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#healthyliving #holistic #nutrition Somatic Breathwork and Play: How to Be Mindful With a Smile

somatic breathwork

Somatic breathwork, despite how it may sound, is not technical or complicated. In fact, if you’ve ever done a breathwork session with me at Lindywell, you’ve already done it! 

At Lindywell, we consider somatic breathwork a conscious form of breathing that is intended to help you experience being in your body. It teaches you to breathe fully, oxygenate your body, and become aware of your senses. Somatic breathwork helps shift your mental state while allowing you to return to full and healthy breath. 

For example, if I encourage you to sink into the seat below you as you take a deep breath, feeling your body relax into that support, we’re not just breathing, we’re altering our physical state.

This way of breathing is so important because the connection between the breath and the body is powerful. Here’s the thing though: powerful doesn’t have to mean serious. 

In fact, what I want to talk about today is how we can use somatic breathwork to be more playful! Let’s talk about how you can connect play and somatic breathwork, why this connection can be even more beneficial for your body and mind, and, most importantly, a few ways to try it for yourself. 

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Breathwork and Play: What’s the Connection?

All breathwork, somatic or otherwise, can be playful. Think back to when you were a child. As children, you were likely playful with your breath in ways you might not even recognize:

  • Blowing out birthday candles
  • Blowing a pinwheel
  • Blowing bubbles
  • Blowing the fluffy head of a dandelion
  • Sniffing cookies freshly baked

All of these activities brought a deep sense of joy and satisfaction—and were also innately playful. I want you to take a moment right now to think about one of these memories for you. Take a deep breath and imagine you’re back in that moment. 

As you do this, notice how your body feels. You might immediately be transported back to your childhood home with your parents baking in the kitchen, or running around your yard blowing bubbles with your siblings. 

Your senses are heightened like you’re there again. In this moment of nostalgia, you feel more relaxed, you may even have a smile on your face. That right there, is why playful breathwork is important.

The Connection Between Play and Calm

It’s time to let go of what breathwork should look like, and embrace the fun of it! When you do this, you not only experience the nervous system regulation benefits of breathwork (you feel less anxious and stressed, your body is able to function better—hello, deeper sleep and improved digestion—and so much more), but you get to enjoy the benefits of play too, which include:

  • Better management of difficult emotions like grief.
  • Improved brain functioning. 
  • Increased resilience and self-confidence.
  • Greater sense of optimism and overall life satisfaction.
  • Improved function of most hormones in the body
  • Reduced heart rate and glucose levels.
  • Better balance, posture, and bone health.

So much of your life can improve by simply having a little fun with your breath—so let’s get into how you can do that. 

How to Make Somatic Breathwork Playful

Bringing back the playfulness of childhood through breathwork is actually really simple. You just have to be willing to have a little fun! Here are two exercises to start with. The first is down-regulating, meaning to calm the body down. The second is up-regulating, which means to increase energy. Yes, both may feel silly—and yes, THAT is the point!

First: Lion’s Breath 

This style of breathwork alleviates feelings of stress and anxiety, increases cognitive function, and boosts lung capacity. 

Find a comfortable place to sit, close your eyes, and take three deep breaths in and out to slow down and come into this space and your body. Now, inhale slowly through your nose, feeling your belly expand as you fill your lungs with air. There’s that soma (body) connection. 

Now it’s time for Lion’s Breath: after inhaling slowly, exhale forcefully through your mouth while looking up at the exhale. As you do, release the breath with a powerful “ha” or “hah” sound from the back of your throat, creating a roaring or lion-like sound. Stick out your tongue as far as you can, making it feel alive and active.

Repeat this for 3 minutes to start and go longer if necessary.

Second: Breath of Fire 

This style of breathwork gives you an energy boost through rapid exhalations. As you prepare, engage your core by drawing your belly button in towards your spine. This will provide support and stability during the practice.

Take a deep breath in, and on the next exhale, forcefully and quickly contract your abdominal muscles to push the air out through your nose. The inhale will happen passively as your abdomen relaxes. It should be quick and automatic, without conscious effort. The focus should be on the forceful exhale.

When doing this, try to maintain a consistent and continuous rhythm. Remember, though, that the speed of the breath should be moderate and comfortable, without straining or gasping for air. Follow your body and what feels best for you.

Repeat this for 30 seconds to up to 10 minutes depending on how comfortable this is for you and your level of experience.

How to Bring Play to Your Daily Breathwork Session

While both of the previous practices are supportive (and fun!), you can make your everyday breathwork more playful too. Here are a few simple ways to do that. 

Choose a Fun Visualization 

Pretend you have a plate of cookies, your favorite food, or a gorgeous flower in front of you. Spend 30 seconds visualizing this item to the point where you start to smell it. This happens because the experience of visualization turns on your olfactory response (the sensation of smell) and your mouth starts to salivate. Crazy, right?

Get creative with what you visualize, but try to get it so clear that you can truly inhale the scent. Enjoy the feeling of calm and happiness that washes over you as you do it.

Use a Hoberman Sphere

This kid’s toy, first invented in 1995, is actually a great breathwork tool! Not only is it fun and playful, but it can increase mindfulness during breathwork. You can use this as an adult to bring more fun and intention to your breathwork session, but it’s also great to share with little ones to model how belly breathing works. Expand and contract the ball as you breathe in and out, just as your belly expands with airflow in and contracts with airflow out.

Try Shape Breathing

This simple somatic breathwork exercise is done by tracing shapes in the air (a heart, a cloud, the outline of a building, anything!) and letting your breath follow as you do. For example, if I trace the shape of a heart, I may inhale on one side and exhale on the other.

It’s fun and playful, and, as a bonus, it helps you bring even more attention to your breath. This is another good one to do with kiddos and something they can do no matter where they are.  

Breathwork Can Be Playful

You might think of breathwork as being serious—and it can be. It requires us to slow down and focus. That doesn’t mean you can’t have fun with it, though! Even more importantly, when you do make it playful, there are more mind-body benefits for you to experience. 

Take your somatic breathwork to a new level and play with these different exercises. You may just find you walk away with a smile on your face and lightness in your step—just like when you were a kid! If you’re still looking for some breathwork guidance, join us for Exhale Hour in July, where we’ll be focused on making breathwork FUN!

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#healthyliving #holistic #nutrition 5 Reasons to Make Play a Daily Habit as an Adult 

daily habit

Here at Lindywell, we’ve been focusing on turning play into a daily habit, both on and off the Pilates mat. What I’ve found is that taking time for play is about so much more than just having fun—it’s an essential component of my mental and physical health.

As adults, however, it can be difficult to integrate play into our normal routines. If you’re anything like me, you have a full schedule of commitments and priorities that need your attention. The good news is, you don’t have to carve out hours each day to leverage the many benefits of play. In fact, you may not even need to add anything extra at all.

Here are five reasons to turn this childhood pastime into a daily habit, plus a few tips for how to do it.

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1. Play for Mental Health

Mental health struggles can feel unavoidable sometimes. Our world is hectic and our lives are busy! This is why play is so needed—it might even help you restore the balance you’ve been craving in your life.

During COVID-19, 200 respondents in quarantine were asked to track their mood states. According to the research, those who prioritized leisure activities (I.E. things that they participate in voluntarily for fun) were more mentally adaptable and resilient in the face of pandemic stress. Those people were also less vulnerable to depression, anxiety, and loneliness, and they reported higher overall life satisfaction. 

Even in hard circumstances, play can be the natural mood lifter you need to help sustain mental and emotional wellness.  

Your New Daily Habit: Shift your perception of “play.” What I mean is, everyday activities like working out, making dinner, or listening to music in the car can be playful if you choose to make them so. Pick a workout that you love, try a new recipe for dinner, or put on your favorite music from high school to turn these everyday activities into outlets for play.

2. Play for Productivity

Productivity is often the name of the game, whether you’re cleaning the yard or working at an office. Surprisingly, play can be a key element in helping you be more productive. Office workers who played a team video game for 45 minutes were 20 percent more efficient and productive when returning to their tasks. This playtime activity emphasized collaboration and enjoyment, and the results paid off. 

Team members also improved in their cohesion, problem-solving, communication, goal orientation, motivation, and creative thinking. Plus they had to make time to focus and process information quickly, all of which boosts brain function.

Your New Daily Habit: Take play breaks in between productive chunks of your day. Go for a walk, dance around the house, or play with your pet. I love to BLANK on busy days—and I always come back feeling refreshed and ready to jump back in.

3. Play for Your Relationships

It’s not a coincidence that young children who play together often become close friends. This phenomenon isn’t true of just children either. Play is a way to build healthy adult relationships too, no matter your stage of life

A group of adults (45 years or older), who played together for 10 consecutive weeks, had a  noticeable improvement in their relationships with one another. They reported feeling more emotionally attuned, cooperative, altruistic, trusting, and empathetic toward one another—so cool! 

They also felt encouraged to be authentic without any fear of judgment. That’s because shared play can reinforce secure community bonds. So powerful, and yet so simple.

Your New Daily Habit: Prioritize opportunities for play and fun in your relationships with romantic partners, family, and friends. Maybe you put away the phones and try playing a card game while waiting at a restaurant or play charades while catching up with your friends. These small changes can make a big difference in how you connect with the people around you. 

4. Play for Self-Confidence

Confidence doesn’t have to come from loving how you look in the mirror or being the smartest one in the room. Play can actually give your confidence a surprising boost. That’s because fun activities can nurture a sense of personal worth and value, increase feelings of competence and self-efficacy, and create more meaning in life. 

Here’s the trick with this one: your chosen form of play must be enjoyable, stimulating, active, and intentional in order to count as a confidence booster, according to the research. In other words, binging your favorite TV show won’t do the trick. Play that boosts your confidence should immerse both the brain and body. 

Your New Daily Habit: A great way to gain this confidence is to make your daily movement more playful. While I think most Pilates workouts (okay, maybe all!) are fun, we have a few Lindywell workouts specifically designed to be fun, like Mood Boosting Pilates

Start your free 14-day Lindywell trial or log in to get instant access to this plus 275+ more workouts, hundreds of anti-inflammatory (and fun!) recipes, and guided breathwork sessions. 

5. Play for a Vibrant and Energetic Sense of Self

To quote George Bernard Shaw, “We don’t stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we stop playing.” I love this quote because, even though he spoke those words almost a century ago, his point is still so relevant today.

A playful, imaginative attitude will keep you vibrant, energetic, and full of wonder. If you’ve ever watched a child, you know exactly what I’m talking about here. This not only feels great, but it also supports overall health and can even increase predictors of longevity. 

Adults (over age 59) who prioritize active recreation on a regular basis have more efficient metabolisms and more expendable energy, which lowers their risk of cardiovascular disease or cancer mortality. Illness prevention that’s also fun? Count us in!

Your New Daily Habit: Find ways to play that you truly enjoy—rather than letting it be another item on your to-do list. This will help you stay consistent with play so you can reap the benefits well into your 50s, 60s, and 70s and beyond. This is an important part of aging intentionally and loving the journey of it.

Play Is the Daily Habit Your Schedule Has Been Missing

Making play a daily habit can be as simple as turning things like dinner, a workout, or your drive to work into a playful moment. You don’t necessarily need more time—you just need to be intentional about what you do with your time and how playful you make it!

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#healthyliving #holistic #nutrition Play Away the Stress: How to Calm Your Nervous System with Fun

how to calm your nervous system

If you search “how to calm your nervous system” in Google you’ll find hundreds of options—and I’m very intentional about how I do this too. It’s something we talk about all the time at Lindywell.

A favorite of mine, though, is play. It’s one of the most overlooked ways to stay well. It’s easy to play as a child, but as adults, it often becomes a lot more challenging and many of us don’t know how to play anymore.

What’s more, we don’t make the time for it. This is why I devoted an entire chapter in my book, Well to the Core, to play. What most of us need to do to actually make time for play. In our hyper-productive culture, the simple act of having fun usually takes a backseat to other more pragmatic commitments on the schedule.

This is probably one of the many reasons why our mental and emotional burnout continues to rise. In today’s culture, our nervous systems are totally out of balance, which means we’re anything but happy and calm.

Being in this state of burnout consistently can lead to chronic stress, anxiety, and depression. It can also manifest physically in digestive issues, trouble with sleep, heart conditions and so much more.

This is why we need to play now, more than ever before. Play can help to: 

  • Calm the nervous system
  • Relieve the impacts of stress
  • Restore a feeling of balance
  • Lift your overall mood. 

Plus, it might even encourage you to spend more time doing other things that make you happy!

Let’s explore the science behind the health benefits of play, and then talk about how to have more fun as an adult. 

The Many Health Benefits of Play

Knowing how to calm your nervous system will impact every area of your life: mental, emotional, physical and spiritual. That’s why play is such an important tool; it helps you create joy, calm, and balance in all of these areas. 

Playfulness is associated with being in a flow state, which is when your brain is fully immersed in a certain activity. I feel this when I’m doing Pilates or doing Pilates or playing a game that requires all of my attention, like pickle ball or tennis—I’m completely immersed in that moment. 

Being in this flow state can release dopamine, the happy hormone that activates pleasure and stimulates a feeling of reward. As the brain enters what is referred to as a “dopaminergic flow state,” your nervous system begins to calm down, reducing stress levels, increasing a sense of calm, and likely, making you feel happier and more balanced.

Here are a few ways that play can impact specific areas of your health.

Mental and Physical Health

Researchers have found that leisure (which refers to voluntary, enjoyable non-work activities, such as hobbies, arts, volunteering, community group membership, sports, and socializing) impacts almost every area of our mental and physical health. It can:

  • Support emotional regulation and changes in mood.
  • Improve management of challenging emotions like grief.
  • Support overall brain functioning. 
  • Increase resilience, self-confidence, and self talk.
  • Boosts optimism, personal growth and overall life satisfaction.
  • Improves function and levels of most hormones in the body
  • Reduced heart rate, hypertension and glucose levels.
  • Improves balance, posture and bone health.

Stress Relief

During the COVID-19 lockdown, playfulness actually became a vital coping mechanism for many people to increase resilience, seek pleasure, and soothe mental and emotional distress. Since it’s both adaptable and flexible, sharing playful moments on social media networks also helped form cross-cultural and -generational connections. 

Even in the most stressful times, play can boost morale, creativity, motivation, and self-efficacy.

Emotional Health

A study on adults with Type-1 Diabetes found that play made it easier for them to cope with the effects of their chronic illness. Participants also reported healthier emotional regulation and positive mood states. Psychiatrists reported similar results from play. Even with their high-pressure jobs, clinicians who prioritized fun had less perceived stress and more life satisfaction in general. 

How to Make Time for Fun

You might be thinking: this sounds amazing, but I don’t have time to play. I get it, I’m not immune to that feeling either! One thing I’ve learned, however, is that we can make time for play by broadening our lens of what it actually means. 

As kids, play meant running around with friends or pulling out a board game. As adults, these can be fun things to do as well—but we can create that sense of play in activities that give us all those amazing benefits but also fit our adult lifestyle.

The good news is, you may find you are already playing and can simply shift your perception around what you’re doing or the intentionality behind it. For example, a workout can be just a workout, or it can be a chance to feel great in your body, have fun, and tap into that sense of child-like joy. 

Movement as Play

As adults, we often associate movement with boring or repetitive exercise, but it doesn’t have to be. In fact, we have many workouts in the Lindywell app, like Joyful Movement, specifically designed to make your time on the mat even more fun and playful. 

Whether you do that workout or another one of our 300+ available, Pilates is a great way to calm your nervous system, enjoy fitness, and build strength all at the same time! If you’re not a Lindywell member yet, sign up for a 14-day free trial and see how playful and fun it can be.

Other forms of movement can be just as playful too, from hiking to riding a bike. You get to make it fun by laughing along the way with a friend or checking out a new trail.

Creativity as Play

You don’t have to be a prolific artist to have fun unleashing your creativity. It can be fun to paint, draw, take photos, create a collage or just make something with your hands—even if the final product isn’t “perfect.” What’s more, this creative time can also

  • Reinforce positive emotions
  • Increase a sense of well-being
  • Reduce perceived stress. 

Remember, there are so many artistic or creative outlets to choose from. If you’re not sure where to start, we’ll be hosting a LIVE Sunday Setup workshop where play expert Kara Latta will be leading us through a live, interactive experience to help us all recover our playful, creative selves. Register for the FREE play workshop with me and Kara here at Lindywell.com/play!

Games as Play

Of course, we know games are fun—but do you make time for them as an adult? Make games more fun for this stage of life by hosting a game night for your friend group. You can also take some time to enjoy a puzzle or board game with your partner or relish some alone time with a few rounds of Solitaire. 

Whichever option sounds fun to you, all games lend themselves to play. It’s hard not to smile (and slip into that flow state) when you’re immersed in lively competition, with yourself or others. 

Even better, games promote healthy brain function and stress management, while also reducing levels of anxiety or depression. So swap out your favorite Netflix show for Scrabble or Uno a few times a month.

How to Calm Your Nervous System? Play!

In a hectic world where stress lurks around every corner, the intentional act of reclaiming play is restorative in every way. It not only calms your nervous system, but you’ll also notice improvements in your mental, emotional, physical, and social well-being. My guess is you’ll feel lighter from the inside out as you play that stress away, and that’s exactly what we want!

To learn more about how play can positively impact your health and to discover a sustainable and enjoyable roadmap to better mental and physical health, be sure to pre-order my new book Well to the Core.

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#getfit #holistic #nutrition FNLD GRVL Review – The Forest Route, 2023

Read this post FNLD GRVL Review – The Forest Route, 2023 on keep it simpElle.

I feel slightly spoilt that my first experience racing* gravel, was in such a beautiful location and at such an epic event – the inaugural FNLD GRVL in June 2023. *I feel racing is a strong word for my participation…

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#getfit #holistic #nutrition Trail Running In Chamonix Mont Blanc For First Timers

Read this post Trail Running In Chamonix, Mont Blanc For First Timers on keep it simpElle.

I’m sure if you’ve been running for a while, you’ll have noticed the growing popularity of trail running and also trail running in Chamonix. Personally, I haven’t covered much ground trail running with the exception of Love Trails Festival back…

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#getfit #holistic #nutrition Planning Your Switzerland Cycling Holiday

Read this post Planning Your Switzerland Cycling Holiday on keep it simpElle.

When thinking of all the places I wanted to fly away to and ride, a Switzerland cycling holiday honestly never crossed my mind. The first place most cyclists will suggest as the best place to cycle in Europe is Mallorca….

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#healthyliving #holistic #nutrition How to Unlock Your Inner Child Through Play

July is here and that means it is time to have some fun. Every July we break out of our routines, let go, and focus on play. This year we have a special guest to join us and guide us as we play. 

Kara Latta is the Chief Fun Officer at The Playful Warrior and today we chat about the positive impact that play has on our mental and physical health. We’ll learn about the neuroscience behind incorporating play into our daily routine and you’ll discover how you can incorporate fun into your life each day. 

Make sure to stick around until the end of the episode to hear how you can join all of us at Lindywell for a play-filled workshop.

You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in…

  • What Kara does at The Playful Warrior [1:22]
  • What inspired Kara to create The Playful Warrior [6:04]
  • What your inner child really is [10:30]
  • Roadblocks to play [13:00]
  • How she got back into play [16:39]
  • What playful resilience is [17:58]
  • Play rewires your brain [24:44]
  • How to navigate play through the hard seasons of life [30:48]
  • What play looks like in Kara’s daily life [32:17]
  • How community is an important part of play [35:51]
  • What to expect in the live workshop on Sunday, July 16 [38:50]

How Kara became a Playful Warrior

In 2019 Kara experienced a dark night of the soul. She suffered from health issues, lost her job, and ended a long-term relationship. Therapy helped her work through codependency issues and abandonment wounds. However, it was only when she began to incorporate the power of play into her life that she began to fully heal. 

Today Kara helps people connect with their inner child through the power of play. In her healing journey, she realized that she could overcome perfectionism and self-doubt and to become the playful creative self that she didn’t even realize she could be. 

This healing journey led her to become a play and mindset coach. At The Playful Warrior Kara offers a safe space for others to express themselves without judgment through play. Kara connects adults to their innate creativity and offers fun and joy in the true spirit of play.

What play can mean for your life

When Kara’s therapist first brought up the subject of play therapy she wondered what that would mean for an adult. How does an adult play? 

She felt so disconnected from her childhood self that she had to research what it could mean to play. The more she researched, the more she learned about the science of play. Kara discovered that play is actually important for brain health and mental well-being. 

While play still isn’t valued in society, it helps people reconnect with their curiosity, bring spontaneity, and navigate challenging situations. Neuroscience has shown that play can even improve physical health and brain function. 

As a natural perfectionist, she thought about the outcomes of play, but the more she got into the true nature of play she realized that playing is not about the outcomes or proving her worth, it is about enjoying the present moment. This freedom of expression changed her relationships and her life.

Are you ready to play?

Join us for a live workshop with Kara Latta, The Playful Warrior, via Zoom on Sunday, July 16. Kara will lead us through interactive playful exercises offered in a safe space. Come have fun simply for the sake of having fun.

Resources & People Mentioned

  • Register here for our FREE play workshop with Kara Latta on July 16 at 4 pm PDT

Connect with Kara Latta

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#healthyliving #holistic #nutrition How to own your habits so your habits dont own you with Sandra Chuma

If you have been trying to incorporate more exercise into your life you know exactly how challenging it can be to build the habit. Our habits make us who we are, so it’s important to intentionally cultivate good habits.

Our guest today is Sandra Chuma, a coach and certified habit-building expert. In this episode, she answers some of the most frequent questions I get surrounding habits: how to create habits that stick, how to break bad habits, and how many habits we should work on building at once. 

Sandra provides us with a number of practical tips that we can implement today. Press play to discover her wealth of inspiration and knowledge.

You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in…

  • How Sandra got into coaching [3:42]
  • How to know where to start [8:33] 
  • How many habits to crate at one time [20:05]
  • How to stop bad habits [27:40]
  • Breathwork hour [37:52]
  • What people forget about building habits [42:22]

Sandra Chuma helps others build an extraordinary life

Sandra Chuma is a repeat guest. We discussed habits on episode 74 and she had such great advice that I knew I had to have her back on the show. Sandra is a coach, a mentor, a serial entrepreneur, a podcaster, and a documentarian. 

She became an expert on habits after reading Dr. BJ Fogg’s book, Tiny Habits. Since his book so inspired her, she was motivated to learn more. That’s when she studied with Dr. Fogg to become a certified habit coach so that she could share what she was learning with others. 

Her passion is helping people step into their greatest version of themselves. Her goal is to help others create an extraordinary life for themselves. 

How do we know where to start?

When people decide to build a new habit they sometimes feel that they must go big or go home. They go all in to achieve the best results. However, the truth is, habits are cumulative. Starting small and sticking to it will actually yield greater results than trying to overdo it and stopping a few months later. 

To understand how behaviors are created you can use the Fogg behavior model with the acronym MAP.

  • M is for motivation – Your motivation is what drives you to create the habit. While it is important to have motivation to get started, solely relying on your motivation will ultimately end in failure.
  • A is for action – Make it as easy as possible for yourself to take action. Give yourself as little friction as possible. See how you can make your habit easy to do. Is it something that can be done in five or ten minutes? Small changes can yield mighty results
  • P is for prompt – Look for a cue or trigger that will prompt you to do the habit you are trying to build. Should you build your habit as soon as you wake up? Should you put a reminder on your phone? No behavior happens without a prompt or trigger. 

It is also important to acknowledge your efforts. Celebrate your wins and your milestones. Reinforce the good you are doing with a small celebration. This is another way to train your mind. 

How many habits to create at one time

When we get started creating new habits we may tend to overdo it. Rather than chasing too many things, consider dialing in on one particular habit that could be a lynchpin for the rest of your life. By finding that keystone habit to focus on, it could lead you to make better choices throughout your day. 
Sandra asks herself three questions each day. Want to know what they are? Listen in! When you’re done listening to this episode take a screenshot and tag us @WeAreLindywell and @Sandra.Chuma!

What habit are you going to start building today? 

Resources & People Mentioned

Connect with Sandra Chuma

Follow Lindywell

Join Lindywell

Subscribe to The Balanced Life

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#holistic #getfit #nutrition How to Train if You Have an Injury (7 Steps)

There’s no gentle way to say this – training with injuries SUCKS!

The most important thing you can do now is to let yourself heal.

However, depending on your injury, there might be quite a few ways to stay active while also recovering.

We do this all the time in our Online Coaching Program. We’ll build workouts for clients who are dealing with pre-existing injuries, so they can make the most of their recovery time.

Today, we’ll share these same tips with you.



Here’s what we’ll cover:

REAL QUICK: If you’re worried about hurting yourself while lifting, I would encourage you to check out our guide, Strength Training 101: Everything You Need to Know. We cover all you need to begin a strength training practice, from equipment, starting weight recommendations, and proper form techniques to prevent injuries. You can grab it for free when you join the Rebellion below!

NOTE: I am not a doctor (in fact, I’m not even wearing pants right now). You should really seek medical attention for any injury you receive. 

Step 1: Preventing Injuries in the First Place (Warming-Up)

LEGO Rugby players in action.

Now, it should go without saying: the best way to handle an injury is to prevent it in the first place.

So always start your training with a dynamic warm-up.

Studies have shown that a brief warm-up before your workout can help prevent injuries.[1]

Here’s why:

You can think of your muscles like rubber bands:

Your muscles are kind of like this.

Should you start your workout by immediately lifting heavy weights or sprinting really fast, those cold, unstretched rubber bands can get pulled apart very quickly. They can then get snapped or pulled out of shape.

Ouch.

That’s why every workout should start with a warm-up.

We are such big believers of this, that when we program workouts through our Online Coaching Program, we ALWAYS kick it off with a warm-up. It’s one of the tools in our kit to help clients stay injury-free.



What’s that? You don’t know how to warm up?

No prob.

Here’s a beginner warm-up routine you can try:

If you want more, check out The 15 Best Warm-Up Exercises & Routines to Prevent Injury.

Step 2: When Should I See a Doctor After an Injury?

As Coach Jim mentions in the video above, the FIRST thing to do after an injury is to seek a professional.

All the internet advice in the world won’t take the place of a single session with a doctor or physical therapist.

After you get hurt, really the best thing you can do is have the injury examined by someone who knows what they’re doing.

I will say, that not all doctors are created equal…

The Doctor saying "Let's not get the law involved."

…but that’s not another article. 

Next, we need to get your headspace in proper order (even if you don’t have a head injury)

Step 3: How to Mentally Deal With Injuries

clown lego minifigures toy on white background .

The SECOND thing to do right after an injury: realize it’s going to affect you mentally…just as much, if not more than physically.

So be prepared!

There are numerous studies showing the different negative emotional reactions that people have when injured.[2]

But just from the School of the Obvious – if you’ve ever had an injury – you know how it puts you in a bad mood.

We've all felt like this..minus the pizza maybe.

What may help, is recognizing and reframing negative thoughts, like with some quiet meditation or journaling. Or even seeing a therapist or sports psychologist

Just make sure you don’t overlook the mental aspects of recovery.

Step 4: Testing Movement Around the Injury

After you’ve seen a doctor and prepared for the mental battle ahead, I want you to test all movements.

And by test, I mean work through as much of the range of motion of an exercise as possible with zero additional resistance and without feeling any pain.

Arm circles like so are a great way to get your heart rate up before doing HIIT.

That means if your shoulder bothers you, just see if you can extend your arms all the way above your head. Do this before you even consider doing a push press or shoulder press.

After that, make sure to test movements that you don’t suspect will be a problem.

A shoulder injury could very well make box jump sessions impossible, due to the arm swing involved in the movement.

Be careful on your box jump! But it is a bodyweight exercise.

Try out each movement cautiously!

Something to keep in mind: just because you have pain with a push movement, does not necessarily mean you will have pain with a pull movement.

I have had a shoulder injury where dips and push-ups were out of the question…but pull-ups were fine.

And that is why you should test all movements – you may have more training options than you expect. Then again, your injury may limit movement more than you realize.

Last time I’m going to say it – test.

Step 5: How to Make the Most Of Your Recovery (Sleep and Nutrition)

Next, rest.

And by rest, I mean completely stop doing movements that cause you pain until you are healed.

If you feel any pain during your test (especially joint pain), then you should abandon that movement until the injury heals.

You cannot “suck it up” and just grind through joint pain without hindering healing at best…

Peter holding his shin in pain

…and causing further damage at worst.

Along with rest, a recovery regimen to accelerate healing should be considered. Ideally, this would be done under the care of a physician. I have been to the doc for injuries in the past and have found that those that use “Sports” in the title of their practice (Sports Medicine, Sports Therapy) do their damnedest to keep you active.

Here are two often overlooked components of recovery:

  1. Sleep
  2. Nutrition

Sleep and nutrition are always important when it comes to fitness. But for the swiftest recovery from an injury, you need to get your food intake and sleep schedule dialed in extra tight.

If you want to do everything within your control to sway the healing forces in your favor, be extra diligent with your sleep and eats.

Step 6: Staying Active While Injured

This runner definitely has a strong core!

If your doctor has okayed it, stay active any way you can.

This is often the opposite of what many people will do – which is to completely stop using the injured area.

We want to move pain-free, of course, but any light movement is often going to be more beneficial than just stopping movement altogether – as it gets the blood flowing through the area and helps recovery.[3]

This might mean lowering the weights used, doing an assisted or even unweighted variation of an exercise.

Like by busting out a resistance band:

Staci using a band for an assisted pull-up, a great exercise for a bodyweight circuit.

But if you can still safely move the injured area without causing added pain or setbacks – then it’s often a good idea to do so.

If that’s not an option, consider different ways to move while injured:

  • If you can’t run, how about an elliptical or stationary bike?
  • If you can’t use one leg or the other, can you work out your upper body?
  • If you can’t use one arm/shoulder, can you still do lower body exercises like lunges/squats/step-ups?
  • If you can’t do any resistance training, can you still go for walks?

Let’s dive into this point a little more.

Step 7: Getting Creative While Working Out With an Injury

My dear friend, it’s time to get creative.

When you get injured, start thinking outside of the box to find the opportunity in the obstacle.

A shoulder injury may make back squats incredibly painful. But holding the bar for a front squat instead could feel fine…

Coach Staci performing the barbell front squat

…and perhaps it just so happens that you have neglected the front squat lately.

So instead, try to look at an injury as an opportunity for you to focus on a weakness. Strengthen your weaknesses, become more well-rounded, and better equipped to deal with rigorous activity.

That’s how you become “antifragile.”

But enough of the generalities.

You want some specific recommendations on how to train around your injuries…

Here are some tips for training around common injuries:

#1) Training with Lower Back Pain

When thinking about working around back injuries, look for lower-body exercises that increase knee movement and keep oneself verticalThis often feels safer to many when navigating a tweaked back.

For your upper body, you’re free to do anything you’re comfortable with:

If it doesn’t hurt, have at it.

#2) Training with an Injured Wrist

Wrist pain is most commonly complained about when doing the traditional push-up:

Here Rebel Leader Steve shows you the classic push-up.

You might be able to alleviate this pain by using push-up bars and even (believe it or not) knuckle push-ups.

This is because you might be dealing with a flexibility issue and not an actual injury.

Front squats and power cleans done with the Olympic rack position may also lead to complaints of wrist pain.

To eliminate wrist pain in the front squat, try the more common crossed-arm rack position:

The Genie Squat is a great way to start Front Squatting!

For the power clean, concentrate on getting the bar on top of the front of your front deltoids (shoulders) – if the bar is touching your throat, you are getting there.

Here are 15 wrist mobility exercises for more help here. 

#3) How to Train with a Knee Injury

Knee pain typically comes in a fitness setting as the result of one of three things:

  1. Deep bending such as with a squat or lunge
  2. Impact that corresponds with landing from jumping.
  3. Lateral (side to side) movement, especially for participants of sports like soccer, rugby, basketball, and other “man to man” athletics.

When thinking about working around knee injuries, look for lower-body exercises that reduce the amount of knee movement and increase the amount of hip movement.

Like a kettlebell swing:

Coach Staci showing you the kettlebell swing

A properly executed swing does not involve much bending of the knee. In my experience, most people who cannot squat can handle swings without screwing up any preexisting knee conditions.

Just remember, when testing out these movements, the goal is to pick variations that put less pressure and stress on the knee joint.

#4) Can I Lift with a Hurt Elbow?

You’re out of luck on this one, unfortunately. Sorry.

Nearly any upper body exercise, push or pull, will hinder your recovery time.

Instead, focus on lower bodywork such as barbell squats, sprinting, and lunges.

This gif shows Staci doing a forward bodyweight lunge, the most basic lunge variation

#5) Can I Exercise with an Injured Ankle?

Avoid any high-impact movements with a hurt ankle.

And all that means is do not jump.

But other movements that involve more subtle ankle movement such as squats may also have to be put on the back burner as you heal. It is possible (likely?) that you may have to focus on upper body movements and use seated versions of movements such as rows and overhead presses instead of standing.

This will help let your ankle heal.

#6) What Should I Do With Shoulder and/or Hip Pain?

Sheldon with shoulder pain

Test, test, test.

These ball and socket joints can be the most unpredictable when it comes to training options.

Start slow, start light, and back off the second you feel any pain.

MOVING FORWARD WITH AN INJURY (Next Steps)

Injuries are always frustrating when they happen.

But I don’t know anyone with any significant amount of training time under their belt who hasn’t had to deal with one.

When injured:

  • Seek a medical opinion[4]
  • Be smart with your exercise selection
  • Dial-in your nutrition and sleep
  • Stay active
  • Be aware of training opportunities that you would not have considered without the injury

If you want any more help along your journey, you know we’re here for you.

Here are three ways that Nerd Fitness can help you level up.

#1) Our Online Coaching Program: a coaching program for busy people to help them make better food choices, stay accountable, and get healthier, permanently.

They can build you a custom program so you can grow strong, to hopefully prevent you from getting injured in the first place. Plus, they can do form checks to help make sure you’re doing all your training correctly. 

You can schedule a free call with our team so we can get to know you and see if our coaching program is right for you. Just click on the image below for more details:




#2) If you want a roadmap for getting in shape, check out NF Journey. Our fun habit-building app will help you exercise and eat better, all while you build your very own superhero.

Interested?

Try your free trial right here:

#3) Join the Rebellion! We need good people like you in our community, the Nerd Fitness Rebellion.

Sign up in the box below to enlist and get our Rebel Starter Kit, which includes all of our “work out at home” guides, our Strength Training 101 eBook, and much more!

Alright, I think that about does it for today’s articles.

Now, I want to hear from you!

Do you have an injury that is preventing you from training?

Do you have any tips and tricks to keep moving while still recovering?

Did you seek advice from a doctor who gave you good information?

Let us know in the comments!

-Steve

###

All photo sources can be found right here: January 27, 2009-22.05, Rugby Player, ©Rattanachai Singtrangarn/123RF.COM, Going to bed, Morning run with the FitbitBatman, Runners

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#healthyliving #holistic #nutrition A peek into my current workout routine a new strength training series

Changing seasons in life call for different kinds of workouts and adjustments to wellness routines. At Lindywell, we’re all about honoring the season you’re in, meeting your body where it is, and adjusting as necessary.

My season of life is changing which is why I want to share what I’m currently doing in my workouts, what has changed, what I’m loving, what I’m struggling with, and everything in between.

If you would like an honest look at where I am in my wellness journey, press play.

You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in…

  • Where my life has been over the past ten years [2:02]
  • How my morning routine has shifted in the last six months [6:10]
  • How I strive to challenge myself [9:40]
  • What we just released in the Lindywell app [12:30]

Adjusting workouts during the changing seasons of life

Our workouts change throughout the seasons of life. If you have been following me for a while, you know that I’ve spent the past ten years with small children at home. If you are a busy mom like me, you know exactly what that means for my self-care routine.

While I haven’t been able to revolve my life around my workouts, I have been able to consistently incorporate short workouts into my daily routine. My goal has been to work out 15 minutes each day. Anything more has been icing on the cake.

Now that my twins are almost five, I can carve out a bit more time to focus on self-care and I can actually leave the room without being called back five minutes later!

Finding quality strength training workouts on the internet is a challenge

Pilates has transformed my body and my life. While the past ten years have been challenging for exercise they have been the inspiration behind Lindywell.

I recognized just how hard it was to fit in a quality workout which is why our workouts are so efficient and effective. If I only have ten or fifteen minutes to devote to working out, I’d better make it count.

Now that I have a bit more energy and time, I decided that I wanted to add a bit of strength training to my wellness routine. Over the past six months, I have searched the internet for quality strength training workouts, but I haven’t found any guided workouts with cues that would help me prevent injury while gaining strength.

This is why I decided to make my own. My strength training videos use the philosophy of Pilates and focus on alignment and moving with precision and control so that you can add more strength training to your wellness routine.

How to access Lindywell’s new strength training videos

In addition to an introductory video, there is a series of five strength training videos now available in the Lindywell app. 

If you are over 30 that means that you are losing muscle mass each year. Pilates uses your body weight to incorporate strength training, and you can use props like our hand weights and resistance bands to add more of a strength workout to your Pilates routine. 

However, like me, you may be looking to add a bit more. If so, head on over to the app to check out the new strength training series.
Lindywell is your wellness companion. The app provides everything you need to support your goals to live a healthy, balanced life. If you still aren’t a Lindywell member, you can try it out free for 14 days.

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