By David Tepera, September 12, 2017
Lately, I’ve been really studying people’s actions and postures as they go through daily life. I’ve come to the conclusion that most people, if not all of us, seem to perform tasks with as little effort as possible.
For example, when you bend over to pick something up, do you bend your knees and go into a squat? Or, do you just reach down sticking your booty up in the air? Besides looking funny, it’s not doing your back any favors.
When carrying something heavy, do you let your shoulders slump over with arms fully extended? Or, do you keep your posture up straight and hold the item close to your torso?
From those two examples just listed, if you would pick up and hold things properly, it would strengthen muscles and develop a stronger core.
Bending with your knees develops stronger leg and butt muscles. Keeping a straight posture while holding items correctly develops stronger shoulders, chest and biceps.
This doesn’t just happen in daily life, I see it all the time in the gym. Most people have horrible postures while picking up weights and dumbbells. Most injuries in the gym are due to poor posture and incorrect lifting habits.
If you frequent the gym, have you noticed the lazy inconsiderate people who leave their weights on the machine? I have a real issue with this, but that rant is for another day.
What’s the speed of your pace while walking? Are you one of those slow-moving people who shuffle their feet that I always get stuck behind? Or, do you have quick steps because you’re trying to get from point A to point B as fast as possible?
You’d be surprised how daily living can be turned into a workout. Even your metabolism would kick-in and burn more fat.
Start paying attention to yourself. I promise, you’ll catch all the obvious mistakes and realize you have lazy habits. Believe me, I catch myself all the time, but I’ve become aware and I’m doing my best to correct it.
Now, let’s all do our best each day and strive for a healthy active life.