Alex Bernier
Alex Bernier

@mythoughtfood

2 Tweets 2 reads May 22, 2024
This post is for people who always slouch.
Your posture leaves your neck and shoulders in a helpless position that leads to chronic pain/injury.
In 14 years of assessing slouchers, weak shoulder blade muscles have been the most common finding.
How to stop slouching forever:
Step 1 - Stretch your pecs and lats more often.
Excess tension in your biggest and strongest upper body muscles pulls your head and shoulders forward.
They get tight from your daily movements, and this stiffness prevents you from using your scapular muscles properly.
Many people with chronic pain and posture problems I assess report stretching the pecs and alts as an almost painful experience at first, but then feel much better afterward.
My two favorite stretches are the Bench Pec/Lat Stretch and the Standing Pec Stretch against the wall.
Step 2 - Do Shoulder Blade depression exercises twice a week.
Your Lower Trapezius pulls your shoulder blades down, which anchors them into your torso.
You lose this crucial downward stability when the muscle weakens.
Exercises that lower your shoulder blades, like T3 and Prone Y Raises, are the missing link in most slouchers' workout routines.
Step 3- Do External Rotations of the Shoulder exercises twice a week
All slouchers lack the muscle strength to pull their shoulders outward, making it impossible to hold their shoulders where they need to be.
The External Rotators of your Shoulders are essential to stop slouching forever, yet few ever use them in their workouts, let alone strengthen them with heavier weights.
Stop trying to pull your shoulders back if you don't do External Rotation exercises once to twice a week.
You end up pulling your whole body back and placing a lot of pressure on your lower back.
Two great exercises for this muscle group are the Standing and Side-Lying External Rotations.
Step 4- Do Scapular Retraction exercises twice a week.
Pulling your shoulder blades together is a motion executed by the only muscles connecting them, your Rhomboids.
When they are weak, your wing bones will slide toward the outside of your body, which leaves your shoulders and posture in a compromised position.
Your posture falters without this essential strength.
I have assessed many who could not even pull their shoulder blades together when their arms were facing forward.
My two favorite exercises are the Standing Scapular Rows and the Bent-Over variation with a dumbbell.
//
Scapular exercises must become a staple in your training routine if you want to stop slouching forever.
I've seen people's postures transform significantly after a few weeks of consistent training.
Take control of your scapular muscles to ensure a well-aligned posture for the rest of your life.
Knowing how to train your scapulars will serve you for the rest of your life.
The Scapular Solution is a 3-month video program dedicated to your shoulder blade muscles.
Get it now to stop slouching forever.
Use the coupon code "mythoughtfood" for a 20% discount.
onlineschoolofexercise.com

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