Gentle Exercises for Steel: Your Ribs and Breathe Like a Warrior
Hello, my fellow workers, elders, pilots, and all you brave folks battling daily stress while sitting at desks or steering through the sky. At the risk of getting too far afield, I want to expand on an often-overlooked part of our morning exercise routine: the rib muscles, especially the intercostal muscles that stretch between our ribs.
These muscles help us breathe, twist, bend, and stand proud like steel. But they stiffen up with age and stress—unless we remind them that they still have work to do.
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Here's a powerful yet gentle movement you can do every morning:
- Stand tall and grounded.
- Raise one arm high above your head.
- Now arch your torso far to the opposite side, stretching the ribs on the lifted arm’s side.
- At the same time, draw in a deep, powerful breath.
- Feel your ribs open and your lungs fill.
- Return to standing. Switch arms. Repeat.
Don’t rush. Do this several times each side. As you reach, stretch, and breathe, you’re pumping life into those stiff rib joints.
It might feel a bit silly at first. But look in the mirror while you do it—watch your posture, watch the symmetry. You’re not just stretching—you’re training the armor around your heart and lungs.
And that’s why I call this routine Gentle Exercises for Steel.
Let’s Keep It Moving, Friends.
Never forget: daily movement = daily freedom.
Your Old Guru—Still Stretching at 89