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Old 02-14-20, 10:45 AM  
fanofladyvols
 
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Join Date: May 2004
Location: Modify City, State of Fierce
Form pointers I wish I had heard earlier in my fitness journey

I realize you can't pay attention to everything the first time but I'm also not sure I ever heard some of the these things before.

Here are a few:
"Stand with your feet hip distance apart, now stand on your toes and turn your ankles inward until they touch, and lower down" pilates stance turnout instruction from Suzanne Bowen

"Rotate your palms slightly outward" downward dog pose instruction from Vytas

"tense your muscles to absorb that impact" Cathe when jumping


Some of you I'm sure heard it the first time, but not me, lol!!

Please post and share some you are happy you have heard lately!
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Old 02-14-20, 12:46 PM  
Mickey12
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: NE Pennsylvania
Mine are mostly from yoga. The subtle adjustments really make a big difference. And a lot of them come from Vytas.

Put your weight in your heels instead of your toes when doing chair pose, for instance. There are also form pointers about turning your arms in a way that makes certain poses feel very different. Can't think specifically of what they are though.

Kim
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Old 02-15-20, 08:45 PM  
primrosecat
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
My favorite is 'listen to your body and modify if you need to.' And Callan's 'Gently, not too rough.' Gin Miller, 'if you've got a big butt, make sure it's a Great big butt.' That last may not be a fitness pointer, but it was inspiration for me!
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Old 02-15-20, 10:12 PM  
bubbles76
 
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Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: New Jersey
"Rotate your palms slightly outward" was also a form pointer that Althea Lawton Thompson used for doing push ups. I believe it was in her Altheatized Volume 2 Sizzling Cardio Intervals. Oh, they made push ups feel so much better for me! Of course, I didn't discover that little tip until last year when I had been doing push ups for many, many years. Sure wish I had known that tip earlier.

Can't remember who said it, but to engage your glutes, even during cardio, because it helps take the pressure off your knees. I try to remember this when doing step aerobics. It was probably Tracie Long who said it, now that I think about it.

Rodney Yee said during a dvd, can't remember which one, that if you can't breathe in a particular pose, even if you can get into the pose, to ease off. It's more important to breathe. Of course, I'm paraphrasing, but the gist stuck with me. I can get into many poses, but if I can't breathe in them I always ease back.
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Old 02-16-20, 09:40 AM  
Tugger31
 
Join Date: Feb 2002
For me, doing side lateral raises with your palms forward/thumbs up position instead of with palms facing down. It's amazing how much that opens up your upper chest in this bent forward looking at your phone world!
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Old 02-16-20, 02:34 PM  
maitai
 
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: USA
Callan's "Stretch even more than you think you can."
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Old 02-16-20, 06:49 PM  
Mopsy
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Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: central New York
Engage your core. Tighten your abs. For (almost) everything.

Several years ago my physical therapist suggested I work on core strength since I was compensating and bracing myself with my shoulders and upper back, whether I was exercising or just going about daily activities. I had to make a conscious effort to use my abs when it didn't seem natural, especially during step workouts, but I think it has helped reduce neck strain and headaches.
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Old 02-16-20, 08:58 PM  
Gams
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
I don’t agree with the “stretch even more than you think you can”. I did that one time thinking I could stretch just a little bit farther and seriously injured my self.
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Old 02-16-20, 09:02 PM  
Erica H.
 
Join Date: Nov 2001
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gams View Post
I don’t agree with the “stretch even more than you think you can”. I did that one time thinking I could stretch just a little bit farther and seriously injured my self.
This happened to me too.

Erica
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Old 02-17-20, 03:30 AM  
dianestjohn
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Orange County, CA
I did dozens of yoga dvds over dozens of years and I never could do butterfly effectively until Cathe - yes CATHE of all people - gave the form pointer of stretching up as far as you can go before you fold over - when I did this I suddenly felt it in the inner thigh AT LAST and was able to fold over further than ever before. Similarly up dog finally worked well for me when an instructor - can’t remember who but again someone not known for yoga - said to move your palms diagonally outward until the pose feels comfortable on your shoulders - if you have long arms and a short waist like me it gives you much more upward range of motion. Both bits of advice were revelations to me.
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