Balance Test – Is Your Nervous System Still Coordinated?

You might be surprised at the results when you take this simple balance test.  If you don't have good balance, you start avoiding movements that require it.  And you know what that means!  

If you don't use it….YOU LOSE IT!

That's a major reason for unhealthy aging.  You quit moving how you used to move "when you were younger".

Plus you definitely run a much higher risk of getting injured or having a traumatic fall where you break a bone or a near fall where you "catch yourself" and pull a muscle which can put you on the sidelines of life for a long time.

I pulled this test out of the new Posture Transformation and Functional Fitness Online Course so you can get an idea of what to expect when we open enrollment.

If you haven't seen the full introduction to the course yet, you can check it at www.CoreWellnessInstitute.com and be sure to let me know how you do on the test by leaving a comment!  
 
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Computer Posture – Part 3: How to Use an Exercise Ball Chair and Create a Standing Desk…Plus “Ball Surfing”!

What's the best way to avoid chronic pain and strain from sitting in a chair all the time?

GET RID OF IT!!

The tips in the video above will hopefully give you some ideas as to how to make your computer or work station environment more ACTIVE!

Lots of people are starting to use exercise balls chairs but if you choose the wrong size you could be doing more harm than good! 

The video squares that away for you right off the bat!

The standing desk station is my favorite.  I stand on a rocker board so I can keep my central nervous system engaged and my posture balanced.  It's very difficult NOT to stand in good posture when you're balancing on a rocker board!

PLUS…you get to burn some extra calories in the process!

And as far as the exercise ball surfing at the end…well that's obviously advanced core training and I do NOT suggest you go and try that one just yet.

So let me know what you think about these tactics for reducing strain at your computer work station and let me know what helps YOU the most to avoid strain while you work!

Another question if I may…If you sit on an an exercise ball chair or use a standing desk workstation, has it helped you??


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How To Lift and Carry A Child (or anything else)…SAFELY!

A few episodes back I got some good suggestions for future videos and today I respond to Maggie May who wanted to know the best way to lift and carry a child.

Young mothers (and fathers, and grandparents) should ALL watch this video so if you know anyone who's regularly lifting a child (or anything else for that matter) everyday…share this with them!!

Remember…"little hinges swing big doors"!  And today's "little hinge" is a very important one for saving millions of backs and necks across the world!!

Be sure to leave a comment to let me know what you think of the video and also let me know what activity of daily living YOU would like to see covered on an upcoming episode!

Until next time…Happy "pulsing"!!

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Back Saving Snow Shoveling Advice – Part II

 

Pay really close attention to this video because it helps you avoid  the most toxic movement program ever…"The lift and twist" with a flexed or "rounded" spine. 

 

Snow shoveling is a classic example of a disc blowing maneuver that can put you on the road to be grumpy, disabled, and eventually a burden to everyone around you!!! 

AND NOBODY WANTS THAT!

Remember…The most important exercise you'll EVER do is LIFE!

Every moment of every day can be a highly effective, pain relieving, spine sparing exercise if you pay attention to…

HOW YOU DO WHAT YOU DO WHEN YOU DO IT!

Leave me a comment if you've been getting any benefits out of these videos or if you've got a movement pattern or question you'd like me to cover in an upcoming episode!! 

(And if you haven't got your "Reverse CPS Now!" FREE video series to help get you on track with the whole Core Wellness school of postural thought…Click Here  or on my picture to the right!) 

REFERENCE MENTIONED IN VIDEO HERE

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5 Moves in 5 Minutes To Keep You Young and Vital

    As you join me today for my morning movement ritual with the geese at Perrin Park, you'll discover the 5 moves I do when I didn't make time fdon't have time for anything else (although I didn't show sun salutations on this video, which I normally do as a warm up).

I'm always amazed how just a few minutes of good functional movement can
reignite and reconnect the neural circuits in your brain
 

It's amazing.  If you just do these 5 moves every day without fail you'll be amazed at how your brain and body will feel as well.

One caveat:  What I did NOT do in this video is speak of the subtle things I'm doing with the INTENTION in my mind that you're NOT seeing! 

You must ALWAYS have the INTENTION of  "pushing away from your support points" and
breathing into your core, which are fundamental prerequisites to ANY move!
 

You can learn more about these fundamentals in the FREE  "Reverse CPS Now!" video series  you can get by clicking on my picture on the right of the page.   

  

Do these moves and let me know how they make you feel in the comments!! 

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How To Climb Stairs Without Making This Harmful Mistake

 

Today's video brings to light something most people NEVER even consider when it comes to protecting and preserving you spine, hips, and knees from debilitating pain syndromes.

 This subtle little "movement pattern adjustment" will make a world of difference when you apply it to your stair climbing, ellipticals, and especially if you're doing any kind of step aerobics!
 
Let's face it…if you want to continue to soak up all the amazing things life has to offer, it's going to be a HECK of a lot easier if you can bound up a flight of stairs!  While you're at it…why not take TWO at a time!
 

You'll also learn about the excellent self test called "reversability" taken from the infamous Moshe Feldenkrais. 

 ENJOY and LEAVE ME A COMMENT telling me what other movements you'd like to see broken down and done in an efficient and strain free manner so you can start living life with more energy and less strain!

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How To Activate Your Anti-Gravity Posture System

 When you grasp this whole concept of "Anti-Gravity Posture Training", your whole life will change.

 

This morning a client told me "Dr. Hoffman…by learning about my core, I finally feel hopeful and more in control of my healtlh!"

So I thought I would share some of her training and education with you.

This whole concept of "Deep Core Amnesia" described in the video below is just as rampant as the "Crossed Posture Syndrome' epidemic (see upper right sidebar) because they are in direct cause and effect relationship!

Both happen as a consequence of stress induced unhealthy aging so you better check yourself NOW before you end up stiff, old, and grumpy! :-)

Enjoy the video and make sure to grab the free video series by either clicking on my CPS picture in the upper right or entering you name and email in the fields below the video! 

                               

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Balance Exercise: Super Slow Motion Walking

 Join me today during my morning ritual of education, meditation, and exercise in the gazebo at  Perrin Park!

The balance challenge I present in the video is one of the most powerful challenges ever if you're interested in being able to walk effortlessly and painlessly for as long as you want!

Let me know how you do with the challenge by leaving me a comment here on this post!  (BTW…I've made it MUCH easier to comment now by changing a setting on my software)

I'm also taking questions for the "Ask Dr. Steve" segement on my upcoming "Core Wellness Radio" podcast!  So SHOOT! 

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3 Ways To Correct Your Posture And Reverse Your Body Age

Have you ever seen a 40 year old who looked like a 60 year old?  Or vice versa?

Of course!  But how does it happen???

ONE WORD…STRESS

Stress draws you in and closes you down.  And as you’ll see in the video, it’s the same pattern that someone with cerebral palsy or post stroke might exhibit.  VERY PREDICTABLE!

The exciting thing is that since we know these patterns, we can identify them early and teach you how to avoid the stress induced accelerated aging program that can sneak in on you during your life’s journey!

So the FIRST WAY to reverse your body age is to learn how to re-awaken your youthful posture patterns by invoking the thought or INTENTION of moment to moment peace with a feeling of constant growth and expansion. This intention alone can instantly make you look 5 to 10 years younger.

But the trick is MAINTAINING that moment to moment feeling of peace, growth, renewal, and expansion!

Not so easy if you have a habit of worrying, or you’re constantly living in fear. These THOUGHTS come from the wiring in your brain (also known as beliefs) which you’ve been developing from conception forward.

And until you change these beliefsintentional posture correction will always be a struggle because your thoughts of worry, scarcity, shame, sadness, and fear will always draw you back to the downward and inward spiral that makes you look and feel old and broken down.

To that end…The SECOND WAY to reverse your body age is to RELEASE old limiting beliefs and REWIRE some new beliefs into the neural circuits of your brain through the variety of modalities available from affirmations to meditation to emotional freedom technique to Psych-K to create new experiences and new references for your new, more empowering beliefs.

And last but certainly not least…The THIRD WAY you can reverse your biological age is to nurture your cells with good nutrition full of colorful, raw vegetables and fruits that can offset the aging process of “oxidation” or “free radical production”.

If the process of oxidation is not balanced with anti-oxidants, aging speeds dramatically…especially if you’ve got poor posture and lots of worry on your mind!

So how do you avoid letting stress draw you in to accelerated aging pattern? RELEASE the limiting beliefs, poor posture, and poor nutrition and REWIRE some NEW PROGRAMS into your brain and nervous system!

That’s what the “Release and Rewire” Therapeutic Lifestyle Change Mini Boot Camp here at Core Wellness has been doing for over 4 years as we’ve been taking people’s “body age” back in time and getting rid of all that “stinkin thinkin” that so easily gets us all in trouble!

There are still some seats available for our next one this coming Saturday, May 30th from 10 to Noon.  It’s extremely affordable and will give you practical strategies you can apply immediately to your life.  Read more about the Mini Boot Camp and register here.   Of course you can call us at 812-280-8170 to register as well.

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3 Crucial Factors For Pain Free Weight Loss – Part One

Good form and deep core stability is key for successful fat burning exercise

Good form and deep core stability is key for successful fat burning exercise

The first thing and most important factor for weight loss is, of course, to get your body moving.  But just the thought of exercise can send some people running (or limping) to the hills!

You may have your reasons…sometimes they’re emotional (made fun of for lack of athleticism in school), and sometimes they’re about the time it takes (just don’t have any!).

But the biggest reason I hear is because SOMETHING HURTS! I started yoga and hurt my back”, “I did turbo-kick and my hip started hurting”, “I started Curves and my shoulders started hurting“.

I’ve heard ‘em all, just about.  And it’s a shame, because if you can exercise effectively you can burn fat like crazy!

For instance…There’s a lot of proof that high intensity interval training (HIIT) can burn up to 9 times as much fat per calorie expended during exercise.  WHY?

Because the high intensity stuff builds more lean muscle which consumes/burns more fat.  BUT…the whole “high intensity” thing also brings up a common problem…INJURIES that lead to inability to do anything!

The fact is…without good biomechanics, even slow and easy aerobic exercise (which I still whole heartedly recommend despite all the “cardio myth” propaganda) will eventually cause breakdown.  So when you turbo boost the intensity you’re really asking for it!  Which brings me to…

TIP #1 You MUST Use Good Form And Have Good Core Strength Before Doing ANY Kind Of Exercise.

What do I mean?  I mean focus on FORM is everything!  And I’m not just talking about “keeping your shoulders back” or “pulling your belly button to your spine!

I’m talking about moving like you were designed to move!  Strain free, efficient movement IS the design as long as your posture developed normally without any neurological conditions or blocked joints.

But therein lies the “snafu”…

According to Professor Voigta’s clinical research in Prague, (Pr. Voigta has passed but his predecessor, Pavel Kolar, has stood on his shoulders and taken the “developmental kinesiology”  model to new heights) up to 1/3 of children do NOT develop normally and therefore develop movement patterns that don’t allow for the strain free efficiency that the majority of people have the capacity to easily accomplish.

(For more on this fascinating subject, be sure to review my first post ever on this site about reawakening your deep core stability system and how you’ve likely become “disconnected” from your deep core stability system and are overloading and overstressing your body with even with your ordinary everyday activities)

How can you tell if you or your children are part of the 1/3 that missed out on some good postural development and need to pay some special attention to re-awakening the deep core stability system?

I’ve posted a couple of “self test” videos below (from our soon to be released DVD and multi-media program) to see if you’re at risk for crossed posture syndrome or deep core amnesia.

The new DVD will reveal how you can reverse damaging posture patterns that lead to injury and early breakdown while re-awakening your “youth and renewal” system.  It will also introduce the system we’ve created called the Myobalance Method(tm) and we are extremely excited to finally be able to make this unique and powerful training method available beyond the walls of Core Wellness.

If you’d like to be on the early notification list to take advantage of the special bonuses we’ll be offering exclusively to our “inner circle”, be sure that you’ve signed up for the Core Wellness Community Update at the upper right hand corner of the page!

I’ll be back in a few days with some surprising diet strategies that not only help you burn more fat but cool the fire of pain and inflammation as well…so stay tuned for part 2!

drh

P.S. By doing the following 2 tests, you’ll know just how in tune you are with your “deep core stability” or whether you’ve got deep core amnesia!…

OH, and please let me know how you did by clicking “leave a comment” at the top of the post!


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