theconnectionsnj.com PAGE 52 DINING OUT HEALTH & WELLNESS It is important to be mindful of how our body is moving during exercise and everyday living. When we are not mindful, it can lead to muscle strains, tears, balance issues, and in some cases, more serious injuries. When I train my clients, I teach them how to focus and engage the proper muscles for the exercise they are doing. Most times, my clients don’t realize they are not using the muscle they need to and they are just going through the motions. Once we think about the muscle we need to use then we start to understand where the muscle is and how we can apply it in everyday life. An example of this is when my clients do an exercise called “sit to stand”. I have them sit on a box that is about the same height as a chair with their toes in front of their knees. I ask them to stand up by squeezing their quad and glute muscles while they engage (tighten) their abdominal muscles. The first time clients do the exercise, they have a hard time because that’s not how their body knows to stand up from a chair. Most people, when they stand from a sitting position, have their toes behind the knees and will lean forward putting all the pressure on the knees. They will then use their knees to stand up instead of squeezing the quad and glute muscles which help support and give less wear and tear on the knees. With the “sit to stand” exercise, my clients start to become mindful of their quad and glute muscles and how to squeeze them. This can be hard to do at first because we never would have thought to use them. However, as the muscles are used more frequently, it becomes easier to activate them and then they can be applied to everyday living. Two common examples might be getting up from any sitting position or using the muscles when going up and down stairs. Using our quad and glute muscles can also help us when we are walking, especially going up and down hills and in the snow, on dirt, and in wet grass. We are usually in a rush and that can cause us to trip/ slip which can lead us to fall. Utilizing (squeezing) the quad and glute muscles, as well as thoughtfully placing your feet can help stabilize us on unstable surfaces. These are just a few examples of why it is important to be mindful of how to engage your muscles during exercise. The more proper muscles are used doing exercise, the more we start to create new muscle memory. This leads to engaging muscles more easily and moving without straining your back or knees. Also, we will gain confidence in ourselves because now we will be able to protect our bodies as well. TrueFitBalance would love to hear from you! For more information about how I help people you can visit my website at TrueFitBalance.com or email me at info@TrueFitBalance.com. HEALTH HOTLINE Mindfulness in Exercise By Jill Witte
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