Side Lying Hip Raise

Strong hips equal a strong body. This terrific body weight exercise will help strengthen the glutes and muscles of the lower back. 1. Position your self on your forearm and place other hand on upper hip. 2. Make sure your body is in a straight line from shoulders to knees. Raise your self up on your forearm and bottom knee. 3. Lift and lower top…


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Kale, Shaved Fennel, Orange Salad with Pomegranates

This gorgeous salad is inspired from a "Cookie and Kate" https://cookieandkate.com recipe I have. This a nice variation from your run of the mill kale salads because of the brightly colored and super nutritious fruits and vegetables.     Cookie recipe calls for dried cranberries in her recipe but I substitute pomegranate seeds.  Pomegranate seeds…


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Foundation Training Back Extension

This back extension exercise is different than some of the other back extension exercises, like supermans, you seen performed in the gym. Notice that the hips and thighs stay on the floor and the muscles of the inner thighs are contracted to anchor the pelvis and the face is pulled away from the floor. Decompression breathing is used to create the…


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Thoracic (Upper Back) Extension and Rotation

Your thoracic spine (upper spine) is designed to flex, extended and rotate where your lumbar (lower spine) is not, we should use our hips to rotate, extend and flex. When our upper back becomes stiff from lack of motion, and too much forward posture, the lower spine and our neck can compensate and pain can develop. Try incorporating this simple exercise…


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Five Common Health and Fitness Mistakes to Avoid - Some May Surprise You!

 1.     Spending lots of time on “core work” to reduce abdominal fat. Spot reduction just doesn’t work. If you are unhappy with the amount of abdominal fat you have, cleaning up your diet by getting rid of the processed food, and adding more fruits and vegetables is key. You may also want to adjust your workout routine by adding some challenging aerobic…


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Mediterranean Pasta Salad

A delicious Mediterranean Pasta  Salad inspired from a recipe from Love and Lemons.   I have served this salad to guests a number of times this summer and is has always been a winner.  You can substitute feta cheese for the avocado if you like. I think it would be fun to try different kinds of short pasta for this recipe. If you try a different flavor,…


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Forward Fold

  A forward fold, is a very common exercise done as a lower back and hamstring stretch, but is it ideal? When the spine flexes forward, and the muscles of the lower back lengthen under tension, and vertebral flexion create compressive loads on the disks. These loads exceed those deemed safe by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health.…


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Foundation Training Lunge Decompression

I am being coached by Linda, a fellow Foundation Training teacher from British Columbia during our Level 2 training in Boulder last weekend. The lunge decompression is an exercise that lengthens the powerful hip flexor muscles and the muscles on the front of the body. Incorporating decompression breathing, helps to lift the rib cage and enhances the…


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Foundation Training "Woodpecker"

Foundation Training uses a combination of powerful movements and diaphragmatic breath work to activate the core and decompress the spine. When practiced regularly, your pain diminishes, your resistance to injury increases, and your body comes to life. Woodpecker, can almost be considered a single leg Founder. Woodpecker is an excellent glute and lower…


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Kale Salad Inspiration

 I have been in Mexico the past week enjoying some warm weather and beach after our big snow season in Aspen. It has been great to relax, read, get some good workouts inside and outside, enjoy the ocean, and of course enjoy the local cuisine. We had dinner last night at Flora Farms in Cabo and it was an amazing experience. They raise all of their own…


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