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December 20, 2020

5 ways to combat travel tightness

5 ways to combat travel tightness by Paul Smith

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xkamJKJUZU&feature=youtu.be&ab_channel=PaulKevinSmithIf you enjoy traveling as much as I do, you may know that with great travel comes great immobility. That is, after sitting in a car or on a plane for extended periods of time, it’s common to feel stiff and beat up the following day. Just as it’s important to stretch before and after a workout, it’s equally as important to re-elongate our muscles and joints after long days of travel.Why do we get sore after sitting for so long?I’m not here to tell you that “sitting is the new smoking”, but I am here to affirm that a prolonged seated position can cause some discomfort. When we sit for multiple hours on end, our muscles both tighten and shorten. The main muscles affected by sitting are our hip flexors -- and when the hip flexors are tight, they pull on the lumbar vertebrae, bringing on the oft-experienced low back pain and stiffness. Sitting for many hours at a time also causes lymph and interstitial fluid to build up in the legs, making them swell -- often causing some discomfort and, you guessed it, stiffness.So instead of falling victim to the anti-spacious airplane seat or compact car seat, take my hacks and tips with you as you travel, and don’t miss a day of adventuring:5 ways to stay long and limber while travelling

  1. Bring a reusable water bottle with you on your travels, and be diligent about hydrating. Circulation in airplanes and cars have significantly less moisture/humidity in the air, which causes us to lose water a lot faster than we normally do. Try to drink 8-16oz every hour while you’re traveling. 
  2. When traveling, I institute a personal rule to stand and move every hour. Plan a pit stop on car rides, or walk the aisle of the airplane when food and drink service isn’t in session. Here are some stretch options you can employ on your stops and stands (do each for 1:00 per side):
    1. Standing quad stretch
    2. Rear-foot elevated hip flexor stretch (think: put your food on a bench or bumper) 
    3. Standing chest stretch
    4. Folded shoulder/back stretch (fold forward to place your outstretched hands on a tabletop or hood and press your chest into the ground). 
  3. When I get to my destination, the first thing I do is 30 minutes of some monostructural/cardiovascular movement. If you’re checking into a hotel and the gym is still open, then spend that time on the treadmill and/or elliptical machine. If you don’t have access to a gym, then go for a walk or run in the neighborhood/area where you’re staying.
  4. I finish my quick cardio session with four yoga Sun Salutations, two slow and two fast, alternating leading with right and left leg. Sun Salutations are particularly good for post-travel tightness as they increase your heart rate, regulate your circulatory system, and can fill your body with fresh surges of oxygenated blood. 
  5. And finally, spend five minutes with your legs straight up against a wall or headboard. In doing so, you help re-circulate any fluid build-up in your legs. 

Paul Kevin Smith has a M.Ed. degree in Kinesiology from U.T. Austin, and is a Level 2 certified provider of the Functional Movement Screen. His other certifications include ACSM Clinical Exercise Physiologist, ACE Health and Wellness Coach, PhysicalMind Institute Pilates Mat Work Instructor, Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher (500 hours), and IAYT Yoga Therapist. Paul is an Adjunct Professor of Exercise Science and Student Development at Austin Community College, and also teaches yoga and Pilates classes and leads personal training sessions at BodyBusiness Fitness Club.Paul can be reached at 512-731-7167, paulkevinsmith1@gmail.com, Instagram @pksmithatx, and online at http://www.paulkevinsmith.com.Paul offers Functional Movement Screens at CrossFit Renew. In this session he analyzes your mobility and stability in performance of ten movements. You will receive a report detailing your results, and a personalized exercise program to improve your functional performance. 60 minute session: $75.

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Sweet & Spicy Korean Turkey Spring Roll Bowls

serving of meat makes 8 servings: Calories — 565⁣ Protein — 40g⁣ Fat — 21g⁣ Carbs — 33g⁣ ⁣ 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐲⁣ 𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥: ⁣ ⁣ 3 lbs lean ground turkey⁣ 9 tsp garlic, minced about 9 cloves⁣ 34 cup brown sugar, packed⁣ 34 cup low-sodium soy saucetamaricoconut aminos⁣ 6 tsp sesame oil⁣ 1 tsp ground ginger or 2-3 tsp minced⁣ 1 tsp crushed red pepper⁣ 1 tsp black pepper⁣ Sliced green onions for garnish⁣ 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞⁣ 𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥:⁣ ⁣ 10oz bag of shredded cabbage⁣ 10oz bag of julienned carrots⁣ 10oz bag of broccoli slaw⁣ 12oz bag of sea kelp noodles ⁣ 5oz greens of your choice, roughly chopped⁣ 5-10 mini cucumbers, sliced⁣ 1 bunch each of cilantro, mint, and Thai basil, roughly chopped⁣ 13-12 cup peanuts, chopped⁣ Sesame seeds and sliced green onions for garnish⁣ ⁣𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠⁣ 𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥:⁣ ⁣ 12 cup olive oil⁣ 6 tbsp rice vinegar⁣ 4 tsp honey ⁣ 2 tsp minced garlic⁣ Salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper to taste⁣ ⁣ To prepare: ⁣ — Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat.