Fix Your Posture With This Exercise:

We often talk about the benefits of the hardstyle kettlebell swing. Such as the unique way it develops total body power, is great for fat loss, cardio-vascular conditioning and a healthy back. There’s another great benefit to the swing that is not talked about as much. It helps solves one of most common problems of our students. First here is a little background information.

Vladimar Janda a famous neurologist and exercise physiologist who was ahead of his time discussed the muscles necessary for good posture. He simplified this for the world by separating muscles into two groups. Muscles that tend to shorten and get tight as we age and muscles that tend to weaken as we age.

Muscles that get tight:
• Upper traps
• Pectoral’s (chest)
• Hip flexors (psoas)
• Hamstrings
• Calves

Muscles that get weak:
• Mid- back
• Gluteal’s
• Abdominal

The diagram below sums up what is known as upper and lower body crossed syndrome:

This means if you want to continue to look and function well as you age it’s important to mobilise what needs to be mobilised and strengthen what needs to be strengthened.

When we spend the majority of the time sitting this accelerates the process as when you are seated, the glutes are turned off and the hip flexors are shortened. This is where the kettlebell swing is a highly useful exercise in this regard as it opens up the hip flexors and simultaneously strengthens the glutes. It is one of the best exercises for lower body crossed syndrome. A challenge I urge you to consider especially if you find yourself sitting the majority of the day is for every 10 hours of sitting complete a minimum of 5 minutes of swings every day.

Stretch what needs to be stretched and strengthen what needs to be strengthened and you can continue to function well, look good and age well.