your ability to rotate your mid-back. Next, we’re going to use the cobra pose to focus on extending your back out of its rounded position and strengthening some of your back muscles. This exercise is a great option to do so because the entire body is almost completely reversed in this stretch position when compared to a typical sitting posture. Now guys, before we move onto the shoulders, I want to emphasize that while these exercises may look easy when I do them, it took me a long time to improve my mobility to get to this point. Many of you will find them quite challenging when you actually try them, so don’t worry if your form doesn’t quite look like mine yet.”

5 Minute Posture Routine to INCREASE Your Height

“Alright, so now that we’ve unlocked the spine, we’ll be better able to work on your stiff shoulders that are rounding you forward into a locked up position and also contributing to your forward head posture. The first of the exercises we’ll use to help you grow taller is the over-and-backs. These will focus on loosening up the shoulders.”

5 Minute Posture Routine to INCREASE Your Height

“Now that we’ve temporarily loosened our shoulders up, we’ll be able to better target your weakened back and shoulder muscles. To do so, we’ll use what I call reverse wall angels. When done properly, you should feel this in the muscles of your mid back and shoulders. If you feel this more in your upper traps, try performing it on the floor or a on a bench instead as your mid-back muscles may not yet be strong enough to perform this upright. If on the other hand you find it easy, you can add pulses to each part of the movement and even add a bit of weight in your hands.”

“Finally, we’re ready for the last piece of the puzzle, the neck. What we need to do is actually pretty simple. We just need to strengthen the deep muscles in your neck that have become weak and are failing to do its job of keeping your head in its upright position. As for the specific posture correction exercises you’ll use? Well, there’s only one. And although it may not look pretty, it’s extremely effective and can be done anywhere. It’s none other than the chin tucks. When done properly, you should feel the deep muscles under your chin working.”

“Now that we’ve gone through the exercises, let’s cover how to implement them for the best results. You’re going to do each exercise for 1 minute. Within that minute, take it slow and try to do as many quality reps as you can. Quality is more important than quantity.”

5 Minute Posture Routine to INCREASE Your Height

“Here’s how to grow taller in 5 minutes:”

BACK:

• Exercise 1: Thoracic Rotations (30s per side)
• Exercise 2: Cobra Pose (1 minute)

SHOULDERS:

• Exercise 3: Over-And-Backs (1 minute)
• Exercise 4: Reverse Wall Angels (1 minute)

NECK:

• Exercise 5: Chin Tucks (1 minute)

“Implement this 1-2 times a day, make an effort to get up and move more, and you’ll very quickly feel and see a difference. Don’t forget to measure your height before and after as well, and leave a comment below if you managed to gain an inch or two.”

Video – 5 Minute Posture Routine to INCREASE Your Height

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Why should you train mobility? “If we don’t regularly use the full range of motion of our joints, we quickly lose our ability to do so.” And who says that is Jeremy Ethier.

Jeremy Ethier is a kinesiologist and fitness trainer, and co-founder of Built With Science. His YouTube channel has over 4 million subscribers and he delivers clear information with sound background research.

So he came up with a short daily stretch to improve your mobility. It is only 5 minutes you need to spend every day to increase your overall joint health.

8 Stretching Exercises to Improve Mobility & Recovery you can do at Home

Short Daily Stretch to Improve Your Overall Mobility

Why only 5 minutes? Because there is a higher chance of you sticking with this routine every day if you don’t waste too much time on it.

This short daily stretch from Ethier will focus on three areas: hips, upper back, and ankles.

The cat-cow exercise is great to begin the day as we have been laying on the bed for several hours and this activates the lower and upper back. Do between 7-8 cycles, which should take around 60 seconds. You can also add a resistance band to this exercise.

The world’s greatest stretch hits all our targeted areas at once. It comprises of a plank, lunge, and a rotation on your spine.

The Asian squat opens up your hips and ankles. Ethier explains that is better to use a towel underneath your feet. After holding the position for 30 seconds and feeling your groin stretch, then move side to side to deepen the stretch on the ankles.

The half-kneeling thoracic rotations mobilise your upper back and open up your chest.

Read More: 5 Dynamic Stretching Exercises for Fitness and Strength Athletes

To strengthen some of the smaller and weaker muscles in the back, mainly the mid and lower traps, you will do the wall slides to finish this short daily stretch. “Strengthening these muscles will help you maintain these mobility improvements long term,” Ethier explains.

If you are unsure about how to perform some of the exercises mentioned above, check out Jeremy Ethier’s short daily stretch to improve your overall mobility next.

VIDEO – Short Daily Stretch to Improve Your Overall Mobility

Read More: How to Fix Forward Head Posture (Text Neck) with One Daily Corrective Routine

What is Forward Head Posture?

“Forward head posture (also known as “text neck”) is not something you should just ignore as it can have a major impact on your aesthetic, long-term health, neck pain, and even affect certain lifts your performance in the gym.”

How do you Fix it?

“Luckily, forward head posture correction is simple given that you perform the proper exercises and stretches. When it comes to the forward head posture “fix”, you need to focus on two things; stretching/massaging the muscles that have become shortened and using exercises to strengthen the muscles that have become weakened.”

“Although I wouldn’t call it a quick fix to forward head posture, given that you perform what is shown in this video daily and stick to the stretches/exercises consistently you’ll see major improvements pretty quickly. I suggest taking a picture of your forward head posture before starting the routine, and after a week or two in order to track your progress.”

How to Fix Forward Head Posture – Video

Learn More

Add Nordic Curls and Reverse Hyperextensions into your training.

How to Get a Strong Lower Back the Right Way

“Although lower back pain can stem from MANY different issues and there are MANY different solutions, research has indicated that a lot of people with lower back pain often tend to have issues with lower back strength and neuromuscular control. And that improving strength and coordination with lower back strengthening exercises seems to be an effective intervention to prevent and reduce the lower back pain they experience. Unfortunately, most people who attempt to do so go about it the wrong way, worsening the situation. In this video, find out how to get a strong low back with the top 4 best lower back exercises. I’ll also be detailing a full lower back workout routine with these lower back exercises, so do stick around if you want to find out how to fix lower back pain correctly and safely.”

How to Get a Strong Lower Back the Right Way

“First off, before diving into the specific lower back strengthening exercises, we need to cover two compound exercises that should definitely be a staple in your weekly routine – squats, and deadlifts. These have not only been shown to be highly effective for lower back strength and hypertrophy but are also easy to overload with weight to continue adequately challenging the lower back muscles over time. However, there are problems. First, not everyone does them. Secondly, a lot of people don’t perform these relatively heavy enough to actually provide enough stimulus to their lower back. And lastly, multiple studies have also indicated that without proper stabilization of the pelvis, the much larger and stronger hamstring and glutes often tend to take over and do most of the back extension work instead.”

How to Get a Strong Lower Back the Right Way

“Therefore, you’ll want to include the following exercises for lower back: the back extension and the bird dog. Back extensions fill in the gap perfectly by stabilizing the pelvis such that the lower back can be better activated and strengthened to a much greater degree than other exercises, which it’s been consistently shown to do so. And although high loading of the back extensors as we’ve previously done is an ideal way to strengthen them, research shows that an additional exercise that demands more stability is required to selectively recruit individual muscles that play a greater role in stabilizing the lower back. That’s the bird dog; it also manages to elicit greater activation of the lower back stabilizer muscles with minimal spinal compression.”

“So, here’s what I’d recommend as an appropriate lower back workout. Multiple papers have shown that even for well-trained individuals, adding in just one lower back exercise 1-2 times per week was able to quickly and significantly increase lower back strength. Therefore, what I’d suggest is that if you’re currently able to squat and deadlift weekly with free weights, then you’d likely just need to throw in the 2 additional lower back strengthening exercises just once per week. Whereas if you’re unable to do squats and deadlifts or don’t go very heavy with them, you can opt to do these more often (2x a week).”

“There you have it: you now know how to get a strong lower back.”

Video – How to Get a Strong Lower Back the Right Way

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Dr Aaron Horschig is a physical therapist, coach, and creator of the Squat University. He is one of the most respected authorities when it comes to squatting.

In this video from Dr Horschig, he details how to find the right squat for your anatomy.

First, you need to know a little bit about your pelvis anatomy to know if the squat stance for you is with toes pointing straight forward, wide outwards, or somewhere in between.

To know a bit more about your anatomy, Dr Horschig exemplifies a seated external & internal rotation test. Find out if you have excessive rotation to one side compared to the other – there is no need to go to a proper doctor to do this test. Do the same test lying on your hip instead of seating down.

Two extreme outcomes are possible from these tests:

• Excessive internal rotation, but limited external rotation on both tests
• Limited internal rotation, but excessive external rotation on both tests

The first option would mean you are prone to squat with toes pointing forward because of the way your pelvis anatomy is designed.

The second outcome means you will naturally squat with toes pointing outwards.

However, if you have excessive external rotation on one test and excessive internal rotation on the other, it means you fall into the “textbook normal range.” “For those type of people, your natural position will likely be a slight out angle,” Dr Horschig explains.

If you still have questions on how to find the right squat for your anatomy, check out Dr Horschig’s video below.

How To Find The Right Squat For Your Anatomy

Check out more content from BOXROX:

Squat Warm-Up: The Ultimate Guide for Elite Athletes and Beginners

8 Squat Secrets Every Athlete Should Use to Improve Their Lift

Squat Variations to Build Mass, Strength and Muscle

The Easiest Way to Fix Low Back Pain

“There is no quick fix for low back pain. Often, trying seek how to fix low back pain relief with back pain stretches, low back strengthening exercises, pilates, abs workouts, or just lying in bed often does more harm than good. While these methods may provide some form of lower back pain relief in the short term, the back pain soon returns and often worse than before. Now while the true “fix” to low back pain is highly individual, one of the easiest ways that we can potentially fix our low back pain is by paying attention to the position of our spine throughout the day.”

Source: Nigel Msipa / Unsplash

“World renowned back pain researcher Dr. Stu McGill explains that the spine can be thought of as a wire coat hanger. If you constantly bend the hanger back and forth over and over, eventually it will fatigue and break. The spine experiences the same cumulative effect with repeated bending. Moving in the most spine conserving way possible is thus key. We can implement this in 3 steps.”

The Easiest Way to Fix Low Back Pain – Step 1

“The first step here is just to define the various movements that cause low back pain for you throughout the day. If certain postures or movements such as sitting for prolonged periods, tying your shoes, or performing a specific exercise in the gym induces pain, then identify these and avoid or modify them to make them pain-free. You’ll then be able to reduce the cumulative load placed on your spine and can slowly teach your spine how to move pain-free again.”

The Easiest Way to Fix Low Back Pain – Step 2

“The next step is to now modify your posture throughout the day to get some much-needed lower back pain relief. Here’s a simple self-assessment created by Dr. Stuart McGill. Stand in a relaxed upright posture and feel your lower back muscles with your hand. Lean back slightly until these muscles shut off and feel soft and relaxed. Slowly lean forward until you identify the point at which they become active and hard again. The objective is to discover the position that allows you to maintain an upright standing posture without engaging your low back muscles. This simple drill demonstrates how important proper standing posture is to relax your back muscles, and the same applies to sitting.”

The Easiest Way to Fix Low Back Pain – Step 3

“The third step to fix your low back pain is to modify how you bend over to perform tasks such as tying your shoes, picking up an object, or even performing a lift in the gym. You’ll need to implement what’s known as a hip-hinge. To help learn this, Dr. Stuart McGill recommends the ‘short stop squat’.”

“Stand upright with your feet spread shoulder width apart. Place your hands on your thighs. Keeping your spine straight, and bending at the hips, slide your hands down your thigh while moving your hips back behind you until you have lowered yourself to a point where the thumb crotch of each hand can be placed around and atop the kneecap. Your knees should fall in line mid-way between the heels and toes. Work at adjusting the curvature of your spine to a pain free or “sweet spot” posture. To prepare to ascend back up, begin by stiffening your torso by applying the abdominal brace. Then push your shoulders down and away from your ears by using your pecs and lat muscles to transmit your weight onto your knees. Now concentrate on pulling the hips forward while maintaining a stiff back, as you draw your hands up the thighs.”

The Easiest Way to Fix Low Back Pain

“Practicing this proper technique ensures that you’re able to complete any of these tasks without placing added strain on your spine, in turn, offering low back pain relief. The same applies to lifts like deadlifts in the gym as well. Before lifting the weight, stabilize your back by applying the abdominal brace and twisting the bar to engage the lats. Focus your attention on simply pulling the hips forward and dragging the weight up the thighs just like we did with the short stop squat, but now with added load.”

The Easiest Way to Fix Low Back Pain

“Regardless of what caused your back pain, part of your road to recovery and prevention will always be practicing spinal hygiene. By properly implementing what we went through in this video into your daily routine, while making an effort to simply move more and avoiding any static positions for too long, you’ll successfully be able to minimize the stress placed on your lower back and the pain you may be experiencing.”

Video – The Easiest Way to Fix Low Back Pain

Learn More – The Easiest Way to Fix Low Back Pain

Add the Pallof Press and Cable Crunch into your training.

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Top 3 Rotator Cuff Exercise Mistakes

“The rotator cuff muscles are the most overlooked and misunderstood shoulder muscles and are usually ignored in most workout programs.  When you realize that these small muscles are the only ones you have to counteract the overwhelming imbalance established by the more attention getting chest, back, and arms, you start to see their importance.”

“In this video, I show you the top 3 biggest rotator cuff exercise mistakes and how to fix them.  You see, even when people do buy into the concept of incorporating these exercises into their workout programs it doesn’t mean that they get them right.”

Source: Photo courtesy of CrossFit Inc.

“First, when performing any band or dumbbell external rotation exercise for your shoulder, you have to be sure to keep your elbow and upper arm tucked closely to your side throughout.  Very commonly, people tend to let their elbow drift away from their body as they complete the external rotation range of motion.  This activates the lateral deltoid which quickly tends to dominate the movement.  The problem with this is that an overactive delt is a major contributor to the imbalance that already exists between it and the rotator cuff muscles on that arm.” 

Top 3 Rotator Cuff Exercise Mistakes

“Allowing the deltoid to dominate the strength balance will lead to a migration of the humeral head upwards as you raise your arm overhead (as in a shoulder press).  To keep the humerus centrally located in the glenoid fossa you need to have adequate strength of the rotator cuff.  You will do this only if you don’t allow it to be overshadowed when doing isolated external rotation rotator cuff exercises.”

“The second mistake is performing your rotator cuff exercises with a rounded shoulder.  Round shoulders come from poor posture.  Strengthening your rotator cuff muscles with poor posture is only reinforcing the issue you have already.  To do this correctly, you have to align your shoulders back and down and then perform your rotator cuff exercises.”

“Continuing on this point and leading into the third mistake, control of your shoulder blade will help dramatically.  To position your shoulder blades “in your back pocket”, you’ll need to have adequate strength of both your serratus anterior and lower traps muscles.  In the video, I show you two exercises you can do to strengthen these indirect shoulder muscles using as little as your own bodyweight.”

“The bottom line is, in order to have a fully functional shoulder without shoulder pain you need to strengthen your shoulder completely.  This means making sure your rotator cuffs are strong.”

Video – Top 3 Rotator Cuff Exercise Mistakes

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Add the Pallof Press and Cable Crunch into your training.

Try BOXROX Pro.

How to Fix Tennis Elbow Permanently

“If you have tennis elbow, or lateral epicondylitis as it is officially known, you know one thing – it hurts and you’d likely do anything you could to stop if. In this video, I’m going to show you the best way to fix tennis elbow pain once and for all by actually continuing to workout rather than stopping all together, which is never really the optimal solution to any orthopedic inflammatory issue.”

“When we talk about tennis elbow, we are talking about the pain that radiates from a specific spot on the top side or outside of the elbow whenever we reach to pick something up or hold something with a palms down grip. This spot is where many of the extensor tendons of the wrist converge and attach. The issue with this group of muscles is that they are very weak and unable to handle a significant load on their own, when unsupported by the muscles that are supposed to contribute to making their job in function easier.”

How to Fix Tennis Elbow

“The irony is that many of the tennis elbow injuries don’t come from playing tennis. The backhand stroke in tennis is the one that requires a forceful extension of the wrist at the moment of striking the ball that powerfully drives it towards your opponent. That said, this is not ever going to be as strong as it could be if you are leaving these weaker muscles on their own to produce maximal force.”

“Well, as is almost always the case, the mechanics that are out of whack when the tennis stroke goes awry carry over to the gym as well. The same things that are lacking on the court can play out in the weight room that lead to almost immediate aggravation of these tendons in weightlifters. Keep in mind, while this is known as an overuse injury it should probably be more properly termed an overtaxing issue.”

“This exercise is almost always the side lateral or front dumbbell raise for shoulders. It pains me to say it because this is one of my all time favorite exercises for building up bigger middle delts and shoulders in general.”

“When performing a side lateral raise you can either use a weight that is challenging but attainable to complete 10-12 repetitions, one that is lighter than what would normally be used here or one that is even heavier than usual but relies on body swing and momentum to get the weight up. I’d argue that the worst weight to use here is the one in the middle. This is because it often times exceeds the isometric strength capacity of the wrist extensors.”

“Instead, as I’ve advised countless times on this channel, choosing the light dumbbells for strict form side lateral raises is the only way to go. Incorporating additional intensity techniques like slow motion reps and one and a half reps is going to help equalize the load and take a weight that may be too light and create an overload that is appropriate for causing muscle growth.”

“The exercise that does this better than any other? The kettlebell swing.”

How to Fix Tennis Elbow

“That’s right. The swing allows you to progressively and gradually load the muscles that are being subjected to too much isolated load right now and incorporate the muscles that are supposed to be assisting in the first place.”

“Start with a two arm swing (one being the injured arm and the other being the healthy one that can serve to spot the other through the initial recovery). Perform sets of 30-50 swings at a time with a light to moderate weight. This should be performed as 2-3 sets two to three times per week. As you are able to handle more, you can either increase the weight of the kettlebell or shift to a slightly lighter kettlebell but hold it with just one hand rather than two and perform the same movement.”

“Also, you can offset the load by swinging it to one side rather than straight down the middle. The key benefit here is that you turn the exercise from a sagittal plane driven exercise into a transverse plane exercise as well. This will help to load up the hips into rotation for additional power recruitment and further blend every day function into the ultimate demands of the forearm extensors.”

Video – How to Fix Tennis Elbow

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Source: Courtesy of CrossFit Inc.

How to bulletproof your knees in 5 minutes with 1 exercise: Backward Sled Pull

The backward sled pull, also known as the backward sled drag, is excellent for bullet-proofing your knees as it has the least impact on the joint while greatly increasing blood flow to the knees.

It is performed by attaching a harness to a sled and putting it around your hips, then walking backward while pulling the sled up and down a set length. You should feel the burn in your quads, hamstrings, and calves after a couple of rounds.

Backward sled pulls are one of the most knee-friendly exercises.

You’re not performing this exercise for reps, instead aim to work for around five minutes, starting at an easy pace.

Factors you’ll have to consider are speed, step reach, and weight, as they will all affect how the exercise feels. Friction between the sled and the floor will also differ between locations, so take that into consideration too when performing the backward sled pull.

Alter your speed, the length of your steps, and the weight on the sled to move at a brisk but sustainable pace. You want to find the ideal combination to feel the burn on your leg muscles, have a good rhythm, and cover enough range.  

Do this exercise three times per week for five minutes before your accessory work to activate blood flow to the knees.

Ben Patrick, better known as Knees Over Toes Guy, aims to get people to feel no knee pain.

Read more: 5 Exercises to Help Relieve Knee Pain

Additionally, we always recommend consulting your doctor if pain is intense and persistent. Use the following advice as a helpful guide, not information to replace the advice of your personal qualified medical professional.

How to Fix Lower Back Pain

“Low back pain is by far the most common source of discomfort we deal with.  The irony is, a lot of times what we feel is rooted in the lower back is actually caused by muscles not in the back at all.  In this video, I’m going to show you how the glute medius could be the real cause of your back pain and a quick exercise you can do to relieve your discomfort instantly.  Once gone, I’m also going to show you a few additional exercises you can do to make sure your low back pain never returns.”

“The gluteus medius is sandwiched between the glute maximus and minimus and lies in and around the hip area.  The role of the muscle is to abduct your hip or lift your leg out to the side in either standing or side lying and to keep your pelvis level whenever you take a step.  Prolonged sitting during the day as well as an unequal weight distribution when standing are two of the most common reasons for this muscle to get weak and imbalanced.”

“You can quickly test to see if you have the makings of a weak glute medius by standing with your feet shoulder width apart and lifting one foot off the ground.  First take note whether or not your opposite hip drops significantly.  If it does, this would indicate a glute weakness on that side.  You would repeat with the opposite foot as well.  When you do this you would also want to see if you had to dramatically shift your weight to one side just to lift that foot off the ground.  If you do, this would indicate that you have an unequal weight distribution when standing and it would be especially troublesome when squatting.”

How to Fix Lower Back Pain

Source: CrossFit Inc / Depositphotos

“To fix this quickly, you will want to lay down on the ground with your affected side on top.  If your right lower back was bothering you then you would want to lie on your left hip.  From here, take your thumb and place it on the area most sore.  You should feel that this is going to happen just to the outside of the bony prominence of your pelvis.  From here, push to hold back the trigger point and start flossing your leg down and in front of you and then back and up.  Your hip should be extended and then lifted into abduction towards the ceiling (being sure to point the toes down to keep the glute medius in focus).  Do this about 10 times until you feel the tension in the muscle release.”

“Now, you can burn out the spasm in the trigger point by getting into the fully contracted position of the glute medius muscle and holding as long as you can.  Generally, because this muscle is often very weak, this may not be any longer than 30 seconds to a minute.  Once you cannot hold it any more you will stand up and you should notice an immediate relief of the pain on that side.”

“This is the quick but not permanent fix for this problem. Since the underlying cause is weakness in the gluteus medius muscle you will want to back this up with some exercises for your low back that you can do a few times a week.  I show you three options for this.  The first is the hip bump against the wall.  The second is called the sack swinger, and can be done with a dog leash if you don’t have a formal dip belt.  The last is actually doing the same movement that you did for the treatment, but this time as a strengthening exercise for your low back.”

“Whatever you do, just be sure you are consistent.  You will also see that as you relieve the tension in this muscle that your squat performance improves as well.  Your depth should be increased and any low back pain that you felt by doing the exercise should be gone since you will now be able to do them with equal force through each leg.”

Video – How to Fix Lower Back Pain

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Shoulder Workout Master Tip

“If I could give you one tip for your shoulder workout that would improve the results you see on every shoulder exercise you do, this would be it.  I’m calling this one the shoulder workout “master tip” for good reason.  In this video, you will see how you can instantly fix one thing about every shoulders exercise you do that will increase the results you see from doing the exercises.”

“It starts with a quick test.  Stand up and raise your arms out to your sides to shoulder level.  When there, take a look at yourself in the mirror and see if you did what I am showing you not to do; shrug your shoulder.  You can test by reaching across and grabbing the upper trap on the opposite side.  Did you notice that it is very tense?  If so, you likely used a great deal of upper trap activation to lift your arm and minimized the contribution of the deltoid.  This is a big mistake if you are trying to get your delts to grow.”

Source: RX'd Photography

“The upper traps are overactive in virtually every single person, mostly because of the postures that we find ourselves in every single day.  We are either sitting at a desk hunched over or texting on our phone, both of which tend to cause us to inadvertently shrug.  The traps can get a bit tight and tend to jump into action every time we go to execute a chest exercise where we are pushing a lot of weight.”

Shoulder Workout Master Tip

“We can’t allow this to happen.  Not only is this not wanted but it is actually getting in the way of a complete and isolated contraction of the delts.  For best results and strength of contraction in your delts you want to be able to get your shoulder girdle depressed not elevated.  The lower traps are the primary muscles responsible for depressing the shoulder blades prior to executing reps on your shoulder exercises.  When depressing your shoulders during a shoulder exercise you immediately feel the intensity of the contraction increase in your deltoids without the substitution that occurs commonly in the upper traps.”

“This can be applied to every single shoulder exercise you do, which again is why this is called the master tip.  Prior to performing a shoulder press for example, you want to depress the shoulders when in the 90 degree position at the start of the exercise and then proceed into the press.  Doing this, you ensure that you aren’t cheating the weights up but using the contraction of the deltoids to drive the weights up.  For even more of a contraction, think of pulling your biceps in towards your ears rather than just pressing the weights overhead.  This should make the deltoids contract even harder and perhaps the hardest you’ve ever experienced in a shoulder exercise.”

“The next exercise you can do this on are side delt raises.  Before you fix this, you may want to actually just check your traps.  Likely they are going to automatically shrug because of the overactivity.  Correct it the same way by activating the lower traps and pulling your shoulders down.  From here, reach your arm out and away from your body to lift the weight without letting the traps kick back in and shrug the weight up.  You will actually be able to see the difference in the contraction if you try this with and without the attention of keeping the shoulders down.”

“Finally, you can do this on the other shoulder raises as well.  The rear delt raise and the front delt raises present the same challenge.  Before simply lifting the weights up be sure to actively depress the shoulders and then lift the weight.  Remember in the case of the rear delt raise you aren’t pressing down towards the floor but back and down towards your butt because of the altered position of your body during the exercise.”

Video – Shoulder Workout Master Tip

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