How to get rid of back pain and slouching
Because of my sedentary job, I turned into one continuous muscle clamp. About a year ago, I started to have back pain, as one of my neurologist friends used to say, “if you stop training, your muscles stop being elastic.”
For several months I tried to build a system of training on YouTube. I started many times and gave up just as many times, because I prefer a systematic approach, and some pieces were offered without a beginning or end. System is needed everywhere. Here is a list of online courses that will help you build a system and improve your back.
1. Course “Healthy back and mobile joints”
Briefly about what: Stretching and rubber bands to relieve back pain.
Course duration: 5 weeks.
Price: 5500 rub.
Duration of training: from 15 to 30 minutes.
A year ago I started having problems with back pain. My back was always aching, then insomnia and chronic fatigue were added to that.
A neurologist I knew then advised me to attend Lida's classes. And, indeed, in three weeks I was back on my feet. If before I could barely bend over because of the pain, then after Lida I could reach the ground with my hands again.
And after a few months I was able to do the bridge. Now I wish everyone to learn to go beyond their capabilities, to at least take a peek at what's there, but most importantly, without forcing themselves.
What's special about the course “Healthy Back and Flexible Joints”
The course includes programs for those who have a really hard time straightening up, as well as for those who just need to strengthen their back.
Lots of work with trigger points. These are the points that hurt and create the effect of a “sore back.” They most often appear due to muscle strain or, as in my case, when staying in an uncomfortable position for a long time.
There is a block on working with posture: stretching, exercises with a strap. All this makes it easier to maintain posture and avoid slouching.
2. AYA Academy
Briefly about what: the course is based on yoga, which is supplemented by animal movements (Animal Flow, Ginastica Natural, not to be confused with quad bikes) and a large block on breathing.
Author: Alexander Dudov: silver medalist of the Russian Cup in freediving (diving without scuba gear to 101 meters), leader of Sun Lun Vipassana meditation in Russia and Europe.
There are two courses of different durations: 1) 4-month training, 2) 5-week course.
Price: 1) for 4 months – 49,900 rubles, 2) for 5 weeks – 6,900 rubles.
Duration of training: from 30 minutes to 1.5 hours.
I took training at AYA Academy 4 years ago with a guy “for company”. You get hooked on their courses pretty quickly, they are super fun – a lot of elements based on exercises from Animal Flow, Ginastica Natural (I still remember “and now the exercise “Crab”, and now we move from “Crab” to “Scorpion”).
The first thing you get after the practices is a feeling of a body without pain and tension, coupled with a powerful surge of energy. After the clamps are released, you quite quickly move into the state of “What else can my body do?” and in a couple of months you can easily master handstands and other complex balance elements.
What's special about AYA Academy
Almost everything in the training blocks is the author's exercisesit’s even difficult to find something similar in the public domain from other trainers.
The course does not include the easiest exercises, but you will see the results of the training quite quickly. For example, it took me 9 weeks to go from a weird “crab” to a full-fledged handstand.
The course has a large block dedicated to breathing. It is based on freediving techniques. It is led by Alexander Dudov, a silver medalist of the Russian Cup in freediving, with a breath-hold dive of 101 meters. Also one of the teachers at the Academy was Alexey Molchanov, a multiple world champion in freediving (breath-hold dive of 136 meters).
3. Yoga club
Briefly about what: yoga for different occasions
Price: The basic version is free, for 599 ₽ per month or 4990 ₽ per year you can download workouts and practice offline.
Duration of training: from 10 to 90 minutes.
I use the basic version of the Yoga Club, and it is quite enough: you can choose different types of yoga, asanas, or switch to the “Meditation” block.
As a result of the practice, the brain switches off, you stop thinking about anything, a state of calm arises. After the practice, the brain is driven and the body copes with it, despite the heavy loads.
What's special about Yoga Club
You can choose a lesson to suit your level: from beginner to advanced.
The practice is safe. The Yoga Club does not have any strong back bends or dangerous asanas that pose a risk of injury.
You can choose classes based on intensity and duration. The yoga club has a very convenient website with many settings: you can choose lessons from light breathing practice to an hour-long roast.
4. Down Dog
Briefly about what: one of the best mobile apps for yoga
Price: $7.99 per month, but you need a foreign card to pay
Duration of training: from 3 to 80 minutes
Down Dog is even more flexible in settings than FYSM: you can set the pace of the workout, the number of explanations, place emphasis (select exercises for the abs or back), and also adjust the length of shavasana.
What's special about Down Dog
Very convenient application. You can completely customize it for yourself: choose a voice or music, display a countdown timer, show the name of the poses. And most importantly, you can track your progress. For this, there are goal tools – you can set how many times you want to practice for a month; and statistics – all classes are saved, and you can view your statistics at any time. The system tracks how many classes there were, how many of them took place in the current month, what goals you managed to achieve. It also takes into account the exact time spent on yoga classes. The application is also available in offline mode (you can download a class and connect to it without the Internet).
There is a free trial period of two weeks.
