Diastases Recti, What It Is and What To Do

Reader Fun Steve previously wrote with his success losing weight and getting in shape with Fitness Fixer. Then he moved from Thailand to Japan. What happened next?

Steve writes:

"I 'done did' something to my stomach. Without having visited any doctors here, my own diagnosis is/are hiatal hernia or tearing of the linea alba area of my stomach muscles.

"No 'pain' but constant discomfort. Constant but mild indigestion. Shortness of breath. Here is the real kicker... If I do leg lifts while doing 'slight' crunches, I have a 2-2.5 inch vertical band of 'something' that reaches from my xiphoid process down to below my belly button. Feels like a strip of weak muscle. I normally don't do full crunches. Perhaps I lift my shoulders 2-3 inches at most.

"My rectus abs are solid. Rock hard .. but the area between left and right side is soft now. This odd strip of 'something' doesn't protrude unless I do leg raises and crunches (so I'm not doing them!) but if I use my hands to press it inward, I can do the crunches or leg raises without that strip pressing up. It's as if the rectus abs, once contracted, hold it in.

"So... what have I done to myself? Besides not doing any crunches and leg lifts, what shall I do to heal myself?"

I answered that (using my e-mail x-ray machine) it sounded like a diastasis, full name Diastasis Recti.

The vertical muscle fibers pull apart, leaving an area between them. This is popular in pregnant women and men with bellies. The 'rock hard' belly is often the large amount of fat (or pregnancy) pushing against the covering muscle, stretching it tightly. Weight loss will let it rejoin and heal. It's not surgical, meaning it can heal if you lose the belly.

I reminded Steve that crunches are not functional exercises, meaning they do not use your abdominal muscles the way you need them to function during any real activity in your daily life. Crunches repeat the bent forward posture that people already spend too much daily time in, and that he already new I had developed a method called The Ab Revolution™ that solves the counterproductive nature of crunches and leg lifts. For the time needed to heal, he could stop belly stretches - back bends, yoga cobra, and updog, and stretching the belly with too much food and weight gain. Continuing to do crunches and leg raises using hands as manual splinting has turned out to make things worse - since the muscles atrophy more.

Steve replied:

"How could I be pregnant?!? Actually, I have 6-pack abs! (Well, really two 3-packs right now. Unfortunately there is a thick layer of blubber covering them.) Under them too.
">>Dr. Bookspan wrote: Sorry to hear.
"Yes... me too. I came back from Thailand having lost almost 20 kilos, and due to McDonald's introduction of the 'Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese' into Japan and a side of trans-fat potatoes, I put it all back on."

I reminded Steve that weight loss will let the split area rejoin and heal, and that a diastasis was not surgical, meaning it can heal if you lose the belly and stop pulling it open with Pilates style leg lifts and crunches.

Steve wrote:

"Lose the belly. Lose the belly. That's all anybody says. Lose the belly. Hey, Buddha had a big belly and he didn't have this problem!?! Humpty Dumpty had a big belly and all that happened to him was that he fell off a wall. Well I don't sit on no walls!!! No sir! Not me. I sit on a couch doing bicep curls with the TV remote! I do full presses with bags of Doritos! Pectoral presses crushing my beer cans! Lose the belly?!? Oh well... I guess I gotta..."

I had developed The Ab Revolution™ to solve one common source of lower back pain - a slouching posture of too much inward curve in the lower spine. The Ab Revolution™ retrains function. Conventional ab exercises are often mistakenly prescribed for back pain. Conventional strengthening does not make people stop the actual cause, the slouch. They are just stronger people who slouch. Doing crunches also perpetuates another cause of back pain. It is an irony of pop fitness that without understanding causes, counter productive exercises are prescribed, then repeated by reporters then repeated by trainers and so on. The same is true for hamstring stretches, covered separately. What was interesting was all the documentation I received from people with diastasis and hernias who could use The Ab Revolution™ without pain and with benefit to build abdominal wall strength without pushing things out further with crunches. It made sense. I am looking into it further.

Steve wrote again:

"I follow the the Ab Revolution™. That's what's made my back feel so much better. I haven't had so much as a twinge in my back in the past year or so! It's been your work that made the difference. I'm not worried... now :o) Just PO'd. Thanks for the info about my (larger than necessary) stomach."

Steve followed up that he was back to healthier eating and was easily losing weight by following the healthier traditional Japanese diet without fast food.


Related Fitness Fixer:

• Fun Steve Loses Weight With Fitness Fixer
• Reader Ivy shows why Good Life Works Better Than Bad Ab Exercise
• If Better Abdominal Muscles Are Your New Year's Resolution, Try This
• Innovation in Abdominal Muscles
• Back Pain in Pregnancy - and Why Men Can Get It
• Sitting Badly Isn't Magically Healthy by Calling It a Hamstring Stretch
  

My Web Site information on how abdominal muscles work:

• DrBookspan.com/AbsArticle

Random Fitness Fixer:

• Extremes, Survival, Injuries, Faster Higher Stronger - Fitness Fixer

Labels: abdominal muscles, fix pain, injury, pregnancy, readers inspiring story, weight loss

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Fast Fitness - More Plank Chess and Success Photos

Here is Fast Friday Fitness - strong mind in a strong body - readers Paul J and son sent in their success playing their invention - plank chess:

Paul J writes:

"This time we played a complete game.
"We had to hold the plank during our turn.
"Once again my game was not going too well, and after about 10min I lost my balance moving my Knight.
"Tonight I’ll work on shoulders so inclined plank and wall hand stands are in order.
"I wonder if I can do a wall hand stand push up yet ….only one way to find out, right?" : )

Holding a plank 10 minutes is great work:

2. Your collaborator (remember, we are not opponents in life) holds a plank during their turn:

3. You hold a plank again during your next turn:

I have played tournament blitz chess (bullet chess), where moves can't exceed 15 seconds (or other brief time). I have played battle chess with martial artists in historic costume, fighting a short match for each move, with move completion only allowed upon winning. I have played Arpanet chess with military buddies, transmitting a move to another base, disconnect, go back to work, then stop any experiment on the burner to receive your collaborator's next move. I have tried (and tried) "total recall" chess where only a referee has tangible pieces while both players move only from memory. Plank chess from Paul J and son is a great idea.


Related Fitness Fixer:

• Fast Fitness - Can You Do Plank Chess?
• Third photo helpfully demonstrates losing neutral, allowing a bit of sag for benefit of readers to see. Keep your plank neutral - Fast Fitness - Push Ups with Neutral Spine
  
• Readers - have courage and try things yourself - Wall Handstand Success With Liz

Random Fitness Fixer:

• Forensic Science

Labels: children, fast fitness, mind, partner exercise, pushup, readers inspiring story

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Fast Fitness - Concentration Training

Here is Fast Friday Fitness - improve concentration and focus, for mental and physical tasks at once, a true mind and body.

Reader Paul J wrote me after sending in his Plank Chess success story:

"Side note on plank and thinking. I have been trying to recite a kata narration (the moves of a karate sequence) from memory during a plank and find it incredibly difficult to concentrate. At first it was just plan different and difficult, now it seems to get difficult after 30secs. (the memory verbal part) It’s like I can feel my brain trying to multitask, and misfiring.

"I suppose this is a type of stressful concentration training and is good for the brain. Makes me wonder what other psychological/physiological benefits there may be."

Speaking a sequence or other specific chain of events at the same time as directing your body to do unrelated sequences requires a collection of concentration and focus.

1. Hold a plank
2. Recite the directions to your school or workplace, the steps of your martial arts forms, or other sequences
   
3. While still holding your plank, recite the steps backward

It takes intense practice before physical movements become automatic while mental focus is directed separately. This is a fun, wise, important, and functional thing to practice and train. Training automaticity is never an excuse to text and drive. The difficulty of this training drill demonstrates why it results in so many accidents.

Coming soon: Taking this to the next step for more physical concentration training

Related Fitness Fixer:

• Which Ancient Exercise Gives Focus and Concentration?
• Is Bad Martial Arts Good Exercise?
• Sunlight Needed for Physical and Mental Health
• Sedentary Lifestyle Linked to Teen Emotional and Behavioral Problems
• Fast Fitness - Improving Mental Fitness Through Language Study

Random Fitness Fixer:

• Spotting Back Pain During Running and Walking - What Do Abs Have To Do With It?

Labels: children, fast fitness, martial arts, mind, readers inspiring story

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Functional Fitness as a Lifestyle By Mail Room Workers

Peggy Santamaria wrote me that she was using my work, and my illustration Backman!™ to teach healthy movement to workers for a good day's work without injury and repetitive strain:

"Hi Dr. Bookspan,
"Very excited to report that I met with the Appalachian Crossroads staff and the trainees of the Mail Room Service Unit. The goal is to connect developmentally disabled adults with a paycheck for good work done well.


"I had created some Backman!™ flash cards illustrating some of the daily work in the mail room. These were distributed to the trainees with explanations for the staff about our new program. Then I met with the trainees and talked more about functional fitness.

"We then practiced some of the healthy movements needed for their work day. We took pictures to document their great understanding of what we are working toward. I will make these photos into small posters that can hang in their workspace.

"They are all excited about what we are doing and are proud to be part of the Academy.
"Peggy"

Here is Ms. Santamaria's update with the successful outcome plus great photos. I personally congratulate and thank each participant:

"Hi Dr. Bookspan:

"Here is an update on Academy activity. As you know, I am working with staff and trainees at Appalachian Crossroads, a private nonprofit human service agency that primarily serves developmentally disabled adults in Garrett County, Maryland.


"One of the Appalachian Crossroads work units provides a "mail room" service to local businesses. The trainees in the mailroom provide support, expertise, and manpower to process everything from daily statements to sales catalogs to monthly newsletters. More than 1.2 million pieces of mail go through the hands of 18 employees each year.


"As the Academy’s director of Developmental Abilities I set about creating a program using your work and Fitness Fixer to help the trainees work in a healthy way and be functionally fit. I met with staff and trainees of the unit to hand out instructional flash cards featuring Backman!™ going through the daily functions required in the mail room.


"The Appalachian Crossroads folks were super. They got right to it. With the help of staff they were ready to work and demonstrate their functional fitness skills. I took pictures that I am making into small posters for their work area.


"I will continue to work with these men and women as well as others in the custodial service unit, the grounds crew, supported employment, and the day program. It is a privilege to be working for the Academy and sharing your fitness message.
"Peggy Santamaria"

This is a shining example of getting things done well, simply, and intelligently. Thank you Peggy! Thank you Appalachian Crossroads staff and mail room!

Readers, The Mail Room is teaching us how to keep things healthy and smart. They are role models and generous guides for all of us. Use what they have done, and send your stories of using this work for Good.

Academy Web Site of This and Related Work:

• www.DrBookspan.com/AcademyStudents

Related Fitness Fixer:

• How Ms. Peggy Santamaria started - New Healthy Employment Programs for Developmentally Disabled
• Mr. Stuart Wood uses this work to make programs for his city of Tucson - StuartShip - How To Start Healthy Movement Programs
  Mr. Georges Nakhlé helped me start the whole Academy - New International Academy Using Jolie Bookspan's Methods
  
• Fast Fitness - Better Back and Leg Exercise When Vacuuming
• Household Fitness in the New Year

Random Unrelated:

• Fast Fitness - Strengthen Character

Labels: disability/ability, fix pain, International Academy of Functional Sports Medicine, readers inspiring story, repetitive strain

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Ivy Fixes Neighbors Fitness - Making Results Last

Ivy from New Zealand continues making her community healthier, one neighbor at a time. What does she do that helps so many? Here are just a few stories from her many updates:

In December 2009, Inspirational Ivy wrote me:

"Thought I would share this amusing little story.

"Yesterday, I was talking to a 64 year old woman who is a new resident to this country and she told me that she was experiencing back pain. I told her that I could help her - she was most insistent that she hated exercise so I promised that I would not have her exercising that what I would show her would be what she could do as she went about her daily life. I showed her how to lie on the floor and lift herself up on her elbows. She marveled at the instant relief. I then showed her how to squat and do lunges which she was most receptive to. I showed her how to sit up straight, shoulders back and suggested that she lift her ribs (to learn to unround the upper back instead of forcing the straightening from the shoulders or neck). I was most amused she put her hands over her rather ample breasts and lifted them up. It looked so funny. It is the first time I have had someone do that to lift her ribs."

In January 2010, this update came:

"Just the other day when I spoke to Jean she remarked how young I look. (Jean is the lady who I helped re back pain) She said that she felt envious when she compared herself at 62 with me at 73. I remarked that I could not help but be surprised as all I see are the wrinkles when I look in the mirror. No, she replied, we all get wrinkles, it is your slim, fit body plus the fact that you walk so fast. So........., there is hope for me yet!!!!! Smile,
"Hugs to you both
"Ivy"

In January, Ivy sent me a happy e-mail. The large-chested neighbor who thought pain was due to her size was able to stop upper back pain with healthy techniques, and holding her weight in healthy positioning on her muscle, rather than letting shoulders round and slouch in painful position:

"Jean tells me that she is now free of back pain. She is lying down on her stomach lifting herself up on her elbows on a daily basis. Needless to say she is very happy with the results.

"Re the trapezius and pectoral stretch - she will be visiting me over the next few days (to check good positioning learned from it).

"Re: Merlene (Strengthen a Neighbor, Strengthen a Community) - I did not have to telephone Merlene, she called me to ask if I could vist her. She showed me how well she was doing re her balance. Also, she was delighted re her weight loss. I checked her posture and it was perfect. No longer any back pain.

"She asked if I could help re strengthening her legs. I showed her how to do lunges.

"Merlene is always a pleasure to work with. She is a delightful lady. Love and hugs to you both
Ivy"

At the end of January Ivy wrote again:

"Jean: I visited her at home this morning to show her both the Pectoral and Trapezius stretch. She tells me that she no longer has any pain in her back and hip. She also tells me that she has shown her daughter the back stretch and she, too, no longer has any back pain. So.........two very happy women.

"Merlene: I also contacted Merlene this morning to see how her lunges are going. She, too, is happy with her progress.

"Jean did make a comment as to how much I could help people here in the village. I replied that I do try, however, the request has to come from them personally. It is all a matter of choices. Some choose to take medicines, others do not (and use healthy ways to fix the pain without needing medicines).

"Love and hugs to you both
Ivy"

February brought this:

"Over the weekend, I received an e-mail from a friend who lives in Australia, telling me that she had back ache. She had had it for a week and had decided that once the weekend was over, she would go to the doctor to get some pain relief.

"I wrote back and told her to lie on the floor or bed and lift herself up on elbows. I have just received a reply saying that the pain has gone.

"Today while shopping in my local organic shop I got talking to a lady who had decided that she would shop for healthy foods instead of the usual junk food. She explained that her family had minor health problems and thought that perhaps if she changed their diet, the health of the family would improve. She noticed what I had in my shopping trolley so asked if I would mind helping her. Actually, I must admit that I did enjoy doing so. She could not believe the knowledge that I was able to pass on and was most grateful. One of the things she asked was how to make sprouts. Not a problem I replied and explained how I, personally, do sprouts. I hope I see her again soon so I can catch up on their progress.

"My shopping which usually takes 20-30 minutes took more like an hour and a half. I assure you, it was time not wasted.

"Hugs
Ivy"

Does Ivy meet people who work against themselves? Last October she wrote me about one:

"Thank you for the post re helping oneself. I must have missed your post "Somebody Please Do My Personal Responsibility For Me." (my computer would have been out of action) To be honest, I could not help but burst out laughing at some of the excuses, as I, too, hear these same words time and time again.

"As an example, about 3 years ago, a lady approached me for help re her weight. I might add that she was morbidly obese.

"I wrote her out what I believed to be a balanced diet with plenty of food so that she would not feel hungry. She was thrilled to see that she had lost 16 lbs when I weighed her the following week. For the next few weeks there were no weight losses at all. I asked her if she was following the diet. No, was her reply, you allow me too much food, so I cut down on the quantities. I then get hungry and eat what I shouldn't. This went on for 6 weeks.

"Needless to say, I gave up on her.

"This same lady now lies in bed all day. She does no exercise what so ever. Her husband does everything for her. Once in awhile I see her go out with her husband in the car.

"It is so sad. I did but try. No doubt you can tell many similar stories.

"Have a great day
"Hugs,
Ivy"

Wisely, Ivy has focused her energy on others since.

Fitness Fixers Ivy Taught Neighbors:

• Face down, slightly propped - Fast Fitness - First Morning Stretch
• Leg Exercise That Helps Your Back - Why The Lunge?
• Pectoral (Chest) Stretch - The Most Common Mistake in the Best Shoulder Stretch
• Trapezius stretch - Nice Neck Stretch
• Fast Fitness - Sprouts Inside and Out
• Ivy helps Merlene - Strengthen a Neighbor, Strengthen a Community
• Inspirational Ivy
• Is Healthy Living Less Expensive?
  
• Fast Fitness - Somebody Please Do My Personal Responsibility For Me!

Labels: fix pain, lower back, readers inspiring story, upper back

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New Healthy Employment Programs for Developmentally Disabled

Another reader has Fixed the Fitness for a community program so beneficial and potentially far-reaching that I have given her an Academy Appointment.

Peggy Santamaria is bringing my healthy daily life techniques to developmentally disabled adults. She has made a new program to transition developmental disability to Developmental Ability.

After her success story appeared - Shoveling Snow - Reader Wins Mother Nature's Fitness Challenge with Fitness Fixer, Peggy wrote:

"Thanks. Cool to find that this morning on Fitness Fixer. I would like to work with job coaches at a local agency that trains and finds employment for developmentally disabled adults. Snow removal is one of their big programs. I hope I would have your permission to use Fitness Fixer techniques to help prevent injuries for these trainees. I am on the board of directors for the agency and really support the program.
Thanks again.
you rock!!!"
peggy

I wrote back asking if she could start before the snow season ends, which was soon, and that when the snow season ends, what activities and healthy movement retraining could she bring to them?

Peggy replied:

"Just spoke with program director at Appalachian Crossroads. I will meet with his job coaches and staff on Monday afternoon to talk about healthier movements while on the job shoveling snow, landscaping, vacuuming, etc. This is their website if you want to check them out, www.appalachiancrossroads.com/"

I am pleased to announce her appointment through the Academy of Functional Exercise Medicine (AFEM) as Director of Developmental Ability. We are working on better names - write in your ideas in the comments for a good title for this program for the disabled to develop their abilities. Peggy has been working hard developing the program. She drew the shovels for me for the Backman!™ illustration, and has been drawing and developing more teaching tools.

Our plan is for participants to gain skills and healthy work, reduce injury and pain risk, and be proud role models. The community gains important improvements in ways that are healthy for all. We hope our program with Appalachian Crossroads becomes a model for programs all over the nation like it.

Peggy wrote back:

"WOW!!! That's all I can say. Off to teach a class. I have read a gazillion of your fitness fixers (they are like peanuts, you know). I just don't get any housework done. But I will be well-armed to begin this task.

"My daughters and grandchildren are very proud. (They) said it was "awesome" and "Go Grandma Peggy!""

Related:

• Peggy first appeared in Shoveling Snow - Reader Wins Mother Nature's Fitness Challenge with Fitness Fixer
• Stuart Wood is my Community Programs guy for healthier Watershed, Youth, and Elder exercise programs - StuartShip - How To Start Healthy Movement Programs
• Here is how Stuart started - Reader Gains Academy Appointment for Making Community Projects Healthy,
  
• and continues with Natural Hard Exercise - Stuart's Community Health Stewardship Continues
• Join The Fun - Join in this work, and do the same for your own local world. Send in your own ideas and stories. See my Academy page - www.DrBookspan.com/Academy.
  

Semi-Related Fitness Fixer:

• Want Weightlifting? Plant A Food Garden

Random Unrelated Fitness Fixer:

• Secret To Get Better and Fitter

Labels: disability/ability, fix pain, International Academy of Functional Sports Medicine, mind, readers inspiring story, shoveling/digging, spirit

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Shoveling Snow - Reader Wins Mother Nature's Fitness Challenge with Fitness Fixer

Reader Peg S. put healthy bending to work in real life, wrote in with this success story, sent a title for it, took photos and sent them with captions. Thank you Peggy for great work:

"Dr. Bookspan, your emphasis on squats and lunges in place of unhealthy bending has saved my back during long hours of snow shoveling.

"Lots of snow has fallen in far western Maryland - over 265 inches so far this season - with three back-to-back blizzards (22 feet of snow, or 673.1 centimeters).

"All that snow needed to be moved. I avoided unhealthy bending and had no back discomfort after hours of lifting snow-laden shovels.

"When I took a break, I emailed my yoga class students reminding them of the healthy movements such as squat and lunge in their snow removal efforts. They later thanked me for the reminder.

"Thank you for the information on back health!!!"
Peggy S

Peggy is teaching these and other healthy movement techniques to developmentally disabled adults to train useful work skills and prevent injuries. See the first results in Functional Fitness as a Lifestyle By Mail Room Workers

Peggy, her colleague Patty, Reader Paul J, and I have been working on Peg and Patty's project of using human powered devices like bicycles, to make electricity. More on this to come. Contact me if you can offer real input to design or build.

Related:

• Reader Success - Using Good Bending For Shoveling Snow
• How to teach this to your groups - Fast Fitness - The First Group Functional Training Exercise, Good Bending for Back and Knees
• How to do this for yourself during all daily life - which means Fitness as a Lifestyle - Bending Right is Fitness as a Lifestyle
• How often should you use this technique? - How Often Should You Be Healthy?

Labels: fix pain, lower back, readers inspiring story, shoveling/digging, squat, yoga

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Natural Hard Exercise - Stuart's Community Health Stewardship Continues

Reader Stuart Wood did a magnificent thing. He took charge and started teaching my work to reduce the high rate of strain-related injuries in his community for projects ranging from school health to senior health to water harvesting in his arid city of Tucson.

Stuart writes:

"The second group of pictures in the set are from a water harvesting project run by the Water Management Group here in Tucson. We spent 5 hours digging and bending and planting. The structures make use of street run-off in a way that reduces road and water pollution while at the same time "greening" the street by providing the plants with water which will eventually shade the side-walk and street and reduce the "heat-island" created by all the asphalt and concrete that attracts and absorbs sunlight/heat.

"This was my first time volunteering with them and I didn't get a chance to teach but I did figure out how to dig and bend correctly myself. It was a work-out and felt really good. I have dug in the past for long hours with improper bending and what it a difference it makes! Soon I hope to teach the other volunteers so that in addition to being good stewards of the community they can also be good stewards of their health.

"The watershed admin is thinking the best thing for me to do would be to teach the various instructors so that they could then oversee the volunteers throughout the city.

Stuart will retrain participants' bending so that their exercise is healthy for themselves and the community

"I was looking at your website (DrBookspan.com/Academy) and seeing the part about scholarships for Native Americans and the elderly, that intrigued me a lot. There is a large reservation just south of town for the Tohono O'odahm Indians, I have been thinking about how neat it would be to teach some of them.

"Recently there has been a wellness program implemented by the City of Tucson to reduce work-related strains and injuries. They have not been exposed to your work yet but they have been exposed to stretches that are potentially damaging at worst and ineffective at best! My friend spoke kindly of me and how your blog and my advice had helped him so, when I talked to his supervisor, he was more than helpful in suggesting ways in which I might be able to teach city workers in various settings and occupations."

More work is in progress. Reports to come.

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
Your playing small doesn't serve the world.
There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that
other people won't feel insecure about you.
We were born to manifest the glory that is within us.
It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.
As we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people
permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear,
our presence automatically liberates others."

- Nelson Mandela
1994 Inaugural speech

How Stuart Started All This:

• Reader Gains Academy Appointment for Making Community Projects Healthy

See Stuart's Work Teaching School Kids and Instructors:

• StuartShip - How To Start Healthy Movement Programs

Things You Can Do Too:

• Fast Fitness - The First Group Functional Training Exercise, Good Bending for Back and Knees
• Fast Fitness - Open Your Eyes and World View
• Fast Fitness - Strengthen Yourself by Lifting Up Others
• Fast Fitness - Pro-Social Behavior Improves Health of All
• Lifestyle Fitness Through Gardening
• Autumn Yard Work - Limiting the Person Instead of the Injury Again?
• Want Weightlifting? Plant A Food Garden

Random Fun Fitness Fixer:

• Living Under The Sea

Labels: children, gardening, International Academy of Functional Sports Medicine, readers inspiring story, shoveling/digging, spirit

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Winner - Contest to Name The Illustration

Reader Paul J has been named Winner of the contest to name the figure who illustrates many of my books, articles in Fitness Fixer, web site articles, and Academy teaching materials.

The comic figure who educates about healthy movement continues from one I had an artist design for me. The artist moved away and could no longer work for me. I am no artist, and had to learn to draw him - not great like the original artist's, but what I could figure out for myself.

When I hired the talented young medical graphics artist, I told him I envisioned an image that was not man or woman, not black or white, not young or old, but everyone. He drew me a white guy, with a big western nose. Still it was a funny warm character that people say they can identify with as he figures out life.

Runner-up was reader JayaKrishna who gave him the name, Dr. Goodback™. I like that, and that remains his formal professional name. The rest of the time, thanks to Paul J, his name is Backman!™

When you see Fitness Fixer posts with this character, you should see the trademark symbol and his copyrighted name.

The name also reminded me of a SuperHero name. I wrote to thank Paul J, saying "I am BACKman!™ POW! splat! take that Joker!"

He wrote back, "Do you mean Jock-err...the steroid using muscle man that does bad bending?"


More Dr. Goodback, otherwise known as Backman!™

• Mothers Day and New Parents Back and Neck Savers
• How To Remember Good Kid Lifting and Carrying
• Fast Fitness - Stop Neck Pain From Biking

More Fun - Participate and Win

• First Winner - International Academy of Functional Sports Medicine Logo Design
• Logo Design Contest for New International Sports Medicine Academy

See Backman!™ in Action

• Close to 200 drawings in the book Stretching Smarter Stretching Healthier, many more in Health & Fitness THIRD edition, among the 114 photos and drawing in The Ab Revolution™ third edition revised expanded, and Fix Your Own Pain Without Drugs or Surgery - all on www.DrBookspan.com.

Labels: contest, education, International Academy of Functional Sports Medicine, readers inspiring story

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Fast Fitness - How To Be An Inspiring Success and Send In Your Story

Here is Friday Fast Fitness - How to Be in the Fitness Fixer Hall of Fame.

The 2009 Fitness Fixer Hall of Fame listed readers who fixed their fitness and sent their stories. How can you be in the Hall of Fame 2010?

Send in your reader inspiring success story. If you have read Fitness Fixer for any time, you probably are smart and would use it, and by now, be better at some aspect of your life:

1. Large or small, write what you did and why and how. It can be one small improvement like sitting in healthy position at your desk or bending right so that you no longer hurt. It can be that you stopped pain and now can do activities you used to love, or wanted to try for the first time. It can be how you taught a family member or friend to stop their pain.
2. If you don't have something, choose a fun and easy Fitness Fixer - close to 700 so far. Labels under each article gives all articles in that category, for example all Fast Fitness, or all reader inspiring stories. Or use the Fitness Fixer Index.
3. Take photos and short movies if you can, of small file-size. Send me your story with your link to your photos on a photo-sharing site like Flickr, MyPhotoTown, Picassa, or other you prefer. If you don't know how to do that, it may be fun to learn. At last resort, e-mail me the photos.

Ivy from New Zealand had to borrow a film camera, wait for developing, and mail me the photos from overseas, which I scanned and uploaded. Her efforts with her 86 year old neighbor who took the photos are on Inspirational Ivy. Reader Robert Davis propped his camera phone on a paperclip, put the camera on timer, and ran into place. For smart Fitness Fixer readers, there is always a way. On my professional website www.DrBookspan.com, the academy page and the BOOKS page have contact links to be used for Sending Good. Separate pages and contact links exist for asking questions and professional help.

A telling observation is when I search photo databases for examples for the hundreds of articles for all of you, searches using keywords of "exercise," "health" and "fitness," or searches of fitness sites yield only bad, unhealthful positioning. Often, unless I take the photo myself of a student or patient, or a reader sends one in, there is no "good" example. Come be one.


Double Benefit:
Enter the Fitness Fixer contests. If you show how you do it yourself, and why this is a positive change in your life, you can have two successes - contest winner and success story.

• Fast Fitness - Balance Contest!
• Fast Fitness - Contest for Children (and Everyone) To Learn What They Live
• Fast Fitness - Contest: What Does It Take To Sit Upright?

Fitness Fixer Reader Hall of Fame:

• 2009
• 2007/2008

More How To Do It:

• Fitness is Getting Out and Living
• Go large - Reader Gains Academy Appointment for Making Community Projects Healthy

Labels: fast fitness, readers inspiring story

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Good Bending Strengthens Legs and Lifting Ability

BikaBill, one of the winners of the How To Sit Up Straight Contest, writes,

"Ahhh, so good to be a winna!!!

"Another recent success:

"I'd bought a steel fire pit that weighs about 50 lbs, and when I got it last November I could barely move it more than a few feet and that was with some pain. I was going to ask someone to help me move it for use on New Years Eve. But I've been really watching and correcting my posture for the last couple months, and when I picked it up New Years Eve, it seemed really light. I just whisked it out to the front yard like it weighed nothing, and there was no pain!!!

Left drawing shows neutral spine and hip. Center and Right show two kinds of swayback (hyperlordosis) a slouching posture you can easily change to stop pain.

"I was amazed. I would never have guessed that good posture makes one so much stronger, but it does! I've also noticed a difference in my poise -- like forcing yourself to smile makes you feel happier, so does good posture make you feel more self confident. No surgeon could ever have given me that!

"Thanks, Dr. J.

"Happy 2010!
-Bill"

Good Bending:

• Fast Fitness - The First Group Functional Training Exercise, Good Bending for Back and Knees
• A short video with mostly good bending - Good Deeds With Good Bending
• Bending Right is Fitness as a Lifestyle
• Do you do good bending? Fast Fitness - Count How Many Times You Help Or Hurt Your Body Daily
• Examples of good bending in daily life - Household Fitness in the New Year

Lifting Overhead:

• Overhead Lifting, Reaching, and Throwing - More Part I

Better Ergonomics for Carrying Loads:

• Fast Fitness - How Abdominal Muscles Prevent Hyperlordosis When Carrying
• Healthier Carrying - Get Free Ab Exercise and Stop Pain

Great Technique for Pushing and Punching

Throw a Stronger Punch (or Push a Car or Stroller) Using This Back Pain Reduction Technique

What Is Neutral Spine?

• Neutral Spine or Not?

Another Reader Applies Good Bending:

• Reader Success - Using Good Bending For Shoveling Snow

Random Fun Fitness Fixer:

• Another Way Exercise Helps Rheumatoid Arthritis

Labels: fix pain, posture, readers inspiring story, strength

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Fitness Fixer Reader Hall Of Fame 2009

• Stuart Wood got up and just did it, He studied and used my work, then designed several programs for children and adults to learn healthy movement not only for itself, but to use for building community works. Watch for many honorable and important projects from Stuart to come as one of my Academy appointees - Reader Gains Academy Appointment for Making Community Projects Healthy
• Stuart doesn't stop with his award, he continues with StuartShip - How To Start Healthy Movement Programs
• Alessandro Schiavone from Ravenna, Italy designed the graphic at right, for the annual World Health Awards given by my Academy of Functional Sports Medicine - First Winner - of Functional Sports Medicine Logo Design

• Fixed ankle pain and used healthy squatting, bending, and horse riding for a month rugged trek. Composer Andrea Clearfield and artist Maureen Drdak trekked a month in Nepal to record the sacred music and art of LUNG-TA, the Windhorse - Pain Free Trekking to Kingdom of Lo

• Reader Paul J shows the humor in listening to how to fix the Forward Air Head Syndrome - Doing Sets and Reps and Missing The Point of the Exercise
• Monica From Montana - Reps of Exercises Don't Fix Pain; Fixing Causes Does

• Paul J - Fast Fitness - BIPOD Reader Prescription for Healthier Feet
• Robert Davis shows good bending and points out counterproductive reliance on the exercise ball to fix pain - Fast Fitness - Better Legs and Pain Relief Comes From You Not The Exercise Ball
• Robert Davis - Fast Fitness - Double Arm Strength, Endurance, Balance, Stability, and Free Inversion Table
• David from Belgium - Your Muscles Are Your Orthotics for Arches, Knock Knee, and Knee Pain
• Paul J got ankles and balance - Reader Success With Functional Fitness Training - Stronger Ankles, Better Balance

• Robert Davis - Fixed Injuries, Got Strong, With Functional Exercise - Real Life
• Robert Davis - used healthy movement to make cleaning healthy in - Cardiovascular Cleanup
• David from Belgium demonstrates - Fast Fitness - Better Back and Leg Exercise When Vacuuming
• A Grand Rounds host takes Fitness Fixer advice. Says he was cured only when he chose to move in healthier ways. Nice since each Grand Rounds host only sees a post for a few minutes at most - Thank You Grand Rounds Vol. 5.47 - Cost Containment In Healthcare
  

• Kathy B - Reader Success - Using Good Bending For Shoveling Snow

• Robert Davis fixed back injury from lifting then discovered all the other health in good movement habits - Healthy Aging Starts Now and Healthy Aging Starts Now - Part II

• Ivy helps Merlene in - Strengthen a Neighbor, Strengthen a Community

• Reader Laraine P - Fixing Discs by Fixing Causes
• Monica in Montana - Reps of Exercises Don't Fix Pain; Fixing Causes Does

• Lisa P was told to stop running. She got out of shape but the injuries remained. She learned to stop the foot injuries, lost weight, got in shape, ran marathons, changed to healthy movement, and was able to fulfill her dream of working as a professional photographer - Physician Told Her Give Up, Fitness Fixer Made Her Able

• Lisa H - Less Pain Means a Happier Lisa

• Paul J - Moving More is Fun

• David from Belgium - Fast Fitness - Count How Many Times You Help Or Hurt Your Body Daily

• Robert Davies - Weak Hips on Purpose? Running Injury and Hip Strengthening

• Mike Benson shows how to change stretching mistakes - Pectoral (Chest) Stretch - The Most Common Mistake in the Best Shoulder Stretch
• David from Belgium, frequent contributor, made a movie and demonstrates - Push Ups with Neutral Spine
• Another helpful movie from David showing you can control your own legs - Fast Fitness - Fixing Arches, Knock Knee, and Knee Pain Without Orthotics
• Tired new parents David and wife Renilde demonstrate how to change to healthy carrying, and allowed us our first glimpse of new baby Aiko. Don't miss - Fast Fitness - How Abdominal Muscles Prevent Hyperlordosis When Carrying
• Paul J's son James J made a fun model for Readers - Neutral Spine Fun For Kids and Adults
• David from Belgium took time to make us many training videos even with firstborn daughter Aiko on the way, then continued after her arrival with this gem, called by reader Shannon Hammer, "The most charming "fitness video" I have ever seen." - Fast Fitness - Isometric Abs Training. Keep your sound/speakers on.

• Robert Davis demonstrates the one arm handstand - Fast Fitness - Double Arm Strength, Endurance, Balance, Stability, and Free Inversion Table
• Robert Davis demonstrates handstand pushups - Fast Fitness - Add Balance, Stability, and Portability to Military Press - Handstand Pushups
• Olympic wrestler Dennis shows how to change a commonly mis-used exercise - Fast Fitness - Straighten and Stretch Hip While Strengthening Core, Arms, Legs, and Balance
• My student Juan Rico shows how to change a common exercise on the ball to actually use muscles intended - Fast Friday - Oblique Core Strength and Balance on the Ball
• My student Dr. Hanley Owen demonstrates - Fast Friday - Functional Oblique Abdominal Muscle Practice - Holding Straight
• My students Dennis, Ryan, Linda, and Ginger show how to apply a targeted stretch to relieve or reduce menstrual cramps - Fast Fitness - Stretch For Menstrual Cramps
  

• Leslie, now 69 demonstrates - Fast Fitness - Better Standing Hamstring, Achilles, and Inside Leg Stretch
• Liz took and sent us photos of holding healthful ankle position when stretching, not allowing the common bad habit of overstretching the side ligaments - Fast Fitness - Develop Ankle Stability Sense While Stretching

• Robert Davis - Do Body Building and Vegan Go Together?
• Ivy from New Zealand - Healthful Real Food Tastes Good - No Commercial Health Food Needed
• The 7th grade son of readers makes a movie about it - Health Homework Becomes AntiObesity Chronic Disease Reality Check

• Lily explains and gives examples that area easy to try yourself - Fast Fitness - Pro-Social Behavior Improves Health of All

• Dr. Ernst - Headache From Head Position. He writes, "The approaches you have been advocating are often very effective, and cost nothing."
  
• Stuart Wood - Reader Gains Academy Appointment for Making Community Projects Healthy

• Jim Morris - Mr. America Appointed Academy Practitioner
• My Mom - Chairman of the Dance Party - Academy Awards - Academy of Functional Exercise Medicine Awards Leading World Health 2009
• Paul J - Academy Please Force, Think Tank, and Namer of Silly Syndromes - Forward Air Head Syndrome - Doing Sets and Reps and Missing The Point of the Exercise
• Stuart Wood Community Health Projects Steward - Reader Gains Academy Appointment for Making Community Projects Healthy

• Two great people won their fame this year and manfully allowed their stories to go next year so others could be counted now - Fellow rider BikaBill, and my old friend and fellow wild-hair Mark Lonsdale who will have his successes as frogman, marksman, and Specialized Tactical Training Unit instructor, coming soon.

• Free Wiki-DVD Project of Fitness Fixer Techniques

Anton, Alberto (farioreo), Anya, Terry Lee, Teresa, Vietanh, Dada, Caregiver Sandy, Captain Scott, Mr. Glass, Poleminx, Y, Marina, Rennie, Rene, Belly Dancer, Ted, Shannon, Dentists Plantation, BikaBill, Cockroach Catcher, jojo, JayaKrishna, MegaMom, TonyP. Sam, rania123456, meanne, Joe, Jeff, Elliott, RealMother, Hope, M.Pradeep, Kirstine, Steven, Uma, Vasudha, Laura, byte5, Sylvia, DD, Naiche, Margie, Reggie (R2_G2), SwissGraphics, Charles, Brooke, Sebastian, JH, adarrel, Ted, priyamno1, EMR, NurseLine, John, Dufbil (David), Alena, Shane, Maryk, Jilly, Ness, 4myJagiya, MountainsMan, Wondering Oriental, alkime, Anonymous, and others. Anyone else? Let me know if you should be here to thank.


Paul J wrote, "8 months Chiropractor free, so Merry Christmas to you."

Anya taught her Grandmother to fix neck pain over Skype. Watch for insightful, smart, strong, stories from Anya to come next year. Anya reminds, "We are so far from knowing our limits!"

Hundreds more, too shy to put their story online, mailed me notes of the best thanks - that because of these methods, they stopped pain, they got strong, they had their lives back.



Start envisioning your success using these methods. Send me your photo sharing link with photos of what you do to fix your fitness, your well being, your life. Send in your story and you will soon be in the Fitness Fixer Hall of Fame 2010.





Related:

• New Years Resolutions for Fitness Successes - Reader Hall Of Fame 2008
• Link for all Success Stories - readers inspiring story. It will take a while to load - there are so many.
• Fast Fitness - How To Be An Inspiring Success and Send In Your Story
  

Labels: award, fix pain, hockey, International Academy of Functional Sports Medicine, readers inspiring story, spirit

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