Latest news with #posture
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
This Is the Most Common Mistake People Make When Trying To Strengthen Their Core
This Is the Most Common Mistake People Make When Trying To Strengthen Their Core originally appeared on Parade. If you've landed on this page, you've likely been thinking about strengthening your core. Maybe you've always wanted six-pack abs, or perhaps better posture and a pain-free back is the goal. Whether you scroll through TikTok for fitness tips and advice or search the web, you've probably digested a bunch of information and don't know how to parse out what will actually make a difference and what's just another trend. What if we told you that one of the most commonly shared core tips might be doing little to actually strengthen your core overall? It's a bummer, but it's also never too late to start new and more well-rounded core strengthening tapped personal trainers to learn more about the most common mistakes people make when trying to strengthen their core and what you should do instead to deliver results while avoiding injury and exhaustion along the way. Ready to get your training core-ect? 🩺SIGN UP for tips to stay healthy & fit with the top moves, clean eats, health trends & more delivered right to your inbox twice a week💊 The Most Common Mistake People Make When Strengthening Their Core, According to Trainers Alexis Iannuci, NASM, CPT, a New York City-based certified personal trainer, warns that people need to stop focusing on only one or two core-strengthening moves.'One of the most common mistakes is heavily relying on just traditional ab exercises like crunches or sit-ups, [as] this isn't going to help engage your deep core muscles,' she explains. 'Many people associate visible abs with core strength and assume that more crunches equal better results. It's also what's often portrayed in the media and what would be considered traditional core exercises." In a nutshell, just because you see something on social media doesn't make it true. It doesn't help that people like instant gratification, and the results from crunches are more visible. 'It's easy to do a crunch and feel direct correlation with the muscles that you want to 'tone,'' says Maggi Gao, NASM, CPT, head kettlebell coach at Bell Mechanics. 'And it's the muscle that we tend to see the most improvement in definition in, so naturally we would want to just do what we think has a physical effect." Related: Trainers Are Begging You to Stop Making This Super-Common Exercise Mistake While it's not bad to want to tone your rectus abdominis or 'six pack' muscles, it's important to remember that training your core is important for a variety of reasons. 'If you don't practice exercises that hit all the muscles and functions of your core, then you'll have a higher chance of injury from an uncontrolled daily movement,' Gao explains. However, you don't have to go overboard to strengthen your core. Other Common Mistakes Trainers See Jane VanderVoort, NASM, CPT, CFSC, certified personal trainer and founder of Movement & Mindset, notes that another common mistake people make is rushing through their core exercises. You know what they say: Slow and steady wins the race. 'Slow down and move with more intention,' advises Vandervoort. 'It's better to do five amazing reps than 20 sloppy ones.' Keith Hodges, NASM, CPT, a Los Angeles-based performance coach and certified personal trainer, adds that another mistake people make when it comes to core exercises is doing them incorrectly and not seeking help if or when needed. Related: This Is the Best Workout Move for Core Strength, No Crunches Required What Should You Do Instead? This isn't all to say that you should completely cut out sit-ups and crunches from your exercise routine (or overcomplicate things), but instead ensure you're doing these moves correctly, slowly and in conjunction with additional exercises that target muscles other than the rectus abdominis, such as obliques, pelvic floor workouts, lower back exercises and moves that target the transverse abdominis.'Start with two or three exercises you like and get in tune with your core,' says Vandervoort. '[Ask yourself] 'How does it feel?' Can you feel when you lose the tension? Keep it slow, keep it intentional. Once you've mastered those, play around with a couple of other exercises and try to recreate that same feeling.' Related: 'I'm a Personal Trainer and This Is the One Workout I'll Never, Ever Do' 'In addition to your crunches, make sure to include planks, rotational movements (think cable rotations), and anti-rotational movements (think Pallof Press, a core exercise where you resist rotation while holding a resistance band or cable attached to an anchor point.),' advises trainer at Form Fitness Brooklyn. 'Also, don't forget how much your core can help you when squatting, deadlifting, etc.' Dead bugs are also popular (and effective). Along the same lines, maintaining proper form when completing core exercises is key. If you don't feel as though you're able to properly execute core exercises by yourself, seeking guidance from a professional such as a personal trainer can help. Stephen Holt, CSPS, personal trainer at and the owner of 29 Again Custom Fitness and Holly Roser, NASM, CPT, certified personal trainer and owner of Holly Roser Fitness Studios in New York City and San Francisco, emphasize the importance of stabilizing your core which is unlikely to happen if you're doing your core exercises incorrectly (and may even cause issues in the spine and lower back). Up Next:Sources: Keith Hodges, NASM CPT, a Los Angeles-based performance coach and certified personal trainer. Holly Roser, NASM CPT, a certified personal trainer and owner of Holly Roser Fitness Studios in New York City and San Francisco. Keri Harvey, NASM CPT, a trainer at Form Fitness Brooklyn. Alexis Iannucci, NASM CPT, a New York City-based certified personal trainer. Stephen Holt, CSPS, personal trainer at and the owner of 29 Again Custom Fitness. Jane VanderVoort, NASM CPT, CFSC, a certified personal trainer and founder of Movement & Mindset. Maggi Gao, NASM CPT, a head kettlebell coach at Bell Mechanics. This Is the Most Common Mistake People Make When Trying To Strengthen Their Core first appeared on Parade on Jul 20, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jul 20, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
The 1 Hairstyle That Can Wreck Your Body, According To Chiropractors
According to chiropractors, a certain go-to hairstyle could be doing more than looking cute. It's quick, easy and requires little-to-no hairstyling skills, but if you've been dealing with tension headaches, neck pain or poor posture, your high ponytail could be to blame. 'While tight hairstyles may seem like a minor habit, their cumulative effect on spinal health, muscle balance and neurological function can be significant,' said Sherry McAllister, president of the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress. Ahead, chiropractors explain why this seemingly innocent style could be wrecking your neck — and what you can do to minimize the damage without giving it up entirely. Are ponytails bad for your neck? While ponytails aren't inherently bad for your neck, high, tight ponytails can cause issues — especially when worn frequently. The average human head weighs about 10 to 12 pounds, and even small changes in head position can dramatically increase the load on your neck muscles and spine. High, tight ponytails pull the scalp and hair upwards and backward, 'which creates tension on the fascia (connective tissue) of the scalp,' said Liza Egbogah, a chiropractor and osteopath. 'This fascia is continuous with the muscles of the neck and upper back, and can become tight and strained as a result of tension on the fascia.' A high, tight ponytail can also affect posture and alignment in the cervical spine. This is because in order to reduce the ponytail-induced tension at the scalp, you may be subconsciously changing your head positioning and moving your head forward, which means 'the head slowly begins to shift from being in line with the shoulders to being in front of the shoulders,' Egbogah said. 'This forward head posture puts pressure on the cervical spine and, over time, can lead to a stiff neck, pain in the upper and mid-back, tension headaches, rolled forward shoulders and a hunched upper back.' One thing to note is that if you wear high, tight ponytails often, it can create chronic tension on the scalp and neck muscles, which can set you up for chronic tension headaches, McAllister said. 'Chiropractors often see patients with seemingly unrelated symptoms (like dull headaches) that are traced back to cumulative tension such as hair being pulled back too tight,' she added. Finally, wearing a tight, high ponytail can also impact the nerves in your scalp and neck, particularly if the style creates excessive pressure or tension over time. 'A tight hairstyle can cause the muscles at the base of the skull and upper neck to tighten up and compress the nerves running through them, which can cause tingling down the neck and/or into the upper shoulders,' Egbogah said. It can also affect your face. Other than posture, cervical spine alignment and tension, a high, tight ponytail can also affect the jaw. 'Since the fascia of the scalp is continuous with the jaw, this hairstyle can also cause jaw muscles to tighten up, leading to jaw pain and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) issues,' Egbogah said. This is because hair that's pulled back too tightly can create pressure on the temporal region, where some of the muscles involved in jaw movement are located. This can lead to tightness in the key muscles in this area that are responsible for chewing and jaw function, potentially causing jaw soreness, clenching or headaches that feel like they originate from the temples. How to tell if your ponytail is to blame for your pain: If you're experiencing head, neck or jaw pain and suspect your ponytail might be to blame, there are a few key signs that can help you tell if your hairstyle is the culprit. For one, if your discomfort lessens once you loosen the style or take your hair out, that could be a sign it's hairstyle-related. Also, if your scalp feels tender — especially near the base of the skull or behind the ears — or there is a pulling or burning sensation where the hair is tied, it's likely due to your hairstyle, Egbogah said. You can keep wearing a ponytail, but without the side effects. The good news? You don't have to forgo this hairstyle for good. McAllister suggested using a fabric scrunchie, as they 'allow the hair to slip a little, thus reducing the tension on the hair being pulled back,' she said. Also, avoid sleeping with a ponytail to alleviate tension on the hair follicles and scalp. If you're struggling with pain, you can try some at-home stretches for relief. A chin tuck, as recommended by McAllister, can help retrain your cervical alignment — simply straighten your back, tuck your chin, hold for five seconds and repeat 10 times. Egbogah said a pectoral stretch helps open up the pectoral muscles and drops the shoulders, thus easing neck tension and correct forward head posture. To do this, interlock your hands behind your back, keeping your arms straight while pulling your hands down towards the ground. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and hold for five seconds. 'You should feel a comfortable stretch through your chest,' Egbogah said. Related... Hair Trauma Is Very Real. Here's How We Can Heal From It. 4 Ingredients Hair Growth Experts Would Never Use On Their Scalp 24 Hair Products That Are Basically Bottles Of Pure Magic Hair Stylists Are Bracing For A Recession — And Noticing A Hot New Trend With Clients
Vogue Arabia
4 days ago
- Health
- Vogue Arabia
This 5-Minute Plank Routine Will Sculpt Your Body in 3 Weeks
How about starting your day with 5 minutes of plank exercise? That's what coach Nathalie Errandonea-Mewesfounder of fitness platform NRG BarreBody whose classes promise to give you "the elegance of a ballerina (Nathalie is a former ballet dancer) and the strength of an athlete". "Plank exercises are essential for strengthening deep muscles, especially the abdominals and back," she explains. They improve posture and reduce the risk of injury. By practicing regularly, we gain stability, tone and efficiency in her daily movements." By following a planking routine 3 to 5 times a week, for between 5 and 10 minutes, the first results can be seen on the body in 3 to 4 weeks, "with a firmer stomach and straightened posture", she details. "If you continue, you'll get better muscle definition in the trunk. This not only strengthens your physique, but also your self-confidence." On the program, then: "10 different variations of planks, 30 seconds each, 5 minutes to strengthen and shape your figure for summer." Practised in the morning, these exercises gently awaken the muscles, while establishing a regularity that will enable lasting results to be drawn without spending too much time on them, according to the coach. 10 plank exercises for rapid strengthening This move strengthens the core and shoulders while improving flexibility, stability and circulation. Start in high plank position: Hands under shoulders, body in a straight line from heels to head, abs engaged. Switch to downward dog: Push into hands, hips up to form an inverted "V", heels down. Return to plank: Bring the weight forward, shoulders over wrists, hips in line with for 30 seconds. 2. Bent-knee plank This movement strengthens the glutes and hamstrings, while challenging the core and stabilizing the hips. Start in a plank, knees bent close to the ground, arms straight, back straight, abs engaged. Extend one leg backwards in an arabesque, keeping your hips stable and straight. Bend the knee of the raised leg (towards the chest), then fully extend it again. Repeat for 30 seconds (15 seconds each leg). 3. High hip with rotation This movement improves hip mobility while strengthening the obliques and core stability. Start in high plank, hands under shoulders, body aligned, abs engaged. Bring one knee toward your chest, balancing on the other leg and hands. Gently turn your torso from left to right, opening your hip on the side of the raised leg. Alternate the movement, controlling the rotation and engaging the for 30 seconds (15 seconds each leg). 4. High hip with body-weight shift This movement strengthens the shoulders and core, and improves dynamic body coordination. Start in high plank, hands under shoulders, body straight, abs engaged. Bend both knees, keeping your back straight, then slowly shift your body weight to your feet. Regain momentum to push body forward, returning to high plank position, shoulders in line with wrists. Repeat movement: 30 seconds. 5. Lateral high plank This movement improves thoracic mobility while strengthening the obliques and lateral stability of the trunk. Start in high plank on one side, hand directly under shoulder, body aligned, feet stacked or slightly staggered. Twist your free arm under your body (Thread the Needle), keeping your hips elevated. Bring arm back to starting position, maintaining movement: 30 seconds (15 seconds each side). 6. Lateral hip on elbow This movement strengthens the hip abductors and obliques, and improves the body's lateral stability. Start in side plank on one elbow, elbow under shoulder, body aligned, feet stacked or slightly staggered. Slowly raise the outside leg upwards, keeping the body stable. Lower the leg gently without lowering the the movement for 30 seconds (15 seconds each side). 7. High hip with arms behind the back This movement develops core stability and strengthens the shoulders, while improving body balance. Start in high plank, hands under shoulders, body aligned from heels to head, abs engaged. Raise one arm and place it behind your back, keeping shoulders and hips stable and well aligned. Hold the position, without letting the body tilt or the movement: 30 seconds (15 seconds each side) 8. High plank with raised leg and fold-out This movement strengthens the glutes and hamstrings, and improves core and hip stability. Start in high plank, hands under shoulders, body aligned, abs engaged. Lift one leg back, keeping foot pointed and leg straight. Bend the knee of the raised leg (heel towards buttocks), then extend it again (fold out), keeping the raised leg arabesque. Keep hips and trunk stable for 30 seconds (15 seconds each side). 9. High hip with arabesque leg This movement strengthens the glutes, engages the core-stabilizing muscles and improves hip mobility. Start in high plank, hands under shoulders, body aligned, abs engaged. Raise one leg backwards in an arabesque (straight leg slightly raised). Bend the knee of the raised leg, bringing the knee towards the chest. Re-extend the leg behind you in arabesque, keeping control and stability of the the movement: 30 seconds (15 seconds each side). 10. Back elbows This movement deeply strengthens the abs and shoulders, while improving postural control and core stability. Start in a forearm plank, elbows under shoulders, body aligned from heels to head. Gently rock forward, rolling on your toes, shoulders slightly in front of your elbows. Move backwards, bringing the weight back towards the heels while keeping the body straight. Repeat for 30 seconds.
Vogue Arabia
4 days ago
- Health
- Vogue Arabia
We Have a Tech-Neck Problem — Here's How to Deal With It
Heads down, shoulders hunched, spines strained — welcome to the age where millennials and Gen Zs carry the weight of their digital lives on their shoulders…quite literally. The result? Tech or text neck. The epidemic can be attributed to mindless doom scrolling, binge-watching, or spiralling down the TikTok rabbit hole, where poor posture and unhealthy skin, specifically in the neck and chest region, await. 'Tech neck is a modern, 'trending' term used to describe neck and upper back pain, stiffness, and postural dysfunction caused by prolonged forward head posture often from looking down at phones, tablets, or laptops,' explains Florence Penny, consultant musculoskeletal physiotherapist and founder, Flow Physio London. The side effects of tech-neck Picture this: the head weighs 4.5 to 5.5 kgs, but for every inch it moves forward, the relative weight on the cervical spine doubles, putting continual stress on the neck. According to Penny, this isn't a 'new' problem. It's a modern evolution of classic postural imbalance that is simply amplified by the unrelenting presence of technology in our lives. 'Tech alone isn't to blame — we're moving less, exercising less, and carrying more day-to-day stress,' explains Penny. 'It's not the posture itself that causes harm, but the prolonged time spent in one static position, often under pressure, that creates strain on the body.' Tech neck isn't about posture; your skin gets caught in the crossfire, too. Dr Milena Al Mansuri, dermatologist and founder of Dubai's Milena Aesthetics Clinic, explains that the constant downward movement of the neck leads to horizontal lines known as 'neck rings' which accelerate skin laxity. 'Over time, these creases deepen, leading to premature ageing in an area we tend to overlook and forget.' Additionally, blue light from screens penetrates deeply into the skin, triggering oxidative stress and collagen breakdown. Dr Al Mansuri believes that the neck and decolletage are particularly vulnerable, often left unprotected and under-moisturised, leading to pigmentation, dullness, and thinning skin. The posture fix As a physiotherapist, Penny emphasises that people often overlook upper body and postural strength training. 'It's not just about stretching or sitting upright, but it's about challenging key muscles against resistance to build the strength needed for long-term postural support,' she explains. She recommends simple exercises like chin tucks, wall angels, and scapular retractions to help activate deep postural muscles and open up the spine, along with stretches for neck and thoracic extension to relieve built-up tension. 'For lasting change, I suggest a physiotherapy review, as a tailored strength programme is key in helping to rebuild the postural support system so that symptoms not only improve, but are less likely to return or become chronic.'
Yahoo
05-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Every breath you take affects how you move. Here's how to fix both
Dana Santas, known as the 'Mobility Maker,' is a certified strength and conditioning specialist and mind-body coach in professional sports, and is the author of the book 'Practical Solutions for Back Pain Relief.' If you've been dealing with persistent tension, poor posture or nagging pain, it's worth checking in on your breathing. How you breathe not only reflects your movement quality — it also holds the power to change it for the better. Most people understand breathing's role as a life-sustaining function with stress-relieving properties. (Think — deep inhale, deep exhale.) But the way you breathe can also reveal how efficiently and effectively you move — and improving your breathing can help your body break out of a bad cycle of tension, imbalance and strain. When breathing becomes shallow and rapid, it doesn't just affect oxygen exchange — it disrupts the foundation of how your body functions. That's why much of my work in professional sports focuses on teaching the fundamentals of breathing biomechanics. I've seen firsthand how poor breathing patterns lead to mobility limitations, posture problems, chronic pain and increased risk of injury. In today's high-stress, screen-focused world, these same dysfunctional breathing patterns are common across all walks of life. But you can address faulty breathing by developing a better awareness of your patterns and practicing proper technique for a few minutes every day. Here's how to unlock your superpower. Breathing is one of the body's most fundamental movement patterns — occurring on average more than 23,000 times a day — and the diaphragm's contractions play a key role. Under stress, however, your body naturally shifts into the nervous system's sympathetic or fight-or-flight mode, driving faster, shallower breaths from the upper chest. Over time, especially with chronic stress, this becomes the default breathing pattern. Your breathing becomes more vertical — up in your chest and neck — rather than expanding your lungs and rib cage horizontally. This upper-chest pattern bypasses your diaphragm, forcing muscles in your neck and shoulders to take over the work of pulling in each breath. When your diaphragm isn't functioning properly, it can't fulfill its secondary role as a postural stabilizer because true core engagement requires this large muscle to work in harmony with your deep abdominal and pelvic floor muscles. Because the diaphragm attaches to both your rib cage and your spine, poor engagement creates core instability and shifts your rib cage position. As your rib cage moves out of alignment, your spine and head follow, and because your shoulder blades glide over your rib cage, your shoulder position and function are also affected. Forward head posture develops as your neck extends and your rib cage lifts and flares. Moreover, rib mobility decreases, which restricts mid-back rotation and extension — essential for healthy movement patterns. Overall, mobility suffers and injury risk increases as your body reacts to increasing core instability by creating protective tension and muscular compensations — often straining the lower back. This creates a vicious cycle: Your breath affects your posture, your posture affects your breath, and both affect how you feel and move. People frequently try to address these problems with stretching or strength work alone, but without changing your breathing mechanics, you will remain stuck in dysfunctional patterns. One of the simplest ways to evaluate your breathing is by lying on your back with your knees bent and feet on the floor. Place your hands on your lower ribs on either side of the area where your rib cage splits below your sternum. Spend a few moments taking some deep breaths, noticing where the movement happens. If you experience tightening or movement in your neck, upper chest or shoulders, or your ribs barely move, those are signs you may be breathing shallowly and not using your diaphragm effectively. Rather than focusing on so-called 'belly breathing' — a term often used to encourage relaxation but biomechanically misleading — focus on rib mobility and diaphragm function. The slight expansion of your abdomen is the result of increased intra-abdominal pressure, not air filling your belly. Overemphasizing belly movement can inhibit proper rib cage expansion and diaphragm mechanics over time. Try taking a few more breaths, directing your breath into the lung space under your lower ribs. With each inhale, feel for lateral expansion of your ribs under your hands. With each exhale, feel your rib cage move down and your lower ribs move in, promoting a natural core engagement to support the movement. If you identified potential issues with your breathing pattern, the next step is learning to retrain it. While many people focus on taking deeper inhales to improve breathing, the real key to breaking dysfunctional patterns lies in how you exhale. It's the exhale that plays a pivotal role in regulating your nervous system, restoring diaphragm function and improving your tolerance for stress — both physical and emotional. When you exhale fully and slowly, you stimulate your parasympathetic nervous system, the branch responsible for calming your body and promoting recovery. A long, complete exhale also helps reset your diaphragm position, allowing it to contract more effectively on the next breath. Although oxygen tends to get most of the attention, this process is closely tied to carbon dioxide tolerance. CO₂ is what triggers the urge to breathe. But when you chronically overbreathe — taking in more oxygen than your body can use — you reduce CO₂ levels too quickly. This can make your chemoreceptors, the specialized sensors in your brain stem and arteries that monitor CO₂ levels in your blood, overly sensitive, causing feelings of breathlessness even when oxygen levels are adequate. Training yourself to tolerate slightly elevated carbon dioxide levels through long, slow exhales can improve your respiratory efficiency and build stress resilience. Sit comfortably with your hands on your lower ribs to monitor and guide movement. Inhale through your nose for a count of four. Exhale slowly through your nose or mouth (whatever feels best for you) for a count of eight. Pause briefly for a count of two at the end of the exhale. Repeat this pattern for 10 to 12 breaths, keeping your face, jaw, neck and shoulders relaxed. Practice this daily, gradually increasing to a 5:10 or 6:12 ratio as you build tolerance. This breathwork helps restore diaphragm function and rib mobility while retraining your nervous system to stay calm under pressure. The awareness and proficiency you develop through a regular breathwork practice becomes even more powerful when applied to physical activity. Integrating improved breathing mechanics into your daily life will make your movement feel more fluid, connected and efficient. Here are ways to apply better breathing during workouts: • Warm up with conscious breathing to create postural alignment, activate your core and increase focus. • Exhale on exertion: In strength training, exhale during the effort phase to engage your core and stabilize your spine. • Guide mobility with breath: During rotational or flexibility drills, use inhales to create space and exhales to deepen movement. • Breathe nasally during light to moderate cardio to improve oxygen utilization and maintain better breathing patterns. • Elongate exhalations to recover: Post-workout, practice the 2:1 exhale-to-inhale ratio to downregulate your nervous system. Remember, your breath isn't just a background function. By restoring proper breathing, you support better posture, deeper core strength, smoother movement and a more resilient nervous system. So the next time your neck feels tight or your shoulders ache, don't immediately try to stretch it out. Check your breath first. It may be telling you exactly what you need to know. Sign up for CNN's Fitness, But Better newsletter series. Our seven-part guide will help you ease into a healthy routine, backed by experts.
