The Journal of Clinical Psychology reported jungle gym
pastimes are a thing of the past, and gone are the days when swinging
from the monkey bars is a safe activity on the playground. But is the related danger really something adults and children should be overly concerned about? Exercise today
neglects to include many functional movement patterns, like hanging or
brachiating (swinging from rung to rung on an overhead ladder or bar).
“Hanging and the much more challenging action of swinging from object
to object, uses upper body strength in a general sense. Swinging
requires the full participation of every bit of tissue from the fingers
to the lower body,” said Katy Bowman, a biomechanics specialist on natural movement and development.
Although our physical exercise capabilities have not changed from our
Paleolithic ancestors, we have mechanically engineered the functional
movements of climbing and carrying very heavy loads out of our modern
life. Our bodies are paying the price. Increased rates of osteoporosis, osteopenia, and sarcopenia,
in addition to common shoulder and back problems can be attributed to
muscle and joint weakness or imbalance. In 2006, approximately 7.5
million people were treated for shoulder injuries, and the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases estimates 8 out of 10 people will experience back pain in their lives. So, how might we incorporate hanging and brachiating into their exercise regime?
Our bodies were genetically designed for these kinds of movements.
Paleoanthropologists suspect bipedalism in humans was directly
correlated to swinging and suspensory climbing, rather than for walking.
Just look at all babies today. The palmer grasp reflex that enables
them to grab a finger is the very same mechanism our hunter-gatherer
ancestors used to grab a branch.
In fact, babies are even strong enough during their first six months of
life to be able to suspend their entire body when gripping a bar.
The grasping reflex begins to disappear at 6 months of age, however
research suggests it is only the lack of cultivation of the capability
that reduces its appearance. For this reason alone, we should encourage our children to hang on their arms, and join in on the fun.
Where to get started?
Begin to add isometric hangs and brachiation movements to your
fitness routine a few times a week, working up to daily sessions of up
to 7 minutes. You can install a pull-up bar in your home for convenience or visit your local playground.
However, if you are a beginner or rehabilitating a shoulder injury take some of the weight off of your arms by placing your feet on the ground, either by using a low bar at playground or placing your feet up on a bench. In the supported position, your hands, wrists, elbows, shoulders and hips will be in alignment, and your knees and feet will form a 90° angle.
Active hang
From the passive position above, retract your shoulder blades back and down towards to the ground. Return to the passive position and repeat for your desired amount of time.
Brachiation Basics
Once you have built enough endurance to successfully perform passive
and active hangs, experiment with brachiation. Test your strength to see
if you can perform passive or active hangs on one arm at a time before
adding in the momentum. Try swinging from side-to-side, using each arm
as you move across an overhead ladder, like monkey bars at a playground.
As you become more skilled, the options for where you can go with your
arms are unlimited.
Source : Stephanie Vuolo
No comments:
Post a Comment