TRX Map

My gym got this machine called a TRX map. I’d watched people use it every so often and they looked ridiculous. But it peaked my curiosity. So with a little push from my husband I tried it.

The machine has you stand in place and do three squats. While doing this it measures your balance, flexibility, etc. When I got my results I was shocked but things made sense.

The results literally told me I’m standing crooked. It’s not obvious to any person looking at me but the machine picked it up. My right shoulder sits higher than my left and my left hip is higher than my right. When I brought my results to the head trainer at my gym he explained them to me. The imbalance is likely due to how I carry my kids. I ALWAYS carry them on my left hip. Hence why my left hip is up more than my right. I’m constantly pushing it up and out. My right shoulder is higher than my left because my spine is out of alignment. This is due to the muscles on my left side being stronger than my right due to the way I hold my kids! So crazy but it makes sense!

The trainer recommended that I foam roll my hips, back, and glutes more regularly. He also recommended I try to use my right side more when carrying the kids and stretch after workouts.

I’ve been foam rolling daily and alternating sides when I carry the kids. I’m not the best about stretching but I’ve been trying to squeeze it in here and there. I could actually feel a difference in my hips within two days of making the change.

I’m going to retest myself on the machine in exactly a month and see if there’s much of a difference in my results. I’d assume there would be since I can already feel a difference but we shall see! 💪🏻

Yoga for flexibility

When I got pregnant with Ryder I had a lot of joint and ligament pain. It was mainly in my legs. I did yoga up until I was 5 1/2 months pregnant and that helped significantly. That is until I got too big and my belly got in the way so yoga was put on hold. I still get joint and ligament pain on occasion even 9 months post delivery. It helps to stretch and do yoga whenever I can. I think flexibility is a huge part of health and fitness. I’m not saying you need to be Gumby, but having a little flexibility is great for your muscle strength. It also helps reduce the risk of muscular injury. If yoga isn’t your thing, then just take 5 minutes a day to do a few simple stretches. You’re sure to notice a difference in your muscles and joints after a few weeks.