Nearly every major muscle in your body has a a corresponding muscle group that carries out the opposite function. Take your biceps and triceps: Their even matchup lets you bend and straighten your elbow without any thought. That's how it should work, at least. Unfortunately, everyday habits (like sitting at a desk), repetitive workouts (say, that marathon you're training for or your three-times-a-week spin class), and even your wardrobe (those skyscraper heels) can cause muscle weakness and threaten these partnerships. The result: One of the muscles becomes stronger and overpowers the other, a common condition known as muscular imbalance. Like any team, when there's a weak link, others have to compensate. "The danger of muscular imbalances is that they alter your natural movement patterns," says Karen Joseph, owner of Fountain of Fitness in Valrico, Florida. "Over time, they can pull bones and joints out of alignment, which often leads to pain and injury." They can also worsen poor posture and wreak havoc on your figure, says New York City-based personal trainer Melissa Paris. (Tight hip flexors, for example, can tilt your hips forward and give the look of a stomach pooch.) Correcting them, she adds, helps elongate your silhouette and—even better—can make you look five pounds lighter. Back in the day, the fix seemed simple: Isolate the pair and strengthen the weak muscle while leaving the other one alone. Experts now say it's far more complex. "Regional interdependence—how the position of one body part affects all others--demands that if one area of the body is out of balance, so is the rest of the body," says Indianapolis-based physical therapist Bill Hartman. That's because muscles, ligaments, tendons, and bones are all connected through an intricate system—known by trainers and doctors as the kinetic chain. When one piece of the puzzle is off, it starts a chain reaction through the rest of your body. So your back pain could actually stem from a problem with your shoulder, your knee, or even your shin. That said, knowing what imbalances you may have can help you ID what's causing your pain, says Jordan Metzl, M.D., author of The Athlete's Book of Home Remedies. "Even better, spotting them early can mean preventing future injuries." Take these self-tests, which focus on four common female imbalances. If an area is out of whack, work our fix into your total-body routine at least three times a week. BY CAITLIN CARLSON
A balanced upper body helps you stand taller, look leaner, and stave off shoulder and back pain. But many women prioritize their arms and abs over their back and chest, says Paris. Combined with spending hours hunched over a keyboard, it can cause what experts call a protracted shoulder girdle (what you know as rounded shoulders and slouchy posture). It's a sign that the muscles on the front of your body are tight, while your back muscles are weak. Test It:
Lie faceup with your arms by your sides, palms facing in (a) . Raise your arms overhead until they touch the floor (b) . If your back arches, your palms turn toward the ceiling, your elbows point outward, or you can't touch your arms to the floor, you need to improve this imbalance. Fix It:
Standing Chest Stretch:
Place your forearm on a wall, elbow bent 90 degrees. Lean forward until you feel a stretch in your chest; hold for 30 seconds, then switch sides. Bent-Over Row:
Lean forward to lower your chest toward the floor, holding dumbbells at arm's length. Raise them to your chest, then lower. That's one rep. Do 12 to 15.
Strong shin muscles may not get you noticed in short shorts, but neglecting them is a big mistake. This small muscle is critical for controlling your foot landing. When it's weak, your calf muscles must absorb the extra shock, which can lead to shin splints. Wearing high heels makes it worse: They keep your feet flexed, which weakens your shins and can shorten your calf muscles. Test It:
Stand with your back against a wall and your feet about a foot in front of you. Lift your toes as far as you can off the floor (a), then lower them to return to start (b). That's one rep. Do 15 to 20 as quickly as possible. If your pace slows, you can't raise your toes as high, or you can't finish the set, you need to strengthen your shins. Fix It:
Toe Raises:
Using a chair for balance, slowly raise your toes off the ground; slowly lower them. That's one rep. Do 15 to 20. Calf Stretch:
Stand an arm's length away from a wall and place one foot in front of the other. Bend your front knee, keeping your back knee straight and heel on the floor. Hold for 30 seconds; switch sides and repeat.
Out of the biological gate, women are more likely to be quad dominant (meaning they use their quads more than their hamstrings) than men are, says Mark Verstegen, founder of Athletes' Performance. "Wider hips throw off lower-body alignment and make it difficult for the posterior muscles, like your hamstrings, to work properly." Striking a more even balance can lower your risk for injury as well as increase your running speed and overall power. Test It:
Stand in front of a chair that's a foot from a wall, your toes six inches from the wall, feet hip-width apart, and arms raised overhead (a). Keeping your arms overhead and chest upright, squat into the chair (b). If you lose balance, raise your heels off the floor, or touch the wall, you likely have dominant quads. Fix It:
Stability-Ball Leg Curl:
Lie on the floor with your calves on a stability ball. Raise your hips, then pull the ball toward you. Return to start. That's one rep. Do 10 to 12. Standing Quad Stretch:
Raise one foot behind you until your knee is in line with your hips. Hold for 30 seconds; switch sides and repeat.
Your glute muscles are the powerhouse of your lower half, plus they help stabilize your hips and pelvis to keep your spine properly aligned. Yet most people don't train them enough, says Metzl. What's more, for every hour you log sitting down, your glutes lose strength and can eventually forget how to contract. That places extra strain on your hip flexors, which over time become short and tight, pulling your hips out of alignment and leading to a host of injuries.
Test It:
Lie on a bench, knees at your chest (a). Holding one knee, lower the other leg as far as possible while keeping it straight (b). Switch legs. If either leg doesn't rest on the bench, you likely have tight hip flexors (a sign of weak glutes).
Fix It:
Glute Bridge:
Lie faceup with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Raise your hips toward the ceiling; pause, then lower. That's one rep. Do 12 to 15.
Kneeling Hip Stretch:
Kneel with one foot on the floor in front of you. Push your hips forward to feel a stretch in your rear hip flexor. Hold 30 seconds.
Original article and pictures take www.womenshealthmag.com site
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