Ball Rolling ie Trigger Point Release....

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Join me for a series of Ball Rolling and Core Classes. Ball Rolling is like giving yourself a deep muscle massage and helps release trigger points that can create pain in various areas of the body. Classes start now until May 25th 2016. There are a variety of times and levels available for all body types. Come and do some self myofascial release using tennis balls and foam rollers to release your tight spots and then do some gentle stretches and postural stability exercises to balance the body.

These classes are accessible to anyone with a body...that means YOU! :)

Come join me:

*Mondays for a Ball Rolling Core Class @ 10am-11:30 ~ 518 Lake St.

*Wednesday for Ball Rolling Core Class @ 1pm-2:30 ~518 Lake St

~Classes are $10 drop in and first class is free.~ Class size may be limited so come early or email to reserve a spot

Classes will run straight through until June 23, 2017 and don't occur on any Stat Holidays. Email me or call me if you have any questions.

I look forward to rolling around with you :)

Anna

Spring into Fitness~ 5 Simple Tips

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Q: I have not been very active all winter and am ready to get back in shape. What are some ways that I can “spring” into action?

 

A: Here are 5 Tips to help you get energized and moving in a healthy way.

 

1)   In the spring time your body is ready to tonify the liver so adding sour food to your pallet will help. I like to start my day with ½ a lemon squeezed in 2 cups of warm water with a ½ teaspoon of raw honey. Try to drink this at least 30 minutes before consuming any food.

2)   Give your digestion some rest.  Eat smaller, lighter meals and you are bound to feel better. Try out some intermittent fasting or a cleanse can also be a good way to kick start your metabolism. Especially with our evening meal we should lighten up on portion size because all of those calories will just get stored if we eat too late or bigger portions.

3)   Choose more green leafy vegetables in your diet. Fresh sprouts as well as sprouting your grains can lead to better digestion. Try to have at least one salad a day. I find if I have a few different home made dressings on hand I will never get tired of eating my greens. Make your salad a rainbow too by grating carrots and beets into it as well.

4)   Get outside and breathe the fresh air. Walking amongst trees can really heighten our ability to recharge our immune system as well as fuel us with extra energy. The more connected our bodies are to nature, the better our mood will be and this can give us more clarity on looking after our health.

5)  Wake up, stretch and move first thing in the morning. This is a great way to set your day up for higher motivation and feeling more limber and better all around. Try gentle yoga, tai chi or a personalized stretch program designed for your body’s needs. If you are not sure what would be good for your body then sign up for a “Spring Special” Body Assessment and personalized home stretch and stability program designed especially for your body and lifestyle. Only $80 (regular $100) for 1.5 hours until April 31st.

 

We are all such diverse humans and our body’s needs are different so if you want some guidance as to the right program for you then let me get you started. Call (250)352-1100 and talk to Anna for an appointment today. Also sign up for my monthly newsletter at www.topfitnesswithanna.com for your chance to win a free session.

 

How to ease shoulder pain with these simple exercises.

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Shoulder pain is all too common in our society these days and is very often caused by poor postural habits. This can create an imbalance in the muscles in the front and the back of your upper body. Your chest muscles can get tight and short for many reasons — poor posture at your desk and texting are just some of them.  Sleeping on your side at night puts your shoulders in a slightly forward position, causing  your chest muscles to shorten. Get up and eat your breakfast hunched over the table and your chest muscles will shorten even more. If after that , you spend time standing over a stove, or sitting and reading or knitting or doing any activity that involves bringing your shoulders forward and keeping your arms in front of you, your chest muscles remain short. In fact, there are many more activities that shorten the chest muscles than those that lengthen them.  This is why, on a daily basis we need to work on lengthening them.  Here are 2 simple things you can do to improve your posture and decrease pain right now.

1) Stretch out the chest muscles:

Stand in a doorway and rest your forearm in the door frame.   Make sure that your elbow is slightly below the height of your shoulder and you maintain gentle even breathing the entire time.  Also you should stagger the feet and have your core gently engaged to stabilize your lower back. Hold this stretch for 30-60 seconds and then ease your way out of it and repeat on the other shoulder.

2) Massage and release your pectoral muscles:

Using a tennis ball (or something similar), roll the ball around and massage the area in the front of your chest.  Explore the area from your collarbone to the sternum  and all the way out to your armpit and even onto the front of your shoulder where your bicep attaches and find any point tenderness. You can use your opposite hand to do the massaging and when you are ready to go deeper you can pin the ball between the wall and your chest and hold and breathe.  Find a spots and then maintain some pressure and wait until the intensity eases.  This may take a few minutes so remember to be patient.

These are just a few of many things that you can do to improve your posture. For a full body realigning session call Anna and book your 1-on-1 session so that you know what YOU can do for YOUR BODY specifically.

Til next time,

happy stretching and rolling,

Anna :)

Are you waking up in pain due to a bad sleeping position?

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Many people don't even think about the position that they go to sleep and how it can affect pain in your body.  Well imagine holding a 6-8 hour stretch in your neck or hip...  If this position is imbalanced then you can imagine how this may feel in the morning.  So if you are waking up sore and stiff then read this article and find out how you can improve your chances of getting a restful AND 'good for your body' sleep.

The Best & Worst Sleeping Positions & How They Affect Your Health

July 6, 2014 by Joe Martino.

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It has been said that we spend about 1/3 of our lives sleeping. Since we know sleeping is quite important for our health, physical body, mental function and overall mood, it’s important we get good sleep. Having trouble with sleep can be caused by a number of things ranging from a bad mattress, a room with too much light, eating or drinking the wrong things before bed or even something like your sleeping position.

The Right Position For You

Depending on the sleeping position you choose, it can cause shoulder pain or back pain, increase wrinkles on the face and breasts, or even increase snoring. On the flip side, other positions can be great for increasing blood flow, minimizing acid reflux and decreasing snoring. All in all, your position can also be the difference between a good sleep and a bad sleep. Remember to experiment with the positions for a little longer than one night. Sometimes we get used to sleeping one way for so long that it takes a bit of adjusting to make a new one work.

The Positions

If you want to get great sleep and want to know if your sleeping positions are optimal for you, check out the images below to find out how your current positions might be affecting your health and whether or not it might be worthwhile to try some new ones. First you will find an image put together by the Huffington Post and then you will find 8 images of positions along with how they affect your health.

http://www.collective-evolution.com/2014/07/06/the-best-worst-sleeping-positions/

 

 

What can be treated with myofascial release? Yes this is a part of your session with Topfitness!

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Many patients seek myofascial treatment after losing flexibility or function following an injury or if experiencing ongoing back, shoulder, hip, or virtually pain in any area containing soft tissue.

Other conditions treated by myofascial release therapy include Temporo-Mandibular Joint (TMJ) disorder, carpal tunnel syndrome, migraine headaches and low back pain to name just a few.

Patient symptoms usually include:

  • Tightness of the tissues that restricts motion or pulls the body out of alignment, causing individuals to favor and overuse one hip or shoulder, for example
  • A sense of excessive pressure on muscles or joints that produces pain
  • Pain in any part or parts of the body, including headache or back pain

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  • Causes of Myofascial Pain

    Myofascial pain can have two sources. Pain can be generated from the skeletal muscle or connective tissues that are 'bound down' by tight fascia. In addition, pain can also be generated from damaged myofascial tissue itself, sometimes at a 'trigger point' where a contraction of muscle fibers has occurred. In either case, the restriction or contraction inhibits blood flow to the affected structures, thus accentuating the contraction process further unless the area is treated.

http://www.spine-health.com/treatment/physical-therapy/myofascial-release-therapy

Sorry but you can't use old age as an excuse anymore!→

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Sorry but you can't use old age as an excuse anymore!

By Dr. Mercola

Increasing physical frailty as you age is commonly accepted as “a fact of life.”

Until recently, most studies showed that after the age of 40, people typically lose eight percent or more of their muscle mass with each passing decade.

But newer research suggests that this is not a foregone conclusion.

One study of 40 competitive runners, cyclists, and swimmers, ranging in age from 40 to 81, found no evidence of deterioration — the athletes in their 70s and 80s had almost as much thigh muscle mass as the athletes in their 40s.

Lifelong Activity is Best, but it’s Never Too Late to Start

Over the past several years, researchers have discovered that it is indeed possible to restore the ability of old human muscle to repair and rebuild itself. However, the need to keep aging muscles in shape has also been demonstrated, as long periods of atrophy are more challenging to overcome. These findings fall into the category of common sense, along the lines of “use it or lose it.” And as you age, physical exercise becomes an ever more important aspect of optimal health and longevity.

The good news is that it’s really never too late to start an exercise program, even if you’ve been inactive for a long time. Just keep in mind that older muscles do not respond as well to sudden bouts of exercise, so to take precautions and start off slow, to avoid injury.

Read More

Functional Movement Systems- Quality over Quantity→

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Functional Movement Systems- Quality over Quantity

First move well, then move often.
We are thinking too much in terms of quantity, not quality.
You can do an exercise 3x10, but if the exercise isn't done correctly.. there is no point of doing the exercise.
First quality, then quantity.
The FMS (Functional Movement Screen) can help to identify dysfunctional movement patterns.
If you load a dysfunctional movement pattern, you are not moving well.
In order to prevent sports injuries.. coaches, trainers, physio's should all first asses the quality of movement patterns, then begin to train.
And assessing movement patterns isn't done by simply measure the ROM of all joints

Read More