Sleeping is key to increasing Melatonin

Melatonin is a vital hormone because it help with deep quality sleep. When you are well rested with adequate deep sleep your body produces vast amount of growth hormone which is vital for muscle and connective tissue repair,cell growth and cell regeneration and improve fast burning while we sleep. It even out performs high intensity exercise like sprinting sandbag training so getting to bed early folks has such enormous value. And it's free!

Melatonin is secreted in the brain by the pineal gland from tryptophan an animo acid,when tryptophan is optimal it creates serotonin which in turn promotes  the production of a healthy melatonin response. As explained above its a hormone that's vital for getting undisturbed deep sleep, this is when powerful hormones like GH get activated and produced. This also applies to other master hormones insulin,Leptin and testosterone. Both Leptin and Insulin sensitivity are increased which promotes fatburning,less inflammation in the body with a healthier hormone profile.

Melatonin also help lower the carcinogenic hormone estrone.

When women are in a menopausal state  the ovaries aren't making the good estrogen anymore, the adrenal glands takeover to help increase the low level of estrogen in the body,the problem with this-is,the adrenals have high levels of estrone which shift the fat from the hips to the stomach area.

Men also struggle with bad estrogen  when they produce Testoserone that converts into estrone. When Melatonin is optimal it lowers adrenal estrogen estrone. It penetrates the blood brain barrier and is an effective anti-oxidant .

Brings blood pressure down reduces excess stomach fat provides a balanced of insulin and leptin sensitivity within the body. Will also provided a deterrent for migraine suffers.

I used to suffer with insomnia a few years ago especially after an evening workout. Id find myself staying up till the early hours of the morning watching crappy TV. This would disrupt my mood workouts and energy for a productive day ahead.I started engaging in daily meditation once in the morning and an hour before going to sleep. This is a great practice to participate in to lower your adrenaline and unwind before lights out. 

If your new to meditation just start with 5mins close your eyes in a quiet room with no distractions and just look at your thought and listen to your breathing-don't judge them or analyse them just watch- that's it! Slowly increase the time each session by a minute until you reach 20mins. Its certainly worth investing your time in.

Magnesium before bed is also another great way to send you off into a deep sleep it naturally puts your body into a relaxation state and helps with stress and inflammation. Turn off wifi before getting your head down,the electronic frequencies that circulate can dirupted your sleep. Wear an eye mask get a black out blind so your room is dark, as any visible light can trigger off adrenaline.

The supplement inositol will regulate  neurotransmitters in the brain and help settle anxiety. 500mg at bedtime.

Serotonin is the building block to melatonin,keep serotonin production healthy get a good nights sleep.

If your the type of person that falls to sleep but is always having to issue of waking in the middle of night then finding it extremely hard to get back to sleep. It maybe useful for you to supplement with melatonin cream. Taking 0.5-3mg cycle off every 8 weeks of use for 4weeks.   Over use of supplementation can lead to a drop in testosterone so only use if really necessary and follow guidelines.

There we have it. In closing I'd like reiterate that the simplest and most cost effective way to increase melatonin is to get good quality deep sleep every night,this will see you gain vast improvements in energy, mood, workout quality and overall thriving as a human being.

Inflammation

Super important topic in today's article is how to lower inflammation in our bodies? What is inflammation how does it come about? And how can we eradicate it from our system?

All these questions will be revealed as we delve deeper into this topic.

Inflammation occurs in the body from a negative reaction to a type of infection that has been inherited from a bacteria,irritation,injury whereby the bodies immune system is comprised. Over training,work related stress,poor sleep and ingesting low vibrational junk foods- ie chemical based foods (GMO'S) genetically modified organisms create vast amounts of  inflammation within the body,and our immune system finds it extremely difficult to fight. This constant battle with inflammation will result in autoimmune diseases where the immune system has to much to deal with and becomes confused and starts attacking it's own healthy tissue. The GI tract  starts to have serious issues digesting food,proper absorption becomes a difficult task,the condition IBS can form resulting in irritable bowel,gut issues. The immune system becomes incredibly weak, joint pain and arthritis can develop then quality of life drop dramatically.

Thankfully there are things we can do to combat this. Benefits to lowering inflammation are available if we are willing to put in the time and effort to change our habits. But first let's look at what benefits to lowering inflammation have on the body. Almost all known diseases today can be prevented if we create a healthier environment within our bodies. This will stop viruses bacteria nesting in our systems as it needs to have a breeding ground to live and develop in. Cancers strokes heart disease Alzheimer's disease arthritis asthma and IBS find it incredible difficult to live in a healthy environment where inflammation doesn't live and fester. I'm  not a doctor nor am I  suggesting that you are 100% bulletproof from disease but you will certainly have a better quality of live if you keep inflammation low.

 It's also important to note that high inflammation levels causes the immune system to release a stress hormone named cortisol. Cortisol comes from the master sex hormone pregnenelone,when we don't have a good stress management structure in place. Ideally we want the pathway to go from pregnenelone to the our top control stress hormone DHEA. DHEA provides a much more of a balanced hormonal profile to thrive from,our androstenedione testosterone progesterone will be in much better shape and optimal ranges.

Progesterone is much needed in both sexes this is something very much overlooked especially in men as they can become fixed on testosterone. Cortisol is made from progesterone the more that's used to convert into cortisol the less progesterone is available. This will result in estrogen being produced. Estrogen is the culprit for gaining stubborn fat in unwanted areas of the body. This can then progress into high inflammation resulting in serious life threatening diseases ie prostate breast cancer.

The roll fat plays in inflammation is something to be aware of. The masses consume large amounts of omega 6 fatty acids which are prevalent in most of our food today. An excess amount of these types of fats can lead to high inflammation which increase the bodies levels of arachidonic acid which is pro inflammatory. Getting more omega 3 into our diet is a better option for healthy balance diet,as they are naturally anti inflammatory-(Alpha linolenic acid)which helps balance out our omega 6 ratio. A positive ratio between the two is 2-1 of omega 3 to 6. Most of the general population  have increased inflammation circulating in their systems so this ratio would apply to most.

This is not to say omega 6 is the enermy as too much of one isn't a healthy situation to be in either. A balance of Omega 6 is vital to eat up any rouge cell tissues that could be detrimental to our bodies. To much Omega 3 can promote cancerous growth ie prostate enlargement so a adequate amount of breakdown is required to prevent these life threatening diseases from occurring.

In regards to trainees who are looking for increased muscle growth which helps with fat loss or if you are an athlete that's  training with an intense program. The body will require a certain amount of arachidonic acid from omega 6 foods,to stimulate the production of anabolism. The arachidonic acid production is a building block for the key hormones that stimulate growth and are essential to burning unwanted fat for overall positive results. Those trainees that find it hard to put on muscle tissue maybe due to an increased amount of omega 3 within their diet and a lack of omega 6 which as stated above can ignite anabolism. So a switch in ratio to 4 to 1 omega 6 to omega 3 could be a good starting alternative for though's trainees whose goals are to pack on muscle tissue,and burn fat.

Healthy sources of omega 3 are chia seeds flaxseeds,walnuts. All these nuts can be found in oil form as well which are also great for salads. Udos oil is a good option which consists of omega 3,6,9. 

Certain oily fish have good amounts of omega 3,6,9 salmon sardines as so does organic grass fed beef,organic eggs and chickens that are fed healthy diets. My issue with these food sources is that food comes as a whole package not just a single reductionist nutrient,so you may be getting your omega 3,6 & 9 but you're also having to ingest the chemicals that are pumped into the animals prior to you buying the food from the supermarket. These chemicals are sprayed to preserve foods shelf life but also blowup the size of the animal with a cosmetic dye added to make the grey meat look more appealing to the eye,as a redesh pink colour. Diseases,toxicwaste chemicals that fish ingest from our highly polutted filthy rivers,oceans along with different species hormones are all going into your body. Along with high levels of saturated fat which can lead to further health complications down the road. Is it a coincidence that the more chemicals we consume there's more cancer rates! I think not!!!  And there's also the issue of sustainablility for the planet but that's another topic for another day.

Foods that are high in omega 6 are avocado,pumpkin,seeds,hempseeds cashew nuts. All animal fats have large amounts of AA arachidonic acid which bumps up our inflammation.

Sources of omega 9 which are encouraged in our diets are macadamia nut pistachios nuts almonds cashews olive oil. Consuming a good balance of omega 9 will help lower cholesterol improve heart health insulin resistance and protects immune system. 

Let's look at fish oils for moment lots of hype around taking supplementary fish oils that are high in EPA and DHA to combat inflammation in the body. The anti inflammatory fatty acid ALA Alpha linolenic acid makes EPA & DHA but these two cannnot make ALA. ALA which is found in chiaseed flaxseed lowers the inflammatory marker C-reactive protein. 

In studies fish oils haven't shown any indication of lowering C-reactive protein. The brain is made up of mostly DHA and fat so it makes sense to supplement with good sources of DHA as it has great properties. Good sources of DHA are chlorella spirillina also known as marine algae. This way your going straight to the source rather than lower down on the  food chain, this is also much more beneficial for your  health as these foods are grown in fresh clean waters.

Ok we had a look at DHA now let's see what EPA has to offer for reduction in inflammation. EPA has been shown to be affective at helping recover from joint and inflammation problems as does DHA. Although EPA goes about this process with a detrimental effect on our immune systems. Causing a suppression in immunity that can lead to other unnecessary complications. If an individual has a overactive immune system then a slight suppression maybe beneficial. Reducing inflammation should be tackled with proper strategies that have a overall positive effect on the bodies health ie adequate restoration through yoga, meditation,healthy food choices stress and inflammation lowering supplement like systemic enzymes magnesium oil, cety miristoleate.

With increasingly more suductive manipulative advertising for sugary junk foods,it's no wonder people have a hard time resisting the high inflammatory processed foods. But this high consumption of sugar is what's leading to high levels of inflammation and illness. Sugar ramps up high levels of insulin which if prolonged in your body can create vast amounts of inflammation resulting in clogging and restricting the arteries causing high blood pressure and heart disease.

Studies even show that refined sugar is as addictive as heroin and other class A drugs. In my opinion it's more to do with the microbial that live in your gut,you have more microbes than cells in your body which are living bacteria that send craving signals to your brain for a particular food that you've been feeding them. So it's not just your will power that keeps letting you down, its the microbial ecology that are living within you that are asking for the surgary foods to live on. So by changing your food habits you will eventually change you microbes that transformation can propel you into changing your life. 

This brings us to a crucial area that is very much over looked when addressing our health the GI tract. The GI tract is gastrointestinal tract  or Git. It our digestive system which is responsible for digesting all of the food/drink that we consume throughout the day. We absorb what's needed then expel what's not required by the body as stools. Good gut health is essential for a healthy functional immune system that produces a good gut bacteria,so our digestive enzyme can absorb nutrients from the food we consume and distribute them efficiently. Our stomach also requires a balanced amount of acid to breakdown protein sources we eat. Infections within the stomach can occur with poor food choices and inflammation, so having  optimal acid in our stomach is vital for healthy GI tract. I find ginger also works well for GI tract and gut health issues, with the added benefit of combatting colds/flus. Glutamine intake is normally associated as a muscle repair/growth supplement taken after participating in weight training exercise,but it's actually been shown as a  fantistic GI tract healer. Most people's issues start from their gut GI tract if stressed- it effects the gut resulting in poor absorption from food and not equiring sufficient nutrients from the food they eat thus leading to illness weak immunity and a comprised hormonal system. 

Below is list to optimise a healthy gut flora.

Probiotics FOS so they proliferate 

50 billion species.

Betaine Hydrochloric acid HCL

Digestive Enyzmes

Glutamine 99.9%

Raw Ginger.

 

Exercise and supplements to boost your natural Growth Hormone levels.

When engaging in high octane exercise like explosive sandbag drills,sprint intervals,tabata protocol which brings about a lactate acid response,growth hormone becomes activated to higher levels.

Increase GH high explosive tabata workouts.

Increase testosterone heavy resistance workouts squats deadlift etc.

Although testosterone and growth hormone are released into the bloodstream after workouts it's not a contributing factor for muscle and strength gains. It's having a good stream of GH IGF-1(insulin growth factor) & testosterone running in the body 

throughout the day that's key to overall results & thriving. Having a healthy response to your workouts where GH IGF-1 & testosterone are secreted is a sure sign your workout was productive rather than beating your body up to a high cortisol release which is totally counterintuitive to your results.

Magnesium oil is through transdermal delivery is a great way to increase IGF-1 levels and improve the flow of free testosterone in the body. The amount that's available for use. I use 16 sprays on my legs morning,evening which also improves sleep quality. 300-400mg

Systemic enzymes superb for workout recovery lowering muscle soreness inflammation that causes injury illness and lowers growth hormone.

Restorezyme by Mike Mahlers is a top supplement.

Mucuna pruiens is highly effective for boosting GH. It has L dopa within it which stimulates growth hormone releasing hormone. A great natural way to boost natural  testosterone levels by nourishing the pituitary gland in the brain which is responsible for Healthy Luteinizing hormone production. Also reduces prolactin levels in the body which is our bodies indicator of inflammation.

Secretrophin:

Hormone researcher Mike Mahler States"Secretrophin a growth hormone segretagogue.1200mg amino acids as well as L dopa from mucuna. Uses nanotechnology for optimal delivery. In two clinical trials of 100 people an average increase of IGF-1 was 50-200% seen in 92% of the participants"

www.raisemygh.com

Deer Antler Velvet has the hormone IGF-1 already located within its structure. The process of obtaining the supplement is done by scrapping off the velvet from the antlers of a dear(no dears are harm by this -it's completely harmless) the velvet is then dried out then pressed then make into a spray this allow for better absorption rate compare to tablet form. 

www.beeyoungnow.com

A six month treatment of DHEA in male and female showed improvements of IGF-1 production upto 20% for men and 30% in women.

Creatine is a all round great supplement the more studies done on creatine the better it gets. It's shown to improve intramuscular IGF-1 by 67%.

Bees produce a rich b-complex amino acid called Royal jelly. It's a highly affective neural stem cell enhancer that will reduce inflammation increase the healing process when damage to the body has occurred. Reduces the bad l cholesterol it also has antibiotic functions for the body. Improves overall brain functionality pituitary gland health and has also been shown to fight autoimmune diseases.

Gaba helps boost growth hormone levels by a incredible 480% take three grams after high octane training session.

Vitamin D3 ramps up Insulin growth factor 1. If vitamin D levels are low it directly effects IGF-1 levels.

Coffee has been shown to boost growth hormone 2 cups of good quality black coffee per day.

Arginine Pyroglutamate & Lysine in studies has been shown to increase growth hormone by 700%. M.D researcher A. Isidori conducted a test in the university of Rome back in the early 80s. With 15 males given the supplement orally he and his medical team found that Arginine Pyroglutamate & Lysine taken together was around 10 times more potent than just L-Arginine taken alone resulting in higher growth hormone blood levels which increase all round cellular growth production.

What is Growth Hormone?

Today topic is about Growth Hormone what it is! how it's created in the body and why we need it to thrive as human beings. 

Firstly is a peptide which is synthesised by amino acids which promotes growth cell regeneration,cell reproduction, in the body. The pituitary gland in the brain is responsible for releasing producing and cultivating growth hormone. There are 191 amino acids stored in growth hormone.

Growth hormone is created from a direct response of growth hormone releasing hormone GHRH. It's path starts from the pituitary gland into the liver where it has an effect on IGF-1 insulin like growth factor. This hormone is a highly potent  metabolite for GH which assists in repair damage to the body. IGF-1 has several benefits that help the body to recover from hard workout sessions feel strong and emotional balanced. Promote muscle growth repair with healthy cell promotion. Both hormones are for growth which encourage the body to utilize protein to rebuild. 

Growth hormone is a master hormone that is a contributing factor of the aging process in humans. If GH is not optimal our pituitary gland health can be comprised in relation to this if the body creates to much GH it could indicate that there might be a pituitary gland growth. Ie cancerous tumour.

Growth hormone production is in vast quantities when we are young adults up until age 25, as we age our production goes down every ten years by 10-15% depending on the individual.

Growth hormone levels can decrease with age if we don't manage leptin. Leptin is our fuel gauge hormone that lets us know when we've had enough nutrients in the body. Checkout my previous post on leptin. High levels of Leptin stops the production of growth hormone which results in GH resistance. 

If our leptin is in optimal ranges and inflammation is kept under control this will benefit growth hormone production in the body. 

When good levels of growth hormone are active in the body this is a signal that  our IGF-1 has increased and GH is working well. IGF-1 has strong effects that promote cellular growth,although to much growth can be a sign of cell enlargement or cancerous growth. IGF-1 in high dosage is a sure sign of growth hormone resistance. IGF-1 levels in male and female should be around 250ng/dl to 350ng/dl.

Let's look at natural ways to increase our growth hormone levels so we can thrive.

The hunger hormone grehlin is a great natural and free way to improve our GH production. It's a secretagogue receptor which mean it attaches to growth hormone when the bodies in a fasting state. This can be achieved by taking large breaks between our meals,which also has the benefit of lowering insulin levels in the body. Another effective strategy for improving growth hormone is to engage in intense exercise like weight lifting,sprinting & explosive training,this form of exercise boosts your overall GH levels after a workout. Getting adequate amounts of the macro nutrient protein is essential for growth hormone levels, although to much isn't necessary. Start with around 1g per kilo of body weight this should be sufficient for most but if your training regime is more intense than usual or your an athlete,then an extra 30% maybe required. Protein is overly consumed in today's society due to hype up advertising campaigns,most people over do it so be mindful of your protein intake.

The neurotransmitter dopamine attaches to growth hormone secretagogue. Sources of nutrition would be Mucuna black beans and lava beans.

Mucuna pruriens or Kapikachhu is a Ayurvedic herb found in the India it holds the natural plant chemical L-dopa which is precursor to dopamine in the brain. Tyrosine the amino acid is also a great source to increase dopamine. 

One of my favorite and simple ways to increase growth hormone levels is just to get deep sleep every night. Getting to bed early then falling into a deep sleep has shown to boost growth hormone levels,especially within the first few hours. 

It's good to know what increases our production of growth hormone but it's equally important to know what's going to harm our production and lower it. 

Inflammation from eating junk foods,drinking poor water high in heavy metals. 

The Inflammatory condition fibromyalgia has adverse effects to GH production. 1/3 of GH per night.

Leptin resistance as explain above lowers GH levels.

Insulin resistance high blood sugar which  

ramps up the hormone somatastatin. Stops production of GH.

High stress levels can cause the hormone cortisol to be released which increased glucocorticoid which also ramps up somatastatin. Poor lifestyle choices through nutrition is a sure way to create inflammation in the body processed junk food insufficient macronutrients will cause low GH.

What affects does healthy optimal growth hormone levels have on the body. Well it improves calcium uptake for stronger bones. Builds health muscle tissue which Inturn increases metabolic rate to burn unwanted stubborn fat,especially fat stored around the stomach. 

Improve protein absorption and synthesis 

Nourishes the major organs in the body with healthy growth.

Stop the liver from storing fat by lower its intake of glucose. 

A process called gluconeogenisis,protein into carbohydrates- is increased through adequate GH levels.

Boosts immunity to fight of illness and disease. A visible improve in tighter more elastic health skin.

Positive Mood and energy boost with a sharpness in mental focus.

Deep sleep improves allowing the increase of more GH production.

Heart health increases with better blood flow to all parts of the body. Libido will increase along with function. Lower pain in the body which helps with quicker recovery after training. Heals joint pain and inflammation.

Here are signs that you may have low growth hormone production. A sure sign is struggling to get good restful sleep if your constantly waking up whilst sleeping  and the quality of your sleep pattern is poor then is likely that your GH level will be low. You'll also find gaining excess fat especially in stubborn areas which are particularly hard to shift ie stomach hips.

The texture of your skin will become wrinkly with the added visibility of age spots. A loss of hair or going thin on top is another sign of GH level being low,there's also the possibility of turning grey. Sex will be non existence and function equally as poor. You'll find concentration on work projects any activities will become a chore. Trying to focus for long periods of time will be difficult. Immune system decline and reactions and reflexes not upto your optimal standard.

So what can we do to create a healthier environment for Growth hormone to occur naturally in our bodies?

Well consuming optimal amounts of protein in our diet is certainly a good way to increase our production. GH is increased when good protein sources are consumed-there are a building blocks for growth hormone to thrive. 

Note:Poor sources of protein won't cut it! I'm talking about clean healthy protein sources like lava beans, kidney beans,black beans nuts & seeds,lentits even kale broccoli spinach all these foods have good clean amounts of protein in them. Meats from factory farms which are in every supermarket you see today-is garbage! and will ultimately end up causing high inflammation in the body which leads to injury,illness and longterm disease. 

As I've mentioned before taking larger breaks between meals definitely boost GH by increasing the hungry hormone grehlin with attaches to the GH receptors. Keeping a balanced diet of carbohydrates protein and healthy fat is essential- try to steer clear of faddy non carbohydrate diets as they only lower growth hormone levels in the liver. Increasing carbohydrates can also be a problem if they are of a poor quality choose low glycemic carbohydrates that are nutritional dense and of high quality. Consume with protein and fats but keep good carbohydrates to around 40% Protein 20-30% fats 40%. This may vary depending on individual or particular sporting athlete. 

Training journal

 Friday 11th September 

Preworkout:1 cup of loose leaf Jasmine green tea. 

Mood:Felt good mentally. Sore from previous conditioning workout Wednesday 9th

Workout note:Restoration relaxation session to keep joints mobile and injury free for future sessions. 

Joint mobility routine:

Look up & Down

1:Stand with feet hip width apart knees soft.

2:Shoulders back with neutral spine position.

3:Look up,hold for 1-2 secs then look down, chin on chest. Repeat

Head forward & back 

1:Stand with feet hip width apart knees soft.

2:Shoulders back with neutral spine position looking straight ahead.

3:Push head forward so neck is extended out. Then pull head back with chin to starting position. Repeat

Head rotations-Look over each shoulder

1:Stand with feet hip width apart knees soft.

2:Shoulders back with neutral spine position.

3:Look over left shoulder & pick a spot to focus on then do the same on the right shoulder. Repeat

Ear to shoulder-lateral head tilt

1:Stand with feet hip width apart knees soft.

2:Shoulders back with neutral spine position.

3:Laterally tilt head to the side leading with the ear. Then repeat on the other side.

Egyptian

1:Stand with feet hip width apart, knees soft with arms up,in line with the shoulders.

2:Rotate through the shoulders keeping palms facing up-really feel the shoulder joints working. 

3:Rotate head and pivot hips in the same direction. 

Alternating shoulder rolling

1:Stand with feet hip width apart knees soft.

2:Shoulders back with neutral spine position,hands on thighs.

3:Alternate shoulder rolls in a swimmers backstroke movement keeping hands on the outside of the thighs. Draw circles movements with the on the thighs. 

4:Reverse the above movement to mimmick a swimmers front crawl with hands still on thighs. 

Arm circles

1:Stand with feet hip width apart knees soft.

2:Shoulders back with neutral spine position.

3:Circle both arms crossing over in front of you. Change direction.

 Single arm circles forward & backwards

1:Stand with feet hip width apart knees soft.

2:Shoulders back with neutral spine position.

3:Circle arm forward so it lightly brushing the ear then lower down past the thigh in a continuing manner. Change arms.

4:Circle arm backwards so it lightly brushed the ear then lower down past the thigh in a continuing manner. Change arms.

Mexican wave

1:Stand feet hip width apart knees soft.

2:Shoulders back with neutral spine position with arms by sides.

3:Swing arms back and simultaneously drive hips backwards pushing the backside out maintaining good posture. (Like a kettlebell hip hinge action)

4:Drive the hips forwards with arms swinging up above the head.

5:Repeat the movement.

Hula hoop circles

1:1:Stand feet hip width apart knees soft.

2:Shoulders back with neutral spine position.

3:Draw a circle with your hips in one direction in a hula hoop movement.

4:Change direction and repeat.

Gong waist rotations

1:Stand feet hip width apart knees soft.

2:Shoulders back with neutral spine position.

3:Start by rotating through the waist in a quick left to right motion.

4:Arms hanging loosely swinging around each side of the body

5:Allow the opposite foot to pivot in rotation 

6:Open up stance as you complete more reps.

Lateral spine bends

1:1:Stand feet hip width apart knees soft.

2:Shoulders back with neutral spine position.

3:Lateral bend to the right with hands on hips keep head facing forwards.

4:Visualise bending sideways over a barrel.

5:Repeat on the left hand side.

Bow & Bend

1:Stand feet hip width apart knees soft.

2:Shoulders back with neutral spine position.

3:Begin by breathing out and slowly bending forward lowering the hands to the ground keeping the legs straight. Opening out each vertebrae when bending forward.

4: Return breathing in,and slowly come back to an upright position. Feel each individual vertebrae moving into alignment finishing with the neck.

5:Then move into a upper back bend keeping the legs straight. Lower back remains straight.

Marching in place

 1:Stand feet hip width apart knees soft.

2:Raise right knee to chest area while  simultaneously raising opposite arm above the head.

3: Repeat on opposite side of the body in a continuous manner.

3rd world squat.

1:Stand feet hip width apart knees soft,feet at 45 degree angle.

2: Squat down as low as possible (bottom to heels)breathing out keeping knees in track with the feet. Arm out in front at eye level for balance.

3:Hold at the bottom part of the rep for 5-10secs 

4:Return breathing in to the start position

Rolling sit-up 

1: Sit on the floor legs together out in front with body upright.

2:Slowly lower and lean to the right controlling the upper body contracting through the midsection.

3:Lower the body to the ground but keep shoulders off the ground then roll across to the left hand side keeping midsection tight.

4:Lift the upper body back to a sitted position with controlled movement.

5: Repeat the movement by lowering on the left hand side of the body and finishing up on the right hand side.

Downward dog pump

1:Start in a downward dog position,hands shoulder width apart feet hip width apart.

2:Keep arms straight, midsection tight with legs straight and heels on the ground,relax the shoulders.

3: Begin by slowly lowering the pelvic to the ground keeping arms straight and strong throughout the move.

4:Hands and feet are the only contact with the ground. Look up at the bottom phase of the movement.

5:Return by pushing backside up to starting position. Repeat

Cossack drill

1:Feet positioned outside of shoulder width apart at 45 degree angle.

2:Squat to the right hand side with left leg straight and toes facing up to the sky-keep back upright in a neutral position.

3:If needed put hands on a chair for support.

4: Keeping feet flat whilst squatting to the right hand side.

5:Move fluidly from right to left.

For more details on joint mobilty  checkout my follow along YouTube video(Joint mobilty for restoration and longevity)and my blog post on the benefits of joint mobility.

15 minutes Yoga for lower back & hips. 

Here are three of my favourite poses in this routine that help with lower back and hip flexibility.

Downward dog

Sit on your heels then stretch out both of your arms so they are straight out in front of you. Move into a table top pose on your hands and knees so that your wrists are underneath your shoulder joint,knees inline with hip joint. Push your hands firmly into the mat as you lift your hips and backside towards the sky. Straighten arms extend both legs and flatten heels to the mat. Allow your head to hang freely flatten lower back.

	Big toe pose

Stand upright in mountain pose with both feet together.

Bring your awareness to the present moment with a calm mind. Inhale through the nose exhale through the nose whilst lifting your right knee to to chest.

Contract your left thigh(quadricep muscle) with a slight shift in weight to the left side of your body.. 

Then grasp the big toe on your right foot with the first and second fingers  with the thumb wrapped around to form a secure grip. Place your left hand on your left hip.

Inhale.. then slowly begin to straighten your right leg whilst holding your big toe as far as your body allows. Brace your abdominals lower your right hip so that both hips are square,spine in alignment.

Hold for 5-10 breaths then slowly return so that your knee is back to your chest. Lower right leg back to the floor into mountain pose.

Repeat on the left leg.

Bow pose

Start in the table top position(on all fours)

Hands underneath your shoulder joints,knees underneath hip joints. Tuck your toes under. 

Draw midsection in tight so that your deep abdominal muscles are braced. 

Bring your awareness to the breath so you are fully present. 

Raise your right knee off the mat and move your right foot across to the left leg,grasp your right ankle with your left hand and raise the right foot to the sky. (See picture above)

Distribute your weight through the right shoulder,arm,hand and left hip and knee so you maintain a secure body position.

Feel the stretch through the right hip flexor left shoulder and opens up chest.

Hold for 5-10 breaths repeat on opposite side of the body.