Phase One Exercises

Hopefully you have read the first three writings on this website. If you haven’t, please do. Only you and your doctor know your current health status so please read, CHECK WITH YOUR DOCTOR. After reading about MY EXPERIENCE, I hope you realize that I have enough experience to be considered “knowledgeable” in the field of exercise science. I can help you move better, with the caveat that you need to check with your doctor before you do any exercise.

Once you have read, AGING AND MOVEMENT you will understand that there is a sequence of training that has been shown to be most effective. That sequence is:

Train patterns of movement first.
Improve the endurance of that movement by being able to do at least 15 repetitions of that movement with excellent form, before you add resistance.
Start doing the movement with resistance.
Practice that movement at normal speed.

Our natural inclination is to try to do step 3 right from the start and get on with the resistance training. Don’t yield to that temptation, you will likely lose good form after 4 or 5 repetitions (don’t reinforce poor execution), and you will almost certainly get sore. This is not a six-week program to get your “beach body by summer”. This is a commitment to life-long changes in your movement habits.

As my wife Nancy has often said: “HAPPINESS IS A DIRECTION”.

PHASE ONE EXERCISES

The first few exercises are designed to reestablish normal movement of the cervical spine (neck) and the shoulder blades (scapula). If you are 25 you probably have normal motion, but if you’re reading this, you’re likely a bit older. Odds are, you are beginning to see and feel changes in your mobility. These exercises will be helpful. Simply lying on you back on the floor is also a great way to help reverse the forward protrusion of the head. You might need to put a pad under your head at first; then gradually decrease the size of the pad as your body adapts.

Neck Exercises

Start with 4 or 5 repetitions of each exercise. They are easy and intuitive so you can eventually do them throughout the day. If you repeat them two or three times a day, most will regain motion quickly.

*NOTE: neck exercises are always NON-RESISTANCE: there is never a reason to add resistance to the neck movement. (If you look at the pictures, you will see Nancy holding a weight in the hand opposet the direction of the neck movement; this helps hold that shoulder down, it is NOT resistance to the neck movement.)

Chin to Chest

Chin to Shoulder

Holding a weight in the opposite hand keeps the shoulder level.

Ear to Shoulder (both ways)

Holding a weight in the opposite hand keeps the shoulder level.

Chin Raises

Against the Wall Push Back of Head

Don't tilt your head. Keep your chin level and push your head against the wall.

Scapula (Shoulder Blades)

Start with 5 repetitions of each exercise and work your way to 20 over a period of weeks.

Shoulder Shrugs

Exaggerate the “I don’t know” posture – lift the shoulders up and down.

Scapula Circles

Keep your hands on your hips and move your shoulders in circles. The movement will occur in the shoulder blades.

Behind the Head Touch

Touch the palms of the hand behind the head with the elbows lifted high and in line with your shoulders.

Above Head X's

Cross forearms directly over your head come back down and touch your elbows to your side and repeat. Stop if this causes pain or instability of the shoulder.

Touchdown

Your favorite football has team just scored a touchdown! Lift your hands as high as possible over your head (lift shoulder blades up) as if you are the referee, keep your elbows straight, palms facing each other

Shoulder Blade Squeezes

With hands on hips, squeeze your shoulder blades together then relax and repeat.

Forward Reach

Reach both arms forward (as if grabbing something in front of you at shoulder height). While the arms are straight out in front of you, squeeze the shoulder blades together, and, while keeping elbows straight, reach forward again.

Shoulder Mobilization
(gleno-humoral joint)

Use a 4-foot dowel (a broom stick will do). Hold the dowel directly over your head with feet shoulder width apart. Slowly push the dowel back and pull down, trying to move the dowel behind your head to your shoulders.

THORASIC SPINE LATERAL MOBILIZATION

Start with 5 repetitions of each exercise and work your way to 20 over a period of weeks.

Thorasic Spine Twists

Using the dowel placed on your shoulders. Stand with feet shoulder width apart and low back locked into an arched posture. Pull the shoulder blades down and SLOWLY twist as far as you can and hold for a 5 count and then repeat, twisting in the opposite direction. Maintain a slow and deliberate pace. Don’t do this exercise fast! If using the dowel hurts the shoulders, just cross the arms across the body (left arm on right shoulder, etc.)

Thorasic Spine Lateral Mobilization

Use the same foot position as above, keep the low back arched, shoulder blades pulled down, and the dowel on the shoulders Lean to the lateral right and then to the lateral left hold 10 seconds each way.

Hip & Groin Exercises

Start with 5 repetitions of each exercise and work your way to 20 over a period of weeks.

Modified Sumo Stretch

Start with your feet wide apart. Keep your spine straight with your head and chest up. With the arms bent and hands together in front of you. Use a “sitting back” motion to squat as low as possible without letting your spine “curl” and while keeping your feet flat on the floor (don’t lift your heals). Hold for 10 to 15 seconds. Remember to breathe. Repeat 3 or 4 times. There is never a reason to do more than 4 repetitions of a stretch.

Lunge and Twist

CAUTION: This is a balance exercise so keep support close to prevent falling. It will improve balance and help stretch the hip flexors and quads (red), helping to reducing the forward lean when walking.

Start by taking a giant step forward. Keeping the forward knee directly over the foot (black), drop the back knee to the floor (green) until you feel a stretch of the groin in the back leg (red). Now twist, lean back, and reach away from the back leg. Repeat 3 times each way.

Hamstring Stretch

CAUTION: This can challenge your balance so it would be good to have a support nearby.

Start with single leg standing support and the other leg on a box, coffee table, stool, or something similar. Keep the front knee slightly bent (yellow); while keeping your spine straight (green), shoulder blades back and pulled down, bring your chest to the forward leg, and hold for 10 to 15 seconds. Repeat 3 or 4 times each side. The further you have your knee bent, the closer you will be able to bring your chest to your thigh. You do not need to straighten the knee; if you feel a stretch behind the thigh (red), you are fine. It need not be painful. If you can put your chest on your thigh with your knee straight, you will not gain much by stretching anyway (your hamstrings are NOT limiting your functional movement)

AFTER YOU HAVE DONE PHASE ONE EXERCISES FOR A COUPLE WEEKS

YOU CAN GO ON TO PHASE 2 EXERCISES

After you have regained good functional range of motion of the neck and shoulder blades, doing these exercises only two or three times a week should be sufficient for maintenance.
You can do the neck and scapular exercises several times during the day while doing your normal daily routine.
Use the dowel and stretching exercises as a warmup before doing Phase 2 exercises.