By Cheryl Coppa
In today’s modern lifestyle, our posture often suffers. Besides having the look of poor posture, that hunch look, and a rounded back and tucked pelvis, you have all the aches and pains that come with it. Ranging from head to toe and everything in between.
Poor posture also affects your breathing. Being out of alignment will force you to have a shallow breathing pattern. Shallow breathing encourages a fight or flight response in the body so in the long run this leaves you stressed and tense.
Poor posture also slows your digestion, letting this go for too long can cause constipation. We can also give off poor self-esteem and low confidence when we carry our bodies this way.
Before we get into the exercises, let’s make sure we have proper posture, and it is not just throwing your shoulders back, let's make a posture adjustment now:
Stand up - have your feet hip distance apart. We want the pelvis to be in a neutral position. A neutral position would be to have your perineum line up above where your ankle bones are on the inside. (The perineum is the small space between the vagina and the anus). Most of us have our hips too far forward or too far back, this is the best way to learn where neutral is. Put your fingers there on your perineum so you know where it is, and then shift it so it is right above your ankle bones. If you look at your profile in a mirror your ears, shoulders, hips, knees, and ankle bones should all line up. For further explanation and guidance, Ola Ka Ola members you can find this in the “CORE & PELVIC FLOOR PROGRAM” the very first video. Here is a YouTube video as well to make sure you understand it. All the exercises you do for posture you want to make sure that you are first in proper posture!
The back side suffers without a doubt! And many times if you were to attend a fitness class, your stronger muscles dominate your movements. So if you are intending to do an exercise for your back, maybe your shoulders and biceps are taking over, I see this all the time. I’m going to show you my favorite exercises that target your back and postural muscles. Especially the exercise when you are lying on your belly, the other muscles can’t help you out, it forces the back and postural muscles to do all the work. You may find these hard because the muscles are so weak. If you are struggling, this is even more reason why you need these exercises! Just start, work at it and you will see and feel the difference in the way you look and the way you feel.
“If your body is feeling pain, it is a cry for help! The check engine light is on and most of the time there is a movement prescription for these pains. And movement prescriptions come with a long list of POSITIVE side effects!”
These exercises have changed the lives of so many of my personal training clients and our members at Ola Ka Ola. If your body is feeling pain, it is a cry for help! The check engine light is on and most of the time there is a movement prescription for these pains. And movement prescriptions come with a long list of POSITIVE side effects.
When you are doing these exercises, really think about what muscles you are working. Create that mind-muscle connection.
These exercises will help you stand taller and stronger, have less pain, and get more out of your regular exercise routines:
I’m using a simple resistance band that all of our members have and you can easily and very affordably get. Something you can always carry with you so you can correct your posture and strengthen your postural muscles at any time anywhere!
Pick 3 of these exercises, and do each one for 1 minute - 3x through—two to three times a week in addition to your regular exercise program.
You can also watch this video with me demonstrating the posture exercises.
For your personalized movement prescription, get started HERE
See you in class!
About Cheryl Coppa