How’s your Posture?

If you don’t wish to end up as a hunch back in your older years, then it is important to spend time working on your posture. One way to improve your posture is to strengthen your back and shoulder muscles to enable your body to be supported and upright.

When exercising with weights it is important to ensure you have a balanced workout.  Many times the poor old back gets forgotten.  Have you ever seen those big muscle guys at the gym with huge shoulders that are hunched over and bent forward?  That is caused by working a lot on the chest muscles (doing heaps of chest presses and push-ups) and forgetting to strengthen up the back.

The Bentover Row is one back exercise you can easily do with or without equipment.  Here's how:

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointing forward.

• Using no equipment, a pair of tins from the pantry, or some dumbbells, hold your arms down by your side.

• Keeping your knees slightly bent, bend forward from the waist until your body is at approx 45 degrees.

• Keep your shoulders back and stick your butt out slightly.

• Now, while in this position, bring your elbows back and squeeze the shoulder blades together.

• The only part of your body that is moving is your arms and shoulder blades.  Keep the shoulders back and still and ensure your back is straight and not curved.

Always remember to sit up tall in your chair and pull your shoulders back when walking, and stay away from the hunchback in your older years.