What? Posture? There are so many reasons for exercising! One of the most surprising benefits I have experienced in the past three months has been a dramatic improvement in my posture. When I first started, I didn’t give my core or back strength much thought. I, like many Spokane women, started out the New Year with a resolution to exercise three times a week. When we choose to exercise, it might be because we need to lose weight, need to tone up, or we want to look good in our clothes. It could be because we want to improve our heart health, we want to be healthier overall, live longer, or be stronger. Our reasons could be as simple as needing a boost in our energy or our confidence. For me, the reasons for exercising were all of the above!

But one of the most overlooked (and for me, unexpected) benefits has been a major improvement in my posture.

With many Americans spending hours daily hunched over their PC at work and at home, taking time to think about and care for your back and neck has never been more important. Everything we do -from sleeping, to driving our cars, or sitting a bus, carrying purses or book bags, and working at a desk- will have some impact on our posture. And yet, so often we never give our back health or posture a second thought until we start to feel pain or have trouble sleeping or sitting.

Have you ever wished you had a strong, sexy back and shoulders? Or that you could wear a backless dress or bathing suit designed to show off your back? Great posture is beautiful, but that’s not all!

improve your posture with strength training

Having strong, correct posture helps you to workout correctly. And working out correctly helps you to improve, strengthen, and correct your posture.

We can take advantage of opportunities to work and strengthen our back muscles to avoid the problems that are caused by poor posture. With Zach Hunt at Physzique in Liberty Lake, I work my back, core muscles, arms, and shoulders every time I work out. At Physzique we are utilizing a full range of tools for each workout, including cardio, weights, and stability balls. Because I spend my work hours at a desk, this exercise three times a week has become essential to me. I have noticed my posture while sitting at my desk is markedly improved because of my workouts. I love how I feel when I use these often-overlooked muscles.

Besides doing the correct strength and cardio exercises in the correct way, another important consideration to improving posture is chiropractic care.

You may not always need it, but occasionally as you begin to strengthen and improve your back muscles, chiropractic care can help. If you are in need of chiropractic care, find a Spokane practitioner who will use both massage and spinal manipulation to get you straightened out and in the best possible alignment so that you can continue with your fitness training in optimum form. If your chiropractor does not offer massage, ask for a referral to a qualified massage therapist. Exercise, massage, and chiropractic alignment all work together to maintain your posture and wellness. Ready for a great workout in Spokane? Call Physzique today to learn how to improve and strengthen your posture, gain energy, sleep better, and feel great!

Traditional Spokane wedding dresses are heavy. The fabric itself is heavy and often hot, and then you pile it on in layer after layer, add beading, lace and bows, and it can feel like it weighs a ton! Not only are you expected to walk gracefully in your Spokane wedding dress, but then you are supposed to dance in it without falling on your rear. They are so heavy that many women have taken to changing out of their Spokane Wedding Dress and into something a little more forgiving. You only get to wear this dress once (for the most part) so why not make sure you are strong enough to truly enjoy wearing it, and wear it through your Spokane Wedding Ceremony and your Spokane Wedding Reception?

How can strengthening my core help me wear my Spokane Wedding dress all day?

To be able to wear your Spokane Wedding dress throughout your ceremony and Spokane Wedding Reception, you need to build your core strength – the “core” actually consists of many different muscles that stabilize the spine and pelvis and run the entire length of the torso. These muscles stabilize the spine, pelvis and shoulder and provide a solid foundation for movement in the extremities. By making sure these muscles are fit and strong, you will ensure that your heavy Spokane wedding dress won’t wear you out and drag you down, and can help reduce back pain you may experience while wearing your Spokane Wedding Dress.

What is the best way to strengthen my core for my Spokane Wedding?

There are several exercises you can do to strengthen your core muscles, such as:

• - Abdominal Bracing - This is the main technique used during core exercise training. It refers to the contraction of the abdominal muscles. To correctly brace, you should attempt to pull your navel back in toward your spine. This action primarily recruits transverse abdominus. Be careful not to hold your breath – you should be able to breathe evenly while bracing.
  - Plank Exercise:
  - Side Plank Exercise:
  - The Basic Push Up
  - Back Bridge
  - Hip Lift
  - Russian Twists
  - Squats
  - V-sits
  - Lunges
  - Side Lunges
  - Back Extensions
  - Push Ups.

Other exercises that will help strengthen your core involve Spokane exercise equipment:

• - Medicine Balls
  - Kettlebells
  - Stability Balls
  - Balance Products such as the Bosu Ball, balance boards, wobble boards and others
  - Dumbbells

With all of these exercises, it would be very easy to harm yourself if you don’t execute them properly. Working with your personal trainer in Spokane Wa is the best way to make sure you don’t cause more harm than good. Make sure to visit Zach Hunt with Physzique Personal Training in Spokane Wa to get started today!