Today I want to share four essential daily practices that can significantly enhance your movement and overall health. Those four things include: Getting on the ground and moving, deep squat holds, hanging, and walking. By incorporating these simple activities into your daily routine, you’ll be surprised at how much better your body will feel. Below, I’ll outline each practice and explain its benefits.
1. Get on the ground
This could be anything that involves getting onto your back and moving freely. Whether it is yoga, pilates, rolling on the ground with your kids or pet, just simply move around! Ground work is terrific for back and core health and can be a great way to loosen up tight or cranky hips and shoulders. The majority of our workouts start on the ground. For example: 10 glute bridges, 10 front to back rolls, 10 bird dogs, 10 pumps, wrestling with Franklin for 5 minutes.
2. Deep Squats
Also referred to as the “third world squat”, there are profound benefits to holding your deep squat position. Use assistance if needed like a TRX or a door frame. Squat down as low as you can, pushing your elbows into your knees and prying your hips open, and hang out here for 15 to 30 seconds. Repeat throughout the day.
3. Hang
Just as with the deep squat, hanging from a bar has significant benefits for posture, back and shoulder health, and grip strength. Get a pull up bar or mount a TRX and hang. Your shoulders were meant to swing and climb.
4. Walk
We’ve talked at length about how great walking is for you. Here we are again, this is the low hanging fruit for exercise for EVERYONE. We are built to walk for long distances, so find a way to get outside and walk at a brisk pace for 10-15 minutes a day at a minimum.
If you can consistently do these four things, along with sleeping 8 hours per day and staying hydrated, you will feel young, flexible, and healthy for years to come!
Tom and Nick