The Adult Version of Tummy Time
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Let’s dive into a topic that sounds like it was plucked straight from the baby aisle but is surprisingly applicable to us grown-ups: Tummy Time for Adults. Yes, you read that well. Tummy time, the activity we place our babies on their belly for strengthening their back and neck muscles is not just for the tiny people only. Surprisingly, there are many benefits of lying down on the stomach for adults. All right, let’s take a look at why making tummy time a part of our everyday routine can be the thing we never knew we were missing.
Tummy Time For Adults: Not Just Child’s Play Anymore
In its essence, tummy time for adults is about the recovery of the mobility and strength that we gradually lose in our immobile lifestyles. It’s like discovering that you’d been wearing your shirt inside out the whole day—both surprising and somehow insightful. The same way babies work on their physical milestones, we also have milestones to reach or maintain, like ensuring our back does not sound like Rice Krispies every time we lean down.
Is Tummy Time Good for Adults?
Our daily routine, with its unending sitting and screen time, leads to a host of postural problems and muscular imbalances. Tummy time tackles these issues directly through the spinal extension, the improvement of posture, and the enhancement of back mobility. Envision yourself tying your laces without issuing a bunch of old man grunts or picking up a dropped pen without having to strategize like a tactical SWAT team. This is the power of the adult tummy time.
Benefits of Tummy Time for Adults
Research has proven that lying back extensions, which look like adult tummy time, can increase spinal extension range of motion by a large margin. It’s like finding a hidden passage in your favorite video game that makes everything easier; now, your back feels more flexible, and you start to walk like a ballet dancer (who also likes to eat pizza on the weekends).
Not only does tummy time help our back strength but it also stretches and strengthens the muscles in the front of the body, which have become tight due to years of bad posture. It’s as if you’ve pressed a reset button on your body’s stress levels, allowing a way out of the chronic discomforts that have become a part of our adult lives.
Incorporating Tummy Time into Your Routine
Tummy time can be done even while you are scrolling through your phone, reading, or working on your laptop. Nevertheless, to make the most of this condition, performing exercises that involve strengthening and stretching in this position is paramount. Imagine it the adult version of sneaking vegetables into a child’s meal—beneficial and barely perceptible.
For those who are cautious to start because of the possibility of back pain, there is no need to worry. Experts suggest starting with easier exercises like cat-cow stretches, spinal twists, and bird-dogs before moving onto more advanced exercises. This allows you to gradually build strength in your back without straining it.
Getting Started with Adult Tummy Time
This journey can be started in many different ways ranging from a simple roll on your stomach to a more planned method like hands and knees to belly. The main thing is to discover what works for you and then make it a regular part of your daily routine, like taking a cup of coffee in the morning or scrolling Instagram at night.
The Bottom Line
In a world where adults are more and more tied to desks and digital devices, tummy time is a simple but effective way to overcome the physical drawbacks of modern life. Hence, let’s not be afraid to take back a part of our physical freedom, one carefree belly flop at a time. Indeed, if tummy time can make us feel more strong, stable and even a bit younger, it’s worth turning over for.
