What is good posture? Part 3

Fabio Comana, exercise physiologist at the American Council on Exercise, says the philosophy in the fitness industry today is “straighten before strengthen” because starting a workout regimen with faulty posture will only perpetuate any problems that already exist.

According to Comana, there are three areas that are commonly misaligned: the shoulders, hips and ankles. Stretching and strengthening exercises help to fine-tune the muscles around these joints and restore ideal posture. He says everyone would benefit from some simple “maintenance” exercises that target the flexor and extensor muscles at the ankles, hips and shoulders.

I have found that the stability ball does an amazing job to restore posture; you can do these stretches without any special equipment also. Here are some great exercises for chest, shoulders and back:

Chest and shoulder stretch 
Lie on your back. Stretch arms out to the side and turn palms so they face upward. Inhale deeply, then exhale. Hold 30 seconds. Do two to four times – or use a stability ball and sit on the ball, walk your feet forward and roll onto the ball until your head, shoulders and back are fully supported. Relax your hips and head and let your arms fall out to the sides for a relaxing chest stretch. Hold for 3-5 breaths.

Shoulder squeeze 
Lie on your back, or on a half-roll, arms stretched out to the side. Bend elbows 90 degrees so arms are in a bench-press position (hands up). Squeeze shoulder blades together without arching your back. Hold five to 10 seconds. Do two to four times.


Whole body stretch with ball With your legs wide, place hands on ball (or chair, or floor) and roll it out (or walk/lean away, pressing your chest towards the floor to stretch the back and hamstrings. This is also called "downward facing dog" from yoga. Hold for 5 breaths.

Back stretch Stand in front of ball and place the side of the right hand on the ball (thumb pointing up). Roll the ball towards the left while keeping the hips square. Hold for 3-5 breaths and switch to the other side.

In my next blog I will feature more exercises to stretch hips and ankles. There are many great exercises out there and the important thing is, to do them, and do them regularly. Let’s connect at info@gaiaadventures.com. Let me know what your challenges are and what you would like to learn about. Let's keep it rolling!


Catherine D’Aoust at GAIA Adventures
http://www.gaiaadventures.com