Maintaining good posture will keep you from getting injured, ward off back pain and add many more years to your Zumba life. Here is my back posture exercise:
Check out my video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsSnRS1nCYg&list=UU2XDpjDVVmZyrrg3s9UADjg&index=1
Let's start with the head and work our way down.
Head: Don't slip into the habit of allowing a forward head position. Most people need to slide their chin backward so their head is sitting on top of their spine. You ears should be over your shoulder. The back of your head should be lined up with the back of your heels. Try standing agaist a wall and make the back of your head and your heels touch the wall at the same time. And don't look down. Look straight ahead!
Neck: You want your neck to look long. If you shoulders are hunched up, it will make your neck look short.
Shoulders: So press your shoulders down. Imagine someone is standing on your shoulders. Or imagine you are holding heavy weights in your hands and it makes your shoulders fall down from gravity. Many people store their stress and tension in their shoulders by hunching them up. Avoid this. Also, you need to roll your shoulders back so your chest is not hidden.
Chest: Imagine a balloon is on your chest and lifting it up. Now you can breathe better and fill your lungs with more oxygen.
Pelvis: Tuck your pelvis in, so you are not standing with a swayback.
Back: The small of your back, right above your butt, should be close to vertical. This will make your butt look a little smaller and protect your lower back. You also want to focus on the small of your back. This section of your body is your power house. If you place the palm of your hand on the small of your back, you should press your back against your hand, to fill up your hand. Feel the energy coming out of the small of your back and filling up your hand. This will keep anyone from pushing your forward. It will help your balance. It will help you be aware of where your body is in relation to the room and where your back is in relation to the body. It is essential to partner dancing by creating a connection with your partner so you can lead and follow. It will help you in other sports as well. And it will ward off low back injury.
Abs: Pull your belly button in toward your spine. Then imagine how your abdominal muscles are divided into a right side and a left side. Focus on curling the right and left sides toward the center.
Feet: For general every day life, you want to be standing over your arches. You want your weight even distributed through your foot. Don't have all your weight on the balls of your feet. If you do, your body will pitch forward. You want your ears over shoulder, shoulder over hips, hips over knees, knees over arches of feet. If you are Latin dancing however, you want to be pitched forward, with more weight on the balls of your feet; this dancing was designed with high heels in mind.
Check out my video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsSnRS1nCYg&list=UU2XDpjDVVmZyrrg3s9UADjg&index=1
Let's start with the head and work our way down.
Head: Don't slip into the habit of allowing a forward head position. Most people need to slide their chin backward so their head is sitting on top of their spine. You ears should be over your shoulder. The back of your head should be lined up with the back of your heels. Try standing agaist a wall and make the back of your head and your heels touch the wall at the same time. And don't look down. Look straight ahead!
Neck: You want your neck to look long. If you shoulders are hunched up, it will make your neck look short.
Shoulders: So press your shoulders down. Imagine someone is standing on your shoulders. Or imagine you are holding heavy weights in your hands and it makes your shoulders fall down from gravity. Many people store their stress and tension in their shoulders by hunching them up. Avoid this. Also, you need to roll your shoulders back so your chest is not hidden.
Chest: Imagine a balloon is on your chest and lifting it up. Now you can breathe better and fill your lungs with more oxygen.
Pelvis: Tuck your pelvis in, so you are not standing with a swayback.
Back: The small of your back, right above your butt, should be close to vertical. This will make your butt look a little smaller and protect your lower back. You also want to focus on the small of your back. This section of your body is your power house. If you place the palm of your hand on the small of your back, you should press your back against your hand, to fill up your hand. Feel the energy coming out of the small of your back and filling up your hand. This will keep anyone from pushing your forward. It will help your balance. It will help you be aware of where your body is in relation to the room and where your back is in relation to the body. It is essential to partner dancing by creating a connection with your partner so you can lead and follow. It will help you in other sports as well. And it will ward off low back injury.
Abs: Pull your belly button in toward your spine. Then imagine how your abdominal muscles are divided into a right side and a left side. Focus on curling the right and left sides toward the center.
Feet: For general every day life, you want to be standing over your arches. You want your weight even distributed through your foot. Don't have all your weight on the balls of your feet. If you do, your body will pitch forward. You want your ears over shoulder, shoulder over hips, hips over knees, knees over arches of feet. If you are Latin dancing however, you want to be pitched forward, with more weight on the balls of your feet; this dancing was designed with high heels in mind.
