Exercise of the Month

Exercise of the Month: Dead Bug

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

Dead Bug

Begin lying on your back with your right arm reaching overhead and your left leg flat on the table. Your right knee should be bent 90 degrees and your hip 45 degrees. Place your left wrist beneath your back to prevent your back from flattening against the ground. Slowly begin by raising your left knee and right arm at the same time until your hand touches your knee. Be sure not to lift your head or allow your spine to flatten against the floor. Return to the start position and repeat for three sets of 10 repetitions on each side, twice per day or as directed.

Home Gym Essentials

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

So you want to build your own home gym but you have no idea what kind of equipment to buy. There are two main limiting factors in outfitting a workout area in your house or apartment—space and budget—but with proper planning, you can design an exercise studio perfectly tailored to your needs. Simply start with the essentials, and then branch out to more specialized equipment as you need it. Below are a few of the essentials that can get your started on your home gym journey.

Quality Mats

No matter what your plans are for your home gym a good quality floor mat is key. You can opt for the single mat for stretching and floor work or go shoe hog with an entire flooring system but be sure to go with a high quality, durable product. Rogue Canada has some great products in this (and most) category from floor mats to olympic lifting platforms, as do spots from Fitness Experience to Home Depot.

Fitness Experience Flooring

Rogue Mats

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Suspension Trainer

Maximizing use of space and finding tools with multiple uses are keys when designing your home gym. One of the best pieces of equipment for both those concerns are suspension trainers. The TRX Home2 System is one of the best purchases you can make for your home gym. It includes the latest TRX Suspension Trainer for homes, as well access to the TRX app. (With more than 80 workouts designed by world-class trainers, the app will keep you busy.) While the Home2 System costs less than $200, it is one of the bigger purchases on this list. What makes it worthwhile is that Suspension Training offers a full-body workout that can be modified for any fitness level.

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Resistance Bands

Easy to store, easy to use, easy to afford and easy to scale. Resistance bands are a great addition to any home gym. From stands of tubing to elastic loops and heavy resistance with handles, resistance bands come in many shapes and sizes and can be used to add to any fitness routine. Depending on your fitness goals, resistance tubing can be your main source of muscle building or an add oil that enhances lifts. They are a rehab essential as well when working through those nagging injuries that we all get from time to time and a key part of training for pliability as shown in the TB12 method. Every major fitness retailer has dozens of options for you and can help you decide on what you need based on your goals.

Fitness Experience Tubing

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TB12 Workout Gear

This list is a great start for your home fitness journey but isn’t all inclusive by any means. Everyone’s goals are different, require different levels of equipment and different levels of motivation. The key with any of them is to get committed, get started and get moving!

 

 

The Bird Dog

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

Bird Dog

Today we are going to look at one of the most effective exercises to protect your lumbar spine from discogenic injury, the bird dog. A great way to work on both posterior chain and rotational stability, the bird dog is safe, effective and simple.

  • Get on your hands and knees (four point position) with your knees and hands, hip and shoulders width apart.
  • Your back is in neutral position (slightly arched) and your chin must be tucked in.
  • Activate your lower abdominals (transversus abdomini) by bringing your belly button inward and by activating your pelvic floor muscles 20 to 30% of maximal contraction.
  • Maintain a steady abdominal breathing while you simultaneously lift one leg backwards and the opposite arm overhead keeping your back in neutral position.
  • Return to the initial position and repeat with the other leg and arm.

2 sets of 10 reps as part of your regular core/stability routine will have you well on your way to a life-proof low back!

Image and instructions from physiotec.ca 

Our Exercise Of The Month: Dead Bug

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

Begin lying on your back with your right arm reaching overhead and your left leg flat on the table. Your right knee should be bent 90 degrees and your hip 45 degrees. Place your left wrist beneath your back to prevent your back from flattening against the ground. Slowly begin by raising your left knee and right arm at the same time until your hand touches your knee. Be sure not to lift your head or allow your spine to flatten against the floor. Return to the start position and repeat for three sets of 10 repetitions on each side, twice per day or as directed.

Our Exercise Of The Month: ITB Foam Roller

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment
ITB – Foam Roller
  • Lie on your side with your affected thigh over a foam roll.
  • Lift your shoulders off of the floor with your arm and roll the fleshy part your mid & lower thigh back and forth over the foam roller.
  • Avoid rolling over the bony point of your hip unless specifically directed.
  • Perform this exercise for one minute twice per day or as directed.

Exercise Of The Month: Pike On A Ball

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

Pike on a Ball

Begin in a push-up position with your knees resting on an exercise ball. Maintain a neutral spine, and do not allow your back to arch down towards the floor. Roll the ball from your thighs to your ankles by bending your knees and bringing them towards your chest. Slowly return to the start position. Perform three sets of 10 repetitions daily or as directed.