Week 4: In-A-Pinch!

So, I have  this amazing app on my iTouch called In-A-Pinch. This app tells you what exercises you need to do for a certain area of the body if you are stiff or sore!

USE THESE IN YOUR WARMUPS AND COOL DOWNS!!! :)

For those that don't use smartphones, iPods, or any other app-friendly device, and do not know what an app is ... I'm not going to explain myself.

For those that don't use smartphones, iPods, or any other app-friendly device, but you know what an app is, this is for you!

And finally, for those with smartphones, you stopped reading this two sentences ago and have already bought the Free version of In-A-Pinch.

Which brings me to my next point. In-A-Pinch has a free version! This is why I feel comfortable sharing it's secrets to the blogging world. I wouldn't be sharing any of this information if it wasn't the free version.

But I understand that smartphones are expensive, apps can be difficult, and if you don't know what you are doing, very confusing! So I will be sharing some information from one of my favorite apps ever. Remember, it's free! And this post will not include everything, so if you do have a smartphone, go snatch this app!

It starts out telling you to tell them "where it hurts". This will be my non-interactive, 2D version.

Each section has several different things you can do in order to make it feel better. I will only give one exercise per area to conserve room and, do remember, this is the free free version. Also, these are nearly all stretches. Hold each for 15 seconds, or sets of 15 seconds, for best results.

FRONT
Head-(light blue): Stressed: Breathe!!! Take slow, deep rhythmic breaths.
Neck-(red): Head tilts and turns. Straight back, and just tilt the head slowly front, back, left, right.
Chest-(light green):Seated Wings. Sit crossed legged and have someone grab your wrists behind you and gently pull.
Abs-(blue): Fish Pose. Lay flat on your back with hands palm down by hips. Press elbows into the ground as you left your ribs to the sky. Tuck your head under and rest.
Shoulders-(yellow): Yoga Mudra behind back. Stand with tall spine, clasp hands behind your back, lift up trying to squeeze the shoulder blades together, keep spine straight.
Upper arms- (dark blue)-  Tricept Stretch: Reach your arm all the way up then bend the right elbow and reach down your spine. Use left arm to grab the outside of right elbow. Keep your neck relaxed.
Forearms-(orange)- Flexion: Extend your arm out, palm forward, bend wrist and use other hand to increase the stretch.
Wrists-(red): Wrist Roll: Clech your fist, the tighter, the deeper the stretch, and roll it in a circle one way, then the other.
Hands- (fuschia): Gorilla Hands: Start on hands and knees. With hands under the shoulders and knees under the hips, curl the tips of your fingers under. *Deep stretch!*
Hips -(pink): Come to hands and knees and spread knees as wide as you can. Lower forearms under  your shoulders. Take your heels as wide as your knees and start to press your hips back. Keep relaxed! Using padding under knees and elbows as necessary.
Thighs-(brown): Standing squad stretch: While standing, grab your foot behind you and hold it to your rear. If you need something to help you balance, no need to feel ashamed! Grab a hold of the sucker! It can be a wall, workout buddy, table, chair, child in time-out forced to be your prop, whatever you need. ;)
Knees-(purple): Lower Leg Lateral-rotation: Sit on a chair and lift one foot off the ground. Rotate the leg so the foot points out, then rotate it so it points in. Don't forget to switch to the other side!
Ankles-(green): Flutter Foot: Sitting in chair, extend one leg. Point the foot and toe, then draw it back.Repeat several times. Sidenote: When the toe is pointed, it's called Plantarflexion, and when the toes are pulled back, it's called Dorsiflextion. A little Anatomy and Physiology for ya!
Feet-(yellow): Arch massage. Sit and use your thumbs to press into the arch of your foot. Feel for tight or sore spots. Squeeze heels or bottom of foot, whatever feels good!

BACK
Head-(light blue): Same as FRONT.
Upper back-(purple): Protract/Retract: Sit nice and tall, hands on knees, taking deep breaths. Exhale, tuck chin under and round spine. Inhald, lift chin and chest,pull with hands. Repeat!!
Shoulders-(blue): Same as FRONT.
Upper arms-(light green): Same as FRONT
Elbows-(orange): Supination and Pronation:This is basically just rotating your arm/forearm one way, then the other, as much as you can. (Twisting).
Forearms-(red): Same as FRONT
Wrists-(fuschia) and Hands-(yellow): Same as Front
Mid-back-(pink): CatDog: This is also now as Cat and Cow in yoga. Kneel on all fours, knees under hips, hands under shoulders. Press tailbone to the sky, bellybutton into the ground and hold. Then press your hips forward, your spine stretching to the sky. (one of my absolutely favorite stretches).
Lower back-(green): Pigeon: Another favorite yoga move. Start with hands on knees on floor. Move your knee forward and your ankle under your hip. Lean into this stretch. This is kind of hard to describe so please click here to see what it looks like. Then lean over your front knee for a deeper stretch.
Hips-(light blue): Same as Front.
Hamstrings-(light green): I don't agree with In-A-Pinch here, not comletely, so bear with me. I just like throwing my leg up onto a table or chair, and leaning forward to (try to) grab the toe. The V-sit stretch does this too. (So many good hamstring stretches in the world!)
Calves-(purple): Dog Down Runners Stretch: Another yoga pose, also known as Downward Dog. Place your hands and knees on the floor. Tuck your toes under and straighten your legs. Try to place your heels on the ground. You should look like an upside down V. Then spread your legs shoulder width apart, straighten one so the heel is on the ground and bend the other knee. Keep as relaxed as you can.
Ankles-(brown): Same as FRONT.

And that's all I have for you today!

Enjoy!