stretches.
You also mention good posture – why is this important?
Good posture not only looks good, it also means you’re less likely to get back problems, your neck won’t ache, you won’t tire so easily and you will ease or even cure digestion and breathing problems. If you stand and sit correctly all your organs will be in their correct place, your muscles properly aligned and working correctly and, in turn, there won’t be any strain on your joints. Good posture depends on having strong back and abdominal muscles. Together, they keep you upright and nicely in balance.
Do I really need to learn how to stand, sit and walk?
You shouldn’t – after all, have you ever seen a young child with bad posture? However, as we get older many of us develop terrible posture. We stand for long hours with our weight balanced on one hip and knee, our spine twisted. We sit slumped in a chair, back curved, watching TV. We sit in car seats that are badly designed and put a huge strain on our middle and lower back. We sit at our desks all day, shoulders slumped forward, spine curved and stomach sagging. We even sleep on sagging mattresses with our backs bent and our necks twisted upwards on piles of pillows.
Well, how should I stand or sit then?
Stand with your feet hip-distance apart, your weight equally distributed, knees slightly relaxed and not pushed back and stiff. Your lower back should not be excessively arched in either a backward or forward direction. Try not to stand for long periods wearing high heels. Your shoulders should be back and down (not rounded forward or pulled back hard as if you’ve just joined the army). Your head, which is heavy, should be in the centre of your shoulders, not jutting forward. Your chin should be level, not up in the air. (Try it up – and feel the strain on the bones at the back of your neck. Now pull it far down and feel the strain on the muscles at the back of your neck.) Your neck has a natural curve that is designed to hold your head in the correct position. This is the basic position referred to throughout the curl exercises in this book.
Sit upright, back supported where possible, feet either flat on the floor in front of you or tucked back and balanced on the balls. Your stomach should be tucked in, buttocks against the back of the chair or a wall, hands resting lightly on thighs. If you have no back support, remember the Victorians. They used their muscles to hold them in an upright position – one thing they didn’t do was slump or slouch.
So many people today shuffle around as if they are worn out, their head, belly and shoulders all aiming towards the ground, their backs rounded. They look as if they lack energy and drive – and it’s not surprising.
Learn to stand and sit correctly and you will be amazed at the change, not only in your appearance but also in your attitude and motivation. You will discover energy you never knew you had. And ab training really helps by first of all strengthening all the muscles that help keep your body upright and properly aligned. Add some back training and you will immediately notice a remarkable difference.
The illustrations opposite show how you should sit and stand.
The purpose of warming up is self-explanatory: it is to make the body ready for exercise by raising the body temperature (and that of the joints and muscles, which will help prevent injury) and to promote good aerobic circulation. First you need to do some mild aerobic exercise to oxygenate the blood, to get the circulation going and to speed up your metabolism – brisk walking or running on the spot are both very effective.
You should never stretch cold. If your curl programme is not part of an overall exercise session working other muscles, or starts your workout, you should first do some mild aerobics, as described above, for about five minutes before stretching.
After your mild aerobic warm-up, it will be beneficial to spend just a few minutes sitting cross-legged on the floor, hands gently resting on your thighs, back straight, eyes focused straight ahead while you concentrate on some deep breathing and relaxing your muscles. Don’t go into a meditative state – you need to keep your energy up – and don’t stay there too long or you will cool down.
Now you’re ready to stretch. Stretching is the best overall way of preparing the body for curls. It makes for greater overall flexibility, avoids damaging the muscles you will be working, reduces muscle tension, helps the circulation and clears the mind so that you are able to concentrate on your body and breathing.
Stretching should be slow and steady and never forced. Each stretch should be held for a maximum of ten counts since extreme flexibility is not what is required.
If you find any particular area is still stiff after the warm up, then repeat the warm-up exercise for that area
Sideways Neck Relax
The purpose of this stretch is to relax the neck muscles so that they don’t tense up during your curl programme. This is important since the neck can suffer strain during a lift – either because you are still inexperienced and pull on it with your hands, or because the muscles are not strong enough yet to fully support the weight of your head during some of the unsupported lifts. For this reason it is vital to always treat your neck with consideration and to get your posture right during the exercises.
Begin
You will already be seated cross-legged on the floor in the correct position for this if you have gone through your short preparation stage (Chapter 1: Warming Up). Make sure that your shoulders are down and relaxed and your abdomen lifted.
Next
Lower your head gently to your left shoulder, keeping the shoulders firmly down. Now bring your head smoothly up and lower to the right shoulder.
Do this 8–10 times on each side, avoiding jerky movements.
The Shoulder Shrug
This stretch has the multiple effect of loosening the shoulders, neck and upper back.
Begin
Sit cross-legged on the floor with your back straight, your abs tucked in and up and your shoulders back. Let your arms hang down and forward, with your hands loosely hanging over your knees.
Next
Shrug both your shoulders up towards your ears. Hold. Release and repeat. To vary this a little as you release the shrug, try rolling your shoulders back and down.
Repeat 8–10 times.
Shoulder Back Pull
During curl exercises there is always a temptation to round your shoulders up and forwards to help with the lift, instead of relying solely on your abs. To