“Stand up straight!”
“Stop slouching!”
We all used to hear that as children, right? It’s even more important now, later in life.
Parents might tell their kids to correct their posture more to instill pride and project confidence. But good posture is about a lot more at this stage of life.
As we age, our bodies are “de-volving” into a more rounded, slumped posture. Not only does that add years to our appearance, but it also contributes to joint and muscle misalignment, which creates bad movement patterns. Continue with those, and pain and injury aren’t far behind.
For many, the slouching starts due to an occupational hazard: sitting behind a desk for decades.
The body will conform to those positions that it is most frequently in. As you sit in a chair, the body assumes a forward head posture with hunched shoulders. Hip flexors also are contracted and shortened. Even our breathing can become restricted.
Try this: Take a long deep breath. See and feel how your chest expands and your shoulders roll back, creating the desired tall, upright posture.
The rounded haunch is common but not inevitable. You can prevent or correct it. So, focus on breathing, stretching and strengthening your core to maintain a solid base. And be sure your regimen includes at least a couple of exercises where you’re pulling those shoulders back, like seated rows. Yoga and Pilates are also excellent for strengthening posture.
All of those will get you or keep you standing tall. Mom would be proud.
Your Friend and Coach,
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Train Smart. Train Hard. Train Safe. Train to Sweatt
P.S.: Whenever you’re ready… here are 3 ways I can help you:
1. Be a guest of mine for a One-on-One Fitness Success Session.
We’ll sit down together and develop a personalized plan to help you achieve your fitness goals. Just reply to this message and put “Success” in the subject line.
2. Join my 28 Day Jump Start Program and be a Case Study.
We’re adding a few new clients to our program for 28 days and documenting their success. If you’d like to work with us for the next month and be a case study for fat loss… just reply to this message and put “28” in the subject line.
3. Listen to my interview on FitPro TV
I had the honor of being interviewed as a leading fitness professional. If you would like to listen so I can teach you that if you have failed before there is still a way for you to reach your goals. You can watch the episode here www.paulfsweatcpt.com/podcast