Good posture: What is it and how do you attain and maintain it? (Photos.com)
Our physical posture is a make up of dynamic forces with muscles designed to maintain our skeletal system in a wonderful balancing act. We are in fact never still, even at rest. We shift, move, and adjust, however minutely, almost constantly to remain erect. Even when lying or resting, we move. When the muscles are strong enough they support for our skeletons.
Proper posture allows us to take mechanical advantage of the inherent strength residing in our muscular skeletal system. The bones are held in place by muscles. Ligaments attach bones to each other. Muscles are attached to bones by tendons.
Healthy muscles are needed for good posture. Good posture is an indicator of healthy muscles and proper movement training. If a muscle is too hard or soft, what one is able to do is diminished, and the potential for musculoskeletal problems significantly increases. Healthy muscles support the body well and facilitate movement through a full and wide range of motion. They are flexible, strong, and able to work for extended periods without undo fatigue. Think “jungle cat.”
If a muscle is too hard, it can do less. When a muscle carries too much tension, it is like a bottle almost. One can’t put much more in, and because of this, the range and power of the muscles is limited. In this state, muscles become more prone to tearing.
If a muscle is too soft, it has the texture of an overcooked noodle. The support between the bones is lessened. Joints and the gliding and rotating surfaces may be compromised. Damage to cartilage and connective tissue through simple daily tasks may cause the surfaces to wear down prematurely or give way altogether. One will be weaker than one should be, and proper posture will be very difficult or impossible to maintain.
• Healthy muscles feel like an expensive rubber exercise mat: firm, but not flaccid; yielding, yet not stiff.
• Posture is the way we hold ourselves.
• Good posture will alleviate pressure on nerves that may cause pain. Good posture will allow better circulation and proper placement of the organs. Good posture matters.
• Posterior musculature: The back muscles extend the spine and provide posterior support. The back is for pulling.
• Anterior musculature of the trunk are for curling or flexing forward. They give complimentary spinal support, working with the posterior musculature and side waist rotators and stabilizers. The muscles of the chest are for pushing.
Good posture denotes a positive image, sending signals to the world signifying confidence and ability. Posture is not just physical, but an indicator of mood, strength, weakness, intention, and ability.
In exercise training, focus on balancing the body, in order to achieve proper posture and healthy muscularity. No one set of muscles is more important than another. The muscles of the body work together like a concert, not a solo performance. Study to understand what the muscles do, and train them in the way that they work for functionality. Avoid isolation exercises, and focus on strengthening the body as a whole. It pushes, it pulls, it flexes, it rotates, and it extends.
Do not design your exercise program based on what you want the muscles to look like—their designer has already done that job. They will appear, as they should, when they are healthy. You won’t be disappointed.
Have a question? Ask fitness expert Emory M. Moore, Jr., founder of Embora and the EM Technique, at info@embora.com
