Site design by Steve Bridgeman Sitemap - Fitness Articles - Tewkesbury Boxing - Circuit Training - Fitness Shop  Correct your posture or be forever cross  I am sat in my office at home writing an article about perfect posture with my feet up on my chair, elbows resting  on my knees, an extremely flexed spine, and forward head posture. My posture is certainly not what one would  define as anatomically or ergonomically correct at the moment! Now I recognise this fact and can adjust my  posture. In fact I am now sat more upright, ears aligned in the same plane as my acromion process yet with a  posteriorly tilted pelvis and rounded lumbar spine. Give me ten more minutes sat down and I will probably change  my posture again, perhaps changing from my current posteriorly tilted pelvis to a more neutral pelvis with a very  slight anterior tilt. Is this perfect posture? Not by definition, however it is by choice that I choose to adopt a variety  of postures whilst seated so that my muscles do not become habitually shortened and impose unwanted stress on my body.  Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands  Unfortunately many people do not recognise the effect that habits have on the body and leave them uncorrected.  One overriding principle of training is that the body will show specific adaptation to imposed demands. For  example if I can only perform 20 press ups yet my goal is to perform 100, with the correct training (imposed  demand) my body will go through the necessary changes to allow this goal to be achieved (specific adaptation).   Forward head posture Now if I choose to always sit slouched with my shoulders and head forwards for many hours a day I will eventually  end up with my body adapting to this demand. My Upper Trapezius, Levator Scapulae, Sternocleidomastoid,  Pectorals, Latissimus Dorsi, Scalenes, Anterior Deltoids, Subscapularis, Teres Major, and Rectus Capitus would  remain in this contractive state by habitually shortening. I would have trained these muscles to be excellent at  holding my body in bad posture. Not only would these muscles be in a shortened state but others would be  lengthened. The list of lengthened and possibly inhibited muscles includes Deep Cervical Flexors, Serratus  Anterior, Rhomboids, Mid-Trapezius, Lower-Trapezius, Rotator cuff, Lungus coli/capitus, Infraspinatus, Posterior  Deltoid, and Teres Minor. That is a lot going on that needs corrected just as a result of sitting slouched for 8 hours  a day.  Upper crossed posture or just cross  In fact 8 hours a day is probably being very conservative for estimating the amount of time training for this  posture! This forward head and shoulders posture is commonly referred to as upper crossed. This is because the  short muscles from one line on a cross and the lengthened muscles form the other line. I prefer to think of this  posture in terms of someone being very cross with the constant headaches, shoulder problems and breathing  problems that plague this “habit”. In addition to 8 hours a day seated, there is probably 2 hours driving in the same  position, an hour at home on the computer, an hour a day eating like this, and maybe 6 hours sleeping with quite  a few pillows propping the head up! That is 18 hours training per day!  Is it really this bad?  Well, the increased cervical extension, scapula elevation and protraction of the shoulder girdle can affect many  daily movements. Shoulder extension and external rotation is limited, as is thoracic extension. This affects  pushing, pulling and overhead movements in a negative way. Just try slouching forwards like I have described  (unless you are already there!) and place your arms out straight in front of you. Now attempt to raise them slowly  over head. It is not easy is it! It is probably uncomfortable for many. It is extremely unlikely that you managed to  get them over head without straightening your thoracic spine. Unfortunately many people with this posture can be  seen in the gym, they seem to only train muscles causing internal rotation of the humerus and this just happens to  be those they can see in the mirror.   Can you imagine loading this position with weights in the gym? Or even lifting a book over head to put on a shelf?  One has not created the most stable of foundations for dynamic activity! Core stability is more than just the 6-pack  it affects the whole body! Ultimately this posture can lead to shoulder injuries some of which go the surgery route  when the reality is that a lifestyle change and an overhaul of gym training methods with corrective stretching and  exercises could have resolved it before this stage. Shoulder injuries are just one example of a consequence of  poor posture. There are also altered breathing mechanics, just try taking a deep breath in a position of poor posture...not easy  and certainly not as much air going in!   How do I recognise it?  1) Your head goes through a door before the rest of your body. 2) You may rename days of the week, choosing “chest day” instead of Monday. You perform an extraordinary volume of work on this day, far more than for any muscles causing external rotation.  You don’t see the point in training for scapula health as you can not see all those tiny muscles; instead you focus on only those that are visible in the mirror. On any chest exercise your head seems to float off the bench. 3) On “back day”, formally known as Wednesday you perform all your pulling movements with your head and shoulders still forwards. You do not effectively recruit the mid and lower trapezius. The weight is always too heavy as you seem to be weaker on this movement, and think that a heavier weight will make you stronger. Actually altered length-tension relationships and reciprocal inhibition are the cause of weakness, not so much the weight itself! 4) On “biceps and triceps” day you again lift weights which are too heavy utilising a bizarre hip jerking manoeuvre, yet again demonstrating an upper crossed posture. You force yourself into this posture even further on pressing movements. 5) Your external auditory miatus and acromion process are anterior to your hip, knee and lateral malleolus when viewed from the side. Can I correct this posture?  Through the right application of corrective stretching, strengthening exercises for weak muscles, re-education of  exercise technique and a lifestyle change to incorporate good posture practice throughout the day this can be  improved. Soon I will have some sample training routines created but remember an exercise and lifestyle routine  is only as good as the initial assessment!