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This last Micro Pause on the lower back program is a lesson in self compassion. It is also a lesson in giving your self an inner massage, a very practical form of self compassion. Why being kind to yourself matters the most: its all about the nervous system. A common misconception is that muscles become too short and that we need to stretch them out into their full length. Instead, muscles can be contracted or extended, and sometimes they get “stuck” in contraction. Stretching the muscles wont make them longer, what they need is for the nervous system to believe that its safe to extend the muscles. When we do the inner massage, we gently stretch muscles, then release them and in doing so we tell the nervous system that it's safe to extend the muscles, resulting in greater relaxation.
In this Micro Pause we explore the relationship between the lower back and the hips. Increasing the mobility of the hip joins often have a positive effect on lower back pain. We make a rather strong exercise, focusing on strengthening the muscles on the back and sides of the hips. Why strengthen? A strong muscle is an agile muscle! In this lesson you get to fire them up so they can start doing their work in carrying the weight of your body. When we work on strength, we also increase mobility.
In this Micro Pause we explore the relationship between the lower back and the iliopsoas muscle. The iliopsoas muscle is the main muscle that connects the upper and the lower body. Its a long muscle, and its located deep within the body. It goes from the lower back all the way to the thigh bone, or bones, because you do of course have to iliopsoas muscles, one on each side. If it is tense it may pull on the lower back, creating a sense of compression. For every step you take the psoas muscles are trained! Every time you walk you will both stretch and engage the iliopsoas muscles, simply by letting them do what they are designed to do. The more time you spend sitting down, the shorter, weaker and more tense they will become.