Find out the most effective exercises to prevent the development of defects in the spine. Correct posture will no doubt make you more attractive. More important, however, is the fact that posture has a lot to do with your health. Any posture problems inevitably lead to problems with the spine. Unfortunately, few people pay due attention to their back, and this leads to painful sensations.
You can practice your posture at any age. Often, to correct it, it is necessary not only to do exercises for good posture, but also to change your lifestyle, giving up bad habits. Today we will tell you how you can solve the problem at home. All the exercises for good posture that we reviewed today have been developed by specialists and will be as effective as possible with regular exercises.
What is posture called?
Posture should be understood as a special position of the skeleton, muscles and various types of tissues, which allows a person to maintain an upright position. This applies not only to those moments when the person is standing, but also lying or sitting. Posture is directly related to the spinal column and can be characterized by three curves: the cervical, thoracic and lumbar regions.
Many people believe that posture is formed by the muscles in the back, which help to maintain the desired position of the spinal column. However, in practice, the abdominal muscles are also actively involved in this process. The human body has eight main load-bearing structures: shoulder, hip, knee, and ankle.
They can function normally only if they are on the same vertical and horizontal lines. Only in this case, the posture can be considered correct. If these nodes are displaced, then the person has a certain type of curvature, and muscle asymmetry is also possible.
Why can posture be wrong?
Very often, poor posture is caused by some pathological disease, for example, scoliosis, kyphosis, etc. They mainly develop in childhood and then accompany a person for the rest of his life. Sometimes posture disorders are so severe that a person is not able to straighten his back.
Also, certain birth injuries or injuries related to the spinal column can be attributed to the pathological causes of posture disorders. Also, posture can be impaired as a result of improper seating at the table. Today this is very important, since many professions involve working in an office, and most of the time a person spends at the table. To avoid this, you need to use a comfortable chair that allows you to straighten your back. In addition, the knee joints should be located several centimeters below the table. In order not to be bothered by pain in the neck and back, it is necessary to strengthen the muscular corset. Women are not recommended to constantly wear high-heeled shoes, which can also become one of the reasons for poor posture.
Benefits of correct posture
Correct posture has a positive effect on the functioning of all body systems. It is just as important to your health as compared to, say, eating well or exercising. We have already said that posture can be disturbed in the presence of bad habits, when a person performs repetitive actions or is in one position for a long time. This leads to the fact that the body tries to compensate for these processes, which leads to imbalances in the rest of the body.
Posture is essential for good health and performance throughout the body. Correct posture maintains the physiological natural position of all tissues and the skeleton, and this leads to the fact that performance is at a high level. If you want to be healthy, then you should do exercises for good posture if you have poor posture. Scientists sometimes call correct posture, neutral alignment, when body weight can be supported without the involvement of a muscular corset.
Here are the main positive effects of good posture:
- Reduces the risk of damage.
- The rate of wear of bone tissue and joints decreases.
- The body uses less energy to keep the muscles working, which improves overall efficiency.
- The quality of neuro-muscular connections increases.
- Reduces the risk of muscle strain and pain in the neck and lower back.
- The volume of the lungs increases, which increases the quality of oxygen supply to all tissues.
- The person acquires a proud gait and becomes more self-confident.
- In women, the appearance of the bust is improved.
- The physique has a more aesthetic appearance.
You should remember that the spinal column is a kind of frame, the health of which also depends on the quality of the work of internal organs. This is due to the fact that each vertebra is associated with the work of a specific internal organ. To correct the incorrect position of the spinal column, it is necessary to perform special exercises for good posture, as well as have flexible muscles, movable joints and constantly monitor the position of your spine.
The best exercises for good posture
We have just found out what can cause the curvature of the spinal column and with the consequences of this. Now is the time to talk about what exercises for good posture can be done at home.
- Bridge. Take a supine position with your arms extended along your body. The legs must be bent at the knee joints and the pelvis must be lifted from the ground so that the section of the body from the knee joints to the shoulder joints is a straight line. In the extreme upper position, you need to linger for a few seconds and return to the starting position. Do two sets, each with 10 to 12 reps.
- Advanced bridge. The exercise is performed similarly to the previous one, but you only need to rely on the feet and the back of the head. In this case, the pelvis should rise as high as possible. Do two sets, each with 8 to 10 reps.
- A boat. Lie on your stomach and secure your legs under a support such as a sofa. Hands must be connected into a lock and raise the upper part of the body as high as possible. Do two sets, each with 8 to 10 reps.
- Candle. This posture exercise will require you to have some acrobatic skills and flexibility. Take a prone position with your legs straightened and your arms extended along the body. Holding your waist with your hands, begin to raise your legs, maintaining balance. In the upper end position, a pause of three to five seconds should be sustained. After that, return to the starting position. Do three sets, each with 10 reps.
- Fish. Take a prone position with your arms back and grabbing the bottom of your shins. After that, begin to slowly swing, while rolling from the chest to the knee joints and back. Do three sets, each with 10 reps.
These were the most effective exercises for good posture, and in addition, you can perform another set of movements:
- Exercise 1. Take a sitting position with your legs crossed and your back should be straight. Hands can be placed in front or behind you. After that, start doing side bends at a slow pace. Do two sets, each with 5 to 10 reps.
- Exercise 2. The starting position is the same as the previous movement. Turn your head to the right, staying in this position for five seconds. Then return to the starting position and turn your head to the left, also lingering in this position. Do two sets, each with 4 to 6 reps.
- Exercise 3. Take up support on the knee joints, resting on your hands. And the legs should be located next to each other. Begin to arch and bend your back. Do two sets, each with 10 to 15 reps.
- Exercise 4. Get into a prone position with your arms bent and your feet together. Begin to straighten your arms, bending in the lumbar region. Make sure the pelvis stays on the ground. Do one set with 4 to 6 reps.
- Exercise 5. The starting position is similar to the previous movement, but the legs must be apart. Begin to slowly unbend the arms, simultaneously turning your head first and then your chest to the left. Returning to the starting position, repeat on the other side. Do one set with 4 to 6 reps.
- Exercise 6. Stand one step away from the wall, touching it with your palms. Begin to bend the body as far back as possible and hold the position for five seconds. Return to starting position. Do one set with 4 to 6 reps.
- Exercise 7 … Take a standing position and hold the bodybar behind your back, the upper end of which should be pressed to the back of the head, and the lower end to the pelvis. First, do squats and return to starting position. Then tilt the body forward, return to the starting position. In a similar way, it is also necessary to make side bends. Do one set with 4 to 6 reps.
- Exercise 8. In a standing position, press against the wall so that the back of the head, shoulder blades, lower back and heels touch it. This position must be held for ten seconds. Do one set with 4 to 6 reps.
What exercises will help develop good posture, see this video:
