"Posture Perfect Workout"

We are so caught up in making sure we have great abs, cut arms and buns of steel that we don't often concentrate on making sure our posture is being properly maintained.

Fitness contributor Minna Lessig says it is very important to keep the proper posture while you're working out, but it is vitally important to do exercises that will ensure correct posture. On The Early Show she demonstrates some easy exercises that anyone can do, anytime, anywhere.

What is good posture?
A neutral position where there is minimal strain and tension on the muscles, joints, bones, and ligaments and where your internal organs are not compressed, blood vessels are not pressed and nerves are not irritated. Thus, it is a position of highest bodily integrity and efficiency, one where you feel complete freedom of movement. The head-neck-back relationship (spine) is a key focal point in ensuring freedom of movement.

Why does it matter?
You are just not moving most efficiently when your posture is aligned, if it's not, it can cause injuries. If you have lordosis (see below) it can cause injury to all the little muscles in the spine, and if your posture is off it can affect even daily activities that you try to do, because it's more pressure in that area. Any weight is distributed evenly if you have good posture. The bottom line is having the best posture makes you feel the most free within yourself. You feel so in control of your physical self and you feel limited by deviations.

What is correct spinal position?
Neutral spine. And neutral spine has natural curves. It is the strongest position of the spine, one where the weight of the spine, gravity and other forces are equally distributed. So it is neither excessively flexed (rounded spine) nor excessively extended (arched spine). In neutral spinal position there is absence of tension in the neck and low back.

How do we know what our neutral position is?
Neutral position is joint integrity, so scanning the body and looking for deviations is important:

• Head should be erect with the line gravity passing directly through center.
  
  
• Shoulders should be level and in line with hips. Hips should be level as well. Sometimes we see one shoulder higher, one hip lower, etc.
  
  
• Spine should be long, and normally rounded.
  
  
• Abdominals should be flat.
  
  
• Lower back normally curved.
  
  
• Feet pointed straight ahead.

Here is how to test your lumbar neutral spine:
Stand with feet close to, or touching wall. Buttocks, shoulder blades, and back of head should lightly touch wall. From here, slide your hand (palm facing wall) between the small of your back and the wall. How much space is there? Some people have no space, while others can fit their hand snugly, while others have a lot of space. If there is excessive space, you could have lordosis (arching of lower back typically due to weak abdominals and/or tight hip flexors).

What are some causes of poor posture?
Weak muscles, imbalances between strength and flexibility in muscles, being overweight, injuries, pregnancy, stress, self consciousness, poor sleeping habits.

What are some measures we can take/Exercises for a posture perfect body?

1. Hands on head or chest, stretch/back strengthener. (upper trunk extension). Sitting or standing, you arch your back and open your chest. Little things like this make such a difference. If you have posture deviations it could be from a lack of strength or a lack of flexibility, and many women lack the strength in their back and chest, so this is a great little exercise/stretch.
   
   
2. Hold top of pushup position combo with swimming hyper-extension. Go into a pushup position on elbows and hold that position and work the muscles isometrically. Do 30 seconds of holding that modified pushup position on your forearms; then you lower down and do a set of swimming hyperextension (lay face down and stretch arms and legs and flutter them)
   
   
3. Rear delt fly on Fit Ball. Sitting on Fit Ball is excellent because it causes you to constantly contract the tiny stabilizer muscles of the spine, which increase blood flow to the spine (which is nutrition for spine) and you constantly make postural adjustments to balance yourself. Using FIT ball while doing rear flies is great because you are also working your core - making it stronger to help support your spine. Rear delt fly is great to strengthen the back portion of your shoulder muscles for women who don't have the strength.
   
   
4. Total body crunch - no stress to lower back as opposed to leg lifts or raises, which are contraindicated for lower back. Your knees are aligned over your hips. So it takes all the pressure of the lower back. Then you're basically trying to move your hips to your ribcage. People like to try and target the lower portion of the abdominals, but it's bad for the lower back unless the person is REALLY strong in the lower abdominals.
   
   
5. Hip Flexor stretch/glute squeeze: tight hip flexors are often from excessive sitting and overuse in exercise, as in abdominal work that calls them into play, step classes, etc. They can pull the body out of alignment because you will compensate by tilting your pelvis so that the lower back arches. When you're stretching one muscle group you should think consciously about contracting the opposing muscle group. You're on all fours with your right leg forward with a bent knee. You lift your torso up and squeeze left glute and feel the stretch in the left hip flexor.

Other tips to maintain healthy neutral body alignment:

1. Use pillow under head, small rolled towel under neck and pillow under knees while sleeping on back. Use pillow between knees while on side and avoid sleeping on stomach.
   
   
2. When lifting things, bend at the knees and use your legs and abs as opposed to your back.
   
   
3. When carrying objects hold them close to you.
   
   
4. Switch sides often when carrying purse or briefcase.
   
   
5. Keep computer screen at eye level.
   
   
6. Hold phone with hand, not between head and neck.