Protect and Fix Your Joints on Paleo Quick Tip of the Day podcast




PALEO JAY Smoothie Cafe show

Summary: <p class="p1">The older I get (and I turn 66 on Friday April 6, so I know what old is), the more I see protecting your joints as crucial.<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>Muscle can be built, even tendons and ligaments can be gradually strengthened, but the joints are in need of maintenance which they rarely get!<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>When we are young, we literally take our joints for granted, and beat them up exercising to build muscle, compete in sports, and otherwise propel our bodies around. </p><br> <p class="p2"> </p><br> <p class="p1">This is all fine, but it points out the old adage that ‘youth is wasted on the young’.<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>If I was young again, I would do what I do now:<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>first thing upon rising in the morning, I put my ALL of my major joints through a brief warmup.<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>I do it right in the bathroom, so as not to disturb my wife.<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>(I am an early riser). </p><br> <p class="p1">I start with just stretching my arms upwards, as high as I can, one arm after another.<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>I rotate my head on my neck each way similarly.<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>Then, I put my hands on my hips, and rotate a few times in each direction for the hip joint.<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>4 to 5 reps, easily, just to get the synovial fluid going in the joints. </p><br> <p class="p2"> </p><br> <p class="p1">Next I put my hands of my knees, and rotate them in each direction.<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>Then, I do the same for my elbow joints and wrist joints (I do them at the same time), elbow joints, shoulder and hips together, one quarter squats, and another easy twisting motion.<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>This whole thing takes maybe 2 or 3 minutes- I will post a video to show you how it’s done.<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>Easy to show, hard to describe.</p><br> <p class="p2"> </p><br> <p class="p1">The beauty of this is not only does it start your joints with an easy warmup, it also wakes you completely up from head to toe!<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>No more groggy mornings until you get your coffee. </p><br> <p class="p2"> </p><br> <p class="p1">I used to lift heavy weights, and now realize that was a mistake- especially for the joints!<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>Lifting later at a really slow cadence (Superslow ala Ken Hutchins) was a huge improvement, but still too much, and unnecessary.<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>The weights were less, but still damaging to the joints. </p><br> <p class="p2"> </p><br> <p class="p1">Now, and for well over a decade, I do bodyweight exercise along with isometrics and ‘virtual resistance’, which is putting the body through a self-resisted protocol of complete motion.<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>The resistance is self generated in this, and is the key to not only building and maintaining muscle, but also in rehabbing damaged joints from sports and weight lifting injuries.<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>It took me a little while, but now my joints are perfectly healthy, with all of my knee and shoulder joint injuries healed!<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>You can do this as well.</p><br> <p class="p2"> </p><br> <p class="p1">The other key thing I recommend doing daily is stretching, methodically.<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>It doesn’t have to be yoga, but gentle stretching is essential for your health!<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>You need to get on the floor, and I do it mid-way in my morning workout.<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>I don’t want to explain it in words, but again will include a video.<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span></p>