Movement Made Easy

04/06/2020

Following on from the last post about decompression breathing.

This explains why we try and breathe into the back of the ribcage.

Breathe into the BACK of your ribs. Yes, the BACK of your ribs.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Continuing on yesterday's post about 360° ribcage expansion during decompression breathing, let's talk about the area that typically needs the most work: the thoracic ribcage. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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The ribs expand to let the lungs fill up so that we can give oxygen to our body. But because these ribs attach to the spine, they have less freedom to move than the ribs in the front of your body. Years of poor posture and movements patterns have limited this movement even more. And when these tissues don’t move at all it creates a new “normal” of stiffness in the thoracic spine. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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This lack of movement cascades into more than just decreased oxygenation, which is reason enough to practice regular decompression breathing. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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When these tissues are tight, the body then looks for other areas to expand for breathing and uses the small accessory muscles…which then gets overworked and painful.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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In addition, when these stiff tissues can no longer slide easily over each other it causes nearby joints (i.e. neck/shoulders) to reduce their movement, compressing the nerves and blood flow to important areas like your head and arms. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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So even though your thoracic ribcage doesn’t move a lot, it NEEDS to move. With a healthy thoracic spine & ribcage, the lungs get more oxygen and the neck & shoulders are free to move properly, allowing your body to function better.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Expand 360° and feel the freedom your body is made for. Learn more about decompression breathing and the other key concepts of Foundation Training through our streaming platform and certified instructors. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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02/06/2020

Please make other countries raise their food production standards rather than lowering ours!!

Do you want climate-friendly food that is produced by people you can trust in a way that cares for animals? Sign the petition now to stop food imports produced to illegal standards.

19/05/2020

I love Decompression Breathing, takes a bit of concentration to get it right but it is totally worth the effort.

If you are interested in trying Foundation Training on video chat then get in touch.

email: anthony@anthonyrichardsonpt.co.uk
web: anthonyrichardsonpt.co.uk

Where you put your focus is what gets stronger. Start with breath. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Decompression breathing works to expand the ribcage 360.° This requires attention to places that may initially feel unattainable to make more space. But it is not only possible, but life changing.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Take a couple breaths and focus on one area at a time. Widen to the sides. Lift away from the pelvis. Broaden the ribs in your back. Then do this all together and feel the 360° expansion.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Take your time to direct your focus to what you want to do rather than what you don't want to do. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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What changes have occurred your life when you shifted your focus in this way?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Picture courtesy of ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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22/04/2020

So of the 5 weeks the country has been socially distancing our house has been in full lock down for 4 weeks.

Here is one of the few times I have been able to go for a run, as you can see my trainer is riding so he can shout at me more easily all the way. 😁

At the moment if you are struggling to get in exercise while looking after your kids, try accepting that the workout itself may not be what you are used to, but I guarantee it will be more fun with a little person in charge!!

16/04/2020

It's been a while since I have posted anything, turns out having 2 small people takes a lot of time and energy 😀

So during this strange time we seem to find ourselves in I'm guessing a lot of you with kids are finding it a struggle to get in all the exercise you want.

Here is how I'm trying to over come the issue of going for a ride while in total lockdown, and keeping my 3 year old entertained.

We made him a turbo trainer out of shoes (my wife saw someone else do it online) and he loved it. This time we rode into space and he even got me doing sprint intervals because I was the booster rockets!!

23/10/2019

As well as being a great exercise for working your posterior chain the woodpecker is a great way to warm up when it gets a little cold.

The muscle activation is a sure fire way to have you sweating standing still even on a cold day!!

16/09/2019

Just back from a great weekend refresher with these guys

Doing this cert first time round nearly 7 years ago changed what I wanted to do and drew me down the route of trying to help people move better and out of pain.

This time round was brilliant, learning all the updates that have happened over the years from the main man himself and his awesome team of teachers.

21/08/2019

I set out about 4 months ago to try and improve the extension in my right wrist. I injured it over 26 years ago playing rugby.

The trouser picture is the original ROM available and the shorts shot is the current range. Night and day to me!!

I have been less than religious about doing my exercises and still the change is there to be seen. What is more importabt is that I can hold my 10 week old baby with no pain in my wrist unlike when my older child was a baby.

If you want to find out how I can help you improve your movement potential then please message me.

30/05/2019

Have you ever seen some one doing something like the splits and thought I could never do that?

Well chances are when you were little you could!

As we get older we tend to move less. Moving less means our body becomes more stiff.

A prime example of this is the pelvis, as we age we often lose the ability to move our pelvis in 3 different directions. (Clearly this is just 1 direction of movement)

Just practicing moving our hips like this can signal to the brain to free up more movement for us.

22/05/2019

When I was little I played any sport I could, the main ones being Rugby Football and Cricket.

My little boy now has the cricket set to go along with his footballs and my rugby ball which he has comandeered.

I believe that an interest in sport and movement can be fostered at any time of life, and my hope is that he will have as much fun playing and learning about team work and friendship as I did growing up.

Thank you to mum's taxi service that drove me around Bristol pretty much every night of the week to some training or other and then to matches at the weekends.

I would love the chance to do the same for my kids but as long as they are happy, healthy I will be cheering them on!

30/04/2019

So this is me at full wrist extension!!

When I was 15 years old, so 26 years ago, I injured my wrist playing rugby.

Like all boys I just taped it up and carried on playing.

All this time later I can feel it starting to grumble as my little boy gets bigger and bigger and it aches on and off.

I have finally decided the time is right to try and sort this out (to be honest I have had people look at it before over the years with no luck) so I can still lift my boy in the years to come.

Here is the starting shot, I am beginning with FRC's PAILS and RAILS.

Wish me luck!

21/02/2019

This is the Woodpecker. An exercise from which integrates the posterior chain of muscles and really gets your bum firing alot.

A lot of people with back pain or postural problems can benefit from this exercise as it teaches the muscles of the body to work together as one.

Rather than just training your glutes to help your back problem why not work on the muscles that work with the glutes at the same time?

For those in I will be starting a 6 week course teaching the basics of Foundation Training, helping you to improve your posture and move away from pain. Check out my bio for a link to more info about the course.

19/02/2019

The Lunge Decompression is one of my favourite exercises for lengthening and stretching the front of my body. It helps me get upright after spending time sitting or cycling.

This is one of the exercises I use to help change your posture and how you move on a day to day basis.

To learn more about my up coming 6 week course for anyone in and around Oxford then go to my website, in my bio.

12/02/2019

Decompression breathing is a powweful tool on its own but when joined with a Founder it becomes a whole lot more challenging and rewarding.

This combination will help bring you out of your slouched posture into a more upright gravity defying one.

Thank you to for this description of decompression breathing....

"When you learn how to properly expand and elevate your ENTIRE ribcage 360 degrees against an opposing well anchored pelvis and THEN learn how to maintain all of that expansion & elevation through a FULL exhale, and THEN work on owning that breath in multiple positions and planes (standing, lunge stance, hip rotations, prone, supine and kneeling), everything else within your physiology just seems to work better, when trying to improve mobility within your thoracic spine, shoulder and hip joints" Shane Cuppett

To learn more about Foundation Training and my up coming 6 week introductory course for all of you based in and around Oxford follow this link:

https://www.anthonyrichardsonpt.co.uk/courses/better-posture-pain-free-movement/ #

06/02/2019

I have a new 6 week course ready to roll in Oxfordshire to teach you the basics of to help you stand straighter after a day of sitting.

During these sessions you will be shown exercises that will help you towards better posture and pain free movement.

For more info or to book your place have a look on my website.

01/02/2019

It's going to be one of those days!

Clients aren't going to make it and gym members will struggle to get here as well. Use this chance to throw some snowballs, sledge, if you have a hill, and move like a child and just have some fun in your movement.

Us Brits really can't handle a little bit of snow 😀

30/01/2019

I love my job!!

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Just finished a session with a lady who came to me yesterday with bad right sided lower back pain.

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These are before and after shots. You should be able to see in the 1st picture the ball of her left big toe (1st met head) is not really on the ground so not taking any load at all.
In the 2nd picture her left 1st met head is on the ground. The difference in pain was marked for her.

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All we did was video her walking which confirmed, from what I saw and what she said, that there was little weight transfering to her left leg when she walked. We showed her body it could take weight in the left side and she instantly stopped limping and pain decreased.

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Homework has been assigned and I am seeing her again next week to see if her body has taken our suggestions and changed how it is loading itself.

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