 The above exercise is the Roll Up, which can be a very hard exercise to perform for a number of reasons: lack of abdominal strength, inhibited muscles, tightness on the neck, dysfunctional breathing, tight lower back, body mass distribution, and tight hip flexor muscles, just to name a few. It might take a long time until you get to find out the cause of your poorly performed roll up, and until then, you don't need to give up on it, neither continue performing it poorly. You may easily improve your performance on the Roll Up exercise by simply rolling down instead! By rolling down, which actually is part of the exercise, can help you strengthen the muscles you need to perform a Roll Up. It can also help you clear some of the "not so good" movement patterns that are preventing you from performing an effective Roll Up. You'll also be able to better articulate your spine, which in turn will help you access the muscles that are not willing to help much during the UP phase. I highly recommend you try this variation, instead of reinforcing the "not so good" patterns that your body likes to rely on. The variation I show here adds a couple of other healthy components to the exercise, which are: 1) rolling to your side, 2) pushing off the floor to sit up. Two excellent movements that most of us should be practicing more frequently. TRY TO REMEMBER:
The Roll Down and Roll Up exercises are not suitable to indivIduals diagnosed with Osteoporosis, Osteopenia and Herniated Discs.  PROGRESSION:
 Move better to feel better!
Carla Oliva
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12/28/2016 1 Comment HOW ABOUT A PICK ME UP ROUTINE? You'll feel more awake after practicing this sequence a few times in the beginning of your day! It's guaranteed to bring your heart rate up, increase your sense of balance and get you going for the day! Practice the roll down a few times then progress into plank: 1) ONCE YOUR HANDS REACH THE GROUND START WALKING THEM FORWARD (do your best to have your entire palms touching the ground), 2) WALK AS SLOWLY AS YOU NEED SO YOUR BODY DOES NOT ROCK SIDE TO SIDE TOO MUCH (also don't make your body rigid, you're suppose to let things flow), 3) WALK PUSHING YOUR TRUNK AWAY FROM THE GROUND (this is supposed to increase your awareness of shoulder stability), 5) DON'T ALLOW YOUR TUMMY TO COLLAPSE (connect your limbs to your trunk). 6) RETURN AND REPEAT (check note bellow on how to perform if you have osteoporosis, osteopenia and herniated disc). Disclaimer: This facebook page is for informational purposes only. Consult a physician before performing this or any other exercise published here. It is your responsibility to evaluate your own medical and physical condition, and to independently determine whether to perform, use or adapt any of the information or content on this page. By voluntarily undertaking any exercise displayed on this page, you assume the risk of any resulting injury. The Roll Down part of this sequence of exercise is not suited for individuals diagnosed with osteoporosis, osteopenia and posterior herniated disc. Individuals with these conditions might perform this sequence by hinging at the hip joints instead of bending the spine. Perform a wide stance squat to and from the ground. Keep spine with its natural curvatures. Enjoy! 12/26/2016 0 Comments Standing Roll DownThe Standing Roll Down can be a fantastic movement for many of us. - It articulates the spine and allows us to focus on different segments of it. - Stretches the posterior (back) part of the body, from your feet to your head. - It helps you develop control of the muscles of your torso.  1- STAND WITH YOUR FEET HIP WIDTH APART. 2- KEEP WEIGHT ON ENTIRE FEET AS YOU BEND FORWARD ARTICULATING EACH SEGMENT OF YOUR SPINE. 3- MOVE SLOWLY AND WITH CONTROL. 4- ALLOW KNEES TO SLIGHTLY BEND AS YOU NEED IT. Disclaimer: This facebook and website pages are for informational purposes only. Consult a physician before performing this or any other exercise published here. It is your responsibility to evaluate your own medical and physical condition, and to independently determine whether to perform, use or adapt any of the information or content on this page. By voluntarily undertaking any exercise displayed on this page, you assume the risk of any resulting injury. This exercise is not suited for individuals diagnosed with osteoporosis, osteopenia and posterior herniated disc. Individuals diagnosed with spondylolisthesis and stenosis should use caution. 12/22/2016 0 Comments Breathing in rest pose.The "rest pose" or "child's pose" is a great way to alleviate tension on the back muscles. Here goes my pro-tip: Take a couple of deep breaths in and out before you roll back up. During breathing exercise, your tummy should gently press against your thighs and you're more likely to feel your ribs expanding during inhalation. It is an excellent way to practice belly breathing or diaphragmatic breathing. Enjoy!  9/26/2016 1 Comment NO MORE ROUNDING!Greetings from the awesome Victor, Idaho! With Osteoporosis World Day coming up soon on October 20th, I want to turn your attention to what I have been dedicating myself recently: to help raise awareness on safe exercises for those diagnosed with bone loss and proper movement techniques that will help improve posture and decrease the chances of fall. For those diagnosed with bone loss, osteoporosis or osteopenia, a poorly performed movement, as simple as lifting something from the ground, may put additional pressure on the front part of the vertebrae, which may lead to a bone fracture. Osteoporosis is a silent disease, but when a fracture occurs it can be very painful, debilitating and lead to subsequent fractures. It is very important to understand and learn how you may improve such movements. I strongly recommend, that while performing your daily tasks, you start avoiding the flexion of your trunk, also known as rounding your back or hunchback posture. The following are two important concepts that will help you achieve a more desirable form:
Becoming proficient at these two ideas will change how you move for life (more on them later). Check out the photos I took as they show the CORRECT and the INCORRECT form for some of the movements we perform daily. Notice how easily you can spot the differences as they are not subtle! And here comes the CHALLENGE! During the next few days, pay close attention to your form while performing your daily activities. You may catch yourself moving INCORRECTLY, and when you do, CHANGE IT! Also, pay attention to what it takes to make the change. Ask yourself questions like: did I have to bring my shoulders behind me a little, or did I have to arch my lower back, or did I have to send my sitting bones away from my head? Was it hard or did it feel effortless? Feel free to share your thoughts with me. Carla Oliva PS. A shout-out to Carina Nery Subires and her husband for allowing me to use their pictures! 4/25/2016 0 Comments The Power of BreathingDid you take in a full breath yet today? One of my clients makes sure to remind me of this every single time she takes what she calls a Rosen breath during her session. A Rosen breath is when she consciously finds the moment and space, during either her Pilates or massage session, for release of physical tension. It's that very spontaneous deep relaxing breath, similar to the one you take when you first wake up, or the one you take when you finish your work day. As much as I don't like this statement, I will say it: most of us take breathing for granted. It is an involuntary movement, and you just can't stop it, right? Others are very aware of their breathing. Just ask an asthmatic kid about how fulfilling, in every sense of the word, is to be able to take a full breath in after an asthma attack. Deep, tri-dimensional, full breaths should happen naturally, correct? Well, yes… but does it? To get that kind of breathing to occur naturally for most of us, it will probably require some time retraining our muscles and brain so that this very much primal, involuntary function can occur without much thinking. Breathing at it's essence is movement. The movement of air entering our nose and mouth, occupying each airway. The movement of the lungs themselves, expanding and massaging the heart, which then moves, pumping oxygenated blood to the rest of the body. In addition, air movement relies on the difference in pressure inside the thoracic cavity and outside our body, which depends on muscles moving into expansion and contraction, thus allowing gas exchange and for air to go in and out. The respiration cycle then continues, over and over again, until it doesn't. So how is it that this physiological, involuntary mechanism can also cause us trouble and dysfunction even when we don't notice there's anything wrong with it? My answer lies in the lifestyle and choices we make on a daily basis. All the mobilization of air that is necessary simply cannot occur fully and deeply when there is movement restriction. Our muscles and fascia may either repress or foster movement. Most people are not aware they have any control over that. There's a great number of reasons why one would repress movement. For instance, chronic pain, too much sitting, lack of trunk movement, repetitive motion, injuries, surgeries, emotional traumas, you name it. Movement can be suppressed voluntarily, such when someone with chronic pain is afraid certain motions may increase pain so avoid them. Our brain is very smart and understands quickly the message you send, responding by adopting the new patterns of posture and movement you encourage by your repetition of them, regardless of whether they are harmonious or unbalanced. Signs of repressed movement and dysfunctional breathing might be muscles tightness, joint stiffness, pain (local or not), muscle weakness, shortness of breath, constipation, nervousness, anxiety. Each body is different, we must listen to our own and consider any and every possibility, not disregarding the information it's giving you. Muscle and joint suppleness correlates to muscle and joint function, which then leads to joint stability, safe exercising, wellbeing, and good health and fitness. So you might want to rethink breathing in relation to your lifestyle and revert any repressive, unbalanced pattern that you might find occuring in your own body with good, positive feedback to your brain, such as massaging tight muscles, practicing tri dimensional breathing, exercising and correcting movement patterns. I hope that you find some answers with these videos and may them be a good and yet simple source of information for when you don't know what to do! Please watch them, post comments, send feedback for improvement and most importantly: SHARE THEM. The more people we get to practice healthier and more harmonious patterns the better the world! Thanks! May breathing be within you! PS- A big shout out to my friend and body worker Corey Walden for his proof reading skills. You rock Corey! ___________________________ Carla Oliva (LMT 21104) Movement Educator & Pilates Instructor [email protected] www.BeFitForHealth.com www.facebook.com/befitforhealth 7/14/2015 0 Comments Active Isolated Stretching videosI thank Joshua Morton for his work into putting these material together, and for allowing me to share his videos and books on Active Isolated Stretching with my clients.
These videos and documents are very informative. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do! Carla Oliva Self AIS Foot stretches w/Joshua Morton https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOei6q2FcSI&list=UUPQSWpMSh2A-ZQMDgYjRDdA Self AIS Hand stretches w/Joshua Morton https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2l4v4V4k-oI&list=UUPQSWpMSh2A-ZQMDgYjRDdA Self AIS Neck stretches w/Joshua Morton https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SQ6wMwvPvE&list=UUPQSWpMSh2A-ZQMDgYjRDdA Self AIS Spine stretches w/Joshua Morton https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5B_HPP5LMBY&list=UUPQSWpMSh2A-ZQMDgYjRDdA Self AIS Knee stretches w/Joshua Morton https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLEA_BzX9Ng&list=UUPQSWpMSh2A-ZQMDgYjRDdA 3 week human dissection workshop in San Francisco
Just woke up, butterflies are flying all over my belly. On June 10th of 2012 I took a train from Philadelphia do Boston, just to a week later find out my teaching would never be the same. Some said I was crazy, others were impressed, others confused I was inspired by the dead. Today I’ll fly. Maybe my butterflies will take me there. And I bow to what is to come, and will again accept all the challenges and changes ahead of me during the next 3 weeks. I'll hold on to this opportunity and allow myself to feel astounded by the unity and wholeness in all of us. I hope to better comprehend my role as a physical educator and the impact of my teaching. I expect to give back and make the world a better place. When I come back, I’ll be ready to share with clients, family and friends the knowledge and experience I am about to embrace. I feel flooded with immense gratitude. I am feeling alive as I am thinking about the amazing people I am about to encounter. So I am going to take a deep breath, let go, and allow my spirit to fly and get inspired. Today is an awesome day and I am about to change! I might be writing in English for the folks in the United States as they go thru real harsh cold weather this time of the year, but in fact, right now I am suffering (I wanted to find another word but I guess the heat has been limiting my ability to write) from the heat as I spend my vacation in Brazil.
As I write this article the temperature in São Paulo feels like 91oF and it will get higher. And as I try to accommodate my exercise routine in this intense heat – I know you might be thinking I could exercise early in the day so I would get it done and avoid the the higher temperatures during the day, I am not an early riser exercise type of person – so I thought I'd post some information on exercise and heat-related complications, so when summer arrives in the north hemisphere you might be ready to make more informed decisions. Exercising in the heat may jeopardize your health and the benefits of physical activity. If the day is hot and humid it gets even worse because it decreases your ability to dissipate the heat and that might lead to extreme weakness and fatigue and heat stroke, meaning that our body fails to control its temperature and that may cause damage to the brain and other internal organs. I am not telling you not to exercise in high temperatures (or maybe I should tell you that!), however you should definitely get prepared by keeping your body hydrated and acclimatized. There is plenty of research supporting you should begin a workout fully hydrated. Greater than normal hydration prior to exercising may delay dehydration during workout, which helps you maintain your exercise performance. This greater than normal fluid intake intensify your body's ability to control its temperature and increases plasma volume to maintain cardiac output, which is the volume of blood pumped by the heart per minute. You should then drink plenty of fluid prior to starting your workout and should continue drinking during workouts longer than one hour. So if you plan on outdoor activities, such as running, cycling or even boot camp classes done outside, make sure you plan ways of keeping yourself hydrated. Preventing dehydration is very difficult since if also affects your ability to ingest and absorb fluid while exercising. Make sure to consider this when exercising in the heat. Make sure you check the color of your urine, you can monitor your hydration level that way. The lighter the color, the better the level of hydration. Acclimatize We all know that if you live in a harsh-cold-weather location you will certainly be more tolerant to the cold weather than someone who lives in a area near the equator. So constant exposure to the heat will, without doubt, make you more able to adjust yourself to such conditions, lessening the cardiovascular stress to exercising in the heat. Becoming acclimatized takes time, you should take about 2 weeks to introduce yourself slowly to the heat. Suggestions:
- If you are more like me and just cannot exercise early in the day, try to do your workout in the shade and watch your choice of clothing. Prefer the light colored and loose fitted ones. Following these suggestions you will not only be safer, reducing risk of injuries but also get more out of your workout. Stay safe, stay cool! |
Carla OlivaFull-time traveler, movement geek, human anatomy lover, BASI Pilates certified instructor, Movement educator, Massage Therapist, BuffBones® faculty and instructor, Shiatsu practitioner and more currently a vlooger and blogger!
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