A lot of people take posture for granted or don't really understand what it is or it's importance, but continuously having bad posture can lead to long term health problems.
What Exactly Is Posture? Posture is all about the way you carry and position your body while you are either sitting, standing, lifting, walking or lying down. Bad posture will put extra strain and pressure on your spine, muscles and ligaments. This will lead to muscular pain and strains in your neck, back (lumbar region) and shoulders.
Can Being Overweight Affect Posture?
Being overweight is not good news for your posture. The extra weight you are carrying around will weaken and put pressure on your lower back muscles and joints, leading to weak muscles in the pelvis, back and thighs. A general lack of exercise and poor body conditioning leads to impaired flexibility and movement. Good posture depends on strong muscles and a good level of overall fitness. Eating a well balanced diet and taking regular exercise will help with your posture.
Common Examples Of Bad Posture
Its easy to slide into bad habits when you spend a lot of time sitting on a computer or standing for long periods.
Here are a few examples of bad posture: -
Sliding forward on your seat and leaning over a desk.
Walking with your shoulders slouched and looking at the floor.
Sleeping on a soft mattress that does not provide enough support.
Standing for long periods with your back bent over.
Practice Good Posture Daily
Having good posture does not happen by accident, but with a little awareness and effort you can develop the habit of good posture. Walk tall with your shoulders back and your back straight. When you are sitting on a chair, resist the temptation to slouch and slide down he chair. Ensure you sit upright and keep your back straight against the back of the chair, try not to slouch over your keyboard or desk and keep elbows and arms at a ninety degree angle.
How To Improve Your Posture With Exercise
There are exercises you can do to help improve your posture, here are a few that are quick and easy to do: -
Pelvic Tilts
This exercise will help strengthen your pelvis, enabling it to provide good support to your spine. Stand straight in a relaxed manner placing your fingers on your hips and your thumbs on your lower ribs. Bring your buttocks in to line with your hip bone and hold for 5 seconds then release an Repeat this 4 or 5 times.
Shoulder Shrugs
A great exercise to work and strengthen your lower neck and shoulder muscles. You can do this exercise standing up or sitting on a chair, hold a dumbbell in each arm and shrug your shoulders up to your ears before releasing. Do 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions.
Back Stretches
Hold your arms out at shoulder length with your palms facing up and your elbows slightly bent. Pull them back applying pressure to the shoulder blades and squeeze them together. You should feel a gentle pull across he chest, hold this for 5 seconds and repeat 4 times.
Yoga and Pilates are also great exercise disciplines that will stretch muscles, giving you greater flexibility and mobility. Practice good posture and exercise often to aid good posture.
Welcome to the amazing £1 diet book, yes just a solitary pound! Let me show you why exercise is an integral part of losing weight. Discover what the most effective exercises are that will allow you to reach your weight loss goals and learn how to lose weight without dieting [http://www.screwthediet.co.uk]. My comprehensive weight loss book will show you how to lose weight and keep it off [http://www.screwthediet.co.uk] by developing simple but powerful exercise and eating habits.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Waddington
Blogger Comment
Facebook Comment