Thursday, November 6, 2014

Good to know yoga therapy / Joint Freeing Series



Last month in yoga teacher training, we learned a series of stretches designed by Mukunda Stiles called "joint freeing series." Our master teacher encouraged us to practice the series every day for 30 days. I've done just that (ok...confession...I've missed four days) and I can already tell a difference in the way my ankles, hips and shoulders feel! My range of motion has improved, and my body actually craves these movements now.

When was the last time you rotated your ankles in one direction six times? And reversed the rotation, going the other way six times? How about your wrists, my phone/computer loving friends? Our joints were meant to move in many directions and need that movement to remain supple and lubricated with synovial fluid. These simple exercises are also a great way to practice breathing with movements - inhaling as you open, exhaling as you close.
 
The movements in this series are simple and even though some might seem challenging at first, they do get easier with practice! The sequence takes about 10 minutes to complete and is so good for freeing your joints, making you more flexible, increasing range of motion, and circulating your sweet energy. Come on, give your joints 10 minutes a day...

9 comments:

Lizzie said...

This is fabulous, Deb. I really need to get started on yoga practice again - it's been too long and I need it very much! This would be a great start for me - I have saved a copy and will Try!

I may also show it to my mum and see if some of those exercises could be helpful to her - as she has arthritis and problems related to polio, which means her mobility is becoming very poor. If she doesn't walk several times a day, she begins to sieze up and to fall about when she tries to walk - obviously a worry to all of us. These might be so helpful to her, over the winter months especially.
I don't suppose that it's possible to see the Level 1 exercises (which the text says are designed for those in my mother's situation)?

Thank you so much for sharing this!

Deb @ PaperTurtle said...

Thanks so much for your comment, Lizzie. I'm not sure about a specific instruction sheet for "level 1" but I do know that these exercises are designed to be practiced even by people with very limited mobility. Obviously, some of the poses would not be possible in your mother's case, but choosing the ones she can do while sitting in a chair or even lying down would be of great benefit to her.

Sian said...

This is definitely something everyone should know! We do joint freeing exercises in Pilates and I'm constantly telling J that he should be doing them too. A good post.

Susi said...

Thanks for sharing Deb. I'm sure my joints will thank you! I'm sharing these with my sister as she seems to be having a few issues with her joints lately.

Karen said...

Thanks so much! I know I'll use this. I'm going to take one copy to the gym and attach it to my workout to do at the end when I'm stretching.

Fiona@Staring at the Sea said...

A great set of exercises Deb. It's definitely a use it or lose it scenario. Like Sian, I do a few that I learnt in pilates class and one that I was taught after a car accident, nearly 15 years ago.

Ruth said...

I like the sound of joint freeing! I'm another who will showing her mum the exercises.

Beverly said...

My joints could definitely use some freeing. Cold weather moving in has the arthritis making itself known. Thanks for the links!

Anonymous said...

What an excellent post Deb and something I really need to do - this morning everything seems totally stiff. Thanks for including those sheets!

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