503-705-4762

Author: Anne

The November Five

1) Half Roll Back w/ Twist:

  • Sit at the front of your mat with knees bent. Hold on behind your legs.
  • Exhale as you pull your belly button in and round your back (do not collapse your chest).
  • Inhale as you open right arm to the side and twist to the right. Exhale as you come back to center.
  • Now round your back and twist to the left.
  • Strengthens obliques, hip and shoulder stabilization, spine stretch, chest stretch.
Anne half roll back 1 11.14
Anne half roll back 11.14

2) Leg Pull Front:

  • From plank position (or hands and knees).
  • Exhale as you lift right leg, knee straight. Inhale to lower.
  • Switch sides keeping your hips level.
  • Strengthens chest, shoulders, abs, back and legs.
Anne leg pull 1 11.14
Anne leg pull 11.14

3) Digging Trenches:

  • Start on your tummy with arms and legs extended into a big “X”. Rest forearms on foam roller if you have one.
  • Inhale as you press forearms down into the mat, or roller, and lift upper back and chest up off the ground.
  • Exhale as you lower.
  • Strengthens back extensors, improves shoulder stabilization.

Here Anne demonstrates this move using the foam roller. This exercise should not hurt your back! If it does, come down, make sure your belly button is pulled in, then try a smaller back extension.

Anne Dig trench 1 11.14
Anne dig trench 2 11.14

 

4) Squat/ Side Kick:

  • Stand with right side near a wall.
  • Squat, and as you stand up stretch your right foot to touch the wall. Start slow, then pick up the pace as your fitness level allows.
  • One minute, then switch sides.
  • Strengthens back, legs, hips, improves balance.
Anne squat 11.15 (2)

 5) Eagle:

  • Stand near a wall for balance.
  • Sit into a low squat and stack right foot on top of left foot, or wrap you right foot behind your left knee if you can do this without pain.
  • Wrap right arm over left, or twist arms and touch palms together if our shoulders allow for this.
  • Hold one minute then switch sides.
  • Stretches and strengthens hips and shoulders, improves balance.
Alice Eagle front 10.14
Anne Eagle edit

Hanna Somatics For Stress Reduction And Pain Relief

Update: This workshop is now full. If you would like to be put on the waiting list please contact Anne (503) 705-4762

How would it feel to wake up pain free and move through your day with ease? Do you suffer from back or neck pain, joint stiffness, stress, or insomnia? This workshop is for you!

  • Who: You! and your Fluid family
  • What: Intro to Hanna Somatics with Kristin Jackson
  • When: Saturday December 10th, 1-3 pm
  • Where: Fluid World Headquarters 1644 S.E. Clatsop Street, Portland (Sellwood), Oregon 97202
  • Why: Pain relief, increased mobility, reduced stress, better sleep, more JOY!
  • How much: $30 payable to Kristin
  • To sign up: Click this link

Intro To Hanna Somatics With Kristin Jackson

 

kristin-somatics-class-12-16

Rid your body of stress and pain by tapping into the power of your brain. Learn how to naturally reduce stress and pain, to let you move with ease and joy. Regain your edge in sports and activities that you thought were waning due to aging. Grow new pathways in your brain to improve memory and neuroplasticity. Discover the benefits of Hanna Clinical Somatics with Kristin Jackson, Hanna Somatic Educator!

Our brain controls our muscles; if we get habitually stuck in faulty patterns, we can end up with a long list of health issues. Hanna Somatics goes to the root of your pain and faulty patterns: your brain! By exploring how we currently move, we can learn how to move with more ease by voluntarily learning to release tight muscles, and have better control of them.

kristin-somatics-12-16

Thomas Hanna developed hundreds of somatic exercises to help people get out of pain and function better. In this 2-hour workshop, Kristin will introduce you to gentle movements that will positively impact your spine, waist, shoulders, hips, knees, feet, and nervous system.

A note about registration… Kristin uses Mindbody so if you are already logged in to this system, say from your favorite yoga studio, you will need to log yourself out and create a new password. If you have any trouble contact Kristin and she can guide you through this process.

Anne McCranie is a Portland (Sellwood), Oregon based personal trainer and licensed massage therapist. Anne has been attending Kristin’s weekly somatics classes for the past few months, and quickly noticed the benefits – increased mobility, reduced back pain and stiffness – and cannot wait to share this work with you! This class is limited to 8 participants. Click this link to reserve your spot today. 

September Five Exercises For Core, Leg, Arm and Back Strength

Ah the dreaded Mountain Climbers. Second only to Burpies (or maybe Medicine Ball Push Ups) for the amount of cursing that goes on during class or a training session when we do these. Never fear, I have an easy beginner version that does not involve jumping. If you have healthy knees please do try to do these as quickly as you can (moving without pain of course). Camel is one of my most/ least favorites, meaning it is very difficult for me and something I should be doing more of.

The photos below are meant to jog your memory about the exercises we have done together. Click here for detailed descriptions of these exercises. If you are new to this type of movement please join one of our ongoing classes or schedule a one on one session with me so we can go over these safely. As always our goal is to push ourselves just enough to feel challenged, but not enough to cause pain of injury.

September Five:

 

 

Mountain Climbers

Mountain climbers 8.15 (2)

 

Side Plank

side plank Maddie 9.15

 

Camel

Camel 9.15

 

Corkscrew

Roll up

Marnie roll up 2

 

Anne McCranie is a Portland (Sellwood), Oregon based personal trainer and licensed massage therapist. Please see your medical professional prior to beginning a new exercise program.

Pesto, Corn And Tomato Salad

People have been bringing me tomatoes (and tomato soup – thanks Concetta!) all month. Hooray for end of summer produce! Last week at the farmers market I found fresh corn, garlic and basil and decided to put them all together. First I made a pesto with basil, pecans, parmesan, garlic and olive oil, then I added the pesto to chopped corn, tomatoes and onions. Yum!

 

pesto corn tomato salad 9.16

Homemade pesto is so easy and versatile. Traditionally made with pine nuts, you can also use walnuts or pecans. You can toss any leftover pesto into warm pasta, or serve it over mashed potatoes like they do at La Buca. Try this recipe and let me know what you think…

 

Pesto, Corn and Tomato Salad

First make your pesto:

  • One bunch of fresh basil (about two cups of packed leaves)
  • 3-4 cloves of garlic
  • 1/4 cup pecans
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste

If you have the time and would like a great arm workout, chop all ingredients by hand. Otherwise place basil, garlic, nuts, and cheese in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Slowly add the olive oil until the mixture is incorporated. Taste it to see if you need any salt (the cheese may be salty enough) then add salt and pepper to taste, stir to combine.

Now assemble your salad:

  • 2-3 ears of fresh corn
  • 4-5 tomatoes
  • 1/2 of a large red onion

Boil corn for 5-10 minutes and let cool. Meanwhile chop tomatoes into bite size pieces and finely dice your onion. Once the corn is cool enough to handle take a sharp knife and carefully slice off the kernels. Mix your corn kernels, tomato and onion together. Add pesto to taste (you may have some pesto leftover. Spread it on sandwiches, use it as a veggie dip…).

I served my corn salad over a bed of arugula and shredded chicken for a delicious farmer’s market lunch!

Pesto corn tomato salad final 9.16

Like this recipe? Share it with a friend or leave a comment below.

 

Anne McCranie is a Portland (Sellwood), Oregon based personal trainer and licensed massage therapist. She offers this recipe to tickle your taste buds. Please see your medical professional for specific dietary advice.

The August Five

Each month Fluid Movement & Massage offers five exercises to build strength and increase flexibility.

This month our theme is length!

Practice lengthening the front, sides, and back of your spine using whatever image works for you – the golden thread, actively reaching your head away from your tail, or the three domes.

Want a personal demo for these moves? Join one of Fluid’s weekly classes or call Anne to schedule a one on one session. (503) 705-4762.

Shoot for one minute of each of these today.

Split Squat 8.15

1) Lion Drinking:

Anne Lion Drinking p1 8.14
Anne Lion Drinking p2 8.14
  • From hands and knees, inhale as you slowly bend your elbows and reach the top of your head out, lowering your nose towards the ground.
  • Exhale to press back to your starting position (this is a smaller move than a push up).
  • Shoulder and hip stabilization, upper body strength.

2) Thread the Needle:

Anne Thread Needle p1 8.14
Anne Thread Needle p2 8.14
  • From hands and knees, inhale as you extend right arm out to the side.
  • Exhale and reach under your torso twisting and stretching your upper back. Switch sides.
  • Spinal twist, upper back stretch, hip stabilization.

3) Scissors:

Anne Scissors v1 8.14
Anne Scissors v2 8.14
  • On your back. Round head and shoulders off the mat and hold on behind your right leg, extend left leg out away from you (if your neck or hamstrings do not allow for this stick with the bent knee version shown below below, YOU SHOULD NOT FEEL NECK PAIN).
  • Inhale as you bring your left leg towards you and right leg away from you, exhale as you switch legs.
  • Active hamstring stretch, hip and shoulder stabilization, core strength.

4) Split Squat:

  • Stand at least two feet in front of a Swiss ball (have someone spot you if your balance is unsteady).
  • Rest your right foot on the ball behind you (you want a right angle at your front knee when you drop into your squat).
  • Keeping your spine long and belly pulled in, bend your front knee and allow the ball to roll back. Stand back up. One minute per side moving at your own pace.
  • Leg and back strength and flexibility. Balance training.

5) Tree:

  • Stand with feet together in Tadasana. Place your left foot on your right ankle (or inner thigh) and turn your left knee out to the side.
  • Hold for one minute, then switch sides.
  • Leg strength, hip flexibility, standing balance.
Tree 8.15

Tree 2 8.15

 

Anne McCranie is a Portland, Oregon based Personal Trainer, Pilates and Yoga instructor and Licensed Massage Therapist. This post is meant to jog your memory about moves we have done together either in class or in a private training session. Please see your health care professional prior to beginning a new exercise program.