Posture Coaching
Many things about the modern world conspire to ruin our posture. Working at a desk job in front of a poorly positioned computer monitor often results in rounded shoulders and a painful neck. Driving for hours at a time can mean lower back twinges and a caved-in chest. Many people aren't even aware of their poor posture, until it starts to inhibit their movement and lead to bigger medical problems. This is why posture coaching has recently evolved as a profession.
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Biomechanics
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The science of posture stresses the importance of biomechanics and the body as a structure. This science considers the way your body moves mechanically to complete each of your daily tasks, and the stresses and strains those tasks put on your muscles and joints, along with the ever-present force of gravity. Posture coaches must be well versed in the way that every part of the body works together, how muscle groups balance each other out and how stresses are transferred through the whole system.
Bad Posture
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Bad posture is usually brought about by either inactivity or a longstanding injury. Either of these circumstances can lead to certain muscle groups becoming weakened--most dangerously those in the back and the abdomen. When these muscle groups are properly toned and balanced, they naturally pull the bones and joints into proper alignment. When they are stretched and weakened by inactivity, they can no longer do their job, the body becomes unbalanced and posture suffers. A posture coach can analyze which muscle groups are most in need of work.
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Postural Memory
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Once bad posture begins, it can be exacerbated by postural memory. Our minds unconsciously remember certain body positions and ways of moving, and fall into these without our even being aware that it is poor posture. Most people must make a conscious effort to maintain good posture, and posture coaches can teach ways to change muscle memory, so that a client can maintain good habits, without having to think consciously about pulling her shoulders back, or tucking in her tummy.
Exercises
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The key to really good posture coaching is tailored exercises that a client can perform to tone the correct muscles and in the long term improve his posture permanently. These may work on the abdominals, or they may be pulling exercises to strengthen the upper back, or they may be stretches to elongate tightened chest or hip muscles. The important element is the individual assessment and targeted workout that a personal coach can provide.
Eliminating Pain
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Many posture coaches stress that poor posture is not merely an aesthetic issue--it leads to poor health and, in some clients, chronic pain. Some people even experience symptoms that might at first glance seem to be unrelated to posture, such as migraines and depression. Coaching aims to eliminate pain and other negative symptoms. It seeks to help clients to understand their bodies as a whole, mechanical system, and to fine-tune those parts that are not working properly.
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References
- Photo Credit woman posture image by dip from Fotolia.com
