TherEx:  I am often asked what piece of equipment is most beneficial to have for home. While exercise bands, weights, benches , mats and various cardio equipment do fill my home; if I was limited to one thing to keep at home it would be the foam roll or foam roller (I’ve heard it called both over last 30 years I’ve personally called foam roller).

The foam roller can be used as a mobility and self massage/ myofascial release tool throughout the whole body but today we will concentrate on the thoracic region (chest, ribs and upper back).  This little 5-10 routine can be a miracle worker for daily stretching and mobilization and can keep thing loose and happy between massage and chiropractic or osteopathic adjustments.

Before we get into the routine let’s talk about the foam roller itself.  Looking online one will find a wide assortment of sizes, densities (firmness) and textures from as soft as a pillow to as hard as concrete with massaging bumps all over.  For those new to the use of a foam roller I would suggest the most standard 36″ x 6″ medium firm to firm. If you come to love the foam roller I’d also suggest  more portable 12″x 6″ for travel. Once accustomed to using the foam roller then experiment with firmness and textures if you wish.

Foam Roller Exercises for the Thoracic region:

*Breathing and relaxation are necessary to effect change*

Body Stamp:  Lie on the foam roller on the floor vertically with knees bent and feet flat on the floor making sure the head and entire spine are in contact with the foam roller. Position arms out to the side and move the up and down until maximum stretch through the chest is achieved. Try to maintain contact of the low back to the roller by tilting the pelvis toward the navel. Relax breathe in through the nose (smell the flowers) and out through the mouth(blow out the candles).  Think of your body as an ice cube that was taken out of the freezer and set on the counter and “melt” into the roller.  Do this for approximately  two minutes.

Side to side: Still lying on the roller vertically with knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hands down on the floor to use as a “kick stand” Gently roll side to side toward the shoulder blades 10 -15 times each side.

Hug Stretch: Still lying  vertically, hug yourself across the chest. Gently roll side to side 10-15 time each side.

Curl up: Still lying vertically,  slowly raise the head and shoulders off the roller then slowly lower down one vertebra at at time 10-15 times.

Swimming: Again lying vertically on the roller stretch one arm over head feeling the stretch along your side, alternate arms 10-15 time each arm.

Snow angels: Once again still vertical with palms up.  Slide arms along the floor as far as you can (like the arms when doing a snow angel).  when tightness is felt hold the stretch a few seconds and repeat trying to increase the range of motion toward your head. 10-15 times.

Extensions : Place the foam roller horizontal at the waist.  Knees bent feet on the floor, roll up and down the back on the roller, stop at tender points and allow the body to arch over the roller.

Body stamp: return to lying vertically and repeat the body stamp approximately 2 minutes.

Note of caution especially staring out to avoid excess soreness do not exceed 10 minutes of exercise.

Sports:  The Chicago Cubs and their forever loyal fan base have enjoyed a magical ride this 2016 season with a bench mark 103 victories and a .640 winning percentage in the regular season.  The Cubs dispatching of the San Francisco Giants in in NLDS bucked several recent trends notably ending the Giants recent runs in even years to win the World Series.

Lost in all the hoopla that has been the 2016 Cubs is one lone statisitic (2nd worst batting average in the MLB against left handed pitching).  Enter Clayton Kershaw and the Los Angeles Dodgers!!!

Kershaw is widely considered by most to be the best pitcher in baseball and happens to be a lefty.  His dominance in game two getting the aggressive young hitter of the Cubs to chase his best in the business curve ball set the stage for game three starter Rich Hill providing him with the blue print to defeat the Northsiders.

The Cubs are scoreless in the last 18 inning of the NLCS and will now face yet another lefty in 20 year old Julio Urias. Urias will likely follow the blue print laid out by his fellow southpaws in games two and three and if the Cubs hitter don’t display more discipline at the plate I fear the Billy Goat will rise and once again the North Side  of the “Windy City” will be filled with heartache and remorse.

I much like 90% of the population outside LA am hopeful The Cubbies figure it out and we can all toast them with an Old Style in memory of Harry Caray.

 

Rocknroll:  Earlier this week (October 15th) marked 45th anniversary of the rock n roll revival show in New York’s Madison Square Garden that became the inspiration for Rick Nelson’s legendary song “Garden Party”.

The story goes that Nelson ,who had desperately been trying to shed his teen idol image of the 50’and 60’s by dropping the “y” from his name and going by Rick not Ricky, arrived with his new band which included a steel guitar and long hair and bell bottoms.

Not looking the part of his old Ozzie and Harriett image and with a band with a sound  more akin to the Country Rock genre coming into being with the likes of POCO, The Flying Burrito Bros and in many eyes perfected later by The Eagles;  Nelson and his Stone Canyon Band were presumably booed extensively while playing his hit “Hello Mary Lou”. The band proceeded to perform a version of the Rolling Stone’s “Honkytonk Woman” and left the stage with Nelson being very angry and bitter.

An alternate theory persists that the crowd was not booing Nelson but was booing The Garden’s security officers for breaking up a fight in the audience and arresting the participants of said fight.

Either way the incident inspired Rick Nelson to pen Garden Party which became the most successful song of a very successful career as well as providing one great piece of philosophy.  “You cant please everyone, so you’ve got to please yourself!!”

Until next time live healthy, be happy and rock n roll!!