POSTURE POWER:HOW TO CORRECT YOUR

BODY’S ALIGNMENT

DEVIATION

DEVIATION 1: SWAY BACK

HIPS PRESS FORWARD AND SIT IN FRONT OF THE RIBS

Overactive muscles:

Hamstrings

Gluteus maximus

Gluteus medius

Erector spinae

Quadratus lumborum

Stretches:

Runner's stretchWorlds greatest stretch

Seated glute stretch

Lying crossover

Hamstring stretch

Hamstring self-myofascial release (foam rolling)

Underactive muscles:

Iliopsoas (Hip flexors)

External obliques

Rectus Fenirus (Quad)

Strengthening exercises:

Cocoon

Exercise ball pull-in

Hanging leg raise

Scissor Kick

DEVIATION 2: LOWER-CROSS SYNDROME

EXCESSIVE CURVE IN THE LOW BACK, PELVIS IS TILTED FORWARD

Overactive muscles:

Iliopsoas (hip flexors)

Erector spinae (low back)

Stretches:

kneeling hip flexor,

quadriceps stretch,

quadriceps self-myofascial release,

hug knees to chest

Underactive muscles:

Abdominals

gluteus maximus

Strengthening exercises:Pelvic tilt to bridge

single-leg glute bridge

exercise-ball hip bridge

leg-elevated crunch

frog sit-up

DEVIATION 3: ROUNDED SHOULDERS

SHOULDERS IN FRONT OF EARS

Overactive muscles:

Pectoralis major (chest)

Pectoralis minor (chest)

Stretches:

Front deltoid stretch

elbows-back stretch

chest stretch on stability ball

dynamic chest stretch

chair upper-body stretch

Underactive muscles:

Rotator cuff,

lower trapezius,

serratus anterior

Strengthening exercises:

Seated cable row,

back fly with band,

shoulder external rotation,

rear- delt row

DEVIATION 4: FORWARD HEAD

EARS IN FRONT OF SHOULDERS

Overactive muscles:

Neck extensors,

upper trapezius

levator scapula

Stretches:

Neck self-myofascial release

chin to chest

sternocleidomastoid stretch

Underactive muscles:

Neck flexors

Strengthening exercises:Isometric front-neck exercise

DEVIATION 5: UPPER-CROSS SYNDROME

ROUNDED SHOULDERS WITH ANEXCESSIVE CURVE IN THE UPPER BACK AND A FORWARD HEAD

Overactive muscles:

Trapezius

levator scapula

pectoralis major

pectoralis minor

neck extensors

Stretches:

Neck self-myofascial release

chin to chest

front-delt stretch

elbows-back stretch

chest stretch on stability ball

dynamic chest stretch

chair upper-body stretch

Underactive muscles:

Rotator cuff

lower trapezius

rhomboids

serratus anterior

deep neck flexors

Strengthening exercises:Isometric front-neck exercise

seated cable row

back fly with band

shoulder external rotation

rear-delt row

DEVIATION 6: HEAD TILT

HEAD TILTED TO ONE SIDE; CAN BEACCOMPANIED BY ROTATION TOWARD THAT SIDE

Overactive muscles:

Sternocleidomastoid tilted toward midline

Stretches:

Side neck stretchneck self-myofascial release

sternocleidomastoid stretch

Underactive muscles:

Sternocleidomastoid tilted away from midline

Strengthening exercises:

Perform daily activities evenly on both sides

isometric side-neck exercise

DEVIATION 7: UNEVEN SHOULDERS

ONE SHOULDER SITS HIGHER THAN THE OTHER

Overactive muscle:

Trapezius on the elevated side

Stretches:

side neck stretchneck self-myofascial release

Underactive muscles:

Serratus anterior on the elevated side

Strengthening exercises:

Perform daily activity evenly on both sides

single-arm high-pulley row

DEVIATION 8: UNEVEN HIPS

ONE HIP SITS HIGHER, CAN GIVE THE PERCEPTION OFLEG LENGTH DISCREPANCY

Overactive muscles:

Internal and external obliques,

hip abductors,

erector spinae

quadratus lumborum on the raised side

Stretches:

Runner's stretch,

world's greatest stretch,

IT-band stretch,

IT-band self-myofascial release,

seated glute stretch,

lying cross-over,

piriformis self-myofascial release,

dancer's stretch

Underactive muscles:

Varies based on individual

Strengthening exercises:

Avoid high-impact and high-repetition exercises

DEVIATION 9: FEET TURNED IN

TOES ARE TURNED IN TOWARD THE MIDLINE OF THE BODY

Overactive muscles:

Tensor fasciae latae (outside of your hip)

Stretches:

IT-band stretch

IT-band self-myofascial release

Underactive muscles:

Gluteus medius

Gluteus minimus

Strengthening exercises:

Bridge with band tension around thighs

lateral tube walk

squat with band tension around thighs

DEVIATION 10: FEET TURNED OUT

TOES ARE TURNED OUT AWAY FROM MIDLINE OF THE BODY

Overactive muscles:

Piriformis

deep external rotators

Stretches:

Seated glute stretchlying cross-over

piriformis self-myofascial release

IT-band stretch

IT-band self-myofascial release

dancer's stretch

Underactive muscles:

Hip flexors

obliques

Strengthening exercises:

Cocoon

exercise ball pull-in

hanging leg raise

STRETCHES

Chair upper-body stretch

Sit on the edge of a chair, gripping the back of it.

Straighten your arms, keeping your back straight, and pull your upper body forward so you feel a stretch. Hold for 20-30 seconds.

chest stretch on stability ball

Get on your hands and knees next to an exercise ball.

Place your elbows on top of the ball, keeping your arm out to your side. This will be your starting position.

chin to chest

Get into a seated position on the floor.

Place both hands at the rear of your head, fingers interlocked, thumbs pointing down and elbows pointing straight ahead.

dancer's stretch

Sit up on the floor.

Cross your right leg over your left, keeping the knee bent. Your left leg is straight and down on the floor.

dynamic chest stretch

Stand with your hands together, arms extended directly in front of you. This will be your starting position.

Keeping your arms straight, quickly move your arms back as far as possible and back in again, similar to an exaggerated clapping motion.

elbows-back stretch

Stand up straight.

Place both hands on your lower back, fingers pointing downward and elbows out.

Front deltoid stretch

Reach your left arm across your body and hold it straight.

With your right hand, grasp your left elbow and pull it across your body towards your chest.

Hamstring self-myofascial release (foam rolling)

In a seated position, extend your legs over a foam roll so that it is position on the back of the upper legs. Place your hands to the side or behind you to help support your weight.

Using your hands, lift your hips off of the floor and shift your weight on the foam roll to one leg. Relax the hamstrings of the leg you are stretching.

Hamstring stretch

Sit on a mat with your right leg extended in front of you and your left leg bent with your foot against your right inner thigh.

Lean forward from your hips and reach for your ankle until you feel a stretch in your hamstring. Hold for 15 seconds, then repeat for your other side.

Hug knees to chest

Lie down on your back and pull both knees up to your chest.

Hold your arms under the knees, not over (that would put to much pressure on your knee joints).

IT-band self-myofascial release

Lay on your side, with the bottom leg placed onto a foam roller between the hip and the knee. The other leg can be crossed in front of you.

Place as much of your weight as is tolerable onto your bottom leg; there is no need to keep your bottom leg in contact with the ground.muscles of the leg you are stretching.

IT-band stretch

Loop a belt, rope, or band around one of your feet, and swing that leg across your body to the opposite side, keeping the leg extended as you lay on the ground.

Keeping your foot off of the floor, pull on the belt, using the tension to pull the toes up. Hold for 10-20 seconds, and repeat on the other side.

Kneeling hip flexor

Kneel on a mat and bring your right knee up so the bottom of your foot is on the floor and extend your left leg out behind you so the top of your foot is on the floor.

Shift your weight forward until you feel a stretch in your hip. Hold for 15 seconds, then repeat for your other side.

Lying crossover

Lie on your back with your arms extended out to the sides and your legs straight. This will be your starting position.

Lift one leg and cross it over your body, attempting to touch the ground near the opposite hand.

Neck self-myofascial release

Using a muscle roller or a rolling pin, place the roller behind your head and against your neck.

Do not place the roller directly against the spine, but turned slightly against the muscles to either side of the spine.

piriformis self-myofascial release,

Sit with your buttocks on top of a foam roll. Bend your knees, and then cross one leg so that the ankle is over the knee.

Shift your weight to the side of the crossed leg, rolling over the buttocks until you feel tension in your upper glute. You may assist the stretch by using one hand to pull the bent knee towards your chest.

quadriceps self-myofascial release

Lay face down on the floor with your weight supported by your hands or forearms. Place a foam roll underneath one leg on the quadriceps, and keep the foot off of the ground.

Make sure to relax the leg as much as possible.

Shifting as much weight onto the leg to be stretched as is tolerable, roll over the foam from above the knee to below the hip.

Hold points of tension for 10-30 seconds. Switch sides.

quadriceps stretch

Start off by lying on your right side, with your right knee bent at a 90-degree angle resting on the floor in front of you (this stabilizes the torso).

Bend your left knee behind you and hold your left foot with your left hand, press your left hip forward as you push your left foot back into your hand. Switch sides.

Runner's stretch

It's easiest to get into this stretch if you start standing up, put one leg behind you, and slowly lower your torso down to the floor.

Keep the front heel on the floor (if it lifts up, scoot your other leg further back).

Seated glute stretch

Begin seated on the ground with both legs extended.

Bring your right knee up and over your left leg so that your right foot is on the ground. Keep the left leg extended.

side neck stretch

Start with your shoulders relaxed, gently tilt your head towards your shoulder.

Assist stretch with a gentle pull on the side of the head.

sternocleidomastoid stretch

Rotate the head to one side as far as is comfortable

Then tilt the head slightly back, as if trying to reach the ear to the shoulder.

Worlds greatest stretch

Begin by lunging forward, with your front foot flat on the ground and on the toes of your back foot.

With your knees bent, squat down until your knee is almost touching the ground.

Keep your torso erect, and hold this position for 10-20 seconds.

Place the arm on the same side as your front leg on the ground, with the elbow next to the foot.

Your other hand should be placed on the ground, parallel to your lead leg, to help support you.

After 10-20 seconds, place your hands on either side of your front foot.

Raise the toes of the front foot off of the ground, and straighten your leg.

You may need to reposition your rear leg to do so.

Hold for 10-20 seconds, and then repeat the entire sequence for the other side.

References:

Original post made by /u/Ilkzz linking to a bodybuilding.com article about posture: http://www.reddit.com/r/Fitness/comments/35b6oo/power_posture_how_to_correct_your_bodys_alignment/

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/posture-power-how-to-correct-your-body-alignment.html?mcid=SM_twit02050815

Then /u/kerrybaumann, formatted a list of posture problems with pictures and instructions for the stretches to correct them. The thread can be found here: http://www.reddit.com/r/Fitness/comments/36r854/a_while_ago_someone_posted_a_manifesto_on_posture/

I decided to format it as PDF so it can be viewed via Kindle, Mobile phones and can even be printed out.

If you have further information or photos, you can message me /u/mropineda, and I will be happy to add them in the ebook.