|
Poor posture starts at an early age and continues as we grow older. There are many reasons for poor posture. There are those young females with mature development and they try to hide it by slumping over. Young children carry heavy back packs and then there are those of us aging and getting lazy. Better posture will take inches off your belly and reduce lower back and neck discomfort. Poor posture leads to a rounding of the upper back which leads to shorter chest muscles and weaker upper back muscles. Your head then tends to then protrude forward out of alignment and that results in neck discomfort. As the body pitches forward your lower back comes into play trying to adjust for the imbalance and therefore lower back discomfort. There are 3 simple ways to overcome poor posture 1. Mental awareness 2. Stretching of the front shoulder and chest muscles 3. Strengthening the upper back muscles All of this can be accomplished without belonging to a gym. 1. Mental awareness Mental awareness needs to be a constant throughout your busy day. How are you sitting right now? How are you sitting at breakfast, in your car or at the office. What is your posture like as you are walking? Are your shoulders back and relaxed and down away from your ears? Is your chest elevated for easier breathing? The more you are able to think about better posture the easier it will lead to changing your body positioning. Set a timer if you are at a desk all day or behind the wheel of your car. If you are out and about town look at the reflective glass in the store windows. Look at your posture line and then readjust your body positioning. When trying any of the next few stretches listen to your body and do not over do it. These stretches are ment to be gentle stretches. 2. Stretching your chest muscle: There are a number of ways to stretch your chest muscles. Sit tall and raise your arms to our sides so they are lower than shoulder height. Slightly bend your elbows and squeeze your shoulder blades together. You will feel a tightening in your upper back muscles and a stretching in your chest muscles. Hold this position for 5 slow deep inhales and exhales. Relax your arms and do it again for 10 repetitions. Another stretch is done with a doorway. Place your arms out to your sides lower than shoulder height. Your palms are touching the walls on either side of the door opening. Take a small step through the doorway and you will feel your front shoulder and chest muscles stretching. Hold this position for 5 slow deep inhales and exhales relax your arms and repeat for 10 repetitions. 3. To strengthen your upper back muscles: The easiest way to strengthen your upper back and mid back muscles is with proper posture. If you are standing or sitting - elevate your chest, your shoulders are back and relaxed down and away from your ears. Now how long can you hold this position? In general most individuals will hold this position for only 20 to 30 seconds before going back to their slumped body positioning. This does take lots of practice to be able to sit tall or stand tall and hold the positioning. Another strengthener is to perform a modified seated row, and you do not need any equipment to start. Sit tall with your feet planted on the floor. Extend your arms out in front of you at chest height and your palms facing each other. Slowly bend your elbows keeping your arms tucked next to your sides. As your elbow reach your waist area contract your shoulder blades together tightly. Hold this position for a few slow deep breaths and then extend your arms back out front and repeat for 10 repetitions. If you are looking for more intensity -use an exercise band wrapped around one of your feet and hold the ends of the band in both hands. How are you going to really tell if the above three steps work? First have someone take a picture of you standing the way you normally stand from a side view. Next take a tape measure and have a friend measure you from armpit to armpit across your back. Wait three weeks and re-measure. If you are performing the stretches and strengtheners at least once a day you will obtain noticeable results. Ellen Miller is a Fitness Practitioner/personal trainer and the originator of the IsoBreathing program. She has been teaching lifestyle changes for almost 30 years. Sign up for her newsletter at www.isobreathing.com. Her email address is Ellen@isobreathing.com
Related Articles -
anti-aging, posture, fitness, weight loss, exercise, isometric exercise, breathing, stretching, chest, children.lower back, neck,
| 
