Latest Posts (55/75)

Shoulder pain can be very disruptive to your everyday life. And shoulder injuries can be complicated, so you’ll want to understand the shoulder itself and the different possible injuries before you begin with any of our exercises for shoulder pain.

If you have ever injured or hurt your shoulder, you know that lifting grocery bags, carrying a purse or even just trying to open a door can be impossible. But I am here to help!

PLEASE NOTE: These exercises are not prescriptions specifically designed for you. Please see your doctor or physical therapist and find your specific injury and prescription for healing.

Pendulum Swing

Photo Credit: Get Healthy U

Equipment: None
Repetitions: 2 sets of 10; 5-6 days a week

Prepare your shoulder and warm it up with this move. Lean over a countertop or table, placing the non-injured hand on the table for support. Let your other arm hang freely at your side, then gently begin to swing it forward and back., side to side, and in a circular motion.

Door Jam Stretch

Photo Credit: Get Healthy U

Equipment: None
Repetitions: 5; 5-6 days a week

Stand in an open doorway and grip the hands to the side of the doorway slightly below shoulder height. Put one foot in front and one behind, then lean slightly forward until you feel a light stretch. This is the start position. Now, with your spine straight, shift your weight into your toes until you feel a stretch in your shoulders. Do not overstretch. Pause for a moment, then roll back. Repeat five times.

Chair Shoulder Press-Ups

Photo Credit: Get Healthy U

Equipment: None
Repetitions: 5; 5-6 days a week

Sit upright in a chair that has arms. Start by placing your arms on the chair arms and lengthen your spine to sit as tall as possible with your feet on the floor. Use your arms to lift your body slightly off the chair while simultaneously pulling your shoulder blades down behind you. Hold for 5 seconds, then lower back to seated. Repeat five times.

Shoulder Band Pull

Photo Credit: Get Healthy U

Equipment: Elastic Band or Tubing
Repetitions: 5-8 per arm; 4-5 days a week

Attach elastic tubing to a doorknob at home. Face the door holding the tube with your hand. Gently pull the elastic tubing toward your body with your elbow bent, keeping your arms close to your ribs. Hold for five counts, then slowly release. Keep your shoulder down, and don’t “scrunch.” Repeat five times; switch arms. (good to work both sides!)

Side-Lying External Rotation

Photo Credit: Get Healthy U

Equipment: light dumbbells
Repetitions: 8-10 per arm, 4-5 days a week

Lie on a firm, flat surface on the side of your healthy arm with a pillow or blanket under your head. Place the hand of your healthy arm under your head and hold the dumbbell in the hand of the injured arm, palm down and elbow bent 90 degrees. Raise the dumbbell slowly until the arm is at a vertical position (a pillow underneath this arm can be helpful for stability), then slowly lower down. (Switch sides if desired – it is good to work both shoulders)

Side-Lying Internal Rotation

Photo Credit: Get Healthy U

Equipment: light dumbbells (1-2 pounds) or soup cans
Repetitions: 8-10, 4-5 days a week

Lie on a firm, flat surface on the side of your injured arm with a pillow or blanket under your head. Hold the injured arm against your side, elbow bent at a 90-degree angle, and holding a dumbbell. Raise the dumbbell slowly until the arm is at a vertical position, then slowly lower down. (Switch sides if desired – it is good to work both shoulders)

Dumbbell Reverse Fly

Photo Credit: Get Healthy U

Equipment: light dumbbells (1-2 pounds) or soup cans
Repetitions: 8-10, 4-5 days a week.

Hold 3-5 pound dumbbells and stand with feet hip-width apart, hinge forward slightly from the hips keeping abs tight. Slowly raise your arms, extending them away from the body without shrugging your shoulders. Let elbows lead the way with hands follow. Release down slowly. Repeat ten times.

Wall Push-Ups

Photo Credit: Get Healthy U

Equipment: None
Repetitions: 8-10; 4-5 days a week

Stand facing a wall with your hands on the wall shoulder-width apart. Slowly perform a push-up, lowering your chest toward the wall slowly, then pressing back. Elbows should angle behind you, not point straight out to the side.

9 Tips For Joint Health | Keep Your Joints Healthy As You Age Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Keep your joints healthy is key to staying mobile and not experiencing pain as you age.  Although you may not be able to prevent all join injuries or arthritis, there are many things you can start doing today to help keep your joints healthy.

Let’s explore some common causes of joint pain and then delve into 9 keys to keeping your joints healthy and some ideas on what you can do if you’re currently experiencing joint pain.

9 Tips For Joint Health | Keep Your Joints Healthy As You Age

9 Hip-Strengthening Exercises for Seniors Photo Credit: Shutterstock

As the largest joint in your body, your hips play a central role in healthy aging. These mighty structures enable you to perform a wide range of daily activities, from standing to walking to climbing stairs. So it’s hardly surprising that hip weakness and pain can be debilitating to your everyday life which is these hip exercises for seniors should not be missed. The consequences of weak hips only get worse as you age.

9 Hip-Strengthening Exercises for Seniors

Once you’re done crushing the Job 1 + Bike 1 Super Blocks with Jennifer Jacobs, you deserve a drink.

More specifically, JJ’s special Double Chocolate Protein Smoothie, made with Chocolate Shakeology AND Beachbody Performance Chocolate Recover.

(Pro tip: Click here to learn how Recover can help your muscles bounce back after a killer workout.)

Drinking this doubly delicious shake is the perfect way to end every workout in Jennifer’s Super Blocks.

Watch her make it below!

Print The Job 1 Double Chocolate Protein Smoothie

Get a taste of Super Trainer Jennifer Jacobs’ Double Chocolate Protein Smoothie

Course Dessert, shake, Smoothie, Snack

Keyword Chocolate Recover, Chocolate Shakeology

Prep Time 5 minutes

Total Time 5 minutes

Servings 1 serving

Calories 286kcal

Ingredients

• 1 cup / 240 ml water
• 2-3 ice cubes (optional)
• 1 scoop Chocolate Shakeology
• ½ scoop Beachbody Performance Chocolate Recover
• ½ large banana, chopped, frozen

Instructions

• Place water, ice (if using), Shakeology, Recover, and banana in blender; cover. Blend until smooth; serve immediately.

Notes

Fantastic Fiber (F), Protein Power (P), Quick ‘n’ Easy (QE), Vegetarian (VG)The Nutrition Facts box below provides estimated nutritional information for this recipe.** Total Sugar 18 g, Added Sugar 5 g

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 286kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 12.5mg | Sodium: 321mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 18g

Container Equivalents
Because Beachbody Performance Recover isn’t being used as post-workout “targeted nutrition” in this recipe, it is counted in the container equivalents.

1 Purple
1½ Red

2B Mindset Plate It!This recipe makes a great breakfast.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Daily Dose Of Dense Nutrition (@shakeology)

The post Job 1 Double Chocolate Protein Smoothie appeared first on BODi.

A few sets of heavy deadlifts and RDL’s will leave your hamstrings sore and extremely tight. Tension in your hamstrings can lead to tight hip flexors, pain in your lower back, and increase your risk of injury. Stretching can help you improve your flexibility, mobility, and help with your athletic performance. We’re going to about a few hamstrings stretches to help loosen your hamstring muscles after your heavy leg day training session.

Hamstring Muscles

The hamstrings are located on the back of the thigh and stretches from your hips to your knees. The hamstrings are responsible for flexion and extension of the knee. Your hamstrings work in unison with your glutes and quadriceps, to provide adequate and fluid movement of your lower body.  

Your hamstrings are a collection of three muscles extending from your hips to the back of knees, comprised of the semitendinosus, semimembranosus, and biceps femoris muscles.

Your hamstrings cross two major joints – the hip and the knee, making them more complex than other muscle groups. Together these muscles work to bend your knees, extend the hips, and tilt your pelvis posteriorly. Hamstrings injuries are the most common sports injury, therefore stretching and strengthening your hamstrings can help prevent injuries. Some of the most common injuries are strains, tears, and contusions. These injuries often range from mild to severe, characterized by pain, inflammation, swelling, and restricted range of motion. Therefore, by adding effective hamstring stretches to your training program, can help achieve better functional movement and prevent yourself from strain or injury.

Causes Of Tight Hamstrings

Tight hamstrings can result from a variety of factors, such as poor posture, prolonged sitting, lack of warmups, muscular imbalance, muscle weakness, and poor form while exercising.

Best Hamstring Stretches 1. Inch Worms

Inch worms are a fantastic dynamic hamstring stretch. Dynamic stretches are a controlled movement which adequately preps or warms up your muscles, as opposed to a static stretch, which is achieving a certain range of motion and holding that position. Placing your hands directly in front of your toes, inch worms move from a standing position, and walk your hands no front of you until you’re in plank position. From there you reverse and walk your hands back.

How To Inch Worm

• Start standing with feet hips-width apart.
• Hinge at the hips to fold forward, reaching your palms to the floor in front of you.
• With your core braced and legs straight (but not locked), walk your hands forward to come to a high plank position.
• Pause, then reverse the movement to walk your hands back to your feet and stand to return to starting position

2. Downward Dog 

Similar to the inch worm, the down dog is a remarkable and effective hamstring stretch. Down dog is a static stretch that places the hips high and pulls the hamstrings effectively to reduce tightness in your hamstrings.

How To Downward Dog

• Start by standing with feet shoulder width apart
• Place your arms straight down in front of your toes and get on all fours in a tabletop position.
• Walk your hands out and lift hips up and back, gently straightening legs to move into downward dog.
• Bend both knees slightly, reaching your tailbone and pelvis toward the ceiling and belly button tucked
• Hold for 10 seconds, trying to lift and set your heel all the way on the ground

3. Standing Hamstring Scoop

A dynamic stretch, the standing hamstring scoop is a great warm up stretch before heavy lifting or a sweat infused high-intensity interval workout. The hamstring scoop places tension on your hamstrings and is a great stretch to loosen your hamstrings before exercise. 

How To Hamstring Scoop

• Stand with your feet hips-width apart.
• Shift your weight into the left foot and extend your right leg slightly forward so your heel rests on the floor.
• Reach your arms diagonally toward your right foot and sit your hips back, and bend left knee until there’s a stretch in the right hamstring.
• Hold for 10 seconds.
• Switch sides, repeat and walk for 10 reps. 

4. Seated Single Leg Hamstring Stretch

You probably learned this hamstring stretch in middle school PE class. The seated single leg hamstring stretch is effective and one of the best hamstring stretches to help reduce tightness and tension in the hamstrings, for better flexibility during your workout. 

How To Seated Single Leg Hamstring Stretch

• Sitting, stretch one foot in front of you, with the other folded in, foot flat against, your inner thigh. 
• If you can, grab your toe with the same arm of the stretched out foot (right with right). 
• Breath out and try and get your chest down to your knee and stretch. 
• Breath in, release and come back to starting position
• Repeat and hold for 3-5 reps, then switch sides. 

Hamstring Stretches: Takeaway

Your hamstrings are the most susceptible muscle to injury. Stretching your hamstrings, is critical to overcome inhibited performance due to muscle soreness, tightness, and tension. The hamstrings are the central connector to several prominent and integral components to your movement, including your hips, pelvis, low back, and knees. Tight hamstrings can create pain and inhibit movement and athletic performance. Stretching your hammies is crucial to adequately warm up and cool down for proper movement and performance. 

Need Help With Optimizing Your Diet, Nutrition, And Training Plan To Finally Get The Results You’ve Been Waiting For?

SWOLVERINE IS AN ENDURANCE ATHLETE AND ACTIVE LIFESTYLE BRAND. MADE FOR THE ELITE ATHLETE, AND THE STRONG-WILLED OUR PRODUCTS WERE DESIGNED TO FUEL YOUR ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE. WE PERFORM WHEN YOU PERFORM. 

We believe that everyone can optimize not only their athletic performance but their human potential. The way we believe we can optimize performance is through transparency, clinically effective doses, and clinically proven ingredients with evidence-based outcomes. We provide the nutrients you need to power your active lifestyle.