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BALANCED TOP TO BOTTOM, SIDE TO SIDE, FRONT TO BACK. CORRECT ALIGNMENT.
Attaining athletic posture is the foundation of all functional movement.
Posture is the way you hold your body, the position of your spine, joints, and head. Posture affects the bio-mechanical and bio-motor ability and the likelihood of injury. Keeping athletes free of injury is as important in professional sports as any other aspect of the game.
This holds true if you are on the PGA tour or running a 5K around your neighborhood.
Building athletic performance on a poor foundation never works. It's crazy to increase muscle mass on a crooked frame.
A crooked frame doesnot mean looking like Quazimodo. Maybe your head is a bit too far forward. Or your torso is slightly rotated. Possibly one hip is higher than the other. Often chest muscles are overdeveloped while the back and butt muscles are weaker.
In sports, the base of your control comes from your posture.
If your base is not correctly aligned, you won't be able to perform movement with the appropriate degree of control. Because our bodies are so versatile, when something is mechanically incorrect, we adapt. If one component isn't working correctly, the body adjusts and overcomes it. This results in performing in a less efficient manner and using our muscles incorrectly.
It happens so gradually and so subtly we do not notice until an injury occurs.
THE CAUSES OF POOR POSTURE
Poor athletic posture comes down to overdeveloping some areas and ignoring others. And, of course we all sit too much.
Our bodies were intended for continuous movement. We were hunters and gatherers after all. Sitting compresses the spine, weakens the glutes, and shortens the hamstrings.
Because of this, many of us use the wrong muscles even when walking or running.
There is a tendency to PULL from the quads rather than PUSH from our glutes and hip flexors.
Many sports over-develop some muscles. Tennis is a good example. The chest, biceps and quads tend to be very strong, while the lats and glutes, in relationship to their size, are weaker. The back is then weaker than the front.
When the quads bulk up usually the hamstrings shorten. Stretching the hamstrings adequately is not easy to do.
An unequal relationship between the back and front can cause Anterior Pelvic Tilt (too much arch) or Posterior Pelvic Tilt (too little and arch).
GOOD POSTURE BASICS
Sports scientists, coaches, and therapists talk about having a "neutral" posture. This means your spine is naturally aligned, the muscles in the back balance out the chest and abdominal muscles. Without this balanced relationship injuries like rotator cuff tears, erosion of the hips and knees are common. Oftentimes, the first indication of imbalance is expressed through back pain. Female athletes are particularly vulnerable in sports that require jumping. Men have more shoulder and knee problems.
Professional athletic trainers should advise their athletes to spend more time building the weak areas and less time on the already strong parts. First though - Your spine must be aligned and flexible!
The Spine
If you drop a plumb line from your ear, it should bisect each joint - the shoulder, hip, knee, and ankle.
These joints should be in a neutral position, which will improve spine alignment.
A neutral spines should be your default posture. When you fatigue, this neutral position is compromised.
The first and most important impact of correct posture is reducing the risk of injury.
Good posture activates deep core muscles. This increases the stability of the body and ensures that each movement has power, speed, and accuracy. Merely strengthening the core does little to improve performance if the wrong muscles are doing the work.
Even professional athletes come out of alignment. PurePosture can help. This one-of-a-kind device will align your spine, increase your flexibility and help with neck and back pain. It is easy to use, safe and fast. Most important, it's effective. Check it out today!