Stiff, sore muscles can be guarded and not function as they are meant to. There are MANY muscles that connect to your rib cage-the ones that connect to your shoulders, spine, and even your breathing muscle, the diaphragm. If any of those muscles become stiff and sore-from lack of use due to prolonged symptoms from a virus (such as COVID-19), poor posture or prolonged sitting than deep core weakness may be in your future.  But motion is lotion. Accompany this routing with slow, diaphragmatic breathing and you’ll be re-training your core from the comfort of your chair.

Here is a quick and easy sequence…

Seated Trunk Motion: This can be done seated in a chair, as shown, or on the floor in a cross-legged position. Be aware of starting from “pelvis neutral” by sitting directly on top of your sit bones, allow your pelvis to move naturally as you go through the sequence. Only go as far as feels right to you-listen to your body.

As you inhale feel your ribs cage lengthen front, back and sides (like a balloon expanding), as your belly and spine expand and lengthen throughout the sequence.

  1. Cross one arm over the other with straight arms. Fold over your lap and breathe.
  2. Inhale coming back to an upright seated position and twist your shoulders and trunk towards back of chair. Reach your top arm behind you and use your lower arm to deepen the twist by gently pressing into your outer leg.
  3. Inhale coming back to an upright seated position, still turned, and fold over the side of your lap. Breathe.
  4. Think “lengthen” on your inhale and softening/relaxing on your exhale

Try holding each move for 3-5 slow, deep breathes 3 times

OR

flow through each move one breath at a time, after you have done all 3-thats one rep. Perform 3-5 reps on one side, then perform on other side.