YORK COUNTY, Pa. — In this week's FOX43 FitMinute Danny Amon, personal training and fitness center manager at the York JCC is going to highlight three low-impact, non-weight-bearing stretching moves specifically to help reduce soreness in the back.
"These three are going to be great if you have an existing injury or you are looking to get back into the gym or even as a warmup before workouts that you are about to do,” Amon said.
The first move is called the cat-cow position.
“You're taking your belly button towards the ground. Then we are also going to go back the other way which is the cat position. This is an easier one to conceptualize because you are just arching your back way up,” Amon said.
Next, is the bird dog.
“It can get a little confusing the first time you do it because you are going to go opposite leg to opposite arm. My left arm is going out to start then my left right leg is going to go back. You can alternate each time as you do this,” Amon said.
Lastly, is what trainers and yogis like to call threading the needle.
"Now our third stretch of this little sequence, we are going to put more rotation into it. So I'm really going to take one arm and drop it through, across my body like this. And then start laying into that, then you are just switching back the other way,” Amon said.
If you are experiencing severe back pain, be sure to consult a doctor before trying these stretches.
If pain is minor, or you are cleared by a doctor, try doing each stretch for 30 seconds with a rest period of about 20 to 30 seconds. Do this sequence three times through and remember: You just got better!
