Posture Power
The Hunchback of "Not Her, Damn!"
by Leigh Peele

The boom of office jobs and the massive increase of computer use are among the top causes of a new wave of posture problems like hunchbacks and turtle heads (I'll explain these later on). It's high time we address this basic trouble spot, even before we get too wrapped up in counting calories or surviving another cardio session.

In the past, posture issues were caused by the more female labor-intensive industries, like factory sewing. Today, the device is a little more fun, but the action is still the same and we need to face the fact that this look is anything but sexy.

When I think of a sexy back, I want the cervical (neck), thoracic (chest), and lumbar (lower back) curves all properly aligned. This is the kind of look that gives you height, poise, and a sexy, confident appearance.

A hunched back and forward-reaching head not only create an ugly aesthetic, but can also project an image of insecurity and a lack of confidence. The fortunate flip side is that this is an "ugly" that can be fixed pretty easily with a little knowledge and a lot of effort. The end result can take you from a hunchback to a sexy back.

Not that Olesya Novik was ever a hunchback, but dang... that is a sexy back.

Upper Posture Woes

While your entire postural system is a big game of "connect the dots," and what happens on the bottom does affect the top, I'm going to focus on the upper aspect that you can control and train. It will also carryover and affect your lower postural patterns. Below are the two most common upper postural woes.

Problem #1: Turtle head (forward head posture)

What is it?

Turtle head is when your cervical spine positions itself anteriorly. For every inch over the center of your body the head leans, 10 extra pound of stress and strain is added to your neck. So if your head is protruding forward just four inches, it feels like a 40-pound weight on those tiny neck muscles.

What causes it?

General activities where you stay in a forward leaning position. This is often thought of as the "geek" posture, because it's related to being on the computer, slouching while reading, and hunching while walking. This leads to tight upper trap and chest muscles, and weak mid-to-lower traps and rhomboids.

The self test?

Stand with the back of your head touching the wall and your heels six inches from the baseboard. With your butt touching the wall, use your hand to check the distance between your neck and the wall.

If you can get within two inches at the neck, you are close to having good posture. If not, your neck posture is protruding forward and is subject to deterioration of the joints and discs.

The fix?

Stretch:
Levator scapula stretch

Sit down and grasp the seat of the chair with your left hand. Place you right hand on your head and gently pull forward and to the opposite side at the same time, until a stretch is felt. Hold for 10 to 15 seconds, then repeat for the other side.

Suggested movements (explained below):

Arm claps
Forward lunge with backward lean
Face pulls

"Don't" assignments:

1) Don't sit leaning forward — It seems pretty simple, but you'll catch yourself doing it more than you thought, once you pay attention to it. Also, sit all the way back in your chair.

2) Don't run like an ostrich — This is not a photo finish, so tighten your core, bring the head in to center, and take long strides until you can move at a faster pace with proper form. HIIT cardio has brought out a wave of neck-forward sprinting that's just ugly.

3) Be smart when training chest — The chest is automatically a tight muscle. Don't over do it with too much work, and be sure to pick the right exercises. Instead of a flat bench press, go for an incline chest fly.

Problem #2: The hunchback (protracted shoulder girdle)

What is it?

The middle trapezius and rhomboids may be weak if the medial borders of the scapula also protrude slightly from body. The shoulders are pulled forward. The medial border of the scapula may also protrude slightly from body. This all combines to cause that rounded back appearance.

What causes it?

While you don't usually have turtle head without having the hunchback, they can still be separate issues and there can be some minor differences in the causes and treatments. Tight chest muscles are again a problem, but you'll find even more of an issue caused by weak back and abdominal muscles.

The self test?

Stand up, relax, and stand normally. Are your thumbs over your toes? Do your hands rest either on the front of your thighs or towards the front? If so, then you're guilty of hunchback.

An urge to ring large bells would also be an indicator.

The fix?

Stretch:
Doorway chest stretch

Using a doorway or post, bend your right arm to 90 degrees and place the forearm and hand along the length of the doorway. Gently twist your hips in the opposite direction until you feel a stretch in the chest. Hold the position for 20 seconds, then switch arms.

Suggested movements (explained below):

Lying reverse fly
Transverse vacuums
Thoracic spine foam rolling

"Don't" assignments:

1) Don't take "laptop" so literally — Keep your keyboard or laptop computer positioned properly, on a desk or table in front of you, to avoid slouching down to reach it.

2) Don't kill yourself with crunches — Crunch after crunch will overwork your abs and encourage poor posture. Do planks instead.

3) Don't sleep on yourself — If you put your arm or hand underneath your head at night, you're only making sure you have bad posture 24 hours a day.

4) Don't stay so static — If you're stuck in a chair all day long, be sure to stretch and move around a little bit every 15 minutes.

Posture Power Six Week Routine

This three-day-a-week plan should be done in addition to your current lifting program. However, I do recommend modifying your basic workouts for even faster results.

Monday

Tennis ball trap press

Tension in the upper trapezius area is one of the most common problems in a forward head postural pattern. Getting in there with a foam roller isn't exactly the easiest thing in the world. So for self-release in this area, grab a tennis ball, find a doorway, and get to pushing.

Stand in a doorway and place a tennis ball between the door jam and one shoulder, while still holding the ball with your opposite hand. Bend over at about 90 degrees, and be sure to let your head go limp.

Lean into the ball with as much pressure as you feel comfortable with. Keep holding the ball with your hand and work through the tight spots across the top of your shoulder.

Levator scapula stretch

Doorway chest stretch

YTWL exercise

This is a four-part shoulder stability exercise (a "Y", a "T", a "W", and an "L"). Lie facedown on an exercise ball, or for more stability, use an incline bench. Perform several reps of each movement without resting, and use very light dumbbells, or even no weight, so you can maintain good form.

Y: Raise your arms up in front of you so that they end up in a Y-shape in front of your torso. Think of the first part of Village People song.

T: Raise your arms so they're perpendicular to your torso, creating a T-shape.

W: Bend the arms to 90 degrees and raise and lower them in line with your torso.

L: Rotate your forearms down so your hands point towards the floor. Keeping your elbows still, rotate the dumbbells back to the W position.

Wednesday

Forward lunge with backwards lean

A standard lunge, like you're probably familiar with, but it's done with the hands behind the head and a slight(not too exaggerated) backwards lean with the torso to reinforce solid posture.

Thoracic spine foam rolling

Place a foam roller, or a swimming pool noodle, under the thoracic spine (chest/shoulder blade area). Give yourself a big hug (really) to get the scapula out of the way, and then gently roll up and down over the foam roller to loosen the tight muscles.

Scapular touches

Try to reach back over your head with one arm and come up from behind yourself with the other arm. Ideally, your fingers will meet in the middle. Hold the stretch for 15 to 20 seconds.

Supermans

Start lying facedown on the floor with your arms straight out, then squeeze your upper back to bring your body off the ground. For an advanced version, bring your legs up at the same time.

Friday

Arm claps

Stand tall with your arms fully extended at shoulder height and your palms facing in, thumbs up. Keep your wrists at the same height as the shoulders; swing both arms away from center of your body out to the side and slightly behind your body.

You should feel a stretch in the chest. Once maximum stretch is achieved, immediately change direction and forcefully drive your arms forward until the palms of the hands contact, just like a straight-arm clap.

Transverse vacuums

This could be the only time I suggest sucking in your stomach, but it's for a good reason. We're strengthening the transverse abdominals, those deep ab muscles that can really improve posture from the inside out.

Tighten your abdominal muscles and draw your navel in towards your spine. Imagine the distance between your belly button and your lower back getting shorter. Hold for several seconds and then relax for the same amount of time.

Wall slides

Start with your upper back, shoulders, butt, elbows, and head against the wall with your arms in a "W" or "stick 'em up" position.

Your wrists should be just below your shoulder height. Your heels should be 2 to 3 inches away from the wall. Perform a pelvic tilt so your lower back is also close to the wall. Slowly raise your arms overhead, keeping your elbows and wrists on the wall without arching your back.

You can also find a video of this movement in one of my favorite articles by coach Mike Boyle, A Joint-by-Joint Approach to Training (at the bottom of page two).

Conclusion

Combine this plan with your regular workout program and in six weeks, not only will your back be sexy, but you'll have re-trained yourself out of some dangerous long-time patterns and that's the key to keeping a sexy back.

About The Author

Leigh Peele is an NASM-CPT and nutritional consultant, a leader in the field of fat loss, and an innovator in metabolic repair and dysfunction. She's also a nationally published author and speaker. You can find out more about Leigh's work at www.fatlosstroubleshoot.com and at www.leighpeele.blogspot.com.

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