General Fitness

Flexibility Training Flexibility is a joint's ability to move through a full range of motion. Flexibility training (stretching) helps balance muscle groups that might be overused during exercise or physical activity or as a result of bad posture. It's important to clearly understand the many benefits that result from a good flexibility program.   Improved Physical Performance and Decreased Risk of Injury First, a safe and effective flexibility training program increases physical performance. A flexible joint has the ability to move through a greater range of motion and requires less energy to do so, while greatly decreasing your risk of injury. Most professionals agree that stretching decreases resistance in tissue structures; you are, therefore, less likely to become injured by exceeding tissue extensibility (maximum range of tissues) during activity. Reduced Muscle Soreness and Improved Posture Recent studies show that slow, static stretching helps reduce muscle soreness after exercise. Static stretching involves a slow, gradual and controlled elongation of the muscle through the full range of motion and held for 15-30 seconds in the furthest comfortable position (without pain). Stretching also improves muscular balance and posture. Many people's soft-tissue structures has adapted poorly to either the effects of gravity or poor postural habits. Stretching can help realign soft tissue structures, thus reducing the effort it takes to achieve and maintain good posture in the activities of daily living. Increased Blood and Nutrients to Tissues Another great benefit is that stretching increases blood supply and nutrients to joint structures. Stretching increases tissue temperature, which in turn increases circulation and nutrient transport. This allows greater elasticity of surrounding tissues and increases performance. Stretching also increases joint synovial fluid, which is a lubricating fluid that promotes the transport of more nutrients to the joints' articular cartilage. This allows a greater range of motion and reduces joint degeneration. Improved Muscle Coordination Another little-known benefit is increased neuromuscular coordination. Studies show that nerve-impulse velocity (the time it takes an impulse to travel to the brain and back) is improved with stretching. This helps opposing muscle groups work in a more synergistic, coordinated fashion. Enhanced Enjoyment of Physical Activities Flexibility training also means enhanced enjoyment, and a fitness program should be fun if you want to stick with it. Not only does stretching decrease muscle soreness and increase performance, it also helps relax both mind and body and brings a heightened sense of well-being and personal gratification during exercise. As you can see, flexibility training is one of the key components of a balanced fitness program and should be a part of your exercise routine. Without flexibility training, you are missing an important part of overall health. Flexibility training provides many important benefits that cannot be achieved by any other exercise or activity. Good luck: I hope you enjoy all the wonderful benefits of an effective flexibility training program. Information by: Chad Tackett, Global Health + Fitness

Muscle Trainning

Muscle Training PLYOMETRICS Jumping exercises and plyometrics enhance performance in strength-speed sports because they increase leg power and train the nervous system to activate large muscle groups when you move” (Fahey, 2000, p. 76). In a study conducted by Hutchinson, Tremain, Christiansen, and Beitzel (1998), researchers suggested that leap training utilizing a swimming pool and Pilates safely improved the leaping ability of elite gymnasts. In the study, after one month of training, gymnasts improved their explosive power by 220%, ground reaction time by 50%, and leap height by 16.2%. The objective of plyometrics is to generate the greatest amount of force in the shortest amount of time (Seabourne, 2000). Plyometrics trains the nervous system and metabolic pathways to increase explosiveness, giving the athlete the extra push needed to go higher and faster. Plyometrics requires acceleration through a complete range of motion and then relaxation into a full stretch. The quick stretch the athlete applies to the muscle during the initial push-off is thought to increase muscle contraction, therefore increasing power. Sportsmetrics, a plyometrics-based program developed by the Cincinnati Sportsmedicine and Orthopaedic Center, is scientifically proven to increase jump height and decrease harmful landings (Hewett & Noyes, 1998). Hewett, Stroupe, & Riccobene (1999) analyzed the effects of the six-week Sportsmetrics program in female athletes. The authors found that peak landing forces decreased 22 percent, lateral and medial forces at the knee decreased 50 percent, and there was a 10 percent increase in jump height. “The hamstring-to-quadriceps strength ratio increased from 50 percent to 66 percent, a more favorable condition for the ACL” (Boden, Griffin, & Garrett, 2000, p. 57). Because the use of plyometrics training has been shown to be beneficial in generating greater strength output with fewer injuries, the purpose of this study was to assess the effects of a seven-week plyometrics program on college dancers’ vertical jumps and leaps.                       Brenda G. Griner, B.S. Graduate Student                       Douglas Boatwright, Ph.D. Professor                       Dan C. Howell, M.S., L.A.T. Adjunct Instructor Lamar University Corresponding Author: Douglas Boatwright, Ph.D. P.O.Box 10039 Beaumont, TX 77710 Phone: (409) 880-8700 boatwrigjd@hal.lamar.edu PLYOMETRICS EXERCISES: Plyometrics is not so much about equipment as it is about the way you exercise. E.g. normal push-ups and plyometric push ups (the ones where you push your self up fast and clap). You can do plyometric EXPLOSIVE squats with or wothour resistance or even plyometric explosive bench-press. Presses and dips To complete squat & dumbbell presses, do the body-weight squats (as described above), but hold dumbbells in your hands - directly in front of your shoulders. Your hands should be turned inward, so that the palm sides of your hands are facing each other (the grip on each dumbbell will make a straight line directly forward from your shoulder). Once you've returned to the standing position from the squat, 'press' the dumbbells directly overhead, straightening your arms in the process. After you return the dumbbells to shoulder position, you have completed one rep. Feet-elevated press-ups are normal press-ups, except that your feet are elevated (on a bench, chair, or wall). To perform bench dips, seat yourself on a bench or chair, with your hands at your sides. Your hands should be gripping the front edge of the bench or seat. While keeping your hands in the same position, slide forward off the chair and put your feet as far forward as possible, so that all your body weight is supported only by your hands and the heels of your extended feet. Then, simply lower your bum to the floor (or almost to the floor), and bring yourself back up again to complete one rep. To do low-back extensions, lie on your stomach, with your arms by your sides and your hands extended toward your feet, with palms touching the floor. Contract the muscles at the back of your neck, so that you are gazing forward and upward. That's the basic starting position! A rep is simply a contraction of your low-back muscles, lifting your trunk well off the ground, followed by a slow easing of your torso back to the floor. Of course, lunges are just exaggerated steps. You start with erect posture and feet under your shoulders and simply step forward with one foot. After this forward foot makes contact with the ground, you go into a squatting position, so that the thigh of the forward foot becomes almost parallel with the ground (it's okay to let your upper body incline forward slightly as you do so). Return to the starting position (feet back under shoulders, erect posture), and you've completed one rep with one leg. Moving up The way to progress with this circuit workout is to gradually increase the number of reps of the exercises, expand the number of circuits, and/or augment the distance of the running, cycling, or swimming intervals within the circuits. For example, I often have runners I am coaching start with two circuits with 400-metre intervals (they do two such workouts spaced a few days apart), move up to two workouts with 600-metre intervals, two with 800-metre reps, two with 1200s, and then two with one-mile intervals (all of these workouts contain two circuits, except for the one-mile interval session, which contains just one circuit). They then double back, and use the 400s and 600s in workouts which contain three circuits. All of this occurs over about a six-week period which is designed to increase general strength (while simultaneously advancing lactate threshold and VO2max). During this time frame, the number of reps of the various exercises increases by about 5 to 10 percent from week to week. Following the six weeks, a week of lighter training is carried out before moving on to a different type of strength work. These circuit workouts are great for the beginning of the training year, when endurance athletes are attempting to improve general strength. They can also be used as 'tests' throughout the training cycle. If you struggle with the exercises, then you know your strength needs shoring up; if you have trouble with the running (or cycling or swimming) segments, then you know that your running (cycling or swimming) fitness is sub-par. The circuits also work particularly well during tapering periods prior to races, because they tend to 'put a cap' on both running capacity and overall strength. They are particularly effective before a marathon, because they give marathon runners confidence that they can run well in the face of fatigue. Okay, now try this one Once your fitness and strength have increased so much that the above circuit sessions are no longer challenging, you can then move on to a more challenging circuit workout, as follows (it is written for runners but can be adapted easily for swimming and cycling) Warm up with two miles of easy running, and then perform the following exercises in order. Move quickly from exercise to exercise, but don't perform the exercises themselves overly quickly (don't sacrifice good form just to get them done in a hurry). The idea is to do each exercise methodically and efficiently - and then almost immediately start on the next one. 1. Run 400 metres at 5-K race pace 2. Complete 8 high-bench step-ups with jumps 3. Do 6 plyometric press-ups 4. Perform 3 series of the 6-way lunge with arm drop 5. Complete 8 + 8 reps of the hanging scissors plus double-knee raise 6. Do 12 one-leg squats with hops 7. Perform 8 prone trunk extensions with arm raises 8. Run 400 metres at 5-K race pace 9. Repeat steps 2-8 once more (for two circuits in all), and then cool down with 2 miles of easy ambling. How to do them Here are the explanations of the exercises: To complete the high-bench step-ups with jumps, begin from a standing position on top of a bench which is approximately knee high, with your body weight on your left foot and your weight shifted toward the left heel. The right foot should be free and held slightly behind the body. Lower your body in a controlled manner until the heel of the right foot touches the ground, but support all of your weight on your left foot. Return to (and through) the starting position by driving down with the left heel and straightening your left leg as quickly as possible, so that you actually jump vertically and leave the surface of the bench. Upon landing from the jump (hopefully in the same spot from which you took off), lower your body again in a controlled manner until your right foot touches the ground. Repeat for the prescribed number of repetitions, and then switch over to the right leg. Maintain absolutely upright body posture with your trunk throughout the entire movement, with your hands held at your sides (with or without dumbbells). Please note that the bench used for this exercise must be very sturdy, with no wobble or instability. Failure to perform this exercise on a stable surface could result in disaster! The high-bench step up with jump helps to develop muscular power, primarily in the hips, quadriceps, and hamstrings. These muscles are largely responsible for the propulsive force needed for running fast - particularly on hilly terrain. To carry out the plyometric (aka 'clapping') press-ups, assume the standard press-up position on the floor. Your upper body should be supported with your hands on the floor - shoulder-width apart. Your arms are fully extended, and your legs and feet are supported by your toes, which are hip-width apart. To begin the exercise, lower your chest toward the floor by bending your elbows while keeping your trunk and hips extended and 'rigid.' When your chest is one to two inches from the floor, rapidly straighten your arms and push your body upward as fast as possible. As your arms reach full extension, release your hand contact with the floor and clap your hands together very quickly, before returning your hands to the floor in the same position that they were in before the clap. Repeat this action (lowering, rapid extension, clap, land on hands) for the prescribed number of repetitions. The plyometric push-up helps to develop upper-body power as well as stabilizing strength in the core muscles (abs, obliques, and low-backs). These muscles work together to stabilize the upper body during running, improving running economy. Lunges To do the 6-way lunges with arm drops, stand with your feet parallel and hip-width apart. Your arms should be bent at the elbows with your hands in front of your shoulders. Step forward with your right foot into a long-lunge position and lean your upper body forward approximately 45 degrees at the waist. Drop your hands on either side of your right knee as your right foot makes contact with the ground. Quickly extend your right knee and return your body to the original, full-standing position. Repeat with your left leg. From the full standing position, step directly to your right with your right foot into a lateral-lunge position. Your upper body should face to the right and lean forward over your right leg at approximately a 45-degree angle. Again, drop your hands on either side of your right knee as your right foot makes contact with the ground. Your left foot should remain pointing straight ahead. Quickly extend your right knee and return your body to the original, full-standing position. Repeat with your left leg moving to the left. Then, from the original standing position, step diagonally and to the rear with your right leg into a backward-lateral lunge position. Your upper body should face to the right-rear (about '4-o'clock') position, and it should lean forward over your right leg at about 45 degrees. Again, drop your hands on either side of your right knee as your right foot makes contact with the ground. Your left foot should remain pointing straight ahead. Quickly extend your right knee and return your body to the original position. Repeat with your left leg, moving it to the left-rear ('8-o'clock') position. Repeat the entire series of movements (forward right leg, forward left leg, right-side right leg, left-side left leg, back-and-right right leg, back-and-left left leg) the prescribed number of times. The 6-way lunge stretches and strengthens the hamstring muscles in all three key planes of motion (sagittal, frontal, and transverse). Strong and flexible hamstrings stabilize the knee during running and help provide the propulsive force required for powerful strides. Scissors and raises To carry out the hanging scissors + double-knee raises, begin by hanging from a bar or overhead support. The height of the bar should allow you to hang with your body fully extended, without your feet touching the ground. Raise your right knee vertically (with the knee bent as in a running stride) as high as you can while simultaneously pushing your left foot and leg behind you (with the left leg almost completely straight). Next, quickly reverse your legs so that your left knee swings forward and upward (with the knee bent as in a running stride) and your right foot and leg move downward and backward behind you (with the right leg nearly straight). Repeat this 'scissor' action for the prescribed number of repetitions before moving onto the second part of the exercise - the double-knee raise: To perform the double-knee raises, return to a straight, hanging position. Simultaneously raise both legs up as high as you can towards your chest - with both knees bent. Then, lower both legs together slowly to the starting position, before repeating the raising and lowering action for the prescribed number of repetitions. The hanging scissors and double-knee raises strengthen the hip-flexor, abdominal, and oblique muscles. These muscles function together to stabilize the trunk during running. Squats To do the one-leg squats with hops, stand with your left foot forward and your right foot back, with your feet about one shin-length apart (your feet should be hip-width apart from side to side). Place the toes of your right foot on a step or block which is about six to eight inches high. Most of your body weight should be directed through the heel of your left, forward foot. Bend your left leg and lower your body until the left knee reaches an angle of about 90 degrees between the thigh and lower part of the leg. Hop upward with your left foot while maintaining contact with the step or block with your right foot. Upon landing, immediately descend into another squat and again hop upward while maintaining contact with the step or block with your right foot. Be sure to maintain upright posture with your upper body and hold your hands at your sides throughout the squatting and hopping movement. Complete the prescribed total number of hops with your left leg before switching to the right. Note: make certain you perform these one-leg hops only on an aerobics floor, wooden gym floor, grass surface, soft dirt, rubberized track, or any other resilient surface which offers some 'give'. Hopping repeatedly on concrete or asphalt may increase your risk of overuse injuries to the lower part of your leg. The one-leg squats with hops develop both coordination and muscular power, particularly in the muscles of the shin, calf, and foot. These are the muscles that undergo significant strain during fast-paced running. Extensions To complete the prone trunk extensions with overhead arm raises, begin by lying face down on the floor with your legs straight and your arms extended straight forward (they would be 'overhead' if you were standing up). Slowly raise your chest, shoulders, and arms up toward the ceiling as high as you can, keeping your toes in contact with the floor at all times. Then, slowly lower your chest, shoulders, and arms down to the floor, but do not rest on the floor - maintain some muscle tension throughout your back for the entire exercise. Slowly repeat this up-and-down action for the prescribed number of repetitions. The prone trunk extensions strengthen the muscles of the upper and lower back. These muscles coordinate with the abdominals and obliques to stabilize the trunk during all running activities. If you plan your training on a yearly cycle, a great time for this advanced circuit workout would be mid-year, after you have already completed 'blocks' of general, special, and specific strength training (general strength includes whole-body exercises similar to those in the basic circuit; special strengthening focuses on exertions which mimic the biomechanics of running, cycling, or swimming; specific training incorporates hill work and running or cycling with a weighted vest for runners or cyclists; it involves swimming against resistance for swimmers). It is also a great general-strengthening routine for those who have mastered - or need a break from - the basic circuit workout. As was the case with the basic session, the advanced circuit efforts can be made more difficult over time by increasing the reps of the exercises, the lengths of the running, cycling, or swimming intervals, and the number of circuits per workout. Owen Anderson at Peek Performance.  http://www.pponline.co.uk/

Warming up and Cooling Down

Introduction There is no doubt that time spent on warming up and cooling down will improve an athlete's level of performance and accelerate the recovery process needed before training or competition. As a result the coach must encourage the athlete to regard the warm up and cool down as an essential part of both the training session and competition itself. Links to various pages are provided to help you compile your own warm up and cool down routines. Warm Up Muscle stiffness is thought to be directly related to muscle injury and therefore the warm up should be aimed at reducing muscle stiffness. Warming up should at least consist of the following: 5 to 10 minutes jogging - to increase body temperature 10 to 15 minutes dynamic stretching exercises - reduce muscle stiffness 10 to 15 minutes general and event specific drills - preparation for the session or competition. e.g. for a runner Lower leg drills Leg drills Technique drills 4 to 8 easy run outs over 30 to 60 metres - focus on correct running technique (Tall, Relaxed, Smooth and Drive) Dynamic stretches are more appropriate to the warm up as they help reduce muscle stiffness. Static exercises do not reduce muscle stiffness.   What are the benefits of a warm up? Performance may be improved as an appropriate warm up will result in an: Increased speed of contraction and relaxation of warmed muscles Dynamic exercises reduce muscle stiffness Greater economy of movement because of lowered viscous resistance within warmed muscles Facilitated oxygen utilization by warmed muscles because hemoglobin releases oxygen more readily at higher muscle temperatures Facilitated nerve transmission and muscle metabolism at higher temperatures; a specific warm up can facilitate motor unit recruitment required in subsequent all out activity Increased blood flow through active tissues as local vascular beds dilate, increasing metabolism and muscle temperatures Cool Down Warming down should consist of the following: 5 to 10 minutes jogging/walking - decrease body temperature and remove waste products from the working muscles 5 to 10 minutes static stretching exercises- decrease body temperature, remove waste products from the working muscles and to increase range of movement. Static stretches are more appropriate to the cool down as they help muscles to relax and increase their range of movement. What are the benefits of a cool down? An appropriate cool down will: aid in the dissipation of waste products - including lactic acid reduce the potential for DOMS reduce the chances of dizziness or fainting caused by the pooling of venous blood at the extremities reduce the level of adrenaline in the blood Associated Pages The following Sports Coach pages should be read in conjunction with this page: Competition Preparation Injury Prevention Mobility Pre and Post Exercise Stretching Warm up drills for a Sprinter Used with permission from: © Sports Coach : Created 1st January 1997 : Last Modified 9th August 2004

Posture and Breathing

I Exercise A Lot, Why Do I Need To Do Posture Exercises? Practice makes permanent, not perfect. If you have ever had an injury, your body motion probably is not ideally balanced. So, if you can learn to feel a more normal, balanced, controlled motion with a daily posture stretch, you can carry that feeling into other athletic endeavors. Posture exercise helps athletes restore balance, ensuring optimal sports performance. 1st Posture Principle Posture Is How You Balance Your Body   If you don't balance, you fall down! Our bodies would fall forward without muscles pulling us back. We use our muscles reflexively to balance when we sit, stand, sleep, or work. In order for us to balance, our brain integrates information from three sources to know where the body is in space. The eyes: We see what is level. The ears: The inner ear tells the brain where each ear is in relation to the other ear. The muscles and joints: We feel balanced (or unbalanced) based upon information sent from the muscles and joints. The brain assumes we are balanced when we sense equal stress on both sides of the body. When there is an injury, the body will move differently to avoid pain. Over time, the body will adapt. Even if there is no continued pain, unbalanced patterns of motion persist. The human body still MUST balance to stand. So, the brain adapts and adopts new muscle and joint positions. We believe we are standing straight because our brain is being told by our senses that we are balanced, even though the mirror shows we are not. 2nd Posture Principle The Human Body Is Designed To Move  It is much easier to walk for 30 minutes than to stand perfectly still for 30 minutes. When we walk (or run) we must balance our bodies. In order to balance we switch back and forth between standing and shifting muscles. Standing muscles are the muscles we use to hold the body up.  Our body would fall forward without muscles pulling us back and keeping us balanced. Whether we are standing or sitting we use standing muscles to balance. Shifting muscles are the muscles we use to change (or shift position). Standing and shifting muscles work together to balance the body in motion.  During walking, we use:                         STANDING muscles to stand on one foot, and then                         SHIFTING muscles to shift to the other foot. Standing or sitting still primarily works the standing muscles, causing these muscles to fatigue with time. However, when we walk we alternate between using standing and shifting muscles. This allows each set of muscles a moment of rest, reducing fatigue.   3rd Posture Principle Posture, Motion, & Balance Depend on the Bones, Ligaments, Muscles, & Nerves Bones support the body's structure.  Bones connect to other bones at the joints. Ligaments connect the bones at joints. Muscles move bones at the joints when they shorten (or contract). Muscles can only pull, like a rope, to create motion in a direction.  A muscle creating motion in a direction is called the AGONIST.  Every muscle has an opposite partner that pulls the joint in the opposite direction and returns the joint to its starting position. This opposing muscle is the ANTAGONIST.   For example, to bend your elbow, your biceps contract. To straighten it, your triceps contract.  To lengthen, or push, a muscle must be pulled longer by its partner's contraction. Each muscle in a pair of muscles pulls a joint in the opposite direction. Note: If one muscle in a pair is used more and one is used less, then the underused muscle weakens and the over used muscles become overly strong and tight. There are also muscles called SYNERGISTS, which help out a motion, but are not the main mover.  A synergist, or helper muscle, assists the main muscle in moving the joint. For example, the forearm muscles mostly control the wrist and hand, but they also help the elbow to bend. Lastly, there are STABILIZERS.  These are muscles that hold other joints. When you bend your arm to lift a gallon of milk, your bicep is the main, or agonist, muscle, but the shoulder muscles have to keep the shoulder still as well. Summary: The agonist is the main muscle which bends the joint, the opposing antagonist muscle straightens the joint, the synergist helper muscles lend a hand, and the stabilizers keep it all steady. Nerves control the muscles with messages from the brain. The body moves in patterns. Muscles work in specific patterns to control how motion occurs. However, the brain thinks in terms of whole motions, not specific muscles.    4th Posture Principle   The Body Learns What You Teach It   Pain teaches the body to move differently. If it hurts to move, the body will adapt and move in a way to avoid pain. The body moves in Patterns of Motion which adapt to each individual's BodyType, history of injuries & daily habits.   LIGAMENTS stretch in the direction they are stretched. MUSCLES that are used get stronger in the way they are used. Unused muscles get weaker.   NERVES develop muscle memory, reinforcing a pattern of motion. Posture and body motion depend on an interdependent chain of muscles, bones and joints. In this chain, body motion follows the path of least resistance. The most flexible (or least restricted) joint moves first. The least flexible (or tightest) joint moves last. Because the tightest link in a chain is the last to move, it limits motion the most.  The muscles, bones, and ligaments integrate to control body motion. The body's motion patterns are like a folded piece of paper that continues to fold at a crease because the fibers have been bent in a pattern. Similarly, the muscles, ligaments and nerves change as they adapt to moving the body in a pattern of motion. Strong muscles lift more. Weak ligaments stretch more.  The body posture adapts, creating a postural change, or distortion. Distortions are seen when looking at: Posture: How people stand Gait: How people walk  Over time, adaptive patterns of body motion cause increased body stress and breakdown. INJURIES When injuries occur, pain and discomfort often will follow.  The body adapts as an individual adjusts how they move so as not to irritate the pain. We then compensate for weak muscles by learning to substitute new motion patterns. Unfortunately, this increases joint stress and strain. Thus begins the Pain Cycle.     “It hurts when I move like that, but I feel okay if I move like this.” The pain goes away, but the changed pattern of motion doesn't. HABITS Our habits are what we do. Practice makes permanent. Muscles strengthen with use (and weaken when neglected), the body changes with what we habitually do. If you sleep on your stomach with your head turned to the right, when standing you will find you head does not turn as easily to the left. When you prop a phone under your neck while talking on the phone your neck twists to that side. When driving or sitting in front of a computer, day after day, the body folds forward in a slump. Our good and bad habits shape our bodies, our posture, and our patterns of motion. We adapt to doing whatever we do repeatedly. 5th Posture Principle   The Body Will Adapt To Posture & Motion Changes Over time, the stress of unbalanced adaptive posture and motion results in muscle imbalance and joint wear. This begins a vicious cycle of unbalanced motion - causing breakdown - causing more unbalanced motion.  Chronic poor posture results in posture adaptation and constant muscle and joint stress. Poor posture and excessive sitting over-strengthens the over-used Standing muscles and weakens the underused Shifting muscles.  Because the body must balance, and because loose joint moves before a stiff joint, the chain of the body's motion follows the path of least resistance. This is why, over time, posture worsens and body stress increases as the body gets better at moving with adaptive posture & body motion patterns.  Poor posture and motion patterns cause muscle imbalance, joint stress and more poor motion. Changes in posture & motion cause real physical change and breakdown in the body.  Muscles become chronically tight.  Ligaments stretch. Joints wear. Ultimately, the chronic muscle spasm, joint damage (arthritis/DJD) and recurring injuries result from years of constant muscle and joint stress PostureBall Exercise Posture is how you balance your body  (1st Posture Principle) If you don’t balance, you fall down!  The PostureBall is a tool to discover and train balance.  When we sit on a PostureBall we must learn to balance or we fall off the ball. People develop habits of motion.  Posture patterns exist because we always move in similar patterns, using some muscles more than others. Posture can feel “right” but not be balanced.  Old injury and habits cause muscles and joints to compensate and move in an asymmetrical, or uneven pattern of motion.  Even after an injury is healed, people usually continue moving unevenly. Over time, when the brain believes the body is balanced and it is not, uneven joint stress causes premature wear and breakdown. Motion can feel “right” when it’s actually uneven and unbalanced because we use “trick” motions.  Trick motions are when we move in a way to compensate for weak muscles or stiff/painful joints.  To learn normal motion we must first feel normal motion. Retraining these unconscious “trick” motions requires a conscious effort.  The PostureBall is a tool designed to help us find unbalanced motion, and then exercise in a way to improve balance.  When you feel unstable sitting on a PostureBall, you can blame it on bad balance, or you can see it as a way of learning where your perceived reality and actual reality disagree.  Being conscious of a problem is the first step to change. Exercising on a PostureBall forces us to use control and balance.  Posture exercises work by teaching the muscles and joints controlled movement in a joint’s full range of motion. A daily 10 minute PostureBall LifeHabit, customized to your body, posture, and problems can help you: Improve posture Maintain flexibility Stay active Reduce joint stress and breakdown Relax and reduce tension Extend your HealthSpan Move Naturally, Feel good, and Be Well You should not use the information, resources or tools contained within to self-diagnose or self-treat any health problem or disease.  Consult your own doctor for medical advice about the applicability of any of the opinions or recommendations contained within that might pertain to your own symptoms or medical conditions.  Also, it is important to check with your doctor before starting or participating in an exercise program or activity, or any other form of treatment. A huge thank you to BodyZone.com for permission to reprint the above information. BodyZone.com and BodyZone.com in Logo are trademarks of BodyZone, LLC