The Body & Movement

No More Sexy Hip Sway When Walking!!!

Plank in Bryce Canyon. Plank is one way to strengthen your glute medius and prevent a sexy hip sway!

I just read an article online that was coaching women on the proper way to sway our hips to appeal to men when walking. Apparently, you can’t over-do the sway too much or it will look like you’re trying too hard; it’s got to be subtle and look natural. The writer suggested throwing on a pair of high heels and just letting the sway come naturally. Then they posted a video of two women walking in heels, hips swaying and described it as the “RIGHT way to walk.” The Pilates instructor wanted to cry a little.

I get it. We want to be sexy. And maybe no one cares about proper walking mechanics and why women shouldn’t try to sway their hips. But just in case, here is why you should care. Walking properly, with a neutral pelvis, can help keep your joints safer […]

No More Sexy Hip Sway When Walking!!!Maggie Downie2018-04-06T08:47:13-04:00

Is Exercise Killing Me?

Last week I was frustrated by an article headline I saw somewhere on the Internet. It read “Is Exercise Killing You?” The topic of this new study on exercise was also discussed (thankfully very responsibly) on The View.

So, is exercise killing you? The article I actually found on the topic published in the New York Times was called: “For Some, Exercise May Increase Heart Risk.” A much less fear mongering header which always makes me happy.

The answer is a resounding NO. Exercise is not killing people. The study currently getting a lot of attention found that for 90% of the population exercise has benefits for the heart, lungs and body. But it turns out that for 10% of the population exercise may increase blood pressure and cholesterol. There was no shown increased risk of heart attack of this small group of the population.

I hope the article doesn’t give people an excuse not to exercise. “What if I’m one of the ten percent?” The best thing to do is to get a baseline from your doctor before starting an exercise program. And check in a few months later to compare. Exercise […]

Is Exercise Killing Me?Maggie Downie2017-10-25T15:49:54-04:00

Tight Hamstrings?

Most of us think we have tight hamstrings.

But here is a little something about a hamstring stretch. We sort of have a tendency to accidentally cheat and stretch our back in addition to our hamstrings. And sometimes we are even stretching the back and barely getting to the hamstrings. If you have long arms or a long torso it’s a little easier to get to your toes. If you have long legs and shorter arms it’s going to be harder. So the reach to the toes, while an easy standard, can be a bit deceptive. If I only stretch my hamstrings as far as they can go without curling forward in my back, I can’t touch my toes.

Tight Hamstrings?Maggie Downie2017-10-25T15:49:54-04:00

The Psoas

There are so many people who have written about this muscle better than I can, so think of this post as trying to entice you to read more…

The “p” is silent and you pronounce this very fascinating muscle so-as. So, as in, so what? Well here is what makes the psoas so interesting and why you should know about it.

A few months ago I went to a workshop lead by Liz Koch who has devoted her life to the psoas muscle. One of her most interesting descriptions of the psoas was that it is the filet mignon muscle. She said that chefs will tell you it looks and tastes different and that is has a different color than any other muscle in the body. She claims that in most people’s body, the psoas looks less like filet mignon and more like beef jerky.

I don’t know whether or not that is true, but the visual is pretty poignant. If you went to a nice restaurant and ordered filet mignon and got beef jerky, you’d be […]

The PsoasMaggie Downie2017-10-25T15:49:55-04:00

Workout Schedule

If you’re finding it tough to fit in your workouts, maybe you should consider creating a schedule. You can do this for each week, so you know what’s coming. Sometimes planning for a month is a lot to take in. One week at a time is something we can all commit to. Think of making time to work out as important as a meeting you have planned. If you only have twenty minutes one day that is okay. Use that time to walk or do a few stretches.

Here are a few tips to help you stick to your schedule:

• Pick a type of movement you like, even if you wouldn’t normally think of it as exercise.
• Have variety in your workout.
• Schedule it at time that will work for you. If you aren’t an early riser maybe it’s better for you to plan workouts at the end of your day.
• Ask a friend to join you for two or three of your workouts. Working out with groups helps the time go […]

Workout ScheduleMaggie Downie2017-10-25T15:49:55-04:00