If you're planning on engaging in postural muscle strength activities in an effort to improve your posture, you should probably understand what you're trying to achieve. If all it took to improve your posture was exercise, why do so many people at the gym have bad posture?
I know, I know, not everyone at the gym is in good shape. Still, check out the people that are of average height and weight with average muscle tone. Shouldn't they have decent posture? It certainly makes sense that someone who sits at a computer all day and never exercises might develop bad posture, but how is it possible to work out and still not change your posture?
Typically, the exercises that people choose are not postural muscle strength activities, they are just activities. If rolling your shoulders forward and slouching are causing your problem, why would you hop on an exercise bike and slump over the handles? You are still maintaining the bad posture even while you exercise!
What about running? Running doesn't necessarily cause you to have bad posture, but there isn't a lot of back strengthening going on during this activity.
If you're going to set out to improve your back and your posture, choose postural muscle strength activities that actually work your postural muscles. Swimming certainly can increase back strength. Have you seen the big latismus dorsi muscles on Olympic swimmers?
When heading to the gym, realize that working the front of your body really means that you are not working the back. Work on your back muscles twice as much (at least) as you work your front. Many people (mostly men) like to be able to look in the mirror and see their big chest muscles and big bicep muscles. There's certainly nothing wrong with that as long as you're not sacrificing your back muscles for the sake of your front.
This really just means that if you want the big chest and arms, you're going to have to put in more work on your back muscles. The goal is to have good posture and thus be free of pain and look your best! In order to do this, you're going to have to give your postural muscles a fighting chance by strengthening them as often as possible.
Dr. Natalie Cordova, a chiropractor and posture expert, wants to help you change your posture for good. Learn to improve posture at http://www.ImproveMyPosture.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Natalie_Cordova_D.C.
Tuesday 30 November 2010
Upper Back Pain Due To Postural Muscles
While there are many reasons for someone to improve their posture, it is often when the person begins to experience postural muscle upper back pain that they finally decide the problem has gotten bad enough to address.
While improving appearance, standing up taller, and avoiding the dowager hump are worthy goals, it is often usually when pain has occurred and simply will not go away that someone understands how their poor posture has been affecting them.
How can you determine if your upper back pain is related to your posture? How can you tell if you are truly experiencing postural muscle upper back pain? Most people describe the pain a burning, one that will not go away without stopping their work activities for the day or just being able to go home and rest.
If your pain is related to your posture, you typically feel better when you have a chance to lay down for a time. This removes gravity from the equation and requires no work from your muscles. If you are still sitting up and watching t.v., your pain may continue because gravity is still actively pulling on these aggravated muscles.
This is where people get the idea that what they really need is a posture support, not posture exercise to alleviate their problem. After all, they're using their postural muscles all day right? Why work them out more?
However, using that argument is like saying that you don't need to go to the gym to build bigger arms because you use your arms all day. You know that going to the gym and lifting weights will make your arms stronger and make simple daily tasks a breeze. After lifting fifty pound dumbbells, holding up your cup of coffee is nearly effortless.
This is the same philosophy behind doing specific posture exercise to help alleviate postural muscle upper back pain. Gravity is pulling on your muscles, more specifically your head, all day long. Building strength in your muscles will make their job easier. It will reduce the strain that is needed to perform simple daily tasks, making them a breeze.
Dr. Natalie Cordova, a chiropractor and posture expert, wants to help you change your posture for good. Learn to improve posture at http://www.ImproveMyPosture.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Natalie_Cordova_D.C.
While improving appearance, standing up taller, and avoiding the dowager hump are worthy goals, it is often usually when pain has occurred and simply will not go away that someone understands how their poor posture has been affecting them.
How can you determine if your upper back pain is related to your posture? How can you tell if you are truly experiencing postural muscle upper back pain? Most people describe the pain a burning, one that will not go away without stopping their work activities for the day or just being able to go home and rest.
If your pain is related to your posture, you typically feel better when you have a chance to lay down for a time. This removes gravity from the equation and requires no work from your muscles. If you are still sitting up and watching t.v., your pain may continue because gravity is still actively pulling on these aggravated muscles.
This is where people get the idea that what they really need is a posture support, not posture exercise to alleviate their problem. After all, they're using their postural muscles all day right? Why work them out more?
However, using that argument is like saying that you don't need to go to the gym to build bigger arms because you use your arms all day. You know that going to the gym and lifting weights will make your arms stronger and make simple daily tasks a breeze. After lifting fifty pound dumbbells, holding up your cup of coffee is nearly effortless.
This is the same philosophy behind doing specific posture exercise to help alleviate postural muscle upper back pain. Gravity is pulling on your muscles, more specifically your head, all day long. Building strength in your muscles will make their job easier. It will reduce the strain that is needed to perform simple daily tasks, making them a breeze.
Dr. Natalie Cordova, a chiropractor and posture expert, wants to help you change your posture for good. Learn to improve posture at http://www.ImproveMyPosture.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Natalie_Cordova_D.C.
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