Posture Affects Confidence in Your Thoughts:

Researchers have found that posture can affect not just how people perceive you, but how confident you are in your mind. 

A study involving college students had them in positions of good posture while seated or slumped over.  They were then asked to write about positive or negative characteristics of their future employment.

Surprisingly, the position they were asked to maintain correlated strongly with their thoughts of future job placement.  Basically, good posture gave them positive thoughts!

This is something that I have often thought in recent years.  After doing a lot of joint mobility training in the last six years, my posture has improved greatly, along with my movement efficiency - meaning, my everyday movements are more coordinated and smooth.

I think this carries over to how people on the street perceive you.  At 6' 5 (when I stand up straight!), I'm taller than most people and when you walk upright you seem to stand out more.  At least it seems that people take notice of me because of my good body mechanics and relaxed gait.

Which wasn't always the case, as I used to have pretty poor posture and ended up doing damage to my shoulders while lifting weights.  I think that stress and too much time seated can have an effect here, but your confidence levels and/or anxiety levels seem to also play a role.

At least, I believe it did in my case.  As a shy introvert with some social anxiety, I think my body positions reflected my confidence levels or lack there of.  So some specific training can definitely help and breathing exercises that emphasize abdominal breathing can't hurt either.

If nothing else, "fake it 'til you make it."  Meaning, if you stay positive and give off the illusion of good posture and confidence, maybe you just might make some internal changes to go along with the external.

Posture and Shoulder Exercises

Here's a couple simple exercises to reinforce good posture and help protect your shoulders at the same time. Proper alignment will place your shoulders in the best position to increase mechanical efficiency.

This db row variation is great for strengthening your posterior shoulder and between your shoulderblades. Besides being great for your posture, it will help protect your rotator cuff. Also, adding some thickness here makes you look better from behind, giving you more of that V look. Nothing wrong with looking good and functioning better.

I've done damage to my shoulders in the past, in part, due to lifting with rounded shoulders and lack of mobility in my thoracic spine. These exercises might have prevented some of that damage.

Some people may need some in person help from a professional to see optimal results. Don't forget to work on your abdominal breathing, either - very important for proper core function, and thus your alignment.

Check out my previous article and video, if needed.

Chiropractic Combined with Posture Training

I recently started receiving chiropractic care that involves posture reeducation, including standing on a vibration platform while wearing a weighted "hat."

A couple months ago, I met a chiropractic husband and wife team at a local wellness fair. I had my own vibration platform there and we talked briefly about the benefits, including stimulating the postural (anti-gravity) muscles through the reflex muscle contractions.

They agreed with me and told me that they include posture training in their clinic. Having worked in two different chiropractic clinics, I was curious to see what they did. I recently started receiving adjustments from them, along with the re-education process.

They took x-rays of my neck, which showed that my cervical spine (neck) isn't what it should be. Too much time sitting and bike riding have apparently done a number on me. I haven't been doing enough joint mobility work, either.

In any case, they seek to restore the proper curve of my neck, so that my nervous system is functioning at an optimal level. This includes stretching for my neck and the work on the vibe plate.

This has me standing on a vibration platform for about four minutes while wearing a "hat" with two pounds of weights in the front. The object is to hold my head in proper alignment while the vibrations stimulate numerous muscle and joint receptors, helping to correct your posture.

I have to say, I do notice a difference in my alignment and I think that there is a lot of promise to this concept. Of course, having my own vibration platform in my studio, I believe strongly in the benefits of this type of training, especially for those with past injuries, who may have difficulty exercising with more traditional methods.

I also recently received some quality deep tissue massage, which has also helped and I have been doing more joint mobility movements to further enhance my health.

The position used at the chiropractic clinic works on static posture in a standing position, while mobility training teaches you to move with proper alignment - posture in motion.

I think that they probably compliment each other, where the combined effects are greater than just one or the other. In any case, I think that you will be seeing more of this in the future.

I still believe in quality soft tissue therapy and proper strengthening exercises, for optimal function. One thing is for sure, in an era that has most of us being very sedentary in our daily lives, programs like this are needed now more than ever.

Get moving!

Brian

Posture and Core Stability:

Are posture and core stability related? Let's take a look. This past weekend I attended the 3rd Annual Midwest Strength, Conditioning & Rehab Symposium. This two day event featured some of Chicago's top physical therapists and personal trainers.

One of the overall themes is that the abs and low back muscles need to be trained to resist rotation and need to be trained to resist movement, in order to keep the spine stable.

These muscles provide stability while the upper or lower body is moving. For example, in the golf swing, you don't want to get your rotation through your lower back - you want to get your rotation from the hip and your thoracic spine - the area directly above your lower back.

If you are lacking in flexibility in either the hip or thoracic spine, you will be forced to rotate more with your lower back - which is not good! This area is built for stability and not designed to rotate very far.

According to top strength coach Mike Boyle, a lack of mobility in the hips will put undue stress on the low back, something I have stated in the past. I've worked on many people with low back pain who had excess tension in the muscles of their hips.

Sometimes you can greatly reduce back pain with skilled massage therapy, followed with specific stretching. Follow this up with core stability training and you've got a winning combo.

It was brought up that repeated spine flexion, such as doing endless crunches in a 15 minute abs class, is not too smart of an idea - idiotic, if I remember correctly. This is based on the work of expert spine researcher Dr. Stuart McGill - repeated spine flexion (crunches) puts you at increased risk of injuring a disc in your low back.

Reteaching proper breathing is usually the first place to start. Breathing through your diaphragm (stomach) is needed. Follow this up with exercises designed to provide stability, such as isometrics. You can gradually do movements for your upper or lower body.

Something as simple as pushups can be a great stability exercise, as you hold your stomach tight, keeping it from falling in towards the floor. Once you get going, all the muscles on the front, sides and low back should work without you thinking about it too much, keeping your spine stable.

The posture aspect comes from proper abdominal breathing, which allows you to be more upright and not bent forward at the shoulders. The breathing exercises are important for using the right muscles for stability. Ideally, this comes first.

Posture and Lifting Weights:

Is posture important when doing resistance training? You better believe it! If you have read any of my articles on shoulder injuries, you know that I learned about proper posture the hard way - by partially tearing my rotator cuff and excess (unnecessary) wear and tear on my shoulders.

I recently talked briefly with a 65 year old gentleman who had done a weight training exercise and felt something happen to his shoulder. I asked him if he was doing lat pulldowns behind his head and he replied yes.

I told him it was the exercise that did it and that the particular exercise may be okay for an athlete in their 20's, but not most people over 35. Personally, I don't think that anyone needs to do that exercise as the risks aren't worth the potential benefits.

Actually, the extreme shoulder position that the exercise demands is called the "at-risk position" for the shoulder, as it puts the shoulder at extra risk of injury.

As I said earlier, I learned this the hard way, causing damage to my own shoulder. This exercise wasn't the only reason, I had posture problems that contributed to my injuries. My point is, whatever you think of that exercise, someone over 35, who may have some postural issues going on has no business whatsoever doing that exercise.

It is much better to sit straight upright, reinforcing good posture, and pull the bar straight down in front of your head and not behind. You can do pulling and rowing exercises at various angles to strengthen the muscles of the mid and upper back, instead.

Same thing with sit-ups and crunches....... for most people over 35, this exercise will likely contribute to or reinforce poor posture. Since most people spend the majority of their day sitting or standing in positions of flexion, they don't need to do exercises that cause them to flex their bodies forward.

The muscles of the low back and abs need to be trained in a neutral position to properly support(stabilize) the spine. So instead of core strength, most people need to be doing more core stability - training the midsection to keep the lower back stable while the arms and legs are moving.

I get about two questions a day on this blog about situps causing someone's low back pain. In fact, a world-reknowned spine expert, Dr. Stuart McGill, believes that repeated flexion (sit-ups and crunches) put the discs of the spine at risk of injury.

His research shows that many of these positions put unnecessary pressure on the spine. So some people may do these exercises without any problems, but others may see injuries and others may see some problems further on down the road, in their later years.

So some exercises may be okay for some people, but put unnecessary risk on those with past injuries or posture problems. Make sure to work with a fitness expert who knows the difference.

By the way, for a cyclist who puts in hours on their bike in a forward flexed position, the last thing they should be doing is sit-ups.

Click here for more info on the "at-risk" shoulder position.

Click here for examples of core stability exercises in the neutral position.

Posture and Bike Riding:

I frequently see questions about proper posture for riding a bike. Well, it depends on the type of bike you ride and the type of riding you do.

Many of those over 50 that I see on the local bike path have old fashioned bikes that allow you to ride will sitting upright, maintaining good posture. Others have gone to recumbent bikes or tricycles that are more back friendly..... or maybe they are just very efficient.

In any case, whatever type of bike that you ride, its best to have a bike professional make sure that your bike is properly adjusted for optimal riding efficiency.

Even if you bought your bike at a large sporting good chain because you got a good deal or didn't want to spend too much money, its a good idea to have a professional check out your bike and make sure everything fits.

My comfort bike is a mountain bike meant for casual riding. It puts me in a slightly forward lean that can put some pressure on my upper body and neck, after a while.

This is where it is important to do some upper body strength training to stay in balance. Joint mobility movements for the neck and back also help remove excess muscular tension.
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A nice way to relax and ease some tension that may have occurred with the forward lean position in cycling is to lie on the floor and work on abdominal (diaphragm) breathing.

How Training Your Abs Affects Your Posture:

In addition to being very inefficient for training your abdominals, situps and crunches can also hurt your posture. In your quest to get 6 pack abs, you may be wrecking your posture and your spine at the same time.

In past talks on posture, I've told you about the need for balance between the muscles on the front and back of your body. When your body is in balance, you can stand up straight and move more efficiently. This efficiency also puts the least amount of stress on your joints, as your muscles are providing the proper amount of support.

When you spend 10-15 minutes on the floor doing situps, you are training your body in a flexed position. Since you never see someone work the opposite muscles (low back) for an equal amount of time, you throw off this balance. Since most people already have a tendency to be in a flexed position, due to the amount of time we spend sitting, this further throws off your postural balance.

So, besides being inefficient because they take too long to do, crunches and situps can also cause low back pain. When you do repeated flexion exercises your discs are prone to injury. So to protect your low back and reinforce good posture, you should do most of your abs training in a neutral position. Various bridges and planks on the floor are one way to do this.

The other is to train your abs and low back at the same time you work your upper and lower body. For example, doing upper body exercises that require your midsection to provide stability for your spine. Resistance band exercises that use a pulling or pushing move will build strength in your abs. Dumbbell swings, squats, and presses will also strengthen them.

All the situps or crunches in the world won't cause you to burn away your belly fat, despite what the TV commercials lead you to believe. You need to use exercises that involve multiple muscles such as squats, lunges, presses, and pulls. The more muscles involved leads to more calories burned, provided you are working intensely enough.

Exercise machines for the abs, whether at the gym or home, aren't needed. If at home, dumbbells, resistance bands, sandbags and your own bodyweight is all that is needed. If you want something at home to help burn more calories, a decent bike will work. Then you would do interval training for greater fat loss.

Your abs have different layers of muscles running at different angles, similar to plywood. This layering effect is what gives them their strength. Trying to isolate them with different crunches doesn't strengthen them properly and may lead to posture problems, over time.

Computer Use Contributes to Pain in Kids:

Kids who spend hours on the computer with poor posture and incorrect positioning of the keyboard, screen, and mouse are at risk of developing overuse injuries. These injuries can include neck and back pain and also carpal tunnel.

A survey of 500 children aged 12-18 found that long hours on the computer can result in repetetive strain injuries. The kind usually seen only in adults.

The most common complaints were neck and shoulder pain. The mouse should be placed as close to the body as possible, and monitors are often too high for kids. It seems that adults aren't the only ones that need to be aware of their posture while sitting for long periods of time.

Making sure the computer monitor and keyboard are positioned properly is essential. The chair height may also need to be adjusted to put them in the most efficient working position.

To avoid possible carpal tunnel syndrome they need to keep their hands flat as they type. Taking breaks every 20 minutes is also advised. This strategy would also apply to adults who spend a lot of time in front of a computer.

After spending several hours leaning forward in a slouched position, the back has been stretched slightly and needs a break. Standing up straight and arching the spine forward might help some.

Another thing you should be aware of is going straight to an exercise routine after spending several hours seated. Doing exercises which cause the spine to bend forward, such as situps, can place extra stress on your discs.

The same thing applies to doing heavy lifting first thing in the morning. According to spine researcher Dr. Stuart McGill, your discs have accumulated lots of fluid while you slept and are vulnerable to injury when bending over in the first hour after you awake.

So if going right to work or exercise, be careful not to bend over that first hour with heavy weights. You should always be careful of this, but especially during this time.