It’s no secret that I advocate for fitness solutions with real-world applications. I emphasize the importance of the body as a holistic system that demands maintenance and movement in a natural context. There are lots of ways to train the body within these guidelines, but today I’m going to talk about what may be the easiest (and easiest to neglect) way to ensure that your musculoskeletal system stays healthy. I’m talking about posture.

Most of the time, people don’t notice their own posture. You have to call it to their attention. In today’s world, this problem is even more pronounced–we have a whole host of screens and devices that both keep us hunched over, and make us distracted so that we forget to be mindful of our body’s position in space.

The hunched-over, rounded-shoulder “texting position” can lead to what’s called “Upper Crossed Syndrome.” The term was coined by Dr. Vladimir Janda when he noticed many people showing up with certain sets of muscles in the upper-anterior part of the body–like the pecs and upper traps–were actually abnormally shortened, and their counterpart muscle groups in the back were abnormally weak. Obviously, this isn’t what you want if you’re trying to develop a great golf swing. Heck, it’s not what you want if you want to be able to throw a ball, pick up a basket of laundry, or age gracefully either.

The best way to prevent upper crossed syndrome is to be mindful of your body. You want to stand confidently, shoulders back, chest out. Click the video link below to check out some more tips on maintaining good posture.

Client Spotlight:

Louise H. of Menands says: “The program is well thought-out and gradually allows for better and more precise performance. I enjoy and look forward to working out every week.” Louise was voted most improved golfer at Wolfert’s Roost.