Fitness trainer Jillian Hessel explains that practicing perfect posture not only helps the back, but it can also eliminates neck and shoulder strains.
- Use a full-length mirror to assess your posture, or ask a friend to help make an assessment. With your hands on your hips and your feet directly under your pelvic bones, use your foot as a tripod and distribute your weight evenly across the big toe, small toe and the ball of your foot. The shoulders should be in direct alignment over the hips.
- Keep your chin parallel to the floor, and the neck should be lean and straight. Shoulders slouching forward or the chest sticking out with the chin down reflect incorrect posture.
- A great exercise to strengthen posture requires the use of a wall. With your feet under your hips, place your back flat against the wall. Bringing in the stomach, squat down until the legs are at a 90-degree angle to the floor and hold (see photo above). Tighten the lower buttocks and stomach. After a few deep breaths, slide back up the wall to an upright position and repeat. This exercise will strengthen all the muscles involved in maintaining good posture.
Guests Jillian Hessel
Certified Fitness Trainer and Pilates Specialist / Owner, The Well-Tempered Workout
1244 N. Orange Grove Ave., Suite 4
West Hollywood, CA 90046
Phone: 323-656-1968
Fax: 323-650-4748
E-mail:
studio@jillianhessel.com
Website:
www.jillianhessel.com
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