Working Up To It (A Guide for Women and Men)

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STRETCH FOR FLEXIBILITY
Of course, although the Jacobsen relaxation technique is an excellent way to revitalize the entire body, there'll be times during a typical workday (such as when you're weeding the asparagus bed or throwing bales of hay on a wagon) when you'll just need to get a kink out of a muscle rather than take a full-fledged break. In such a case, simply stretching for a few minutes can help ease the stress on the painful area.

Farm work—with its hoeing, plowing, lifting, and crouching—causes the muscles in the front of the body to shorten, while pulling the posterior musculature out of balance. Because efficient movement is dependent upon the balance of opposing sets of muscles, stretching the arms, shoulders, chest, and upper thighs as you work (as well as before and after exertion) is important.

There are numerous exercises designed for stretching the muscles you'll commonly use in farm work, so it'd be impossible to list all of them in this article. For an excellent all-round guide on the how-to of limbering up, I recommend Bob Anderson's Stretching. This thorough book explains and illustrates exercises for every part of the body. You can find the manual in good bookstores, or (for $7.95 plus $1.00 shipping and handling . . . California residents should add 6% sales tax) order it from Shelter Publications, Dept. TMEN, P.O. Box 279, Bolinas, California 94924. [ EDITOR'S NOTE: For instructions on how to perform a good general-purpose sequence of stretching maneuvers, turn this article .]

As with any other exercise, you should stretch only within your comfortable physical limits. Whenever you begin to limber up your muscles, remember to start with an easy stretch. Go to the point where you feel a mild tension and then breathe deeply as you hold that position for 10 to 30 seconds. Never "bounce" to get farther into the stretch (as you may have been told to do when trying to touch your toes in school). Such action only leads to tight—and sometimes even torn—muscles. After the easy stretch, move a bit farther until you again feel a mild tension, and hold this position for another 10 to 30 seconds, inhaling and exhaling in a slow, rhythmic manner.

BREATHE FOR YOUR BACK
You've probably noticed that in discussing stretching and relaxation, I've stressed the importance of deep, regular breathing. Our cells need oxygen in order to function properly, and when we reduce the amount of this element that's provided (through the blood) to the muscles, we also decrease the supply of nutrients received by the cells and increase the toxic buildup in the tissues . . . a combination that results in the familiar soreness and stiffness that often accompany hard work.

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