I heard some exercises have the effect of making you stand up
straighter, making you look taller. Perhaps Pilates or Stott-Pilates.
I'm not particularly interested in any of the other benefits Pilates
claims to provide, so I'm wondering, if all I care about is standing
up straighter, are there any specific muscles I should be exercising,
or specific exercises I should be doing?
Thank you Gremlin, for the nice rating. I hope you have a wonderful year!
tlspiegel
Google Answers Researcher :)
Hi Gremlin,
In answer to the first question asked in your clarification: I
suggest you do a
combination of stretching, fitness ring, or ball exercises. All of
these will improve your posture. So much so, that when you tend to
slouch, you'll realize that your posture isn't as it should be.
Power Fitness Circle Video
http://www.simplefitnesssolutions.com/products/stottpilates.htm#Fitness%20Circle%20video
"This 30-minute program combines body sculpting mat exercises from
Pilates and adds resistance training with the Fitness Circle (aka
Fitness Ring) to increase strength, muscle tone and endurance, as well
as improve balance and posture. Excellent instructions on how to
properly use the Fitness Ring, demonstrating proper form and
technique. Great mix of exercises for total-body toning, but targets
legs, buttocks, abs and low back."
-----------------------------
Exercise Balls
http://www.simplefitnesssolutions.com/fitballs.htm
"Exercise balls are great for increasing muscle strength, flexibility
and balance. The exercise ball encourages proper posture and adds
variety to your exercise routine for a total-body workout. Also the
curved surface of the exercise ball helps support the back during
stretching.
And the second answer is yes. Basically the muscle groups involved
are: chest muscles (pectoralis) upper back muscles (rhomboid, middle
trapezius and inferior trapezius) and the muscles that bring your chin
to your chest (anterior scalene and sternocleidalmastoid) and the back
of your neck (upper trapezius). If those muscles are strong they will
lead to good posture.
Mid-Back Conditions
http://www.kirkchiro.com/conditions/backposturalsyndrome.htm
Postural Syndrome
"You've probably heard people say, "sit up straight, keep your
shoulders back and don't slouch." Children usually get that advice
from their parents, and like all good advice it should last a
lifetime, because poor posture can lead to a painful condition called
postural syndrome.
Postural syndrome can cause physical changes to the body and painful
side effects. Most people with the condition notice their shoulders
are rounded and tend to droop forward. Muscles that connect the
shoulders and the back of the neck to the head then tend to pull the
head forward, and the resulting position can cause constant, aching
pain, stiffness and even burning in the upper and middle back areas,
as well as in the shoulders, neck and head. Over time, poor posture
can also lead to the development of trigger points (tight muscle
fibers), which can refer pain throughout the back and neck, as well as
cause headaches.
Poor posture usually develops gradually in people who sit improperly
for long periods. Think about how much time you spend sitting. You
probably sit in your car, at work, when you're eating meals and when
you're watching television. And if you're like most people, you
probably tend to sit with a forward bend, which causes your shoulders
to become hunched over. This is the opposite of good posture, which is
a state of musculoskeletal balance that involves a minimal amount of
stress or strain on the body.
Over time, poor posture can cause a muscular imbalance in the body.
Normally, there are balanced tug-of-war games happening between the
chest muscles (pectoralis) and the upper back muscles (rhomboid,
middle trapezius and inferior trapezius) and between the muscles that
bring your chin to your chest (anterior scalene and
sternocleidalmastoid) and the muscles in the back of your neck (upper
trapezius). No muscle group wins, because they all have equally strong
players.
The impasse ends, however, when chronic poor posture gives the chest
muscles the advantage. The chest muscles then become tight and short,
tugging or pulling the shoulders forward. Chronically tight chest
muscles cause the muscles behind the shoulders to become relatively
weak. At this point, the stronger muscles pull the spine out of its
normal alignment, causing postural changes. Now the shoulders are
slouched forward and the head, because of its connection, must follow.
In an effort to hold the head up to compensate, the muscles in the
back of the neck then become tight, ending the other tug-of-war and
causing the head to jut forward."
Google search "Stott-Pilates posture" "weak muscles + poor posture"
"posture"
Best regards to you,
tlspiegel
Google Answers Researcher
Hi Gremlin,
I've noticed you have a few questions posted related to good health,
making yourself appear taller, and how to improve the body image in
general. I hope this information I've provided for you will help in
your quest for self-improvement! The stretches and exercises I've
researched will not only make you feel good, but look good too! There
are many things one can do to improve their posture. Practiced over
time, the benefits are phenomenal. The results will be obvious not
only to you but to those who know you. OK... here we go!
Stott Pilates The Contemporary Approach:
http://www.stottpilates.com/index.html
"What is the difference between the STOTT Method and other pilates
techniques?
Unlike the original series of exercises, STOTT PILATES incorporates
modern exercise principles, including contemporary thinking about
spinal rehabilitation and performance enhancement. For example, unlike
the original approach, which promotes a flat back, STOTT exercises are
designed to restore the natural curves of the spine and rebalance the
muscles around the joints. They also place more emphasis on scapular
stabilization. As well, there are more preparatory exercises and
modifications to make the method safer and more effective."
---------------------
FAQ answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about Stott
Pilates:
http://www.stottpilates.com/faq.html
"STOTT PILATES leads to an improvement in posture and body awareness.
Will I grow by doing STOTT PILATES?
Much of pilates exercise is mind-body conditioning which requires you
to look within, focus on your breathing, and feel the subtle
differences within your body. Many people come to a very meditative
state while doing pilates, and therefore will grow mentally and
spiritually over time through this type of exercise. There are also
incidences where by strenghening the abdominal muscles people have
learned to maintain their stretch and thereby are measurably taller.
Physically, many people have been known to actually get taller by
working out consistently. By emphasizing posture, you learn to stretch
your spine through pilates, and by strengthening the deep abdominals
to support the rest of the body you learn to maintain your height
effortlessly. The most impressive results are those reported by people
who have slouched most of their lives and after a few months of
practicing pilates they are able to stand up much straighter, and are
therefore measurably taller. However, even people having studied dance
consistently for years before beginning a pilates program, have
noticed an increase in their heights over time."
------------------------
An Introduction to Pilates from bodyzone.com:
http://www.bodyzone.com/custom/pilates.html
"Pilates dramatically transforms the way your body looks, feels and
performs. It builds strength without excess bulk, creating a sleek,
toned body with slender thighs and a flat abdomen. It teaches body
awareness, good posture and easy, graceful movement. Pilates improves
flexibility, agility and economy of motion. It can even help alleviate
back pain."
PostureBall Exercise
Posture is how you balance your body
http://www.bodyzone.com/custom/postureball.html
From Sharpman.com Sharp Grooming Correcting Bad Posture
http://www.sharpman.com/Article.asp?ArticleID=470
"Exercises for Correcting Posture
Developing good habits is one part of maintaining a good posture, but
you’ll also need to correct existing problems. How do you do that? By
loosening up tense muscle groups. Many physical problems stem from
tense muscles. You can alleviate some of these problems with regular
stretching. The following are stretching exercises specifically
designed to stretch muscle groups that encourage good posture:
Neck flexes. Hold shoulders in a relaxed position and lower your head
by tucking your chin in towards your chest. Hold for five seconds and
gently raise head back up. Now tilt head back as far as you can and
hold for five seconds. Repeat the process five times. Next, swivel
head around to the right and hold for five seconds. Bring head back to
the center and then look around to the left. Repeat this process five
times.
Shoulder flexes. Loosen and relax shoulders, then raise them up to
your ears holding them tight for five seconds. Let shoulders drop into
a relaxed position. Repeat five times.
Side stretches. Sit upright in a chair with your feet planted firmly
on the ground. With your right hand firmly holding the seat of the
chair, gently lean toward the left. Hold for five seconds. Repeat five
times. Change to the left hand and do five stretches.
Back stretches. Get on your hands and knees on the floor. Keep your
hands flat on the ground, about shoulder width apart and your knees
hip-width apart. Arch your back up as far as you can (like a cat
arching its back). Hold the position for a few seconds. Now walk your
hands forward to stretch out your back as far as is comfortable. Hold
the position for a few seconds. Repeat five times."
-------------------------
Healthy Living Body Works: Stand Up Straight by Nutricise columnist
Eveline Erni
http://www.efit.com/servlet/article/health/18738.html
"At one time or another almost everyone has been told to "stand up
straight." Unfortunately, most of us don't really know what that
means. In physical therapy lingo we call it "functional neutral
alignment" and in the general terms it is called having good posture.
The elements of good posture are (working from the floor up):
Keep your weight over the center of your feet (neither over the balls
of the feet or over the heels)
The knees should be relaxed
The rim of your pelvis should be horizontal (you can orient yourself
on your belt to find horizontal: your belt buckle should neither be
higher or lower than the back of the belt)
The chest sits on top of the pelvis (often the chest is too far behind
the pelvis)
The chest bone should be lifted forward and up
Relax your shoulders down
The head should be positioned back over the shoulders
Lengthen the back of your neck (chin down)
Reach the top of your head to the sky"
"Good posture is your presentation to the world. In an age of
incredible competition for jobs, career and social status, posture is
a very basic statement of how you feel about yourself."
-----------------
YOGA AND POSTURE by Neil Bixby
http://www.posturepage.com/yoga/
Google Search "posture" "pilates" "stott-pilates" "exercise +
strengthening"
In addition I can personally recommend Callenetics by Callen Pinckney
- a form of Yoga, Ballet, and Strengthening. Deep muscle techniques
without putting any strain on the back. It will also dramatically
improve your posture.
Best regards and a Happy and Healthy New Year,
tlspiegel
Google Answers Researcher
ooops... Sorry, I misspelled Callan Pinckney and the technique is
spelled Callanetics.
Stott-Pilates seems to be made up of a long list of exercises. Are any
of these particularly good for improving posture?
Are there any particular muscle groups that tend to be weak in people
who slouch?
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