The Silent Killer: How Your Bad Posture Is Destroying Your Health

We all know that slouching or hunching over is not great for our appearance, but did you know that it can also have serious health consequences, particularly for the neck and spine?

In fact, research has shown that poor posture can lead to a whole host of health problems, from back pain and muscle tension to decreased lung capacity and even digestive issues. And the neck and spine are particularly vulnerable to the negative effects of poor posture, as they bear the brunt of the strain caused by bad alignment.

But don't worry, it's not all doom and gloom! The good news is that by taking proactive measures to improve your posture, you can prevent these health problems and feel better in your body overall. In the rest of this post, we'll be diving deeper into the negative health consequences of poor posture, with a focus on the impact on the neck and spine. We'll also be sharing practical exercises and tips to combat bad posture and strengthen your neck muscles.

So if you've ever struggled with neck pain or noticed that your posture could use some improvement, then you're in the right place. Keep reading to learn more about how your bad posture may be silently sabotaging your health - and what you can do about it.

The Negative Health Consequences of Poor Posture

Alright, let's get into it. So what exactly are the negative health consequences of poor posture? Well, first of all, it can cause a lot of pain and discomfort in your neck and back. When you're hunched over, your muscles have to work harder to hold you up, which can lead to muscle fatigue and tension. Over time, this can result in chronic pain and even injuries.

But the problems don't stop there. Poor posture can also affect your breathing and digestion. When your chest is compressed and your shoulders are rounded forward, it can be harder to take deep breaths and get enough oxygen. And when your organs are compressed, it can affect their function and lead to issues like acid reflux.

And that's not all - research has also linked poor posture to increased stress and anxiety, decreased energy levels, and even a higher risk of cardiovascular disease.

But don't worry, there are plenty of exercises you can do to combat the negative effects of poor posture and improve your alignment. One of my favorites is the chin tuck exercise. Here's how to do it:

  1. Start by sitting up straight with your shoulders relaxed.
  2. Gently tuck your chin in towards your chest, keeping your neck long and your head level.
  3. Hold for a few seconds, then release and repeat.

This exercise helps to strengthen the muscles in your neck and upper back and improve your posture. Another great exercise is the shoulder winging. Here's how to do it:

  1. Sit up straight with your shoulders relaxed.
  2. Squeeze your shoulder blades together, as if you're trying to hold a pencil between them.
  3. Then extend your arms above your head.
  4. The goal here is to keep contact with the wall with wrist, elbow, shoulder and head

This exercise helps to improve your posture by strengthening the muscles between your shoulder blades and opening up your chest.

So there you have it - the negative health consequences of poor posture and some exercises to combat them. Remember, improving your posture is an ongoing process, but by incorporating these exercises into your routine, you can start to feel better in your body and prevent health problems down the line.

 

The Impact of Poor Posture on the Neck and Spine

When we talk about poor posture, one of the areas that's most vulnerable is the neck and spine. Your neck and spine are made up of a complex network of bones, muscles, and nerves that work together to support your body and enable movement. But when your posture is off, it can put excessive strain on these areas and cause a whole host of problems.

Let's start with the anatomy. Your spine is made up of 33 individual vertebrae that are stacked on top of each other like building blocks. These vertebrae are separated by small discs that act as shock absorbers and allow for movement. Your neck, or cervical spine, is the top portion of your spine and is made up of seven vertebrae.

When your posture is poor, it can cause these vertebrae to become misaligned, which can put pressure on the discs and lead to herniated discs, bulging discs, and even nerve compression. This can cause pain, numbness, and tingling sensations in your neck, shoulders, and arms.

Additionally, poor posture can also cause muscle imbalances in the neck and upper back. When you're hunched over, your chest muscles become tight and your upper back muscles become weak. This can cause your shoulders to round forward and your head to jut out, which puts even more strain on your neck.

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To visualize this, try standing up and looking in the mirror. First, stand up straight with good posture - your ears should be in line with your shoulders, your shoulders should be in line with your hips, and your hips should be in line with your ankles. Now, try hunching over and rounding your shoulders forward - notice how your head juts out and your neck becomes compressed?

This exercise helps to strengthen the muscles in your neck and improve your posture. Another great exercise is the thoracic extension exercise. Here's how to do it:

  1. Sit on a ball with your legs in front of you and your hands behind your head.
  2. Slowly arch your upper back backwards, keeping your chin tucked and reach with the stick behind you
  3. Hold for a few seconds, then release and repeat.

This exercise helps to stretch out your chest muscles and improve your upper back posture.

The Importance of Taking Proactive Measures to Address Posture Issues

To truly address posture issues, we need to take proactive measures to correct them. Fortunately, there are plenty of practical steps you can take to improve your posture and prevent health problems down the line.

One of the most important things you can do is sit and stand with proper alignment. When you're sitting:

  • make sure your feet are flat on the floor
  • your back is straight
  • your shoulders are relaxed.
  • Your ears should be in line with your shoulders
  • your hips should be in line with your ankles.
  • If you're working at a desk, make sure your computer monitor is at eye level and your keyboard is at elbow height.

When you're standing:

  • make sure you're distributing your weight evenly on both feet
  • with your shoulders relaxed
  • your head in a neutral position
  • Avoid locking your knees
  • tilting your pelvis forward or backward.

Another important step is to use ergonomic furniture and equipment. If you're spending a lot of time sitting, invest in a chair with good lumbar support and adjustability. Consider using a standing desk or a stability ball to improve your posture and engage your core muscles. And if you're working on a laptop, consider using an external keyboard and mouse to avoid hunching over.

Of course, exercise and stretching are also key components of good posture. In addition to the exercises we covered earlier, try incorporating these moves into your routine:

  1. Scap Retractions: Hold on to a table, chair or an exercise equipment. Lock out elbows and retract your shoulders. Do not bend your elbows and let your shoulders work:

  2. Shoulder Dislocation: Stand up straight and hold a stick. Then "dislocate" your shoulders in a wide grip and go from front to back without bending your elbows. Relax your knees and hips. A regression can be to do it with a resistance band.

  3. Child's pose: Start on your hands and knees, with your hands slightly in front of your shoulders. Lower your hips back towards your heels, stretching your arms out in front of you. Rest your forehead on the floor and take a few deep breaths.

Remember, small changes can make a big difference in promoting good posture and preventing health problems. By taking proactive measures and incorporating these tips into your routine, you can improve your posture and feel better in your body."

Conclusion

In conclusion, good posture is essential for our overall health and well-being. Poor posture can lead to a variety of negative health consequences, including neck pain, back pain, and even breathing difficulties. By improving our posture, we can reduce the risk of these problems and improve our quality of life.

We've covered a lot of ground in this post, including the negative health consequences of poor posture, the impact of poor posture on the neck and spine, and practical tips for improving your posture. Remember, it's not enough to simply be aware of the importance of good posture - you need to take proactive measures to address any posture problems you may have.

Incorporating exercises and stretches into your routine, using ergonomic furniture and equipment, and sitting and standing with proper alignment are all great ways to improve your posture. And don't forget, small changes can make a big difference in the long run.

So if you've been slouching at your desk or hunching over your phone, take action today to correct your posture. Your body will thank you for it in the long run!

If you're still not sure where to begin, book a call with us and tell us what's up. We're more than welcome to help you get started! Check out this full-on workout routine to correct your posture. Do this everyday and feel the improvement!

by nick

functional training

The Benefits of Functional Fitness: Why You Should Incorporate It into Your Workouts

In recent years, functional fitness has gained popularity among fitness enthusiasts and athletes alike. This approach to training emphasizes movements that mimic everyday activities and improve overall functionality. But what exactly are the benefits of functional fitness, and why should you incorporate it into your workouts?

  1. Increased overall strength and flexibility
  2. Improved balance and coordination
  3. Reduced risk of injury
  4. Enhanced sports performance
  5. Greater ease in performing daily activities
  6. Time-efficient workouts

Functional fitness offers a wide range of benefits for individuals at any fitness level. By incorporating functional movements into your workouts, you can improve overall strength and flexibility, reduce the risk of injury, and enhance your performance in sports and daily activities. So next time you hit the gym, try adding some functional exercises to your routine and experience the benefits for yourself.

Increased Overall Strength and Flexibility

Functional fitness is a term that's been gaining popularity in recent years, and for good reason. It focuses on building strength, mobility, and flexibility in movements that we use in our everyday lives, such as squatting, bending, pushing, pulling, and twisting.

Unlike traditional gym workouts that isolate individual muscle groups, functional fitness movements train multiple muscle groups at once, and often involve the use of free weights, resistance bands, and bodyweight exercises. This type of training not only helps to build strength and flexibility, but also improves balance, coordination, and stability.

One of the biggest benefits of functional fitness is its transferability to real-life activities. Whether you're carrying groceries, playing with your kids, or doing yard work, functional fitness movements mimic the actions we perform in our daily lives, making these activities easier and less taxing on our bodies.

Functional fitness also helps to prevent injuries, particularly in older adults. By building strength and flexibility in the muscles and joints used in everyday movements, functional fitness can reduce the risk of falls and other injuries.

Here are some examples of functional fitness exercises:

  1. Squats: This exercise targets the muscles in the legs and glutes, which are essential for everyday movements like standing up from a chair or lifting a heavy object.
  2. Push-ups: Push-ups work the chest, shoulders, and triceps, which are important for pushing movements like opening a door or carrying a bag.
  3. Lunges: Lunges strengthen the legs and hips, which are involved in walking and stair climbing.
  4. Rows: Rows target the muscles in the upper back, which are important for good posture and lifting objects off the ground.
  5. Planks: Planks strengthen the core muscles, which are essential for balance and stability in everyday movements.

So, if you're looking to increase your overall strength and flexibility, consider incorporating functional fitness exercises into your workout routine. Not only will it improve your fitness, but it will also make everyday activities easier and more enjoyable. Watch this Follow Along Workout to include all these aspects:

Improved balance and coordination

Balance and coordination are crucial components of overall fitness, yet often overlooked in traditional strength training programs. Incorporating functional fitness exercises into your workout routine can help improve your balance and coordination, which can have a significant impact on your performance in everyday activities and sports. In this post, we'll explore the benefits of functional fitness for balance and coordination, and provide some examples of exercises you can incorporate into your routine.

Benefits of Functional Fitness for Balance and Coordination:

  1. Improved Stability: Functional fitness exercises focus on training your body to move in a natural, functional way. This type of training can improve your overall stability, making you less prone to falls and injuries. It can also help improve your posture and alignment, which can reduce the risk of back pain.
  2. Increased Proprioception: Proprioception is your body's ability to sense its position in space. Functional fitness exercises require you to use multiple muscle groups at once, which can improve your proprioception and make you more aware of your body's movements.
  3. Better Coordination: Functional fitness exercises can help improve your coordination by requiring you to use multiple muscle groups and perform complex movements. This can translate to improved performance in sports that require agility and quick reactions.

Examples of Exercises:

  1. Single Leg Balance: Stand on one leg with your knee slightly bent and your foot flat on the ground. Hold this position for 30 seconds, then switch legs. To make this exercise more challenging, close your eyes or stand on a cushioned surface.
  2. Lateral Bounds: Stand with your feet hip-width apart and jump laterally to the side, landing on one foot. Immediately jump back to the starting position and repeat on the other side. This exercise can help improve your lateral stability and coordination.
  3. Medicine Ball Throws: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a medicine ball at chest height. Twist your torso and throw the ball against a wall, catching it as it bounces back. This exercise can improve your coordination and balance while also working your core and upper body.

Conclusion: Incorporating functional fitness exercises into your workout routine can help improve your balance and coordination, which can have a significant impact on your overall fitness and performance in everyday activities and sports. Try incorporating some of these exercises into your routine and see how it can benefit you!

Reduced risk of injury

Unlike traditional gym routines that often focus on isolated muscle groups, functional fitness workouts target multiple muscle groups at once and help develop a strong foundation of strength, stability, balance, and flexibility. In this post, we will discuss how functional fitness can help reduce the risk of injury.

Functional fitness workouts are designed to improve the overall movement patterns of the body, making it more efficient and less prone to injury. By focusing on exercises that target multiple muscle groups and mimic real-life movements, functional fitness workouts help develop a strong core, improve posture, and promote better balance and coordination.

One of the most significant benefits of functional fitness is that it helps improve the body's ability to move in multiple planes of motion. Many traditional gym routines tend to focus on exercises that are performed in a single plane of motion, which can lead to muscle imbalances and increase the risk of injury. Functional fitness workouts, on the other hand, incorporate exercises that challenge the body to move in different planes of motion, such as twisting, bending, reaching, and rotating, leading to a well-rounded fitness level and a reduced risk of injury.

Another way functional fitness can reduce the risk of injury is by improving muscle imbalances. Muscle imbalances occur when one muscle group is stronger than its opposing muscle group, leading to improper movement patterns and increasing the risk of injury. Functional fitness workouts target multiple muscle groups at once, ensuring that all muscle groups are worked equally and reducing the risk of muscle imbalances.

Finally, functional fitness helps improve flexibility, mobility, and stability, all of which contribute to reducing the risk of injury. Exercises that focus on mobility and flexibility, such as stretching, foam rolling, and yoga, help improve joint mobility and reduce the risk of injury. Additionally, exercises that target stability, such as balance training, help improve overall balance and coordination, leading to a reduced risk of falls and other injuries.

The definition of a functional exercise is the Copenhagen Plank where we ask for co-contraction of the adductors, glutes and abs to decrease the risk of injury:

 

 

Enhanced Sports Performance

Functional fitness is a type of exercise that focuses on improving overall body movements, making everyday activities easier, and enhancing sports performance. When it comes to sports performance, functional fitness can be a game-changer.

By engaging in functional fitness exercises, athletes can improve their agility, power, speed, and endurance. Functional fitness exercises mimic the movements required for various sports, making it easier for athletes to perform at their best. Additionally, functional fitness helps prevent injuries, allowing athletes to stay on top of their game for longer.

For example, let's consider a basketball player. Basketball requires a lot of lateral movements, jumping, and quick changes in direction. By incorporating exercises like lateral lunges, box jumps, and agility drills into their functional fitness routine, a basketball player can improve their lateral speed, vertical jump, and change of direction. This leads to improved on-court performance and reduced risk of injury.

Another example is a football player. Football requires a lot of explosive movements, like sprinting, tackling, and jumping. By incorporating exercises like squats, deadlifts, and plyometric jumps into their functional fitness routine, a football player can improve their power, speed, and explosiveness on the field. This translates to improved performance and a reduced risk of injury.

Overall, functional fitness is a great way for athletes to enhance their sports performance, reduce the risk of injury, and stay on top of their game. By incorporating exercises that mimic the movements required for their sport, athletes can see real improvements in their performance on the field or court.

Here's a video we did specifically for explosive sports and their athletes' knee troubles:

Greater Ease in Performing Daily Activities

As we age, it becomes increasingly important to maintain our functional fitness. This type of fitness is all about training our bodies to move and function in everyday life, rather than just focusing on aesthetics or building muscle mass. Functional fitness can help us with everything from carrying groceries to climbing stairs to playing with our grandkids. And for older adults, it can make a huge difference in maintaining independence and quality of life.

One of the key benefits of functional fitness is that it can make everyday tasks feel easier and more manageable. For example, if you have good balance and coordination, you're less likely to stumble or fall while walking on uneven terrain. If you have strong core muscles, you'll find it easier to get up from a chair or bed. And if you have good flexibility and range of motion, you'll be able to reach for items on high shelves or bend down to tie your shoes without discomfort.

Functional fitness can be especially important for older adults, who may experience age-related declines in strength, flexibility, and balance. By incorporating exercises that mimic daily activities, such as squats, lunges, and step-ups, functional fitness can help maintain or even improve these physical abilities. This can be especially beneficial for older adults who want to stay independent and live in their own homes for as long as possible.

But functional fitness isn't just for older adults. Anyone can benefit from training their bodies to move and function better in everyday life. Whether you're a busy parent who needs to carry kids and groceries, or an athlete looking to improve your performance on the field, functional fitness can help. Check out our warm-up which we use with Online Coaching clients:

Time Efficient Workouts

This is a highly effective way to improve your overall fitness and achieve your goals without having to spend hours on end at the gym. Here are just a few reasons why functional fitness is a time-efficient solution to your workout woes:

  1. Multi-joint movements: Functional fitness exercises often involve multiple joints and muscles working together, which means you can achieve a full-body workout in less time. This is because these exercises are more efficient at burning calories and building strength than isolation exercises.
  2. Increased intensity: Functional fitness workouts are typically higher intensity, meaning you can get a great workout in a shorter amount of time. This is because these exercises involve movements that require more effort and energy, such as squats, lunges, and push-ups.
  3. Adaptability: Functional fitness exercises can be adapted to your fitness level and goals. This means you can make the most of your time by performing exercises that challenge you without taking up too much time.

It's important to remember that workouts shouldn't be time-consuming.

In fact, it's better to have shorter, more intense workouts than long, drawn-out ones. This is especially important for older individuals, who may have a harder time finding the energy and motivation to work out for long periods of time. By incorporating functional fitness into your routine, you can improve your overall fitness and make the most of your time.

This is an example how only 10 minutes a day can reset your posture:

 

by nick