For all-day-deskers and runners alike.
By contributor Aemilia Madden.
You can be a runner or an all-day-desk-sitter (somehow, I am both), and fall victim to chronically tight hips and lower back. Rushing throughout the day without the time or training to stretch and strengthen means I often get to 6 p.m. and find myself trying to relieve my achy lower half with a few toe touches or twists — not exactly an effective solution.
Enter the Pelvic Clock®, a handy little exercise device designed to relieve pressure and restore balance through your pelvis, hips, and abs. Consider this your small-but-mighty pain fighter, created by a former Olympic coach.
You can be a runner or an all-day-desk-sitter (somehow, I am both), and fall victim to chronically tight hips and lower back. Rushing throughout the day without the time or training to stretch and strengthen means I often get to 6 p.m. and find myself trying to relieve my achy lower half with a few toe touches or twists — not exactly an effective solution.
Enter the Pelvic Clock®, a handy little exercise device designed to relieve pressure and restore balance through your pelvis, hips, and abs. Consider this your small-but-mighty pain fighter, created by a former Olympic coach.
The genius of this grapefruit-sized half circle is that it packs multiple stretches and exercises into one. It’s made of a rubbery compound that, unlike a foam roller or pilates ball, is stiff – the outside is smooth and silky to the touch, but I’d recommend wearing fitted spandex or comfy sweats when using it to protect your skin. Although every year I may make it a resolution to do more yoga or to add an ab routine onto my trips to the gym, the reality is that the routine I’ll stick to is the one that’s easiest.
A few minutes using the Pelvic Clock® allows me to target my abs and hips all at once.
While you can head to pelvicclock.com for a full list of downloadable (and watchable) exercises to target your specific needs, I found that by simply adding in a few minutes of rolling and tilting my hips on the instrument helped to loosen things up.
By placing my sacrum on the flat side, and facing the rounded side of the instrument towards the ground, I was able to feel some relief and stretch as I repeated circular rotations on each side.
The clock concept — thinking of the areas around your body on a clock, from 12 directly above your head to 6 below your feet, it's easy to navigate exactly where to move and rotate the device for the stretch at hand. For example, to help relieve my hip flexors, it's recommended to swivel my hips back and forth from 3 (on my left side) to 9 (on my right).
I’ve taken to keeping my Pelvic Clock® in my bedroom ( I mostly work from home), and when I find myself with five minutes in between calls or projects, I’ll take the time to work through a few stretches and exercises. It’s an easy edition to the daily routine since it takes just a few minutes.
Through my own experimenting with different pelvic exercises, I’ve found that it’s helpful to keep a chair or something to grip onto with your arms close by. While stability and balance are the ultimate goal when using it, I found that I could get particularly tipsy when doing circular or sweeping movements with extended legs.
The Pelvic Clock® itself is also small enough that it would be easy to tote along on a trip. As an avid hiker, I’m imagining the relief I’ll feel using it for a few minutes after a long day on the trail. Plus, it’s designed for athletes whose sports tend to favor one side of the body over another — think tennis, golf, or boxing. It can help you to realign and prevent injury over time.
Whatever has led you to this place of achy unhappiness, the solution is simple. Just carve out a few minutes of tilting to kick-start your journey to a happy back and hips.
A few minutes using the Pelvic Clock® allows me to target my abs and hips all at once.
How To Use The Pelvic Clock®
While you can head to pelvicclock.com for a full list of downloadable (and watchable) exercises to target your specific needs, I found that by simply adding in a few minutes of rolling and tilting my hips on the instrument helped to loosen things up.
By placing my sacrum on the flat side, and facing the rounded side of the instrument towards the ground, I was able to feel some relief and stretch as I repeated circular rotations on each side.
The clock concept — thinking of the areas around your body on a clock, from 12 directly above your head to 6 below your feet, it's easy to navigate exactly where to move and rotate the device for the stretch at hand. For example, to help relieve my hip flexors, it's recommended to swivel my hips back and forth from 3 (on my left side) to 9 (on my right).
Usage Tips
I’ve taken to keeping my Pelvic Clock® in my bedroom ( I mostly work from home), and when I find myself with five minutes in between calls or projects, I’ll take the time to work through a few stretches and exercises. It’s an easy edition to the daily routine since it takes just a few minutes.
Through my own experimenting with different pelvic exercises, I’ve found that it’s helpful to keep a chair or something to grip onto with your arms close by. While stability and balance are the ultimate goal when using it, I found that I could get particularly tipsy when doing circular or sweeping movements with extended legs.
The Pelvic Clock® itself is also small enough that it would be easy to tote along on a trip. As an avid hiker, I’m imagining the relief I’ll feel using it for a few minutes after a long day on the trail. Plus, it’s designed for athletes whose sports tend to favor one side of the body over another — think tennis, golf, or boxing. It can help you to realign and prevent injury over time.
Whatever has led you to this place of achy unhappiness, the solution is simple. Just carve out a few minutes of tilting to kick-start your journey to a happy back and hips.
More To Read
I TRIED IT
Do Recovery Slides Work?
Hint: it’s like walking on sunshine.
2/20/2023 | WE TRIED IT
Padel
This tennis-inspired sport is making quite the racket.
WELLNESS 101
Self-Care’s Hidden Gems
And, these definitely pass the vibe check.