These are 3 key points which any professional athlete should know and implement in their practice:
1. Stretching needs
Stretching needs to be done in a scientific manner. They need to be done in the correct order on well-determined muscle groups to restore optimal alignment of the major joints. Like this, it will restore elastic properties to the fascia (a sheet or band of fibrous connective tissue) which binds everything in your body.
Also, if done correctly, it will generate energy due to the piezoelectric effect. Consequently, you will have more energy to invest in your training. Furthermore, you will waste less energy by keeping muscle tone high in certain facilitated muscles, like your lower back muscles.
In short, you need to identify and stretch the exact muscle groups in order optimize your posture and improve performance.
2. Breathing mechanics
Breathing mechanics play a huge role in activating certain muscle groups. Bear in mind that breathing is the number one factor in determining your posture. In fact, your body will sacrifice almost every other body part in order to keep the breathing going. You would be surprised how many elite athletes have improper breathing patterns. Performance greatly improves once you re-train the breathing mechanics.
In essence, exhalation is coupled with going into the fetal position, while inhalation is coupled with the extension or spreading out of the body. So by learning how to take in air correctly and tie it in with your specific moves, then you get more energy in. As a result, you’ll increase movement efficiency. And what makes every champ great is when they make it look easy!
3. Twisting the torso
Twisting your torso has a great effect on your digestive system. Whereas, a high volume of training can take its toll on the performance. It will also affect the health of your natural power plant – an engine or other apparatus which provides power for a machine. It also affects your endocrine system.
Training is catabolic, meaning it’s breaking down your tissue and depleting your energy. Twisting motions determine torso deformation. So by knowing when to include them, you will be able to better integrate your practice and recovery. Thus you will be able to keep your health optimal and your training efficient. Bear in mind that visceral health is vital to muscle function. That means, that the body will inhibit certain muscles in favor of keeping the organs going.
Try to implement all I’ve said!
If the above information seems like the tip of the iceberg, it is! However implementing this to your benefit can be easier than you might think. Even a 3 minute breathing exercise coupled with gentle mobilization of your lumbar spine in a twisting motion can have a great effect. It will lower the effects of stress on your body and improve energy levels. At the same time it will unlock the next level of performance for you.
You could be optimizing your results, overall state of health and day to day level of stress by paying some attention to the foundation of performance, your posture.
If you’re interested to find out more about correcting muscle imbalances you can get access to my online course – How To Get Rid Of Back Pain And Unleash Your Full Potential – here.
Also, if you are interested to find out more about posture, but also about nutrition, you can listen to my podcast here.
If you have any questions on how to improve posture, please leave us comments below.