Anne - Fluid Movement + Massage

Happy New Year!

January 3, 2017July 3, 2025Anne

I hope you took time to relax over the holidays. I celebrated with many delicious meals, visits with friends, and even made a quick trip out to Kah-Nee-Ta to “take the waters”, as they say. I feel relaxed, refreshed and ready to get back to work!

Have you made any New Year’s resolutions? What do you think is the likelihood that you will be where you want to be this time next year? Studies show that almost half of us make New Year’s resolutions (the most popular ones for 2017 are to get in shape and get organized), yet only 14% of those over 50 achieve their goals. The reason for this is not as simple as we think.

So what is the key to lasting positive changes?

Step one: Ask yourself, “What is my internal motivation?”

We often make the mistake of letting others set goals for us, i.e. my wife wants me to eat healthier. If you don’t feel internal motivation to change, you likely will not succeed, and you and your wife will both feel disappointed.

Step two: Figure out your action steps.

One of my favorite books is Charles Duhigg’s The Power Of Habit. He argues the key to exercising regularly, losing weight, raising exceptional children, becoming more productive, and achieving success is understanding how habits work. By changing patterns we can change our lives. He says by changing one “keystone habit”, we change our behavior and create a domino effect that leads to success.

Step Three: Focus on the positive!

Can you focus on the things that are under your control, and think of your new lifestyle changes in a positive way? For example, this month I am taking a break from sugar and alcohol (thanks to Michelle for this idea). For me, this means no white sugar (cookies, pie, etc). My diet will primarily be healthy, whole foods, including protein and lots of veggies with every meal. Instead of focusing on the things on my “no” list, I am planning my meals around the healthy things I love to eat. I love satsumas, and one of my ladies brought me a bag of these beauties last week (thanks Sian!). I have them in a pretty bowl in a prominent place, so when I want a sweet treat I reach for one of these.

I have also started a “happy jar”. When a good thing happens I am writing it down and sticking a note in the jar. I will open the jar on New Years day 2018 to be reminded of all the good things that happened this year. Feel free to contribute to my jar when you are here.

Instead of “resolutions”, I am declaring my intentions for 2017. I intend to get stronger, and I will do a full pull up from hanging by my birthday in June. The next time you see, me ask me how I’m progressing.

What small steps could you take this month to get where you want to be in three months, six months or a year? Could you write down one positive change you’d like to make, the motivation behind that change, and the actions steps needed to get there? For example, “I want to feel good” is vague. “I want to fall asleep easily and sleep soundly through the night, so that I have energy during the day to work, exercise and play with my family” is more specific and based on internal motivation.

Your action steps could be:

I will take my last cup of coffee before noon.

Take care of any unfinished business with friends or family via phone call or text after dinner.

Turn off my computer/ phone by 8 pm.

Repeat a daily mantra, such as, “I sleep soundly and peacefully”. If I do wake up in the night I will jot down any to do lists, tasks, or ideas on a notepad, repeat my mantra and close my eyes.

I would love to hear about your hopes and dreams for 2017! How can I help you craft a 2017 success plan? Would a weekly email or text from me help you stay on track? Shoot me an email or leave a comment below.

Here’s to a happy, healthy 2017!

The December Five

December 26, 2016July 3, 2025Anne

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

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.

We are finishing off 2016 with a bang! Several of the December Five are complicated multi joint moves involving twists, balance, and coordination. These should feel challenging, but not painful. Please use your best judgement as to your current fitness level, and modify moves as you need to. Shoot for one minute of each of these moves moving at your own pace.

1) Big Twist:

Sit on your right hip, right hand on the floor, right leg bent, left foot on the ground.
Part one: Press up onto your knee making a “banana” shape (side bend).
Part two: Press up to straight knees (in a side bend, not a plank).
Part three: Rotate and reach left arm under your right armpit. Slowly rotate back to your banana (don’t cheat and skip this part), then lower your hips back to the mat.
3-4 each side.
Core strength, shoulder stabilization, coordination.

2) Open Leg Rocker:

From seated, pull belly button to your spine and round your back (keeping shoulders down).
Lift your feet, extend your legs and hold on to your ankles.
Look at your belly button, exhale and roll to your shoulders, then back up to balance on your hips.
Core strength, spine flexion, hamstring stretch.

3) Crow:

Squat down and place your hands on the ground hip distance apart (step feet onto a block if you like).
Engage your abdominals as you rest your shins on the backs of your upper arms.
Lift one foot, then the other. Hold here for five breaths.
Core strength, hip opener, and balance.

4) Warrior III/ Single Leg Dead Lift:

Stand with knees and toes facing forward.
Part one: lift your left leg, keeping hips level (flex left foot and aim your toes towards the ground).
Part two: Holding weights, shift your weight onto your right foot, lifting your back leg as you lower your weights toward the ground. Stand back up.
One minute each side.
Standing balance, hip and hamstring flexibility, back strength.

5) Bow:

On your tummy. Lift your belly button. Grab both feet and pull heels towards your hips.
Either stay here, or lift your feet to the ceiling, making a “bow” shape.
Quad, hip and shoulder stretch. Spine extension.

The November Five

November 26, 2016July 3, 2025Anne

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Hanna Somatics For Stress Reduction And Pain Relief

November 13, 2016July 3, 2025Anne

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

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.

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

September 1, 2016July 3, 2025Anne

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

Side Plank

Camel

Corkscrew

Roll up

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.