Runners: How Your Posture Defines Your Run

Training requires a lot of focus on your entire body, and how each part works together to propel you forward. Your breathing plays a major role, but did you know that good posture is a vital part to encouraging proper breathing? Here is how standing up straight can powerfully impact your performance: Your diaphragm is a dome-shaped muscle which lies just under your ribcage. This muscle is responsible for your inhalation and exhalation by inflating and deflating your lungs. Getting in enough oxygen helps keep blood flowing to your diaphragm to keep the whole system functioning, and keeps every muscle working correctly to make you faster and stronger. So we know breathing is important, but getting your lungs to inflate fully comes down to a matter of posture. Your ribcage needs to be upright and open and not slumped down and closed. A lot of runners get worn out and their posture starts to sag, which causes poor breathing and an increase of cramping. Simple exercises can help fix your poor posture habits. Get on a floor mat and try bent over rows, planks or bench presses to strengthen your back. Focus on good neck and ribcage alignment when you do these. Gentle lumbar rotations can be effective when done before and after your run. It will take practice to perfect your posture, but it is very important to maintaining good running form and preventing problems later in life. What are some tricks you have used to fix your posture? Source: The Guardian