Yesterday you were going about your day with ease, and moving from place to place as usual. Today, you suffer from a pinched nerve, which is hindering your ability to go from point A to B, and back again. What gives? Otherwise known as a compressed nerve, your back, neck, or stressed out tissue in virtually any other part of your body (although the neck and back are most common) can tweak without a moment’s notice. And when it rears its ugly head, it has the power to take the ‘oomph’ out of your day, and deflate your enthusiasm and energy level – not to mention, cause a rift in your usual high intensity workout routine.

It’s painful, and it’s unfair. After all, you don’t deserve this discomfort, right? Well, good news is coming: With exercise specifically targeted to work out the kinks of your pinched nerve, you can be feeling like your go-to-it-and-get-it-done self in no time!

Outdoors or Indoors, It Doesn’t Matter – Just Ride That Bike!

If you’re able to go through the repetitive movement that a bike ride entails, go for it! When you ride a bike, you’ll boost up your endorphins. And while you probably know that endorphins produce that happy feeling that motivates you to work out regularly, what you may not know is that it also has the power to be a natural pain reliever for those painful bouts that a pinched nerve brings on.

Suit up, and ride up! Grab a stationary bike in the cardio room at your gym, or take an invigorating journey outdoors. The main thing is to start out on a lower intensity as you work out the nerve and damaged tissue, and then slowly build up a more intense level as it feels comfortable to you. Thirty minutes several times a week will get you feeling like yourself in no time at all!

The Superman Stance for a Pinched Nerve in the Back

Do you have a pinched nerve in your back? If you do, this is the most common place to have one, so you’re not alone. Feel like a superhero with this stance, and get connected to your super strength in just ten minutes a day!

Start your workout by lying down on your stomach and your arms flat out to your sides (as if you’re mimicking Superman in his classic flying stance!) Lift your chest slowly off of the mat by simultaneously arching your back up and off – as if you’re a superhero ready to take off and save the world!  As you come up, try to hold this position for up to 45 seconds. Come back down, and repeat 4-5 times, and efficiently strengthen your back and core.

Don’t let a pinched nerve stop you from working out, and instead, lying on the couch eating chips and drinking soda. Your body isn’t a war zone – it’s a reflection of how much you respect it, nurture it, and love it. So treat your body well when it has a pinched nerve or not – and stay on top of your fitness goals, indefinitely!