A friend of mine recently bought himself a kettlebell so I said I would give him a short, easy to implement workout and will progress it on every couple of weeks.  Here is the first is the first installment. 

One Arm Swing 10 sets of 10 (alternate arms each set).

I want you to really focus on your breathing during the rest periods on this workout.  The aim is to complete the swings quick as possible without losing control of your breathing.  You must breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth for the duration of the session.  So adjust your rest accordingly .

I used to be a proper food and health snob.  Everything had to be cooked from scratch and just the thought of using curry paste from a jar would bring me out in hives.  I once unknowingly added basil that wasn't organic to my bolognese  sauce, which resulted in me driving to A&E to demand an ECG because I having palpitations.  I seriously thought I was a goner.

Thankfully I have chilled out a bit since then, and whilst i still firmly believe that the less processed food you eat the healthier you will be, I also accept that a tablespoon of curry paste probably isn't going to kill me. 

This new found freedom has led me to the absolute delicacy that is Tesco's Rendang Curry Paste (other supermarkets and curry pastes are available).

Ingredients
3 tbsp Rendang Curry Paste
1 can coconut milk
400g rump steak, thinly sliced
250g Baby Corn
1 Red Pepper, diced
Fish sauce, splash
Juice of 1 lime
Handful of Corriander

Method

1. Heat 2tbsp olive oil, add the beef and paste and fry for 3 minutes.
2. Add baby corn and pepper, fry for a further 2 minutes
3. Add coconut milk and simmer for 10-15 minutes until the sauce has thickened
4. Add the fish sauce, lime juice and corriander. 

You could serve with rice or if you are wanting to reduce your calories/carbs try cauliflower rice or just extra veg.

Resistance bands and broom handles are great tools to improve your shoulder health.

The thoracic spine or t-spine describes the area of your spine from the bottom of your neck to just above the natural curve on your lower back (lumbar spine) and is designed to be mobile with the ability to flex, extend and rotate.  Modern day lifestyle (too much sitting and poor posture) means that many people lack sufficient movement in this are which can result in excessive movement from the lumbar spine, increasing the risk of injury to your lower back. The Thoracic spine also plays a big part in any upper body movements, so tightness will not only limit your movement, but again increase your chance of rotator cuff injury.

INSUFFICIENT T-SPINE MOBILITY =
POOR POSTURE + REDUCED ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE + INCREASED RISK OF INJURY

This article gives you a step by step plan in increase your t-spine extension and rotation, but please note that the information given is no substitute for being seen by a professional in person..

​Step 1: Diaphragmatic Breathing

Breathing plays an incredibly important part when it comes to your posture and mobility.  Many people flare their chest and ribcage when they breathe making it very difficult for the diaphragm to work correctly.  This not only limits the amount of air you can inhale with each breathe, but also means that other muscles particularly in the neck will work harder to compensate, resulting in poor mobility around the neck and shoulder.  Watch the video below for a drill to improve your breathing.

Step 2: Self-Myofascial Release (Foam Rolling)
​
               Self-Myofascial Release is a fancy term for self-massage which is used to help release tension and trigger points or knots in the muscles.  As with most things consistency trumps intensity so aim to spend 2 minutes every day rolling your thoracic spine.

Step 3: Passive Stretch
​
A passive stretch means you are using some sort of assistance to keep you in position rather than your own strength.  In the video below, we use a foam roller to assist in extending the thoracic spine.

Step 4: Strengthen
               Now we have improved our range of motion by relaxing and stretching, we want to strengthen the extra range of motion using the drills below.

Program

• Diaphragmatic Breathing – 10 breaths
• Foam Rolling – 2 minutes
• T-Spine Extension - 5 breaths in each position
• Side Lying Rotation – 5 breaths on each side
• Sphinx Pose – 1 set of 10 reps
• Band Rotation – 1 sets of 10 reps each side

Follow this program daily to improve your posture and reduce the risk of injury to your lower back and shoulders.  As your mobility improves you will be able to reduce the frequency of the program to two or three times a week.

We are lighter with the swing in this weeks workout.  You will be doing roundabout for a full minute followed by thirty seconds rest.  Try to keep this going for 10 rounds, but never sacrifice form.