Hurry up and Wait

I am counting down the hours until I am done with massage school... literally. I have 6 more clinical hours to finish before I can begin the proses of sending my application for a license to the state board. An 800 hour program stretched over a year and a half has felt like a life time. Now it all comes down to waiting for the state massage board, 4 to 6 weeks of chomping at the bit. This brings me to today's post, what to do when you are waiting.

Down time in the farmers work day comes few and far between and we tend to fill even the smallest time gaps with tasks to do.  But once in a great while we are found waiting on something. Waiting for the rain to let up, waiting for the cows to come around, waiting for the vet or mechanic to show. This can be a great opportunity to stretch, do some active muscle engagement or relieve some strain that you can feel building. Though it can be tempting to use any time not spent on a task plunked down on a over turned bucket, by slumping into a "resting" posture you may actually be causing your muscles more stress. I mention this mostly because I do it, and it always makes me more sore in the long run. The science behind this is pretty straight forward, you let you muscles slack without getting rid of the waste that has built up from work you have done. It then gets stored in the fibers and creates knots, soreness and stiffness. Using the down time to stretch will not only help your muscles to relive the waste build up it will also keep your body warm and engaged so it will not take as much energy to start working again.

Here are two stretches and one core engagement that are great for when you have 5 to 10 minutes between tasks or as you wait for something. They are great as a set or on their own and are great for most work days. I also post them as ones to do wile you wait because they are all done from sitting on the ground, so they will be relaxing as well as helpful! NOTE: You you have chronic injures that disincline you to these stretches or you start one and feel any pain do not do them. Using your down time to do any stretch is good,they do not have to be the ones I mention here.

First is a seated forward bend. Get down to the ground(or sit on a chair, hay bail or bucket if you have low back problems) and sit with your legs straight out in front of you. Bring you feet together and flex them so your toes point straight up. Starting by dropping your chin to your chest roll you spine down bit by bit running your hands along the outside of your legs. Then extend you torso as far as it can go with your arms outstretched for a good 10 seconds. Roll back up and repeat 3 more times.
Once you are done raise your arms above your head and slide your shoulder blades down your back. On a out breath engage your abdominals by pulling them in toward your spine. Keeping your spine straight hinge from your hips and lean back. The farther you go the harder it will get, so go as low as feels ok. Hold for 5 seconds(here you can add a little twisting to get your obliques) then come back up slowly, keeping your back long. Repeat 2 or 3 more times, going lower each time if you can.
Lastly, bend your left knee and place your foot on the outside of your right leg. Depending on how flexible you are you can place it higher up the leg, but start conservative by placing it between your foot and knee.  Put you left hand behind you and your right elbow to your left knee, twisting to your left. *Twist carefully! This is a great stretch but it should be done with caution as it can be intense *  Drop your chin to your chest and do a slow head roll. Come back to center and repeat on the other side.



 

First Steps

    The snow is long gone, the blackflies are out, the seeds are started and the tractors are running till dark.  It is nearing the last frost date which marks the beginning of the farmers year!  The days are getting longer and we are working like crazy to get that often-talked-about but seldom-seen head start on the growing season.  This is also the best time for my first post as the Flexible Farmer! Before we get Muckboot deep in work and all the aches and pains that come with it, let's take the time to get in the habit of stretching and taking care of your most important tool, your body. In today's post I'll give you the How, the When and the What of effective and efficient stretching.

    Let's start with the basic rules of thumb for general stretching, the how. First, make sure your muscles are warmed up. Stretching cold can damage muscles, so don't roll out of bed and think you can touch your toes. Wait until you have been working awhile and you feel your blood moving. Next, if you are going to stretch a muscle by bending a major joint (for example, you want to stretch your quads so you bend your knee) rotate that joint a little.  By rotating the joint you bring more fluid to the joint capsule which will keep it from popping and cracking. Last, go slow and breath deep.  Don't rush into your stretches, go into them carefully, stretching until you can feel it (and by it I do not mean pain, I mean the sweet spot where you can feel the stretch), hold it for two big breaths, about 30 seconds, and then come out slowly.

    Here's the when... as much as you can! It may sound simple but the best way to start fitting stretching into your work day is to try to fit it in.  At first you will remember just a few times a day when your body talks to you. You jump down from the tractor and your low back aches, stretch then. At the end of the row of laying mulch your neck and shoulders tense, stretch then.  Before you know it, stretching will become second nature and you will know to stretch before you feel the aches of muscle fatigue. Another way to remember to stretch is to put a reminder up at a site you frequent. Tie some yarn around the water spigot, tack a scrap of Tyvek to the tool shed, or put some fuzzy dice on the tractor.  It doesn't have to be fancy, just something that will remind you to take a moment to care for your body.

    The what is a set of four basic stretches you can do every day. This set works most of the major muscle groups so, no matter what you are doing these stretches will be helpful. You should try to do them in this order as a set, but some is better than none!

1) Shoulder, Neck and Upper Back; bring one arm in front of your body, elbow bent. With your other arm grab your bent elbow. Drop your chin to your chest and pull your elbow toward the other side. To get deeper into your neck, do a few head rotations  Repeat on the other side.

2) Mid and Low Back; place your feet hip width apart and bend your knees slightly.  Slowly round your upper back then bend at your waist and hang down (however far "down" is for you, hands at your knees or toes). Come out of the stretch by bending your knees deeper and rolling up slowly.
3) Knee, Hip and Back of the Leg; Step one foot forward no more than two feet. Placing your hands on the outstretched leg bend down like you did in the previous stretch. Bring your feet back and then repeat on the other side.

4) Knee, Hip and Front of the Leg; Balance your weight on one foot. Bend your other knee bringing your heal toward your butt. Catch your foot  with the hand on the same side and pull it gently backward and slightly up. Drop slowly and repeat on other side.

You are now on your way to being a more flexible farmer. The first steps to a healthy and prosperous growing season is taking care of your body.  Good luck and happy farming!