Many people have poor posture
Their shoulders are rounded with a head that is pushed forward in front of the body. There is a name for this — it’s called Upper Cross Syndrome and is caused by too much time slouching over a computer or phone. You’ll recognize the posture from the photo below:
This posture hurts necks, shoulders, upper backs and chests. To stop hunching and bring your shoulders, neck and head back into proper postural alignment you must release your chronically contracted, tight Latissimus Dorsi.
The GOOD NEWS is that it is fairly easy to correct this posture
The main key to correcting this posture is to do a few key latissimus dorsi releasing exercises every day!
Letting go of your latissimus dorsi will bring your shoulders rolling down and back and allow your head to fall into proper alignment with your spine.
What is your latissimus dorsi?
It is the longest muscle in your body and when it is tight it draws your arms into the sides of your body pulling your shoulders up and forward. This push up of your shoulders forces your head and neck in front of your body.
It is one of the main causes of neck pain and tension.
What causes the latissimus to be tight?
Working at your computer or looking at your devices – Everything we do from work to ordering groceries is done on our computer or phones these days.
Gazing at the phone or computer we tend to posture ourselves by slouching forward with our heads pushed out from our bodies.
When you sit like that for 8 hours or more a day your body will begin to posture in that position.
Protecting or defending your heart – When we don’t feel safe we will clamp our arms into our sides, roll our shoulders forward and down which causes our neck and head to be pushed out front of our bodies.
Pain – When we are in pain we tend to round our shoulders up and forward, trying to pull ourselves out of the painful experiences but this posture only creates more pain.
Carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders – Feeling excessively responsible for everything and everybody around you.
The good news —
You can reposture the way you gaze at your devices, open your heart, release pain and set down the weight of the world by opening your latissimus dorsi.
Here’s a way to release your lats. It is an intense move but if you do it everyday you will feel your body and mind-shifting which will ease your soul.
Standing Open Lats Pose Against a Wall
Stand into a wall with your feet about a foot from the wall. Allow your knees to bend so you can rest your low, mid, upper back and head into the wall.
Exhale your arms up the wall keeping your elbows on the wall. Walk your scapula toward one another and down toward your tail.
On an exhale, lean slightly to the left and straighten your right arm as much as possible. Hold and breathe.
Come back to center and on an exhale lean slightly to the right. Straighten your left arm as much as possible. Hold and breathe.
This will not be easy but it will feel good when you come out. You’ll be standing taller with your shoulders down and back. Your head will be resting freely at the top of your spine and your neck will stop hurting!
If you seriously want to change your posture fast —
Check out the Ageless Open Your Lats Movement Practice by clicking here!
How long do you sit hunched over your computer or phone? Let us know in the comments section below.
Big Hugs,
Leave a Reply