Sports for your Spine

When putting this list together we looked at what a healthy spine needs to stay healthy.

~BALANCE~

A Healthy spine needs balance of two kinds. The first kind is the kind a paddle boarder needs (more on that later) and the second kind is lifestyle balance. For most people, sitting down makes up a huge part of their day. People sit, move very little and have their arms out in front of them for most of the day. This is not the recipe for a balanced spine. The muscles in the chest and low back become tight while the core, glutes and breathing become weak and dysfunctional. The body craves movement and balance. Read on for great ways to have fun, stay healthy and WIN PRIZES in the process!

1. Stand Up Paddle Boarding

It’s native to Hawaii, where the ’60s beach boys of Waikiki would stand on their long boards and paddle out with outrigger paddles to take pictures of tourists learning to surf.

SUP boarding offers a whole body work out that will give you core muscles that Madonna would envy. It’s a good chance to dose up on vitamin D and it’s great fun too. Whereas surfing is hard to master, paddle boarding is more about having fun, and that’s its main appeal. It’s easy to get to grips with and you can get into the swing of things quickly.

It requires balance and demands core control to a level that many other sports don’t. There are plenty of SUP hire places around Sydney, so get out and give it go while the water is still warm!

2. Indoor Rock Climbing

This is a great sport that again provides both types of balance. It will balance out your sitting posture by engaging your “pulling” muscle groups and engaging your glutes and core. It also requires a lot of balance, core control and flexibility to do well. All good things for your spine.

There are many indoor gyms around Sydney. If you’ve never been, be sure to get some instruction on how to use the ropes and harnesses. Be prepared for the burn in your forearms after a good session.

3. Trail Running, hiking and rock hopping

Running is a great sport. The human frame was built to run. More specifically, the human frame was built to run on the earth. Trail running is a great way of improving function in many ways. Cardiac function, pulmonary function, balance and reaction time, strength and endurance all benefit from running trails.

Most Sydney beaches have beautiful rock shelves at the northern and southern headlands. If conditions are safe, exploring the shelf and enjoying some rock hopping is a fun and easy way to enjoy good movement in your body. Clambering over rocks and lowering yourself off the other side involves movements that you just don’t get in a working week. North Curl Curl is my favourite.

4. Swimming

Swimming is a fantastic sport for all round health. It can be a relaxing and peaceful form of exercise and it helps improve co-ordination, balance and posture. Swimming is a low impact exercise, and so is great if you are injured or recovering.

Swimming is easily accessible all around Sydney all year round. There are at least 3 great pools within walking distance to the practice.

PRIZES

To inspire you to get out and try these great activities, progressive is offering

1 HOUR FREE MASSAGE

for the first 3 clients that send in a photo of themselves enjoying at least 3 out of the 4 activities above.

PLUS

2 HOUR scenic SUP tour on Sydney Harbour

for the best photo. Valued at $85

Hurry, entries close March 1 2014