Best Stretches at Your Desk.

I found a nice little article that gives some tips for stretching out @ your desk when you are at work or working in the siting position for some time.  Here is an exert:

“Sitting in front of a desk every day can wreak havoc on your body, especially since most of us don’t have the best posture. Hunching the shoulders and slumping in your seat can cause back pain, headaches, tension and tightness in your back, neck and shoulders. The following stretches target the muscles of the back, neck and shoulders as well as the hips and glutes. Taking time to do some of these stretches throughout the day can help increase flexibility and reduce tension and stress.”

You can find the whole article here – Best Stretches for Office Workers

I would like to add in my two cents by saying that The Stick is in fact, the perfect tool for putting the “pop” back into your busy lifestyle.  By rolling out your muscles, you increase circulation, flexibility and reduce stress all at the same time. 

I have included a video and a picture to help see what I mean!!

Forearms

 For more pictures, please go here – Specific Techniques .  I have loads of pictures!  Everything from standing to sitting to kneeling to sitting on the ground!!

 

The Stick As a Recovery Tool Part 2

To fully understand muscle recovery whether it is work related, induced by training and/or exercise or even from a medical condition, we first need to discuss muscles as compliant and non-compliant.

We will first start with a discussion of compliant muscle. Muscles that are compliant can be shortened, stretched, compressed and twisted without symptoms of soreness or pain. They will exhibit flexibility, strength, good circulation, and the qualities of endurance.

Let’s switch our focus to the qualities of a non-compliant muscle.  Non-compliant tissue is tight, stiff and tender.  People often refer to this type of sensation as having painful “knots” in their muscles. Their muscles actually feels fibrous instead of long, lean and smooth.  Non-compliant muscles exhibit reduced flexibility, weakness, poor blood circulation and they easily fatigue.  A non-compliant muscle or group of muscles create barriers which restrict peak performance and blood flow.  These, non-compliant muscles are susceptible to injury because they are not functioning properly. In order for the body to perform at optimum levels, muscles must me allowed to expand and contract freely.

The human body contains approximately 690 muscle bellies and tendons. Each muscle has an origin and an insertion.  The rule of thumb is the origin is where the muscle attaches to bone and the least amount of movement takes place.  Whereas the insertion of a muscle is the opposite end of the muscle that attaches to bone where the most movement takes place.  Here is a great website for muscle origins and insertions. 

Now that we have some basic understanding of compliant and non-compliant muscles, there are some tough questions to answer:

• Why are some muscles compliant and others are not?
• Why do specific muscle get stiff during weather changes, yet others appear to be  unaffected?
• Why do we continually wake up with the same sore, stiff muscle pain in the same place every morning?
• Why does our back hurt in some positions and not others?
• Why do our episodes of muscular pain plague us in the same spot?
• Why does the pain return . . . even after treatment?

The above hypothetical questions all have one common answer. That is… myofascial lesions in the form of barrier trigger points.  Myofascia is the tissue that surrounds all muscles.  I like to describe it like the substance that holds sausages together.  Barrier trigger points are inflexible bands of muscle, usually containing knots. These trigger points (knots) set an artificial ceiling on optimal muscle performance by restricting blood flow to the muscle(s). Muscles need unrestricted blood flow for both high performance and full recovery from muscle activity regardless of the type (athletic, work related or a muscular condition). Simply put, barrier trigger points are usually the primary cause of non-compliant muscles.

Here is where The Stick comes in…

The STICK allows a person to self-administer general as well as segmental therapeutic practices with a great deal of accuracy. By rolling over the muscles with The Stick, muscles become compliant and ready for activity. Due to the bio-mechanical rolling, stretching and compressing of muscle tissue, barrier trigger points become diffused and rehabilitation of non-compliant muscles takes place. Remember that a compliant muscle will perform much better than a non-compliant muscle.

Stay tuned for Part 3 of The Stick as a Recovery Tool.

Another Video About “The Stick”

Here is a video about hoe The Stick can be especially useful for golfers.

Note:  The picture you see is only a graphic of the screen shot of the video.  Please click the video or hit the link under the video to view the clip.

http://www.coreperformance.com/video/Movement_Massage_Stick_Self_Massage_-_Golf.html

Nutritional Biomechanics and The Stick

Have you ever heard of this term “Nutritional Biomechanics”.  I know I didn’t until I got involved in researching about The Stick.  I have posted a description of this interesting subject below.

By the way, I am a firm believer that nutrition and sleep are the top variables that a person can monitor and directly control.  Most of us a born with some combination of  speed, endurance, flexibility and power.  Some people can increase their abilities in one area, but not others, no matter how hard they try.  Some level of improvement will be seen with training.  However, advanced levels of achievement come with years of training and hard work.  Sleep and nutrition are directly controlled on how we take care of our bodies.   Imagine how much harder or how fast a person can recover with proper rest and nutrition?  

Nutritional Biomechanics:

The Stick helps to strengthen your muscles by employing Nutritional Biomechanics.

Here’s a short definition:
“In principle, Nutritional Biomechanics exploits the unique biomechanical relationship between muscle and its nutrient delivery system. Patient care for fibromyalgia syndrome, trigger point pain, muscle strain and delayed muscle soreness is especially magnified by supplementing the patient with a balanced nutritional drink 20-30 minutes prior to therapeutic stretching and massage. Such a protocol will insure that the blood entering the newly relaxed muscle is nutrient-dense. A full complement of nutrients will provide the raw materials needed for healing.”
- Dr. Andrew S. Bonci
Copyright 1992, All Rights Reserved Dr. Andrew S. Bonci Sport Biomechanics Laboratory

As you can see, The Stick can really make a difference in how nutrition is used in the body.  Basically, ingest some nutrient rich substance 20-30 minutes before you use The Stick, then roll out your muscles to increase circulation and blood flow.

 

Why The Stick?

There are many, many, many fitness and wellness products out there!  In fact, there a loads of products that promise and offer the same benefits and results as The Stick.  The logical question is “Ok, which one is right for me?”  My opinion is The Stick!

Please do not get me wrong.  The other products on the market are valuable and may also do the job!  Here a 10 simple facts about The Stick:

1. It is so easy to use!
2. You can use it anywhere.
3. You can take it anywhere.
4. You can use it in virtually any position, as long as your muscle is relaxed!
5. You can get it wet, drop it in the mud or snow and it will still work!
6. You do not need a mat.
7. You do not need a plug in.
8. It is light and very versatile.
9. It massages your muscles, not crushes them.
10. The Stick was created and developed with University Scientific Studies!

In addition to the 10 points above, the cost of a Stick is very attractive as well.  The average massage therapist charges around $50.00 for one session.  In my opinion, this is very reasonable and there is nothing on the market that can replace the hands, knuckles and elbows of a human.  Let’s face it, the human touch has been proven time and time again to heal!  The average cost of a Stick is around $40.00.  The difference is, you can use The Stick 3 times a day if you want!!!!

So, I think you can agree that nothing can replace the human touch, but I can attest that The Stick just could be the next best thing!!

Click here to find a Stick that is right for you!

Have a great day!!