Tone and Tighten

Real Fitness For Real People

Rotator Cuff Exercises For Shoulder Pain

Your shoulder is the most mobile joint in your body. The rotator cuff is four muscles that stabilize this joint throughout its dynamic motion. A weak rotator cuff can lead to pain, shoulder impingement, tendinitis, and even a rotator cuff tear.

In this post and video we’ll discuss what your rotator cuff is, why it’s important, and share 5 of the best exercises to strengthen your rotator cuff.

5 of the best rotator cuff exercises to alleviate painful shoulder symptoms. From a doctor of physical therapy.

 

 

As a physical therapist, shoulder pain is one of the most-common injuries that I treat. Your shoulder joint has to be very dynamic and mobile, but at the same time very strong and stable. This is a delicate balance that, if not maintained, can lead to pain and dysfunction.

Of all the treatments I recommend for shoulder issues, the one that is probably the most common is rotator cuff muscle strengthening. Today I wanted to share with you 5 of my favorite exercises to strengthen your rotator cuff and help you alleviate some of that pain you may be experiencing.

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The Best Dumbbell Exercises for Arm Definition

Six of the best arm exercises you can do with free weights for building strength and definition. Try out this dumbbell arm workout to tone and tighten every major muscle group in your arms- your shoulders, biceps, and triceps. Get started today to define the arms you’ve always wanted, just grab your dumbbells and let’s go to work.

The Best Dumbbell Exercises For Arm Definition

  • Bent Over Row with Triceps Kickback
  • Curl and Press
  • Lateral Dumbbell Raises
  • Upright Rows
  • Biceps Curls
  • Overhead Triceps Extension

Keep reading for a step-by-step guide of the workout with pictures, videos, and descriptions of each of these exercises.

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Think you need a lot of equipment or even a gym membership to increase arm definition? Think again.

There are a TON of great exercises to tone and sculpt your arms and all you need is a pair of dumbbells.

Today I’m sharing six of my favorite exercises you can do with free weights that are going to work every major muscle group in your arms – biceps, triceps, and shoulders. So grab your dumbbells and let’s go to work….

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Why Your Back Hurts When You Plank and How To Fix It

Planks are a great way to work your stomach muscles, but if done incorrectly they might hurt your back. These are three common reasons why your back hurts when you plank and what you can do to fix it!

plank hurts back how to fix tone tighten

 
“That hurts my lower back.”

“It kind of feels like pinching right here.”

“How come that one hurts my back?”

 

Planks are one of my favorite exercises to increase abdominal strength. As far as core exercises go, it’s difficult to find one single exercise that works as many muscles as efficiently as planks do.
 
 
But what happens when planks hurt? One complaint that I hear regularly from my patients (as well as readers of Tone and Tighten) is that they feel a “pinch” in their lower back while doing planks.
 
 
Today I wanted to share with you the top three reasons why you may be experiencing back pain while planking and what you can do to correct this problem. I even shot a video to explain it to you a little more effectively!
 

Calling all mamas!

Before you start planking . . . make sure you are doing the CORRECT CORE WORKOUTS.

Introducing my all-new Mommy Tummy Fix program!

We all know that in order to tone the the CORE that we need to do some exercise, but tightening that tummy pooch? Yep – that requires more than just crunches and planks.
 
That’s where this program comes in.
 
A six-phase workout plan designed specifically to flatten your stomach and help you to heal up diastasis recti. This is the same progression I use with my postpartum patients in my physical therapy clinic to get science-based, proven results you can’t help but notice.
  • ​Six phases of workouts to ensure your continued progression
  • ​Large color photos and clear instruction regarding performance, sets, and reps of each exercise to ensure proper performance
  • ​The exact same workout plan my wife used for her amazing results
The best exercises in a simple-to-follow progression to tone and strengthen your abs correctly and ensure maximum success. Progressive workout routines = progressive results.
 
 
The three most common reasons why your back hurts when you plank are
  1. Pelvis is tilted too far forward (arched back)
  2. Hips are too low to the ground (rounded back)
  3. Hips are too high (pike plank)

Read or watch the video below to see what each of these means! 

 

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How to get rid of muscle knots – neck, shoulders, and back

How do you get rid of muscle knots? What are muscle knots? Why do you get muscle knots? 10 simple things you can do right now at home to eliminate your muscle knots. Learn all about this common condition in your neck, shoulders, and back from the doctor of physical therapy at Tone-and-Tighten.com.

how to get rid of muscle knots best home exercises

HOW TO GET RID OF MUSCLE KNOTS

  1. Heat – promotes blood flow and relaxation.
  2. Stretching – promotes tissue elongation and relaxation in the knotted area.
  3. Exercise – fatigues the area and helps the muscle to “reset”.
  4. Postural corrections – stretching and strengthening exercises to correct posture and eliminate the strain causing the knot in the first place.
  5. Massage – promotes relaxation and blood flow into an area.
  6. Trigger point therapy – causes the muscle knot to “release”.

Keep reading below for detailed descriptions and video demonstrations of each of these points.

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WHAT ARE MUSCLE KNOTS?

Muscle knots are hard, sensitive areas in our muscles where the muscle is in a shortened, contracted state even when the muscle is supposed to be at rest.

These muscle knots are commonly found in our neck, shoulders, upper back, and hips and are a common condition that affect millions of people everyday.

These tight areas of contracted muscle are also referred to as “trigger points” as oftentimes touching these areas can “trigger” pain in different location in your body.

Muscle knots can cause a painful, aching sensation in the muscle that can refer to nearby joints as well. When you touch it it feels tight and contracted despite your efforts to relax that area.

Muscle knots can also feel swollen and inflamed and can contribute to other associated problems including headaches, stress, anxiety, and difficulty sleeping.

Muscle knots are a common condition that I see in patients in my physical therapy clinic all the time. Fortunately there’s a lot that you can do about them to treat them safely and effectively right at home!

Today I wanted to share some of my favorite tips, tricks, and exercises to help you get rid of muscle knots in your neck, shoulders, and upper back. I’ve also included video demonstration of each of these methods to ensure you do them correctly and maximize your outcomes….

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First Trimester Pregnancy Workout

An effective first trimester pregnancy workout to target key muscles for pregnancy. 6 great exercises to strengthen your hips, back, butt, and core to ensure a strong, healthy, and happy pregnancy. 

 

first trimester pregnancy workout tone tighten 

First Trimester Pregnancy Workout

  • Plie Squats
  • Push ups
  • Side Plank
  • Star Lunges
  • Bent Over Dumbbell Rows
  • Bridges

Keep reading for a step-by-step guide with pictures, videos, and descriptions of each of these exercises for a great workout during your pregnancy.

 

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Eliminate guesswork and confusion and start seeing results.

Subscribe to Tone-and-Tighten.com and get our FREE “7-Day Workout and Healthy Menu Plan” delivered daily right to your inbox.  CLICK HERE to get it.

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First and foremost, CONGRATULATIONS!

I assume if you’re reading this post there will be a pretty significant life change for you in the next 6–9 months.

Truth be told, someone near and dear to us just announced that she was pregnant (NOT my wife) and was asking about some workouts that would be safe for her to do.

I told her that I would come up with something for her and voila – here we are.

In all honesty, pregnant patients are among my favorite to work with. Strengthening key muscles in your back and hips can result in a much healthier (dare I say happier) pregnancy.
 
Today I wanted to share a simple workout that you can do throughout your first trimester (as you feel up to it) to stay strong and healthy and carry your baby safely….

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