The dreaded Christmas shopping, for some a pleasure but for many a pain in the arm, shoulders and neck. Courtesy of GymGuyMark, here is a different way to look at your shopping trip and how to recover afterwards!
When it comes to carrying shopping, or any weight over long distances, balance is key. The thing is people think of it as shopping not weight. If you went into a gym and the trainer said “here is 15kg I want you to walk for 15 mins carrying this” you would look at them and laugh and perhaps wonder if they where serious. But just think, in reality you are doing this for up to 2-3 hours on a shopping trip.
Keeping the weight balanced through your body will help in several ways.
1. It will help with the aching back and shoulders it will give you, and remember you will have sore muscles regardless if you carry properly or not, as it is a workout.
2. It will burn a lot of energy and give you a good work, don’t let anyone tell you different. (I knew shopping was cardio GC)
3. You will start to feel muscles working that you didn’t know were there. When you feel the muscle flex, contract them and open the channels to it from your brain, this will help with coordination and balance.
So……… You have just had a BIG work out, when you get home and drop the bags, rather than a cuppa (not just yet) you want/need to stretch off the muscle as it will be tired, I know you may not want to or think it silly but believe you will feel the benefit. (this works GC)
So start with the calf’s
then onto the quads
and hamstrings
Just like at the end of a class, move onto the waist, (body twists)
chest
shoulders
back
and neck!
Now you can have a cuppa and relax know you are done……………………..for today anyway!
Mark
PS you can follow Mark on Twitter @gymguymark or contact him via http://www.glasgowwestern.co.uk/gym.html
