One of the easiest ways to strengthen your abdominal muscles, and support your back, is through good posture.
You may feel like you're already standing straight, but in reality, most of us stand like the hunchback of Notre Dame and we walk with our chins leading the way. Practice good posture by bringing your head and neck back in alignment with your spine.
Here are 5 steps to perfect posture, stronger abs and back and reduced aches and pains:
Pull your shoulder blades back slightly toward each other and down away from your ears.
Lift your chest up and out.
Pull your head back just enough to keep it in line with your spine.
Position your pelvis or hips to create or maintain a natural (but not exaggerated) arch in your lower back.
Pull your belly button in toward your spine without changing or tilting your hips or losing the arch in your lower back.
Now, enjoy the powerful way you will feel as your body straightens and aligns itself…and don’t forget to breathe!
Top 5 Health Factors
The top five health factors that age your body are smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and inactivity. These are all integrated factors that are driven by the lifestyle choices you make. Luckily, regular exercise can help take care of four of these. And if you don’t smoke, you’ll be better able to exercise. The payoff for investing in healthy lifestyle choices is huge and it’s never too late to begin.
