Shoulder extension exercises are the best exercises to fix rounded shoulders
It is known that shoulder extension exercises can correct rounded shoulders and fix shoulder posture and forward head posture.
Shoulder extension is the movement of your arms from the sides of your body to the back.
95% of the population spend their time with hunched shoulders over a computer or their phones for the better part of the day, which is one of rounded shoulders causes. In March, we focus on shoulder exercises for forward head posture and rounded shoulders to correct bad posture. Shoulder extension exercises are the best posture corrector for rounded shoulder and forward head posture.
Over time, long hours in a rounded shoulders or forward flexed shoulder position leads to a kyphotic posture, which brings about issues such as:
If left untreated, this bad shoulder posture of rounded shoulders and forward head may eventually become permanent leading to chronic neck and shoulder aches and pains due to long term tightness and stiffness of the neck and shoulder area.
Shoulder exercises fix rounded shoulders posture and comes in handy to help open up the tight chest muscles while strengthening the weaker muscles of the back.
Shoulder extension exercises increases the mobility and flexibility of the shoulder joint, which decreases the risk of shoulder or neck injuries, as well as stiffness on the back and shoulders. It is important to do shoulder stretches regularly to ensure the range of movement is not affected. Limited range of movement puts stress on the shoulder joint and may cause injuries easily. The same shoulder exercises to correct rounded shoulders can also increase the mobility of your shoulder joint.
Besides helping to correct shoulder posture and reduce rounded shoulder posture, shoulder exercises also tone your triceps and latissimus dorsi muscles - say bye to bat-wings arms and bra bulge!
After knowing the benefits of shoulder exercises, let us look at the anatomy of the shoulder exercises. Understanding the anatomy of shoulder exercises and shoulder stretches help you to target the muscles better and have a more effective workout.
The primary muscles used in a Shoulder Extension are: Latissimus Dorsi (Lats), Triceps, Lower Trapezius, Posterior Deltoids and Rhomboids.
To reduce the painful and uncomfortable symptoms of rounded shoulders and forward head posture, our aim is to strengthen the shoulder extensors listed above, and lengthen the front muscles such as the pecs and biceps.
A basic strengthening shoulder stretch you can do daily at home is a bilateral shoulder extension.
To further strengthen the shoulder extensors against gravity, try the superman. Superman is one of the most effective shoulder exercises to correct rounded shoulders.
As you get stronger, progress to a reverse plank to challenge the strength of your posterior deltoids while opening up the chest:
Simply take 5 mins a day to do the first 2 shoulder exercises / shoulder stretches daily (6-8 reps) to improve shoulder flexibility and strength in the shoulder extensors, and eventually build a better posture!
You may choose to add the third shoudler exercise if you have more time, or whenever you are comfortable to increase the difficulty of the shoulder exercise.
Here are some tips to ace this month's shoulder extension flow in class:
If you want to improve your rounded shoulders and forward head posture or tone up your triceps and lats, our Instructors can help you to accelerate your recovery and performance by using Pilates Reformer machines.
Give us a call/whatsapp us to book your next Pilates Reformer Flow Class! See you soon!
Find out about the Flow Challenge and how you can get FREE CLASSES every month!
Do each of the shoulder exercises 8 - 10 times for each side. It will take you 5 - 8 minutes. You should do it on the floor with the support of a Yoga/Pilates mat or a soft towel on a carpeted floor. These shoulder exercises should not be performed on the bed! You can do these shoulder exercises first thing in the morning to increase flexibility of your shoulder joint or at the end of the day to stretch out those tired muscles.
If you want to improve your rounded shoulders and forward head posture or tone up your triceps and lats, our Instructors can help you to accelerate your recovery and performance by using Pilates Reformer machines.
Give us a call/whatsapp us to book your next Pilates Reformer Flow Class! See you soon!
Find out about the Flow Challenge and how you can get FREE CLASSES every month!
We all have different body shapes and sizes; broad or narrow shoulders, big or small curves of our waist and/or butt, long/short legs or torso, and the list goes on. In Pilates, regardless of what body shape you are, our aim is to condition the body to a good alignment, which is a neutral spinal alignment. However, daily activities such as working for long hours at the desk, standing for prolonged periods, or carrying heavy loads (like your toddler) may cause spinal misalignment, resulting in tension in the shoulders or back as the body tries to compensate for the deviation.
Kyphosis is also known as a 'hunchback' , while lordosis is an exaggerated curve of the lower back (Candice is a sufferer!). As Pilates instructors, we often analyze our clients’ postures to check for postural problems by following a standardized guideline.
However, it is important to note that only doctors are allowed to diagnose such conditions, so the best we can do is to advise you on the possibility of having this condition.
Postural Kyphosis is characterized by an excessive curve of the upper back that forms a hump, and accompanied by the rounding of shoulders forwards. Desk-bound workers are more prone to develop this condition due to long hours in poor posture, which causes a weakening of the muscles and ligaments in the back and tight chest muscles.
To correct this posture, we want to focus on exercises that strengthen the back muscles and open up the chest.
A few examples of such exercises performed during Pilates Fitness classes are:
The tendency of developing this condition is higher if you often wear high heels or are pregnant, so be sure to watch out for signs of lordosis. A person suffering from lordosis will usually have lower back pains and tightness in the hip flexors, as the pelvis is tilted forward.
Here are 3 examples of how Pilates exercises can help someone with lordosis:
Swayback is characterized by:
- a slight rounding of the shoulders
- an extended neck forwards
- a flattened lower back
Sedentary individuals are most prone to having a swayback posture, and usually have weak muscles in the abdominals, neck and upper back, as well as tight hamstrings and lower back.
Most of our clients would be familiar with the Hip Roll, which is a great strengthening exercise for people suffering from Swayback as it strengthens the glutes (butt muscles) and hamstrings while increasing hip mobility.
With consistent and accurate practice of Pilates, you can correct your posture to return to its ideal alignment by reducing muscle imbalances, which also means putting an end to body aches and pains!
How does stress cause one to gain weight? While the immediate response to acute stress may be a temporary loss of appetite, and therefore a possible weight loss; for some people, chronic stress may result in stress-eating, which results in weight gain.
Some of us swear by a tub of ice-cream or pack of potato chips to help relieve stress, but we all know that doesn’t bode well for our waistlines... What else can we do to overcome stress-induced weight gain?
Instead of stress-eating, try these methods:
Exercise is the best method to beat stress-induced weight gain as it releases endorphins, which have natural stress-fighting properties and helps to lower stress hormone (cortisol) levels.
The main cause of stress-induced weight gain are carb cravings induced by cortisol, which encourages your body to store fat - especially visceral fat - which is particularly dangerous as it surrounds vital organs and releases fatty acids into your blood. Regular exercise can serve to repress appetite increase and stop carb cravings by controlling insulin and blood sugar levels.
Studies have shown that getting an average of 6½ hours each night can increase cortisol levels, leading to a bigger appetite, and eventually weight gain. Try to get at least 7-9 hours of sleep to help curb those cravings! If you have to pull an all-nighter for work, school or party - or all of the above - try to repay the sleep debt with a few nights of solid sleep to bring your hormones back into balance!
Foods that are high in dietary fibre include fresh fruit and vegetables, fish, yoghurts, brown rice, whole-wheat/whole-grain products. Including more high-fiber foods in your diet helps to curb carb cravings as it tends to be more filling than low-fiber foods. You’ll be more likely to eat less and stay satisfied longer, which aids in weight loss in the long run! Read more benefits of high-fiber foods here.
Schedule a time-out from hectic days to help you unwind and re-focus. Choose activities that are unrelated to food, such as taking a hike, reading a book, getting a massage or taking your dog out for a walk. Leisure activities may seem like the last thing on your mind with looming deadlines, but taking a breather helps you to feel refreshed and improves your mood, so you are less likely to overeat.
The act of de-cluttering your home may serve as a therapeutic experience. Being organized makes us feel more in control of our lives, which allows us to be better prepared when faced with stress.
According to a study in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, women who described their homes as “cluttered” had higher levels of cortisol compared to women who felt their homes were “restful” and “restorative”.
Share with us your favorite stress-reducing activities and tag us @sgpilatesfitness on Instagram!
HELLO!
Do you know we started Pilates Fitness Monthly Flow Challenge back in 1 October 2015? It's been almost 10 years! We are glad that our members are still motivated by Monthly Flow Challenge and continue to benefit from it through the thousands of FREE classes we give out monthly.
Start acting by block booking the recommended classes till November 2015!
With planning, determination and execution, you would not only be able to complete Flow Challenge, but also get a fit and pain-free body.
We have exactly 19 days to go before we end the 28 Days Pilates Challenge!
We hope that you are seeing the results from following our workout plans. As your fitness, strength and stamina improve, you may face what we call the fitness plateau - working hard as normal but seeing very little results. At this point in time, integrating your workout routine with high intensity workouts will push you past the plateau into the next stage.
We have prepared 3 workout plans to meet 3 fitness goals, namely:
We have also uploaded 2 HIIT Mat Pilates workouts into our Youtube channel.
The easier version is the 10 minutes HIIT Mat Pilates with 40 seconds workout and 20 seconds rest. The more intensive version is the the 10 minutes HIIT Mat Pilates with 50 seconds workout and 10 seconds rest.
Follow these workout plans to get your fat burn going and body aches melting away!
With planning, determination and a little strategy, you would not only be able to complete the 28 Days Pilates Challenge, but also get a fit and pain-free body ready for the year end celebrations.
Remember to do your Body Composition Analysis every week to track your progress! You can use your unique ID, to see how you pit against other challengers at our scoreboard.
Pilates exercises strengthen the diaphragm, stretch tight muscles, and improve posture—all of which help you run longer with less effort.
Development Of A Strong Core And Postural Awareness Reduce Injuries
Pilates exercise is a good conditioning and cross-training program for runners especially marathon runners. As running exerts great stress on the lower back and lower joints, any imbalance in the muscular usage of the legs and hips can cause pain and injury to a runner. Pilates is very effective at developing the stabilization muscles around the pelvis and strengthening the core. Pilates also emphasizes the awareness of good posture so that your upper body is more upright, leading to a better alignment and less chance of injury while running.
Flexibility Gives You Bigger & More Powerful Strides
Pilates improves flexibility and range of motion without compromising strength as you are strengthening and stretching your muscles simultaneously. Especially if you run on uneven ground or trails, a strong and flexible core will protect your back and absorb shock impact that comes with every step. It is important to balance your body and train muscles that may be neglected when you do your runs.
Pilates Helps Runners Breathe Deeper To Sustain Longer Runs
Is there a perfect way for runners to breathe when they run? Some runners take deep breathes for the majority of their run and switch to high-chest breathing when they sprint. There are many ways to breathe for different outcomes and Pilates can help you to develop stronger breathing muscles. Pilates which involves deep diaphragmatic breathing pre-activates the transverse abdominals, pelvic floor and diaphragm. It creates an even and sustained breath and this can prevent you from getting side cramps when running; as it is like a deep massage for the diaphragm and other breathing muscles. It also heightens your concentration and allows better mental focus.
Pilates Reduces Running Injuries And Is An Excellent Knee Rehabilitation Program
Knee joint, being the largest and most complicated joint in the body, is always subjected to a heavy workload during all the sports activities, especially running. Pilates is the most important way to keep away from knee injuries as it strengthens the hip adductors and quadriceps which keeps the knee and hip joints more stable. Pilates works well as a part of knee rehabilitation as it helps to restore the joint function and correct the joints movement patterns by emphasizing body awareness.
In short, Pilates enhances the biomechanics of the runner, build strength, increase flexibility and reduces the risk for common injuries associated with running. Doing Pilates two to three times a week would be the best for runners. Integrates Pilates into your current running program right now to further enhance your running performance!
Integrating running, weight lifting exercises with core strengthening exercises such as Pilates exercises is useful to even out the muscles imbalances and strengthen your knee joint and ankle joint. Note that it is important that you carry out Pilates exercises under guidance of qualified instructor.
Pilates Exercises such as SingLe Leg Stretch is useful in stretching your hip flexors (which are generally tight for marathon runners) and promoting proper tracking of patella (knee cap), working the intrinsic muscles around your knee joint to prevent runner knees. In addition, mobilizing your legs in a flexion position also work out your abs and back muscles.
STARTING POSITION
Supine with upper body flexed off mat. Imprinted position. Legs tabletop. Hands resting against outside of legs, scapulae stabilized.
Inhale to prepare
Step 1: Exhale
Extend one leg out on diagonal, moving outside hand to ankle, inside hand to knee of flexed leg
Step 2: Inhale
Begin to switch legs and hands
Step 3: Exhale
Fully extend other leg, changing hands to flexed leg.
Step 4: Inhale
Begin to switch legs.
Complete 8–10 repetitions.
Cultivating good posture and incorporating core strengthening exercises such as Pilates exercises will help you to run faster, longer without sustaining injuries.
