Better Posture! 5 Reasons to Straighten Up!

Do you have good or bad posture? As you are reading this, how is your posture right now? Think about it... are you sitting upright? Are you slouching your back? Are you totally sunk into your couch with your laptop resting ever so nicely on your stomach? If you are smiling right now then this post may be helpful... keep reading.

 Personally, I feel that we don't place enough emphasis on teaching the importance of correct posture to our youth. Luckily I've always had both a mom and grandmother who would always remind me to "sit up straight, boy." As a fitness coach, I really work to better understand what good posture as well as postural deviations looks like for my clients and for myself.

Most people who do have postural deviations are usually unaware that they have them and have no clue on what they can do to help strengthen the muscles that hod the boy in the needed position. For everyone from elite athletes to beginners, your posture should always be at the forefront of your mind. The reason, you ask? It's simple... Your posture can and most likely will  determine the outcome of performance and well-being. In order to really drive this message home, here are 5 reasons to straighten up and correct your posture!

1. Good posture helps with your breathing!

When your body is in correct position, your organs are able to work more efficiently and effectively. For example, people who have swayback, the intestines press against the floor of the abdominal cavity instead of being held in place. If you're thinking that these deviations are medical conditions then you are correct and we will get there, but realizing this can help you to seek the help of a physical therapist to help... This is why yoga, pilates and mediation exercises pay so much attention to getting your posture right from the start!

2. You may save yourself from severe injury!

First off, most people have some sort of alignment deviation. These deviations can result in several complications over time, such as increased risks of slipped disc, back aches, chest pains and poor blood circulation. Recognizing postural deviations may help you from encountering some serious injuries in the future. Imbalances in posture whether it is lordosis, scoliosis or kyphosis can all be managed with the help of a trainer or physical therapist. While there is no cure for these imbalances, treatments such as medications for pain, therapy for strengthening weak muscles and in some cases surgery can all help... if you can recognize that you're posture is not quite where it could and should be.

3. Posture affects... well everything!

You're posture really does affect how you walk, run, jump, lift weights, and execute other skills. You probably hear people talking about "form form form" when you are lifting weights. Well, think of having good posture as having good form outside of the gym. Typically, most trainees will be very careful about their form when exercising (which compromises only about 15% of their daily activities), yet totally ignore the potential consequences of other activities that make up a much greater portion of their lives.... Good form = better muscle movement = more effective workouts. Similarly, good posture = better muscle movement = less unnecessary stress on joints...

4. Posture is dynamic!

Good posture is relatively easy to attain and maintain. As mentioned earlier, many people do suffer from deviations that make it harder or even impossible to do certain things like running or lifting weights. For the majority of us, creating good posture has everything to do with learning new habits of sitting, standing and walking. To me, the main factor is strengthening the key muscles that hold you in the proper posture. This is why I'm so big on strengthen training, even for my clients who don't necessarily want to gain muscle mass.... strong core muscles and erector spinae muscles can make a world of difference...

5. Good posture improves your image.

This reasons does not have as much to do with your health as it does with your presentation to others. This may fall lower on the likert scale for some, but I felt like it was good to mention. A person with good posture exudes an aura of confidence and appeal. Fellas, if you want that gym crush to notice you (outside of the gym of course), you'd be surprised how important good posture is to women and vice versa. 

You know I would not leave you without some tips on how to improve your posture so here are 3 that I feel can help you get on the right track...

     - Focus on sitting all the way back in your chair

     - Feet flat on the ground when walking or sitting

     - Dedicate the appropriate amount of time to strengthening your core and back muscles.

- Zo