Although life has become more convenient with the development of technologies such as computers and smartphones, side effects are also coming out one after another. A typical example is musculoskeletal disorders. Modern people who use computers and smartphones for a long time in a slouched posture suffer from posture changes such as turtle neck and round shoulders. Postural deformation weakens the muscle strength of the muscles that hold the correct posture, and is a risk factor that can eventually lead to musculoskeletal disorders.
Correcting bent posture, ‘strengthening core muscles’ is the key
In order to straighten a bent posture, you need to strengthen the core muscles, the erector spinae, abs, and glutes. As these muscles are responsible for maintaining posture, gait function, and maintaining a sense of balance, strengthening them with regular exercise can help with posture correction. In addition, training the core muscle improves insulin resistance and prevents a rapid rise in blood sugar by storing a larger amount of blood sugar in the form of glycogen in the enlarged muscle.
One of the representative exercises to strengthen the core muscles is the ‘gymball exercise’. If you use a soft, round gym ball to perform core exercise, you can increase the intensity of your workout and stimulate muscles you don’t normally use. In this process, it is possible to improve not only core muscles, but also lower body stabilization ability and whole body balance ability.
It is important to maintain a good posture when performing all exercises and to adapt it to your fitness level. In addition, it is good to proceed if you take a break if you are tired.
‘Plank’ exercise to strengthen the erector spinae muscles
Sit on your knees on the floor and place your elbows on the gym ball. Keep your elbows shoulder-width apart and your palms facing each other. Using both elbows and toes as support, take a prone position with your legs straight. At this time, the important thing is to keep the ‘head-pelvis-toe’ in a straight line. To do this, you need to strengthen your buttock muscles so that your lower back does not sag. Also, maintain the force that pushes the gym ball and body with your elbow so that the wingbones are flat. If you feel tightness in your abs and muscles after exercising, it is an exercise intensity that is appropriate for your physical strength.
Crunches to strengthen your core muscles
Lie on the floor with your knees bent at 90 degrees and place your feet on the gym ball. Push the ball down, straighten your knees, and at the same time raise your upper body with the force of your abdominals. At this time, it is important to lift the upper body to the extent that you do not feel pain in the neck and shoulders. It is recommended to do 3 sets of 10 repetitions of the crunch exercise.
‘Bridge’ exercise to strengthen the glutes
Lie on the floor and place both calves on the gym ball. Arms are naturally lowered by the sides of the body, palms facing the floor. Lift your hips toward the ceiling as if you are rolling up from your tailbone. Head-pelvis-toes are in a straight line and hold the posture for 2-3 seconds. When going down, place your buttocks on the floor as if you are putting your back down. For bridge exercise, 3 sets of 10 reps are recommended.