Intentional Grounding! Football Season Moves for Scoliosis

It's football season! Which means one of two things: 1) you immediately closed this browser tab or 2) you are excited that it's football season! I am a Texan, and thus, I love football season. My appreciation for football started back in middle school when I was in the band and forced to attend every Friday night JV football game. My love of football followed me through high school, college, and now as an adult.

Some ladies loves football, others don't. Chances are, your significant other man-friend do
es like football... So, how you try to enjoy it with him and not nag him as much during season? I'll show you a couple football signals that the referees make during a game so you can try them out and maybe begin having your own sense of fun while watching the game! Plus, you'll earn some much needed cool points as the badass girlfriend who doesn't pester him about one of his favorite pastimes.

There are 2 parts to this football season post:

• Part 1: football signal moves and what those signals mean (impress your boo, ladies!).

• Part 2:  "intentional grounding" for scoliosis - ground and floorwork exercises for scoliosis

 

Part 1: football signal moves and what those signals mean (impress your boo, ladies!).

1) Touchdown

• Layman's terms: Scoring! When a player makes it to the end zone
• Fancy terms: A play worth six points, accomplished by gaining legal possession of the ball in the opponent's end zone or by the ball crossing the plane of the opponent's goal line with legal possession by a player. It also allows the team a chance for one extra point by kicking the ball or a two-point conversion

2) Safety:

 

• Layman's terms: when a quarterback (the dude who throws the football) is tackled in the end zone or when a ball goes out the back of the endzone
• Fancy terms: A method of scoring (worth two points) by downing an opposing ballcarrier in his own end zone, forcing the opposing ballcarrier out of his own end zone and out of bounds, or forcing the offensive team to fumble the ball so that it exits the end zone. A safety is also awarded if the offensive team commits a foul within its own end zone. After a safety, the team that was scored upon must kick the ball to the scoring team from its own 20-yard line. A safety scored during a try scores 2 points and is followed by a kickoff as for any other try.

3) Unsportmanslike Conduct:

• Layman's terms: a cheap shot
• Fancy terms: unsportsmanlike conduct (also called unsporting behavior or ungentlemanly conduct) is a foul or offense in many sports that violates the sport's generally accepted rules of sportsmanship and/or participant conduct. Examples include verbal abuse or taunting of an opponent, an excessive celebration following a scoring play, or feigning injury. The official rules of many sports include a catch-all provision whereby participants or an entire team may be penalized or otherwise sanctioned for unsportsmanlike conduct.

4) False start

• Layman's terms: when the dudes on one team trick the other team into moving in the space between the teams to throw off the play that is about to start
• Fancy terms: the sudden movement of the offense in an effort to draw the defense offsides

5) Delay of game

• Layman's terms: when a team lets the play clock run down to 0, thereby delaying the start of a play (usually the fault of the quarterback)
• Fancy terms: a foul which occurs when the offensive team does not put the ball in play before the play clock runs out. There are also less common occurrences which result in a delay of game foul, such as a defensive player holding an offensive player on the ground to prevent him from lining up during a two-minute drill. Penalty: 5 yards.

6) 2 Point Conversion

• Layman's terms: (Does this look familiar?) It's basically a touchdown AFTER a touchdown when a team is trying to get 2 points instead of the typical 1 point for a kick after a touchdown)
• Fancy terms: a two-point conversion is a play a team attempts instead of kicking a one-point convert immediately after it scores a touchdown.

Part 2: "Intentional Grounding" for scoliosis - ground and floorwork exercises for scoliosis

Okay, so the title of this post is a bit misleading if you consider yourself a football connoisseur. In football, the term "intentional grounding" means when a quarterback (the dude with football) leaves the pocket (the place where he starts the play and is guarded by his offensive line) and throws the football out of bounds. He does this when he's about to get tackled and does not want to lose yardage, or worse yet, lose the football.

In Migraines No More speak, intentional grounding is much more literal. It is my idea of intentionally grounding yourself on the floor to work your ground chakra and create a strong sense of connection with mother earth and your most basic self.

Exercises for Intentional Grounding:

1) Corpse pose (AKA "savasana")

2) Side lying knee fold over pose (AKA "parvritta pavanmuktasana")

3) Fetal position (AKA "balasana")

I like to practice my fetal position on my back, on my right side, on my left side, and even in a seated position. Curl up in a tight ball with your arms wrapped as far as you can get them around your shins. Take about 5 really deep breaths, protruding the abdomen, and just feel how it feels to be in this position. I get a nice stretch through my right back when I practice this position.

4) Full boat pose (AKA "paripurna navasana")

(I quite liked this picture because it's realistic of people developing into a full boat pose)

Channel that inner Mrs. Brady, ladies!

Dog Therapy for Scoliosis: Down Dog and Up Dog Yoga Poses

I have what many would consider a mild obsession with my dog. Please allow me to introduce my own personal man's best friend, Malcolm.

Malcolm is the sweetest black labrador basset hound mix (AKA "bassador") I've ever had the pleasure of meeting. I adopted him 2 ago from a lovely woman who had picked him up after some bastard stopped their car and threw him out like yesterday's trash.

But as they say, one man's trash is another man's treasure.

Malcolm is certainly my treasure. He has added value to my life beyond measure. (I told you I have a mild obsession...) I am an adventurer at heart and I bring Malcolm with me anywhere he is permitted (and probably some places he isn't.) I affectionately call him my "adventure puppy" because he is down for anything just like his "mother." My kind of dog for sure.

Okay okay, enough with the formalities. Let's get to the meat of this post. (Malcolm agrees; meat is one of his favorite things.)

If you have a dog, then do what I do and receive inspiration from him for exercise. This concept is very simple: every time your dog does a down dog yoga pose, you do one, too! Every time your does an up dog yoga pose, you do one, too! You don't necessarily have to do a full-on down dog or up dog yoga pose when your dog does it, but rather allow his movement to inspire and remind you to stretch and exercise. Yoga poses are often named after animals, and down/up dog is an obvious one. Animals have a natural intuition when it comes to ensuring they don't become stiff and immobile. Follow your animal's instincts and your body will begin to feel less stiff and more mobile.

Down Dog Variations (do this when you see your dog do his down dog stretch):

• Standard down dog on the ground

• Child's pose on the ground

• Modified standing down dog pose against the wall

• Modified standing sun salutation

• Chair pose

• Wall half hand stand

• Dolphin pose

Up Dog Variations (do this when you see your dog do his up dog stretch):

• Standard up dog on the ground

• Seated mild spinal arch

 

Another benefit of doing some of these modifications on down dog or up dog is that it allows you to feel the muscles that should be working when you are in the full on up dog or down dog pose on the ground. Sometimes, when we do yoga, we tend to focus so much on the end result and looking like the teacher. Changing it up a little allows you to lose that sense of ego and accidently discover how to deepen your own yoga practice resulting in improved flexibility and ability to enter into poses.

Love my dog!

Twerking for Scoliosis! Dancing Exercise for Scoliosis

By this point, you will have heard the term "twerk" or "twerking" far too often for comfort from sources ranging from MTV to NPR. If you haven't seen the ill-fated "Twerk by Fire" YouTube video by now, well, you should. I have more than a few choice words to say about all the publicity the long-existing term "twerk" is currently receiving in the media. However, I will limit myself to two points that I feel compelled to make. First, I would like to do my best to educate the world on how to properly twerk (or at least proper twerking techniques for spinal mobility). Second, I feel it is in everyone's best interest if we reduce the number of people going around twerking like Miley and making themselves look extra.

But as it applies to scoliosis, twerking is actually a great way to liberate the tightness of the lumbar spine. Like me (and most?), you've watched those rap videos and have pondered the great question of twerking: How the hell do they pop their booties like that? I'd be willing to put money on it that if you can twerk like these ladies, you don't have scoliosis problems!

But have no fear: I'll be your twerking spirit guide.

 

Twerking for Scoliosis! How to Guide:

Step 1: Stand with your feet about two feet apart in a wide horse stance. A horse stance is the beginning wide stance for tai chi exercise and a wonderful centering, spinal stabilizing pose to practice. To achieve the proper horse stance, stand tall with the feet touching each other. Slowly toe-heel you feet apart until there are about 2-3 feet between your feet. (The wider the space, the more difficult the twerking will be and also the better the stretch for your lower back.) Slowly bend the knees being sure to keep the knees pointed in the same direction at the toes. If you're doing it with proper form, your toes should be pointing directly in front of you and thus your knees should be facing the front as well.

Step 2: Put your hands on your knees. Begin to tap your right heel to the beat of the song you are listening to. (You are listening to a song, right? If not, pick a jam from my playlist to the right! I find it's much more fun to do dancing exercises with good music keeping me going.) Tap only your right heel. Keep your left foot planted soundly on the ground. Do this movement for around 30 seconds. You should begin to feel your right lower lumbar spine start to loosen up.

Step 3: So, your back should start to feel more loose and, if you're like me, you should start naturally moving your back in a stiff twerking motion. However, keep going through these steps unless you feel bold. Stop tapping your right heel and plant it back on the ground. Keep moving in the stiff twerking motion with both feet on the ground. This movement should look like a standing cat-cow yoga pose with 1) cat: the torso opening and booty slightly curving outward and back and 2) cow: close or hunch the back with the booty coming back to resting. Work this movement for another 30 seconds to a minute to the beat, girl! At this point, I'm hoping you already look better than Miley.

Step 4: Your spine should be loose enough by this point to start advancing your twerk. On the out-booty pop motion (cow yoga pose), begin to pop the booty up. Then return to your resting booty pose. Remember to be in your horse pose for this entire exercise.

Step 5: Continue practice the out-booty pop motion to the beat of your favorite jam. Eventually, your lower spine will feel free enough to easily pop the booty out and up. With time, your will learn muscular control which will making the movement even easier and improve your tight lower back issues.

Work that booty and please help to end twerking disasters from occurring around the world!

 

My current favorite twerking tune! (Warning: YouTube link which may contain explicit content.)

 

Happy Anniversary!

It's been one full year since Migraines No More has been up and running. I want to thank you all for supporting my blog and inspiring me to keep it interesting. I look forward to many more years sharing my quirky stretching ideas with the world.

Peace and love!