health

by

Beets Mom

This year for Mothers’ Day, my youngest son gave me a hand written, colorful note.

It says, “Happy Mothers Day. The best moms teach yoga!” I laughed and had to share it with my yoga class. Thank heavens I teach yoga or else, how could I be the best mom?

Best, Beets–They are about the same thing and this year my thoughts on Moms went straight for that vegetable. The week before Mother’s day I found in the grocery store the largest, most beautiful fresh beets I’d ever seen. They were large and had big red and green stems that were leafy, not wilted and looked very fresh.

I bought them and prepared them for dinner. I thought they were wonderful, but most of my children did not appreciate them at all. In fact, it is a good thing I like them because I’m still eating left-overs.

I think beets are the best symbol for a good mom. They might not always have the most attractive skin, but they are good for you and wonderful. All the beauty they have inside colors everything they do. My hands were red from the contact for two days. The water they cooked in was red. A gentle, unintentional influence. So, so beautiful and natural and nutritious.

So, maybe yoga is the best, but this year for me, beets beat all as the symbol for the Mom I want to be (whether the children recognize it’s beauty, it’s value, or it’s significance or not.)

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Major Muscle Groups

Anterior deltoids and pectoralis major

work the chest

flys, pushups, and bench press

work the best.

Opposite motion for

reverse fly and horizontal high row

work the mid traps, rhomboids, and

posterior deltoids you know.

Shrugs work the upper traps:

remember traps only move the scaps

Shoulders just go for the ride

depression dips and high pulley depressions

Lower traps bring scaps down again

as your stress lessens.

Deltoids: that’s anterior and medial

shoulders lift the arms out and up

front or lateral raises, overhead press,

upright row, now what?

Latissimus dorsi, flat on the back

move the shoulder not the trunk

straight arms in and back is the lat

lat pull-down or pull over

bent over row or seated low row

prone shoulder extension

are all lat moves without exception.

Infraspinatus and teres minor cause

External rotation of the rotator cuff

with a tube or side lying

external strengthening is enough

Biceps are exercised many ways

Alternating bicep curls: concentration,

preacher, standing barbell,reverse and hammer

don’t need much explanation

Triceps push back with elbow extension

kickbacks, dips, or standing press down

overhead French press, or supine

elbow extension don’t mess around.

Abdominals can flex or stabilize

curl up crunch, hip lift, or supine crunch twist

abdominal machines if you wish

focus on bringing ribs to hips.

Erector spinae extend the spine

back extension machine or roman chair

prone back extensions

will get you there.

Quadriceps straighten out the knee

knee extension machine or supine

leg press machine, squats or lunges

will tone and define

Hamstrings bring the foot to the rear

all four hip and knee lift, and knee curl machine

leg press, squats and lunges

also work the hamstrings

Abductors and adductors

just use the machine

or side lying practice

will be just the thing

Anterior Tibialis

dorsiflexion with band

pulling, point your toe

up toward your hand

Calves: Gastrocnemius and Soleus

raise the heel

stretch the tendon

so it won’t kill (achilles)

If you work all the muscle groups

you’ll prevent imbalance

fight the weight of gravity

posture and ability will be enhanced

Work is easier

when you strengthen just a few

times, even a couple times a week

is all you need to do.

*Disclaimer:  I wrote this to help me to study.  I have no license to teach this information yet and of course if and how you use this information is at your own risk.  I don’t have to tell you that exercise can cause injury or death.  But not exercising is also harmful (see American Heart Association web-page).  I publish it only in case it is helpful to someone.