October 13, 2009
Feel Fit While on Vacation

Sit straight, stand straight, don’t bend, don’t slouch. Haven’t we all heard that before! Well there is a reason why it was said and is still being told so many times.

Correct posture defies gravity by standing, sitting or lying down. The positioning of the back is important to keep the spinal cord and muscles well aligned to reduce stress on the ligaments, wear and tear of joint surfaces and prevention of back pain.

Whether you have been hiking, biking, shopping, walking or just relaxing, check out these exercises to help maintain good posture. Besides health benefits, a good posture complements a good appearance.

Back Stretches:
Extend the arms at both sides and maintain them at shoulder length.
Bend the elbows slightly, with palms facing up.
Put pressure on the shoulder blades and squeeze them together.
Squeeze enough to feel a tug along the chest and front of the shoulders.
Hold that squeeze for a minimum of five seconds and repeat at least four times.

Pelvic Tilt
Stand up straight without straining the back.
Relax the hips and slightly protrude the bottom.
Place four fingers on the hip bone and thumb on the lower ribs on each side.
Tuck the buttocks to line them along the hip bone.
Hold it there for five seconds and repeat the process four times.

Shoulder Muscle Exercise:
Stand erect and stretch chest muscles by standing perpendicular to a wall (right side in).
Place the right arm against the wall and bend it with palms flat against the wall.
Slowly twist to the left until you feel a tug in the chest and shoulder.
Hold it there for 30 seconds, twist back and repeat the whole process for the other side.

Chin Move:
Stand with your head held straight in front of a mirror. If you don’t have a mirror, pretend there’s one in front of you.
Place upper and lower teeth set on each other, keep the mouth closed and relaxed.
Glide head backward without tilting it, until you feel a little stress on it.
Hold it there for at least ten seconds. Repeat three to four times, four times a day.

The above exercises do not take more than a half hour to do. Exercises are courtesy of 121 Fit, 3107 White Mountain Highway, N Conway, NH 603-356-9350. Check – out their coupon on HospitalityMaps.com