What habits have you developed to help your body recover from daily stressors, time spent on your feet, and the workouts/training sessions that you complete? For those that say - ‘the body is perfectly capable of recovering on its own.’ - I would say I agree, with the caveat that you are facilitating an environment conducive to proper bodily functions like healing. I have come to understand that health is a DAILY journey full of daily habits that are either contributing to, or detracting from your health status. It is this natural fluidity of “health status” that provides a very unique opportunity for every living individual…
- “Each passing day brings with it countless opportunities to improve upon your current health status and consequently over time achieve a quality of life free from illness and disease” -
With this as a wellness ethos, employing and sustaining daily wellness practices becomes increasingly more subconscious and thus more and more habitual. Of these habits and practices I have come to see the leg drain - also known as legs up the wall or Viparaita Karani in Ayurvedic Medicine & Yoga - as the most effortless, sustainable, efficient, and convenient method of total body recovery. Leg draining is a centuries-old posture focused on addressing the healing processes of the entire body - ‘total body healing’ in mind, body, and spirit - with a multitude of subtle variations for different fitness levels and specific focuses. In addressing the true value of this posture I must first elaborate on the versatility of the leg draining practice as listed below and more…
Effective for all fitness levels
Can be done just about anywhere (with or without a wall)
Only requires 3-5 minutes of your time per session
Very effective before, during, or after a workout
Can be used as a prehab (preventative) or rehab (restorative)
The benefits of leg draining are applicable to an expansive list of daily stressors including a workout or training session, a challenging day at work, a stressful relationship, or too much negative energy. It is my hope that people begin to see leg draining as a tool that you can employ at your discretion to treat a variety of imbalances. I use the term imbalances to denote the daily stressors from which your body needs to recover from. Let’s explore some of the many benefits of leg draining…
Helps regulate blood pressure
Improves oxygen circulation
Relaxes the mind, body, and spirit
Calms the nervous system
Expedites metabolic waste removal
Aids digestive system
Relieves lower extremity swelling
Improves training recovery
Here’s how:
Sit with your hips parallel to a wall or solid object (that you can prop your legs against)
Lay back and bring your knees to your chest
Rotate your hips and legs towards the wall so that you are perpendicular to the wall
Relax your legs against the wall so that your knees are bent
Take deep breaths and keep your legs up for 3-5 minutes (or longer if experienced)
> Consult your physician with any health concerns.
~ Coach Tae
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