amosov exercises

These 12 exercises help keep joints mobile and reduce arthritic painAs anyone with arthritis knows, joint health is very much a "use it or lose it" proposition. That's why it's essential that you exercise your joints every day, taking each one through its complete range of motion. One of the best routines for restoring or maintaining joint mobility was developed by the Russian heart surgeon Dr. Nikolay Amosov. In the mid-1950s, Dr. Amosov developed the physical training system he called his "1,000 movements." At the time, his program involved 10 exercises —each of which were repeated 100 times. (The program was later refined to 12 exercises, but the number of repetitions remained at 1,000 per day.) Here are directions for each of the 12 activities in the current 1,000 Movements program. (The instructions have been adapted with permission from Super Joints by my friend Pavel Tsatsouline, © 2001 Dragon Door Publications). The ideal time to exercise arthritic joints is in the morning because it helps get rid of the stiffness and pain that are often felt when you first get out of bed.             Squats Side Bends Push-Ups Forward Bends Straight Arm Raises Trunk Twists Sit-Ups One-Legged Jumps Bringing the Elbows Back Leg Raises Birch Tree Sucking in the Stomach Squats The standard exercise (where you squat with your weight on the balls of your feet and your knees sticking out in front) can be very hard on your knees. For a safer and more comfortable version, stand in a doorway and hold onto the doorframe at about hip height, then sit back as if you were sitting in a chair. If you’re doing it correctly, your shins should stay nearly vertical. Once down and back up counts as one repetition. Work toward 100 of these. Back to Top Side Bends Stand with your arms at your sides, palms facing inward. Move your trunk sideways and slide your palm down your leg. The other palm will slide up on that side of your body. Straighten your body and then bend it sideways the other way. When you’ve straightened your body again, you will have completed two repetitions. Make sure to not twist your trunk during this exercise (that will come later). Once to the left and once to the right counts as two repetitions. Work toward 100 of these. Back to Top Push-Ups You wouldn't think there was much "technique" involved in such a simple exercise, but there are several points to keep in mind. Keep your weight at the back of your hands near your wrists rather than on your fingertips. If this hurts your wrists, look for "pushup handles" at sporting goods stores, or hold onto dumbbells (hex-shaped ones so they won’t roll away). Protect your back by keeping your bottom tucked in to keep it from sagging. Keep your hands at least shoulder-width apart to help protect your shoulders. Breathe in synchronization with your movement. Inhale on the way down and exhale on the way up. If you don't breathe during movement, you can cause a spike in your blood pressure. Once down and up counts as one repetition. Work toward 50 of these. Push-ups are also one of the three exercises I believe everyone should do. Back to Top    and flex the knee as you come down to absorb your weight. you'll notice that you can’t get your arms all the way up. Be sure your arms and head move with your torso. Back to Top Sit-Ups The old style of sit-ups that you learned in gym class will hurt your back over time. then counterclockwise. Many people find it easier to do this exercise while holding on to some sturdy object for support. Back to Top Straight Arm Raises Simply raise your arms to the front. and inhale into your stomach on the way up. Once up and back down counts as one repetition. Back to Top Trunk Twists Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart. sit up as you inhale. Instead. If you aren't sure how to use your diaphragm. Once to the left and once to the right counts as two repetitions. do abdominal crunches — where you only come partway up—and work directly on the floor or drape yourself over an exercise ball. Sort of push off your thighs with your belly as you return to a standing position. Trunk twists are another one of the three exercises I believe everyone should do.) Tuck your chin in as you fold over. Do 5–10 repetitions on one leg. Instead. Work toward 100 of these. and tilt your head back as you stand up. as far as you can. practice the exercise sitting on the floor with your legs straight in front of you. Work toward 50 of these on each leg. Back to Top Leg Raises . Reach forward on a sigh. Work toward 50 of these. push as far as you can in one direction before moving back. Work toward 100 of these. all the way up. Keep your hips still and twist your torso clockwise. If you do it right. Exhaling as you lie back will relax your muscles and improve your range of motion. then switch to the other leg. so don't "bounce" your trunk at the end of the movement or you could injure your back. Hold your arms in front of you at shoulder height with your palms facing outward and your fingers clasped. Exhale in on the way down. Back to Top One-Legged Jumps Be sure to keep your knee bent as you hop on one leg. (Remember to bend your knees each time before returning to the upright position. (If you try this out to the side. or if you have a health condition that prohibits the standing toe touch. Back to Top Bringing the Elbows Back Stand with your hands on your hips. The benefit of crunches is that you’ll naturally sort of roll yourself forward rather than trying to lift your entire upper body using your lower back. Once down and up counts as one repetition. palms facing in.) Both arms up and back down counts as one repetition. You don't need to actually lift yourself off the ground with each jump. called the acromion.Forward Bends Stand upright. gets in the way. although you may find that over time you’ll naturally end up going higher and higher. the intra-abdominal pressure when rising on inhalation will straighten out your spine like a hydraulic jack—with minimal back stress. This is mostly a stretching exercise. Work toward 100 of these. A part of your shoulder blade. Inhale as you come up and exhale as you go back—the opposite way from what you would expect. Work toward 100 of these. then bend over and try to touch the floor with your fingers (or even your palms). Use the muscles in your upper back and biceps to push your elbows as far back as you can. Women should avoid it altogether during menstruation or pregnancy. If you exhale as you’re tightening and inhale as you push out. Once up and back down counts as one repetition. then start with 10 repetitions of each exercise a day and begin to add another 5 –10 each week until you reach 1. Keep your legs reasonably straight. not your neck. the primary purpose of these exercises is to achieve full range of motion for each joint. and raise them as far toward your head as you can. Your weight should be on your shoulders and upper back. In this exercise. rather than your neck. Prop your body on your forearms and point your legs and toes straight up. Hold for a count of three and push out. held for a count of 100. Once in and out counts as one repetition. Back to Top Additional Considerations Obviously. and hold onto the headboard. As you increase the number of repetitions. Lie on your back with your arms at your sides. If you're not in the best shape. the exercises and repetitions you can perform will depend largely on your age and ability. Lift your legs and place your hands in the small of your back. (Note that you only need to do one repetition of this exercise.proce 212220 Sign Up . emailSignUp. Work toward 50 of these. Your weight should remain on your shoulders and upper back. If you prefer to do this exercise on a floor or mat. make sure the movements are done at a fairly steady and rapid pace so that you're getting a little cardiovascular benefit as well. Back to Top Birch Tree The "birch tree" is a Russian name for the yoga sarvangasana pose or the shoulder stand. Work toward 100 of these. You should be able to complete the entire 1.000 total movements.) Back to Top Sucking in the Stomach Pull in all the muscles from below your ribcage down to your pubic bone—as though you were trying to squeeze through a tight space.This is a preliminary exercise to the Birch Tree.000 movements in about 25–45 minutes. Again. you will point your legs toward the ceiling. you can keep your balance by putting your hands down at your sides and pressing your palms into the floor. Lie on your back in bed. you’ll naturally develop a proper diaphragmatic breathing pattern. However. don't sacrifice form for speed. You may want to use a friend as a spotter the first few times you try this.