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  • came_apart_at_Kmart [he/him, comrade/them]
    ·
    3 years ago

    this might seem woo, but.... a several years ago, I took a multi week beginner Tai chi class with a bunch of elderly people and rather than focusing on a lot of exotic transitions / postures, the instructor had us spending most of our time in the "empty" posture which looks like you are just standing there.

    in reality there are a bunch of subtle guidances about joint alignment, weight distribution, and how to read & react to fatigue based on muscle group.

    fundamentally, it's just about body mechanics and it changed the way I approached basic, but prolonged activities like standing still (sweeping, doing dishes, etc) and walking.

    essentially, in life we tend to learn a lot of cheating postures to relax muscles while standing which put mechanical pressure on joints. the training is to consciously undo those habits and instead build the surrounding muscle groups up by distributing the "work" evenly with balance/alignment.

    as a legit older person, I am also a big fan of Aleve/naproxen sodium, elevation of limbs, and hot water on sore parts.

      • Mardoniush [she/her]
        ·
        3 years ago

        If Tai Chi isn't your thing, Pilates or Alexander technique training is also great. Many/most opera singers and performing arts people use Alexander technique to help prevent injury.