Strengthen your form (and technique) and lift away
By the fit bit
jon frothingham, NASM-CPT.
2007-04-25
Tim Greenway
Tim Greenway
Tim Greenway
Not too long ago I was enjoying some quality time wandering the aisles of one of the neighborHOod MEga Do-it-yoursElf PrOjecT centers. So there I was
in the power tools section daydreaming about a 12-inch double-bevel sliding compound miter saw forgetting about the scrap of paper in my hand that
said something about a dimmer switch when this statement abruptly returned me to reality:
"If your back hurts when you lift stuff, you should get one of those lifting belts."
Turning my head to the left I saw 2 men sizing up a box big enough for a washing machine. Not a moment too soon, 2 orange aprons swooped in and, with fabulous lifting form and technique, got the box on a
cart before anyone got hurt. Neither of them relied upon lifting belts.
Thanks to technology and inventive minds we live in a world that is ever-increasingly automated. This means we spend less time "working" at work and more time pushing buttons and watching monitors. Our bodies are out of practice and it shows when it's time to shovel the driveway after a mid-April blizzard.
Therefore, it's time to introduce an exercise that will help us with strength and stability in the lower back the Physio-ball Back Extension.
Position yourself on your stomach over the top of the ball with your heels up against a wall this will help to anchor your lower body during the exercise. With your fingertips at your temples and elbows out to the side,
lift your chest off the ball, pinching your shoulder blades together and squeezing your butt as tight as you can. Hold for a brief moment, return to the starting position, and repeat for 15 repetitions. The more of your upper body that you hang over the front of the ball, the harder it will be. You can also progress the exercise by holding light hand-weights at your
temples.
Please remember that adding this exercise to your workout doesn't give you the right to lift anything you can get your arms around, whether you have a
lifting belt or not. There is no substitute for proper form and technique.
Jon Frothingham is a NASM-CPT certified personal trainer at Natural Fitness in Falmouth. To learn more about personal training contact him at 781-3900
or visit www.naturalfitnessme.com.
in the power tools section daydreaming about a 12-inch double-bevel sliding compound miter saw forgetting about the scrap of paper in my hand that
said something about a dimmer switch when this statement abruptly returned me to reality:
"If your back hurts when you lift stuff, you should get one of those lifting belts."
Turning my head to the left I saw 2 men sizing up a box big enough for a washing machine. Not a moment too soon, 2 orange aprons swooped in and, with fabulous lifting form and technique, got the box on a
cart before anyone got hurt. Neither of them relied upon lifting belts.
Thanks to technology and inventive minds we live in a world that is ever-increasingly automated. This means we spend less time "working" at work and more time pushing buttons and watching monitors. Our bodies are out of practice and it shows when it's time to shovel the driveway after a mid-April blizzard.
Therefore, it's time to introduce an exercise that will help us with strength and stability in the lower back the Physio-ball Back Extension.
Position yourself on your stomach over the top of the ball with your heels up against a wall this will help to anchor your lower body during the exercise. With your fingertips at your temples and elbows out to the side,
lift your chest off the ball, pinching your shoulder blades together and squeezing your butt as tight as you can. Hold for a brief moment, return to the starting position, and repeat for 15 repetitions. The more of your upper body that you hang over the front of the ball, the harder it will be. You can also progress the exercise by holding light hand-weights at your
temples.
Please remember that adding this exercise to your workout doesn't give you the right to lift anything you can get your arms around, whether you have a
lifting belt or not. There is no substitute for proper form and technique.
Jon Frothingham is a NASM-CPT certified personal trainer at Natural Fitness in Falmouth. To learn more about personal training contact him at 781-3900
or visit www.naturalfitnessme.com.