Bugs, Breathing, and Movement!
What if I told you that the foundation to being fit and strong was so easy a baby could do it? It would be hard to believe, but it's true. And babies everywhere are doing it!
Since we do not have to teach babies how to move - lift their head, rollover, or crawl - we typically don’t think about all that goes into their development.
If we look closely, however, there is much that we can learn from the amazing process these little ones go through as they develop their ability to move.
Functional Movement
Research has found that the way a baby moves is the most efficient way to move. When we deviate from this type of movement we will not function at our best.
Functional Progression exercises are modeled after babies and how they move, organize movement patterns, and learn to stabilize. They allow us to reestablish movement patterns so that they become natural again.
Where to Begin - Diaphragmatic Breathing
Breathing properly is a foundational piece of movement. Unfortunately most adults do not breathe in a natural way. In fact, a pilot study of 96 people in 2003 that assessed breathing mechanics found that only 25% of people breathe properly.
Using the wrong muscles to breathe can lead to a host of problems such as recurrent chronic fatigue, anxiety, panic attacks, as well as many musculoskeletal symptoms.
If you are trying to make changes in the way that you breathe, it will take some time. But you can make real changes if you try to focus on your breathing technique at least once an hour. This video will show you what you should be doing to breathe properly.
Remember, this is the foundation for all the other functional movement exercises, so don’t skip this important step.
The Dead Bug
While you are learning to breathe properly again, you can also begin to engage your core in a specialized way.
Take a moment to think about a baby laying on it’s back. Where are his legs? Where are her hands? They are in the air moving about.
This next functional movement exercise, called the “dead bug,” mimics that type of movement.
I am passionate about leading you to greater health! If you are interested in learning more about Functional Progression or would like to work with me to learn these movements give us a call 630-448-0255.
Dr. Jamie
Are you gardening this year? Do you love seeing your plants grow healthy and strong? If you are a gardener, you know there are certain things plants need to thrive. Some of the first steps are weeding, seeding, and feeding. 
It's hard to believe that I opened the office ten years ago!
One of the ways we can protect the earth is by reducing our use of plastic. Much of the plastic we use is discarded ending up in landfills, but a lot of the plastic ends up polluting our oceans as well.
Have you ever noticed that people tend to get more aches and pains the older they get? You may think this is just a normal part of getting older, but what if there were some simple exercises that would help keep you feeling young a lot longer? Would you be interested?