BTTH Challenge: Day 2: Lower Back/ Hip Stretching Routine. Today you will do the following 3 stretches (Simple huh?!):

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1 BTTH Challenge: With the Back to Total Health 21 day challenge were going to create great posture. So you will no longer hear your mother say Stand up straight. Stop slouching! Good posture is basis of feeling good and allowing your body to function at its optimal best. In this 21 day challenge we have suggested a series of simple exercises (with easy to remember names), along with a few needed massages and chiropractic adjustments (2 each) to help you re-establish good posture and have a body that is healthy and pain free. Each sequence should take no longer than 10 minutes a day to complete. Day 1: Start with a chiropractic adjustment preferably from Back to Total Health. A chiropractic adjustment is a great way to set the body s structure in alignment creating a great start to good posture. Day 2: Lower Back/ Hip Stretching Routine Today you will do the following 3 stretches (Simple huh?!): Stretch 1: Saturday Night Stretch This is an amazing stretch that loosens the low back, buttocks, hamstrings, and calves. Start by standing next to your bed at home, legs shoulder width apart. Bend at the waste and place your hands on the bed with your arms outstretched. Now gently and slowly, with legs straight, bring your buttocks toward the wall behind you. Keep your head up and your back flat. You will feel a stretch up the back of your legs and into your back. Stretch 2: Gentleman s Cocktail Party Stretch There is supposed to be a difference between the way a man sits and the way a proper lady sits when at a cocktail party. Start by lying on your back. Cross your right leg over your left with the right ankle lying on top of the L knee. This is how men sit at a cocktail party. (Women at cocktail party cross their legs knee to knee. Well, in

2 theory.) Take your hand and grasp them around the left thigh. Pull the L thigh up toward your body. You should feel a stretch in the Right buttocks. Repeat on the other side. You will feel this stretch in your butt but I promise this is for the lower back. Stretch 3: Lunge Stretch This stretch is named after the lunge movement. Stand at the left side foot of your bed, couch or weight bench. Put your right knee on the corner of the bed. Take the opposite leg and step forward about 2 feet. Bend the front knee and push your pelvis into the bed. Place your hand on the bed next to your knee in front of you and straighten your leg. This should create a bow to your back and have your shoulders above your waist. You will feel a stretch in your hip flexors. Repeat on the other side. Day 3: Neck Routine Today we will do some stretches for the upper body Stretch 1: The Trap Stretch Sit in a chair. With your left hand, grab the side of the chair. With your right hand pull your head to the right. You will feel a stretch through your left trap. Hold for 60 seconds. Switch to the opposite side. Stretch 2: The Armpit Stretch As in the trap stretch above, use your left hand to hold onto the side of the chair. Put your chin into your right armpit. Take your right hand and pull your head down while looking into your right armpit. Hold for 60 seconds. Reverse sides.

3 Stretch 3: My Head is a Drawer?! Stand facing straight ahead. Draw your head back like your head is a drawer sliding into a chest of drawers. Hold your head in the drawn back position for 2 seconds and then let it relax back into its original placement. Do 3 sets of 15 repetitions. This exercise will help stretch and strengthen the neck to reverse the negative effects of using computers/texting. Day 4: Mid Back Routine 2 more simple stretches help you stand tall! The Doorway Stretch Stand on the outside of a doorway with your hands on either side of the door frame at about shoulder level. Walk through the door keeping your hands in place until your arm is out straight behind you. The doorway stretch is a great exercise for stretching the chest which will help you to stop slouching.

4 The Disco Roll In Stand up straight next to a door frame. Place your hand on the frame of the door with your arm across your chest. Place your feet up against the door frame. Lean and fall to the right side. Repeat on the opposite side. This will stretch the muscles of the shoulder and mid back. Day 5: Knee Stretch/Stabilization The Foam Roller Stretches Foam Rollers are now found at all the gyms in their stretch area. If you want your own, you can also stop by the Back to Total Office. We sell them for 20 bucks. (Such a deal!) Lie on the roller, about mid thigh level. Keep the lower leg (that s on the roller) straight with foot elevated off the floor. Cross your top leg over the other leg and support your upper body with your arms. Simply roll down the side of your leg to the knee and then roll back up again to your hip. The roller will roll up and down the side of the leg loosening up the IT band. If you re doing this right, it hurts like hell. After you have rolled 10 times up and down the right side, flip over. This is highly effective at decreasing knee pain and hip tightness The IT Band Stretch Lay sideways at the edge of the bed. Slowly, drop your top leg down and back so that it is off the side of the bed. You will feel a stretch along the side of your leg into your hip and pelvis. Make sure not to roll backward. Rolling backward will stretch the wrong muscles and make the stretch less effective.

5 The Knee Squeeze Sit on the floor with your legs directly in front of you. Roll up a pillow or any soft cushion and place it under the achy knee (figure 1). Push the pillow down with your knee by squeezing your quads as tightly as possible (figure 2). Squish the cushion until it is flat and hold it down for 5 seconds. Release and repeat. (Not rinse and repeat) Do three sets of 15 reps. Look at your quads and make sure you see definition in the medial quad as you squeeze down. Day 6: Shoulder Stabilization Day The Doorway Stretch We did this one a few days ago. But as a reminder Stand on the outside of a doorway with your hands on either side of the door frame at about shoulder level. Walk through the door keeping your hands in place until your arm is out straight behind you. The Angel: Stand up nice and straight. Pull your shoulders back and turn your palms forward. Pull your hands down to the floor like your trying to reach toward the ground. Chest is high. (AHHHHHmusic from above.) Hold the reach for 5 seconds. Do 3 sets of 15 repetitions. This will strengthen the mid back and stabilize the shoulder blades.

6 The Rotator Cuff Lift Lay on your side on a bench at gym or on the floor of your home. Use between a 2-4 pound dumbbell. Hold the dumbbell in your top hand with the top arm in a 90 degree angle. Keep the elbow pressed against the side of your body (the elbow will be acting as the door hinge of this exercise). Slowly rotate your arm backward, keeping the elbow at the side of the body, so that your lifting the dumbbell. This will strengthen the rotator cuff muscles. Day 7: Lucky you! Today we d like you to get a full body 1 hour massage. This will enhance the stretches and exercises you ve been doing and get toxins out of your tired muscles. Day 8: Repeat Lumbar/Hip Stretch Routine Day 9: Today we are going to do some Core Stabilization. The core muscles are small involuntary muscles that help you stay upright and stable. These need to be strong and balanced to give you good posture. Low Back Extensions Lay on your stomach on an exercise mat. Have your arms at your side palms up. Slowly extend your back bringing your chest, shoulders, and chin off the mat. Do 3 sets of 20 repetitions. This will strengthen the muscles of the low back. Abdominal Slide Ups Lay on your back on an exercise mat. Have your knees bent in a 45 degree angle with your feet on the floor. Place your hands on your thigh. Slowly slide your hands up your thigh and to your knee while pulling your belly button to your spine. Exhale as you contract your abdominals. Do 3 sets of 30 repetitions.

7 This day may be substituted with a one on one palates class offered at Back to Total Health. Day 10: Time for another chiropractic adjustment from Back to Total Health (Or whomever you see for chiropractic care.) Day 11: Repeat day 3 Neck Stretch/Stability Routine Day 12: Repeat day 4 Mid Back Stretching Routine Day 13: Repeat day 6 Shoulder Stabilization BUT with addition of the following exercise: Push Up With A Plus: Get on the floor in push up position. In push up position, with arms straight, push the floor away from you. As you push the floor away, you will feel muscle contracting in your mid back. Then relax back into push up position again. Do 3 sets of 15 repetitions. Remember, the arms will never bend during this exercise.

8 Day 14: Repeat day 5 knee Stabilization with the addition of the following exercise: Step Downs: Stand on the bottom stair of stairway. Raise both arms straight up in the arm. Step down Slowly with the right foot, like you re going down stairs. Stop your right foot when it is about 3 inches from hitting the floor. Then return to the original position. As you step down, control your left knee so that it travels right over your left foot. Make sure the left knee does not wobble or sway to either side. Do 3 sets of 15 repetitions with each leg for a total of 6 sets. Day 15: Day 9 get repeated: Core Stabilization of Low Back Extensions and Abdominal Crunches (4 sets of 15 repetitions) Or why not try a Pilates session at Back to Total Health. Your worth it. Day 16: Yeah1 time for another chiropractic adjustment at Back to Total Health. Day 17: Treat yourself! On this day schedule an hour long full body massage at Back to Total Health. Day 18: Repeat day 2 Low Back Stretch Routine. Day 19: Repeat day 3 Neck Stabilization and Stretching Routine. Day 20: Repeat day 4 Mid Back Routine (Doorway and Disco Roll Out Stretches and Push Ups with a Plus) Day 21: Repeat Shoulder (day 6) and Knee stability (day 5) Routines

9 So there you have it. 21 days of simple things to do to better posture. Each sequence should take no longer than 10 minutes a day to complete You ve got to do something every day. Life gets in the way, you stop taking care of yourself and things will reverse. So in order to insure you keep your posture strong, we highly recommend that you repeat this cycle every 21 days. Lastly if you have any questions, call us at BTTH to stop by and we will be more than happy to help.