The most “bang for your buck” movement for shoulder, spine, and hip health!

“I don’t have enough time.”

Sound familiar? In today’s day in age, it is certainly difficult to devote the amount of time we should to taking care of our bodies. For this reason, it is best to start off small, meaning use relatively simple movements, that don’t require a lot of time, that will help you get in the habit of of devoting time to movement and other forms of self care.

This is where the Modified Diagonal Stretch comes in. It is a movement that can be performed with only only 1 piece of equipment: a wall, and who doesn’t have access to a wall 24/7 -- hell, we are trapped inside 4 of them way too much!

The modified diagonal stretch is great for beginners for a number of reasons:

1. It is safe. You are on 1 knee and close to a wall, both of which reduce the likelihood of falling over. It’s an active stretch, meaning that you are in complete control of the range of motion. Thoughtful active movements make it less likely that you will force yourself into a compromised position.
2. It creates movement in 4 of the bodies major bones/joints: the shoulder blade(scapulothoracic joint), the true shoulder (glenohumeral joint), the spine (vertebral joints and sacroiliac joint), and the hip (acetabulofemoral joint). Joints moving = healthy joints.
3. It actively combines global rotation and global extension, two highly under trained yet highly used movements in everyday life!
4. The wall is used as a block to guide the movement correctly, making it very difficult to mess this up!

Follow the link to my YouTube channel to watch me coach you through the diagonal stretch and then go try it on your own! It could be a game changer for your health, fitness, balance, strength, and mobility! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TlNAR0Y70I

And remember, the first part of starting any exercise routine is creating small manageable changes that ultimately lead to more excitement, variation, and consistency in your newly formed habit.

Steve Cornely CPT FRCms LMT
www.triadwellnessphilly.com
steve@triadwellnessphilly.com
Ig: @stephenjcornely
FB: Triad Wellness Philly

PS: Remember there is no substitute for getting assessed by a professional and having exercise prescribed to fit your needs and goals!