- Those pesky arm injuries like golf or tennis elbow.

It can really get in the way of your enjoyment of your favorite activities.

Hello there, I'm Cassy.

Today's Quick Fit class will make use of this crazy-looking massage ball and a band to help you prevent these common overuse injuries.

[gentle music] If you don't have one of these massage balls that sort of looks like a dog toy, you can simply apply pressure with your fingers and thumb.

We'll be starting with our forearm and you'll be finding the tender spots.

So just take the ball and stay away from the bone on the inside of your elbow.

Okay, and find the tender spot, like I said, with the ball or your fingers.

And once you find a spot that's tender, apply some pressure to it and then move your wrist.

So if it's in your forearm, you can start by moving the wrist.

And you'd want to do this for 30 to 60 seconds on each tender spot.

Then you can also practice or experiment with moving through the elbow.

So the key is to hold the tender spot and then move a joint either above or below that spot.

Okay, and so you get like a massage.

The muscle rolls underneath your thumb or your massage ball.

Okay, now find a spot in your bicep, okay?

There, I've got a spot there, and completely open that elbow, especially if you have tight biceps.

Just hold that spot and move your joint.

Experimenting and taking your time.

Good, 30 to 60 seconds per spot is the recommendation.

Let's do the other arm.

Start with that forearm.

Sometimes I can find it better with my fingers.

I really like this tool though.

There we go.

And depending on how sore or tender your spots are, that ball is a little more general.

Your finger can be a little bit more direct, or maybe a little bit too strong.

And so you might like the ball, or you might like the finger better, either way.

Okay, extend through the elbow.

[inhales] This is a great way to start loosening up those tight spots that really otherwise won't.

It won't, those adhesions that occur from the overuse injuries.

Okay, and find the spots in your forearm, and then move on to your biceps.

I know I've got a spot up in here, and I'll move the elbow.

Good.

And then it just makes your stretching more effective to find where those tender spots, those adhesions.

Good.

I'm learning how to play tennis myself.

And so you can really see how those overuse injuries occur.

And then when you love it, you don't want it to hold you back.

All right, let's move on to stretching now.

All right, so I'd like you to do the biceps first.

So put your hands at the side of your legs, palms forward.

Okay, sit up nice and tall, shoulders back.

And now I'd like you to move those arms back, back, back, back, and then flex those wrists.

Okay, good.

So the palms are still facing down.

Thumbs are away from you.

Good.

If I move my hands down by my sides, imagine I could touch the floor, so the palms are down.

I just want to repeat that.

It's easy to turn the wrong direction, but you want to stretch the biceps.

So now let's bring the arms up to your sides, right out from your shoulder.

Do your best to get as nice 90 degree at the wrists.

Fingers are down.

Elbows are straight.

[inhales] And now the other way, stretching those wrist flexors, stretching the wrist extensors, all right.

Down, and now, all right, fingers are up.

And now let's bring the hands down.

Rotate the arm so the fingers move behind you, and we're stretching those biceps again.

Okay.

[inhales and exhales] And one more time, bring those arms up.

Fingers pointing down.

Fingers point up and down.

One more time each direction, as if you're pushing a wall away.

Excellent.

Now for the next few exercises, we'll use a simple band.

If you don't have a band, you can use a hand towel or your other hand to create some tension and resistance.

But I want to work the triceps for this first exercise.

Main thing you have to do is find the right tension.

So I'm gonna put the band in my, your left hand, put it in your left hand.

Just mirror me, and put it in front of your armpit across your body like that.

And grab the band not too far down.

Elbow straight at your side, locked there, and press straight down.

All right, now, if it's too hard, you're gonna have to loosen up.

If it's too easy, you're gonna have to make the resistance harder.

Now, keep that shoulder down as you do the work.

Extend that arm completely.

Okay, don't let that elbow stay bent.

Press it down.

And down.

Do you feel that tricep?

I hope so.

Shoulders stay down and back.

It's easy to lift through the shoulders.

[inhales] Press it down, one more.

We'll switch arms.

Now just keep your tension once you get it figured out.

Keep that hand in front of your shoulder.

Elbow locked at your side, press it down.

Press it down.

Press, [inhales] press.

Keep going.

Use good form with your shoulders.

They should be down and back.

Switch sides, we'll do it one more time on each side.

So keep your positions on the band and go.

Hope you're sitting nice and tall.

Have a nice space with your feet.

Okay, don't have your feet tucked under you like I did.

And switch sides, okay?

Ready, shoulders are down and back.

Extend that arm, elbow stays in place.

Once you get it at your side, leave it there.

Press, press, press.

Good, all right, a slightly different position now.

Your hand is in front of your shoulder, but your elbow is in front of your shoulder as well.

And then we're going to extend, okay.

Press.

Press, press.

Keep it going.

And switching arms.

Have your fist in front of your shoulder, elbows in front of your shoulder.

Okay?

Get in position, and hit it.

Good.

Stomach's in to support that low back, you're seated nice and tall.

Couple more.

Good job, all right.

Let's work on those wrists; your wrists get weak.

So let your band fall over your hand like this, okay?

And rest your forearm on your leg, and simple wrist curls.

You don't need a whole lot of tension, but some.

We don't do wrist exercises, do we?

Pull it up.

Up.

So the forearm stays down; it's just a wrist exercise.

Good, and now, let's switch hands.

Okay, and pull.

Pull.

All right, and switch sides again.

Pull it up.

About four more.

Hold and hold.

The other side.

Pull.

Make sure you're doing a nice, complete movement.

Don't cut it short.

Good, all right.

And now for this one, roll your hand face down, and grab the band.

Okay, and we're going to try to lift, lift.

This is a much weaker direction.

Lift, lift, lift.

Good, you can feel it through here, can't you?

Okay, switch hands.

So you're holding the band.

Knuckles are up.

Grab the band below your hand and lift, lift.

Create that resistance.

All right, for this next one, you can just leave the band on your leg, and I'd like you to lean forward.

Extend those arms back by your hips.

Now leave your elbows there, and just drop your forearms and extend.

Drop your forearms and extend.

Okay, it's another triceps exercise.

Hold it here.

Reach back.

And five, four, three, two, one.

Bend those elbows, extend.

Bend those elbows and extend.

Five.

Squeeze the tricep when you get to the top of the move.

And now lift, lift, lift, lift.

Excellent, all right, and sit up.

We're not done with the band yet.

All right?

I'd like you to do what we were doing before, where you hold the band at your chest.

Okay?

And this time, have your elbow up beside your shoulder.

Press.

Okay, let the elbow come back, press.

Now, make sure it doesn't get too slack when you bring your elbow back.

You might have to hike up a little bit on the band.

[inhales] Sit up nice and tall, press, good, press.

Keep the elbow up as long as nothing is catching in your shoulder.

You might need to drop it down and press; that's okay.

Press, shoulders stay down and back, and switch sides.

Now we'll switch sides, but keep the tension the same.

Fist in front.

Elbows out.

Extend to the front, elbow back.

Press, elbow back.

Okay, five, four, three, two, done.

And now, let's mix it up a little bit with rows.

So now extend that leg.

You've got that band around your foot, pull, lift that chest.

Extend, pull.

Extend, pull, good.

Okay, chest presses.

And now we're doing the pulls.

Pull, five, four, three, two.

Go back to the chest presses.

We'll do each of these things one more time.

Okay, you have the band in your fist, in front of your chest.

Okay, elbows at the side, press it forward.

Eight, seven, six, five.

Shoulders are back and down.

Two, switch sides.

So don't move your hands on the band.

Okay, elbows at your side, press it forward.

[inhales and exhales] Eight, seven, six, five, four, last three presses.

And we'll finish up with the rows to pull.

Okay, extend that leg, pull it back.

Lift the chest.

Mine's a little loose; I want a little more tension.

Okay, pull, pull.

That's eight, seven.

Let's alternate.

Good.

Last two together.

Pull and pull.

Very good, good job.

Now, we don't want to take our health for granted.

When we have activities that we love but they require repetitive movements, simple, mindful routines like what we did today are the best way to care for your body.

So if you want to age well, come back here to pbswisconsin.org/quickfit.

And together, we'll work to keep you loose, strong, and pain-free.

Until then, keep on moving.

- Announcer: Funding for Quick Fit with Cassy is provided by Greg and Carol Griffin, founders of ElderSpan Management, Focus Fund for Wisconsin Programming, and Friends of PBS Wisconsin.