5 Necessary Movements For Life

Dr. Douglas Vlaskamp, B.F.A., D.C.

If you are looking for specific types of exercises but don’t have a lot of time, here are some ideas for exercises that are useful in everyday life.

Squatting. Strength in the legs and buttocks are important for getting out of a

chair, a car and even getting off the toilet. The thighs, calves and even torso need

to work together to provide strength and stability for this movement. Practicing

squats with just your body weight may be enough to get started.

One leg movements. This allows us to move from one place to another. Walking

and climbing stairs are important exercises. Also, lunges help to be able to reach

something on the floor.

Pushing. Lifting something to a high shelf, pushing a door open and getting up

out of bed requires some upper body strength. Lifting things like free weights,

kettle balls, or using elastic bands helps to build these movements.

Pulling. Closing a car door, making a bed requires upper body strength also, but

in a different direction. Make sure you are bringing the weight or band toward

your body with effort, do differentiate from the pushing exercises.

Rotating the torso. If you play sports like golf or tennis, rotation is absolutely

necessary. Even if all you do is walk, our torso needs to rotate to maintain balance.

Pulling a band across your body, using a weight like a medicine ball to twist

one way and the other are types of exercises to help this movement.

If you find that you have trouble with any of these tasks, ask for an appointment to

see what may be holding you back.

Downtown Brampton Wellness Centre

Call: 905-451-3963 or email: info@bramptonwellness.ca