FRY Techniques For First Responder Mind-Body Wellness and Resilience

FRY Tuesday Techniques for First Responders Mind-Body Wellness and Resilience

This is a collection of FRY’s Social Media Posts on Tuesdays, focusing on asana/pose techniques for First Responders mind-body balance and resilience. This is ideal for police, fire, paramedic, and dispatch services to reduce stress, and prevent injury.

In case you missed any on FRY’s Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn here they are.

20211116 – FRY Tuesday Techniques for First Responders – FISH POSE

Tight clothing or equipment, neckties, tightly buttoned shirt collars, and shoulder straps create limitation of movement, especially in the shoulders and cervical region. This is greatly emphasized by spending hours hunched over a computer, steering wheel or desk. This posture relieves stiffness and tightness in the neck and shoulders.

How to:

Lie down on mat with legs together, extended forward
Place both hands, palms down under body
Reach hands as far down towards knees as possible, pulling shoulders further back
Take a deep inhalation
Bend elbows, pushing them into mat, lifting chest up
Slowly and mindfully lower head back so the crown of the head lightly touches the mat (NOTE: if head does not yet touch the mat, place a small folded blanket under the head until the flexibility arrives)
All the weight should be in elbows and forearms and not on head
Exhale, taking care not to collapse as you exhale
Take a few breaths here
To exit, lower down onto your back, releasing hands from underneath

20211123 –

FRY Tuesday Techniques for First Responders Mind-Body Wellness and Resilience – SPHINX POSE

“Taking care of the spine should be of utmost importance for everyone, especially for First Responders who need to have the ability to move freely during on-duty circumstances, risky for them and the people involved in a specific situation. Without a healthy spine, sitting up straight, bending over to pick up objects, walking, twisting and moving your neck can become extremely difficult or painful.” ~F.R.Y. First Responders’ Yoga. The Book page 197, available on Amazon

How to:

Lay down on abdomen, place hands on the mat, palms facing downward and elbows aligned directly under shoulders,
Reach the top of the head forward, while lifting your chest, elongating the spine
Pull shoulders back from the neck so that shoulder blades slide down back. You should feel your breast bone slightly lift in the process
As you breathe, feel your breath go deeply in the direction of abdomen and lower back
To exit, lower head and shoulders to mat, release hands

20211207 – FRY Tuesday Techniques for First Responders – LOW LUNGE POSE

This pose not only stretches the hip flexors, front of the back leg and the muscles around the knee, it also provides a stretch for the intercostal muscles, the small muscles between the ribs. It helps to improve the strength and flexibility also in shoulders, arms, abdomen, back and knees.

How to:

Stand at the top of your mat, feet hip distance apart
Both hips and both shoulders align with the short end of your mat
As you exhale, step straight back with your left foot, landing on the toes with the leg straight, reaching the left thigh to the sky while the toes are grounded
Bend the front right knee
Lower the back knee to the ground
Both hips and both shoulders should still be aligned with the front end of your mat
Reach your arms forward and up to point to the sky, upper arms by your ears

20220118 – FRY Tuesday Techniques for First Responders Mind-Body Wellness and Resilience – REVERSE PLANK

Many First Responders push weights to build strength, and also don heavy safety equipment, and carry and lift heavy loads. These all create tightness in the shoulders and impinge mobility.

Reverse Plank (or Inclined Plane) stretches the front portion of the shoulders and wrists as well as strengthens the arms and wrists.

How to:

Sit in the middle of your mat with your legs extended straight in front of you
Place your hands behind you, fingers pointing backwards, stretching forearms and wrists
Lean back slightly, feeling the opening in the chest and front shoulders
Take a deep inhalation
As you exhale, push into the heels and raise your hips as high as possible into a reversed plank
Try to bring the feet flat to the floor, stretching the front of the ankle
Lower the head backwards if possible, to stretch the front throat
To exit, lower down gently

20220208 – FRY Tuesday Techniques for First Responders – SHOULDER ROLL

First Responders use the shoulders and neck almost constantly. Whether you are on duty, driving, cleaning, working on the computer, checking your cell phone, you are using these joints and muscles throughout the day. Because of this, many people carry tension and stress in these areas, which can gradually increase to pain and transform to arthritis or tendinitis. Repetitive movements and bad habits cause a gradual injury by wearing down joints or muscles. By keeping the deep tissues stretched around joints you will allow those joints to move freely, avoiding strains and sprains.

How to:

Lie on your stomach and stretch your arms outward in a T-shape
Turn your head to the left so that the right ear is on the floor or a support Roll your body behind you to your right
The upper leg (left) is bent into the air, with the bottom of the foot rested on the floor and the bottom arm (right) stretched out straight in this version
Increase sensations by lifting your top hand to the ceiling before laying it across your back
Lay here, allowing your head to remain on the floor or support for three minutes
To exit, unroll to your abdomen, arms by your hips
Repeat other side

20220215 – FRY Tuesday Techniques for First Responders Mind-Body Wellness and Resilience – WILD LEG CHILDS POSE

As First Responders, you may sit for long periods of time and your hips become tight. Wide-leg pose is an excellent and calming pose for stretching the hips and inner thighs (the adductors). It also can relieve neck and back pain, as long as the head and torso are supported. (“F.R.Y. First Responders Yoga. The BOOK” page 133)

How to:

On hands and knees (table top)
Both hips and both shoulders align with the short end of mat
Wrists, elbows and shoulders in one vertical line; knees and hips are in another vertical line
With a deep inhalation, reach the crown of your head forward away from the tailbone, elongating the spine
As you exhale, send your hips back towards your heels, resting the glutes on the heels if possible separating your knees, keeping the arms long (if it is not possible to rest the glutes on the heels, roll a blanket or towel and place it behind your knees on your calves. Eventually the support will not be required)
Keep big toes touching
Allowing forehead and maybe chest to the mat (If the forehead does not reach the mat, stack arms, or use a rolled towel to support the head)
Take at least 5-10 breaths here
Exit back to table top

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https://www.firstrespondersyogacanada.com/#DownloadTheAPP

Buy “F.R.Y. First Responders’ Yoga. The Book” on Amazon:

https://www.firstrespondersyogacanada.com/books/#Books

Join our First Responders MeetUp Group https://www.frycanada.com/our-community/

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