Stand Tall Y'all: Posture Practices

Is posture quickly becoming the new fitness craze? I would be happy about that! Lately, every time I turn around, someone else is talking about posture and the importance of it, including ME! Yesterday, I watched a video, on Facebook, of a chiropractor and his colleague discussing posture. Over the weekend, I published on Instagram (@feelinggreattoday_tj), a photo of me in a handstand. The point of the picture was to illustrate shoulder strength. Of course, you do not have to be able to do a handstand to have great shoulder strength, but shoulder strength is necessary for great posture.

Shoulder and upper body strength prevent the shoulders from rounding and slouching forward. As your chest muscles weaken, they draw forward, pulling your shoulders forward, too. This places a demand on your thoracic spine to unnaturally hunch and curve. Excessive texting, keyboarding, and driving encourage this unhealthy position. Many people spend most of their day in this compromised position. Fatigue sets in, your neck and back begin to hurt, so you try to sit up straight. Most individuals cannot maintain the proper anatomical posture due to weakness. You simply cannot hold yourself in the proper alignment! Back to the slouch, you go.

Standing and sitting tall, are needed for you to deliver oxygen rich blood throughout your body. Your lungs need adequate space to fill and empty, on every breath. Your digestive system needs the provided space to process the healthy foods you eat, to fuel your body. Your heart works more efficiently, when other systems are not being unnecessarily taxed. With these organs and systems getting what they need from the others, you have more energy to feel great.

Incorporate simple at-home exercises into your EVERY DAY living. Even the smallest consistent efforts will begin to restrengthen your upper body.

Here are a few exercises that do not require any equipment at all. You should get started! You will make progress, I promise!

1. Shoulder Shrugs

2. Wall Push Ups

3. Mountain Pose

4. Child's Pose

5. Downward Facing Dog

Looking for more health and wellness tips?

Follow me on Instagram @feelinggreattoday_tj and on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/letsfeelgreat/