This is a short Workout Video called “Holiday Workout by Kim Strother.”

Tags: workout videos, holiday workouts, Kim Strother

Do you know how to find a good chiropractor? Even if you don’t ned one right now, it’s always a good idea to have a good chiropractor in your back pocket. I can tell you from personal experience that you don’t want to be interviewing possible doctors when you can’t even stand up straight!

The first place to start is to ask friends and relatives if they have a chiropractor that’s really good. Once you have some names to start from, then you need to start doing your own research.

Here are some things that can help you make a choice between equally qualified chiropractors (or any doctor for that matter):

• What is the chiropractor’s feeling about his profession?
• Will he or she answer your questions quickly and honestly?
• What kind of techniques does they use?
• Is the office open at times convenient to you?
• Is the office location convenient?

These are just a few of the questions you can ask. You’ll want to notice how comfortable you are in the conversations. It won’t do you much good to use a doctor that you’re not comfortable talking to. Good communication is a key part of successful treatment.

Take your time and choose the chiropractor that’s right for you. You may want to go in an get a consultative exam when you’re feeling good. That way, the doctor will have a guideline to go by when treating you in the future.

Many back problems are the result of poor posture or sitting incorrectly. Over time, as our abdominal and back muscles weaken, this can cause back pain. But I’m sure you’ll be happy to know that Pilates can help you regain the muscle strength you need to be pain free.

Pilates is a form of exercise that focuses on the core muscles of the abdomen and back. These muscles help keep the body balanced and strong. It’s a method that teaches correct breathing methods and alignment of the spine.

Although Pilates is a simple exercise program, you should not underestimate what it can do for your body when practiced on a regular basis.

For people with severe back problems it would be wise to have a session with a Pilate’s instructor to learn the correct form before beginning a Pilates exercise program. This will help you see where your weaknesses are what you need to work on. It will be more expensive to work with an instructor than doing home videos, but will be worth it in the long run.

To gain benefits from cycling you don’t have to be super fit or an athlete, but you do have to be committed to doing it regularly. Three days a week or more should be adequate for most people.

Consistent cycling can help you shed a few pounds, increase muscle mass, improve muscle tone, reduce stress and since it’s good cardio exercise, you can reduce your risk of heart disease.

Here are a few simple suggestions and safety tips to help you started:

• always carry repair kit
• take a water bottle with you
• keep your tires inflated correctly
• wear a helmet
• make sure your bike has lights and reflectors
• wear bright colors to keep yourself visible

Walking is one of the best forms of exercise you can do. It’s easy to get started, doesn’t cost a thing and you can do it almost anywhere and at any time.

If you’re not used to exercising, start out slowly by walking for about 10 minutes three times a week. You can gradually build up to 30 minutes 3 times a week.

Here are some of the health benefits of a consistent walking program:

• An increase in your overall fitness and the tone of your muscles
• Feel better and look better
• Increased energy level
• Feel less stress and deal with stress better
• Find that your sleep is better
• Reduce risk of heart disease
• Reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer
• Reduce depression and increase a more positive mood
• Improve outlook on life and feel better every day that you walk

You can start gaining all these benefits and more simply by increasing the amount of time that you walk each day. Find a time to fit walking into your schedule. You’ll look better, feel better and have a healthier life.

Did you know that running can boost your self-esteem? It can.

When you run, not only are endorphins released but with each pounding step you can begin to feel empowered. The ability to set a goal and reach it can build your confidence level tremendously.

It doesn’t matter if you’re running to the mailbox or running a 10K marathon, you’re going to feel better about yourself. The key is to set a goal for your training program and then work toward achieving it. The ability to achieve a goal is without a doubt the biggest self-esteem builder of all.

It’s important that you start any exercise program slowly and increase your level at a measured pace.

The idea is not to achieve your goal the first day, but to work towards something and then get there. “Rome wasn’t built in a day” and neither will your running ability be. Look for improvements over time and celebrate your successes. Be patient with yourself and you’ll reap all the benefits - physical and psychological - that running has to offer.

Most of us that have ever experienced back pain know how painful it can be. The most common form of back problems are in the lower back. This makes is uncomfortable to sit, stand or change positions.

I’ve heard great things about yoga as a way to get some relief from recurring or chronic back pain. It’s also a great way to stay flexible as well as help maintain your health.

The most common form of yoga is Hatha yoga. This technique combines breathing and meditation with the movements. There are many different yoga poses and they can be adapted to your current physical condition.

Yoga is a great way to increase your flexibility, tone muscles, lubricate the joints and detoxify the body by encouraging proper circulation. All of these areas will help improve your health if practiced on a regular basis.

Many of the yoga poses will help strengthen your back and your abdomen, giving your body a strong core. You can accomplish this by learning and practicing yoga on a regular basis. The moves will increase in difficulty as your body gets stronger. Make sure you start out slow and work your way up to the more challenging levels.

This is pretty good news. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, people who walk 3 to 4 hours a week (that’s just 45 - 55 minutes a day), cut their risk of death by 50%. That’s astounding!

They studied 3,000 people for over 11 years and also found that those who walked at least 30 minutes a day cut their risk of heart disease by 34%. If you didn’t know, heart disease is our nation’s number one cause of death. Can you see why this is so important?

When you go for a brisk walk, you’re strengthening your heart, lowering your blood pressure, improving your glucose metabolism (this is really important for diabetics), relieving stress and burning calories.

So take 30 minutes out of your lunch hour and go for a walk. Surely you can eat your lunch in the remaining 30 minutes. Now that you know how important it is, the decision to get started should be easy.

Did you do any yardwork this weekend? If you did, good for you. You can count it as calorie burning exercise.

According to calorie-count.com, you burn 374 calories per hour walking behind a power mower. And, you can burn 408 calories an hour if you switch over to a hand mower. That’s more than you’ll burn walking 4 miles at a 15 minute mile pace (340 calories).

I never thought of yardwork as exercise until we moved to the country. Living in Atlanta, it took me all of 30 minutes to keep the yard looking nice. I was satisfied with a simple, non-electric lawnmower, some hand trimmers, a shovel and a rake.

Now, my “equipment barn” is stocked with a tractor (with backhoe, bush hog, grader and finishing mower attachments), a walk behind bush hog, more chainsaws and gas powered trimmers than I can count and my beloved stump grinder. My wife tells me that the 4-wheeler can’t be counted as a tool (she says it’s a toy), but I’m not buying it.

My project this weekend (and for the last 2 months) has been to clear as many stumps as possible out of a former 3 acre pine woods. My wife wants it to look “like a park.” So, needless to say, we’re talking about a lot of stumps.

So far I’ve ground down about 130 stumps and I have about 60 or 70 left to go. Weather cooperating, I’ll get it done next weekend. Here are some before and after shots. They’re not from the same angle, but you’ll get the idea.

So did you get your yard work done this weekend? You know, not only does it count as calorie burning exercise, it’s actually revitalizing. I love spending the days outside. I put in my earplugs, start up whatever machine I’m using and savor my time alone. Can’t hear the cell phone or the kids, so I get to be alone in my thoughts.

I use the time to appreciate the great things that I have in my life and plan for what I want to create in the future. Who would have ever thought that yardwork could be so valuable?

Having pain in one or both of your shoulders can be really annoying. Simple things, like taking a shower or getting yourself dressed, are difficult and time consuming and the pain feels like it’s only going to get worse.

So what can a person that’s not into pain meds or muscle relaxants do? Actually it’s pretty easy to get relief if you’re willing to do some simple exercises.

The first thing you need to do is keep your shoulder moving with “range of motion” (ROM) exercises. These exercises move your shoulder throughout its full range of motion, helping to prevent more pain and stiffness.

Shoulders can “freeze up” very easily when they’re not exercised regularly and only get harder and more painful to move. It’s a perfect example of the “use it or lose it” rule. Don’t let this happen to you! Keep it moving.

And, as with any joint, you need to make sure you keep your arm in a “position of function.” This means in a position it would normally be in if it weren’t injured.

Do not keep it in a “position of comfort” - or immobilized - for long periods of time. Wearing a sling or holding your arm close to your chest will definitely cause your shoulder to freeze.

Here are some simple ROM exercises for you. Be sure to stay within your comfort level – pushing it a little without overdoing it. These exercises should all be done in a series of 3 to 5 reps at least 2x a day.

Wall walking: stand about an arm’s length from a wall with your fingertips touching the wall. Slowly walk your fingers up the wall as far as you can. Now turn sideways to the wall and do it again.

Cane exercises: you can lay down, sit or stand (lying down is the easiest to start with), take a cane or broom handle in your hands and slowly raise your arms over your head. Allow your good arm to gently push the limits of your bad shoulder.

Drawing circles: While leaning forward in a standing position, let your arm hang relaxed. Gently swing your arm side to side, back and forth and around in circles.