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Posture even your mother would love

 

Angela Weatherill, endurance athlete and software manager at UT-Houston says that correct form can start at the desk. “We spend all day slumping, leaning and hunching over a computer. No wonder we hurt!” She says periodic stretches at our desks can help. (Above) Scoot to the edge of your chair, sit up straight without arching your back. Cross one leg over the other—with the foot of the crossed leg resting on the knee of the planted foot. Feel the stretch in the hip and inner thigh. The flatter the crossed leg can become, the better. Then, switch legs. Do this periodically throughout the day.

If you have no clue what your posture looks like, have a trusted friend draw your outline on a chalk board or have yourself videoed.

  1. Stand up in front of a full-length mirror.
  2. Pretend that there is a string attached to the crown of your head and mentally pull it up straight.
  3. Your chin should be in a neutral position—not too high or too low. It should feel gently shoved back toward your throat and parallel to the floor.
  4. Your shoulders should be rolled back and your arms pulled down toward the floor (to get your shoulders out of your ears!)
  5. Your shoulders should be in alignment with your hips—not twisted or rotated.
  6. Your chest should not be sunken in or exaggeratedly sticking out.
  7. Your stomach muscles should be tight with everything you do in the gym.
  8. Knees should be slightly bent, no more than three inches apart (while checking posture).
  9. Hips should be tucked; low back should be neutral, not arched.
  10. In short, you should greet the world with your “heart” first (as in “chest forward.) Most everything will fall into place after that.

Breathing Lessons

Corey Jefferson, professional fitness trainer at the UT-Houston Rec Center uses this recipe to re-teach people how to breathe and be aware of their breath throughout the day and the workout:

  1. Lie on your back, knees up, with your feet flat on the floor.
  2. Press your low back into the ground. Then, tighten your abdominal muscles without arching your back.
  3. Place one hand on your belly. Remember to keeps abs tight.
  4. Then, try to take a deep breath, asking you chest to expand and rise instead of your stomach.
  5. Upon exhale, keep your abs tight, and deflate your chest.
  6. You want to keep your abdominal muscles (abs) engaged, while using your chest muscles to expand your ribcage so that your lungs can fully fill and completely empty.

Belly Breathing

One of thousands of breathing styles, belly breathing is used commonly in distance biking, rhythmic exercise, yoga and meditation.

  1. Using the same body position above, inhale deeply, though this time, originate the breath from the abdomen. Then fill the chest.
  2. Exhale fully, first deflating the chest and second, pulling in the abdominal muscles. Repeat slowly and naturally, inhaling and exhaling through your nose.

 

UPDATED: 1-24-2007