Check your alignment!
What it means: Good exercise alignment means that all of your joints are lined up- Knees over ankles. Hips over knees. Shoulder over hips. Head balanced on top.
How to do it: Turn profile to a full length mirror. Engage your postural muscles as noted in a previous Training Tip from me. Look at your profile in the mirror. You should be able to use your joints as bony landmarks, as I noted above. Look carefully at your spine and how it affects your torso. If your back is lifted and lengthened, using your postural muscles as described, you won’t have an overly arched or rounded low back.
If your spine is properly placed, your chest should not be protruding. This is typically a problem with men, especially if they have been in the military. They have learned to thrust their shoulders back and chest out, which collapses the middle spine and weakens the upper abdominals.
A long spine includes the back of your neck, which will keep you from sticking your forward to balance yourself. This will also help drop your shoulders down your back and into proper alignment.
When to do it: Always and forever! This is another training tip that you can use in everyday life, not just at the gym!
However, there are 2 very common cases of misalignment in the typical gym workout that I would like to address.
1. Bicep Curls or other arm work with the arms lifted in front of the body. As the arms lift in front of the body, the intuitive response is to lean back. If you do so, immediately the body is thrown out of alignment, the shoulders are behind the hips, compressing the middle spine and disengaging your lower abdominals. Try to lift your arms without moving your spine, shoulders or upper carriage.
2. Squats/Plies. In squats, there are several typical misalignment. A. Knees- Knees should be in line with your ankles, not protruding over your toes, or rolling in or out of the line created by your shin. Proper alignment will protect your knees and ankles. B. Shoulders- Shoulders should stay down away from your ears, taking pressure off the neck and keeping your upper back engaged. C. Spine- The abdominals should be supporting your spine, not allowing the low back to arch or round, but to keep the vertebrae in a line.
In plies, we don’t drop the hips below the knees, nor do we angle the back, making it different than a squat. But the same alignment rules apply.
Why do it: Much like having good posture, having correct alignment positively influences everything from muscle tone, to spine health, to injury prevention, to healthy breathing. So many occasions of back pain, hip pain, shoulder and neck pain, even knee pain, can be alleviated by aligning the body. When we are aligned, all of our joints are working in the same plane, and from a balanced body. This decreases injury potential.
A misalignment can cause undue pressure on a joint, ligament, tendon, bursae or muscle. Or even all of the above.
Skeletal alignment makes movement more efficient and powerful, because our joints, and the muscles supporting them are working optimally and with balance.
[Tweet “Check your alignment! via @cabarretfit #TrainingTips”]
Warning: Illegal string offset 'gplus' in /home/customer/www/trainingtips.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/dpArticleShare/functions.php on line 231
Warning: Illegal string offset 'twitter' in /home/customer/www/trainingtips.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/dpArticleShare/functions.php on line 232
Warning: Illegal string offset 'linkedin' in /home/customer/www/trainingtips.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/dpArticleShare/functions.php on line 233
Warning: Illegal string offset 'facebook' in /home/customer/www/trainingtips.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/dpArticleShare/functions.php on line 234
Warning: Illegal string offset 'pinterest' in /home/customer/www/trainingtips.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/dpArticleShare/functions.php on line 235
Warning: Illegal string offset 'delicious' in /home/customer/www/trainingtips.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/dpArticleShare/functions.php on line 236
Warning: Illegal string offset 'stumbleupon' in /home/customer/www/trainingtips.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/dpArticleShare/functions.php on line 237
Warning: Illegal string offset 'digg' in /home/customer/www/trainingtips.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/dpArticleShare/functions.php on line 238
Warning: Illegal string offset 'tumblr' in /home/customer/www/trainingtips.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/dpArticleShare/functions.php on line 239
Warning: Illegal string offset 'reddit' in /home/customer/www/trainingtips.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/dpArticleShare/functions.php on line 240
Warning: Illegal string offset 'buffer' in /home/customer/www/trainingtips.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/dpArticleShare/functions.php on line 241
Warning: Illegal string offset 'vk' in /home/customer/www/trainingtips.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/dpArticleShare/functions.php on line 242
Warning: Illegal string offset 'blogger' in /home/customer/www/trainingtips.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/dpArticleShare/functions.php on line 243
Warning: Illegal string offset 'twitter' in /home/customer/www/trainingtips.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/dpArticleShare/classes/base.class.php on line 156
Warning: Illegal string offset 'gplus' in /home/customer/www/trainingtips.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/dpArticleShare/functions.php on line 231
Warning: Illegal string offset 'twitter' in /home/customer/www/trainingtips.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/dpArticleShare/functions.php on line 232
Warning: Illegal string offset 'linkedin' in /home/customer/www/trainingtips.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/dpArticleShare/functions.php on line 233
Warning: Illegal string offset 'facebook' in /home/customer/www/trainingtips.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/dpArticleShare/functions.php on line 234
Warning: Illegal string offset 'pinterest' in /home/customer/www/trainingtips.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/dpArticleShare/functions.php on line 235
Warning: Illegal string offset 'delicious' in /home/customer/www/trainingtips.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/dpArticleShare/functions.php on line 236
Warning: Illegal string offset 'stumbleupon' in /home/customer/www/trainingtips.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/dpArticleShare/functions.php on line 237
Warning: Illegal string offset 'digg' in /home/customer/www/trainingtips.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/dpArticleShare/functions.php on line 238
Warning: Illegal string offset 'tumblr' in /home/customer/www/trainingtips.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/dpArticleShare/functions.php on line 239
Warning: Illegal string offset 'reddit' in /home/customer/www/trainingtips.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/dpArticleShare/functions.php on line 240
Warning: Illegal string offset 'buffer' in /home/customer/www/trainingtips.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/dpArticleShare/functions.php on line 241
Warning: Illegal string offset 'vk' in /home/customer/www/trainingtips.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/dpArticleShare/functions.php on line 242
Warning: Illegal string offset 'blogger' in /home/customer/www/trainingtips.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/dpArticleShare/functions.php on line 243
Warning: Illegal string offset 'facebook' in /home/customer/www/trainingtips.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/dpArticleShare/classes/base.class.php on line 151
Warning: Illegal string offset 'gplus' in /home/customer/www/trainingtips.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/dpArticleShare/functions.php on line 231
Warning: Illegal string offset 'twitter' in /home/customer/www/trainingtips.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/dpArticleShare/functions.php on line 232
Warning: Illegal string offset 'linkedin' in /home/customer/www/trainingtips.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/dpArticleShare/functions.php on line 233
Warning: Illegal string offset 'facebook' in /home/customer/www/trainingtips.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/dpArticleShare/functions.php on line 234
Warning: Illegal string offset 'pinterest' in /home/customer/www/trainingtips.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/dpArticleShare/functions.php on line 235
Warning: Illegal string offset 'delicious' in /home/customer/www/trainingtips.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/dpArticleShare/functions.php on line 236
Warning: Illegal string offset 'stumbleupon' in /home/customer/www/trainingtips.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/dpArticleShare/functions.php on line 237
Warning: Illegal string offset 'digg' in /home/customer/www/trainingtips.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/dpArticleShare/functions.php on line 238
Warning: Illegal string offset 'tumblr' in /home/customer/www/trainingtips.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/dpArticleShare/functions.php on line 239
Warning: Illegal string offset 'reddit' in /home/customer/www/trainingtips.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/dpArticleShare/functions.php on line 240
Warning: Illegal string offset 'buffer' in /home/customer/www/trainingtips.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/dpArticleShare/functions.php on line 241
Warning: Illegal string offset 'vk' in /home/customer/www/trainingtips.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/dpArticleShare/functions.php on line 242
Warning: Illegal string offset 'blogger' in /home/customer/www/trainingtips.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/dpArticleShare/functions.php on line 243
Warning: Illegal string offset 'gplus' in /home/customer/www/trainingtips.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/dpArticleShare/classes/base.class.php on line 162
Warning: Illegal string offset 'gplus' in /home/customer/www/trainingtips.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/dpArticleShare/functions.php on line 231
Warning: Illegal string offset 'twitter' in /home/customer/www/trainingtips.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/dpArticleShare/functions.php on line 232
Warning: Illegal string offset 'linkedin' in /home/customer/www/trainingtips.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/dpArticleShare/functions.php on line 233
Warning: Illegal string offset 'facebook' in /home/customer/www/trainingtips.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/dpArticleShare/functions.php on line 234
Warning: Illegal string offset 'pinterest' in /home/customer/www/trainingtips.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/dpArticleShare/functions.php on line 235
Warning: Illegal string offset 'delicious' in /home/customer/www/trainingtips.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/dpArticleShare/functions.php on line 236
Warning: Illegal string offset 'stumbleupon' in /home/customer/www/trainingtips.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/dpArticleShare/functions.php on line 237
Warning: Illegal string offset 'digg' in /home/customer/www/trainingtips.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/dpArticleShare/functions.php on line 238
Warning: Illegal string offset 'tumblr' in /home/customer/www/trainingtips.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/dpArticleShare/functions.php on line 239
Warning: Illegal string offset 'reddit' in /home/customer/www/trainingtips.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/dpArticleShare/functions.php on line 240
Warning: Illegal string offset 'buffer' in /home/customer/www/trainingtips.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/dpArticleShare/functions.php on line 241
Warning: Illegal string offset 'vk' in /home/customer/www/trainingtips.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/dpArticleShare/functions.php on line 242
Warning: Illegal string offset 'blogger' in /home/customer/www/trainingtips.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/dpArticleShare/functions.php on line 243
Warning: Illegal string offset 'linkedin' in /home/customer/www/trainingtips.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/dpArticleShare/classes/base.class.php on line 167
About Nicole LaBonde
Nicole LaBonde is a Health and Wellness entrepreneur and creatrix who has built a business from her experience as a professional in the fields of fitness, theatre, and nutrition. She’s been featured in SHAPE Magazine, Business Heroine, Philadelphia Magazine’s BeWell Blog, multiple media outlets on healing and transformation, and several ebooks on fitness. Currently, Nicole is applying her vast experience in these fields into a new passion, her work as a mind and body transformation coach. Her clients have found success in: weight loss, increased energy, public speaking confidence, social media marketing and more. Find out how to work with Nicole at www.nicolelabonde.com.
