POSTURE EXERCISES

Having poor posture is like putting bends in a straight road. Lymph and other fluids that used to flow smoothly get slowed up in certain areas. The result is congested muscles and tissues in the back and surrounding areas that can then reduce lymph flow throughout the whole system

Poor posture also reduces the efficacy of breathing, reducing circulation and decreasing the elimination of natural toxins like carbon dioxide, which puts pressure on the lymph system. If you do suffer from any of the above problems, the following exercises can help by straightening posture, release tension and strengthening the core muscles that support the back.

• The easiest way to ensure you are standing in the best position is to focus on lengthening your torso and tightening your tummy muscles. As you do this, everything else adjusts.
• Stand up, then focus on pulling and lengthening your body up, starting at your neck and pulling up through your chest to your waist and hips.
• Once you have done this, focus on pulling your tummy muscles back towards your navel-this does not mean holding your breath or squishing in your tummy. Instead, just contract the area around your navel so it feels as if your belly button is pushing towards your back. This supports your body. It may feel hard at first, but try to keep it up. A good way to remember is to place sticky red dots on your computer or around your home. Every time you see the dots, focus on putting your body in the right position and eventually it will come naturally.
  

• Poor posture can be aggravated by holding your body in the same position for hours each day, as you do when you are working at a computer. Once every hour, try this set of desk exercises.
• Sitting straight, shrug your shoulders up towards your ears. As you go up, tense all the muscles, then release on the way down. Repeat 4-5 times.
• Interlock your fingers and, turning your palms to face outwards, straighten your arms out in front of you. Push gently forwards so you feel the stretch along your shoulder blades. Hold for 10 seconds.
• Finally, tip your head gently to one side so you feel a stretch on the side of your neck. Hold for 10 seconds. Bring your head back to the centre, then tip to the other side and hold.
  

• Core muscles are those within the abdomen that stabilize the back and help improve posture. These exercises work alongside the upper body exercises in the toning plan to create a strong and healthy support for your whole body. Do them every two days throughout the exercises, perhaps at the end of your toning exercises.

• Get down on all fours. Now try to raise your right arm and your left leg and hold for 30 seconds. As you do this, focus on using your core muscles to keep you stable. That is what is important, not the leg or arm movement. Hold for 15 seconds, then repeat five times. Switch so that you raise your right arm and left leg and repeat.

• Lie on the floor, elbows and forearms resting on the ground, palms just ahead of your ears. Slowly and gently raise up on to your forearms, arching your back from the waist. Hold for 2-3 seconds and slowly lower. Repeat ten times.