How I Overcame Lazy This Week: Zzzzzip it!

The following is the Lazy Trainer version of the above clip:

 

Lazy Me:  Why settle for abdominal bracing exercises when I could skip straight to full on... (pinky to corner of smirking mouth) sit-ups.

Smart Me:  Abdominal bracing is more important than you think, Indolent Ovaries (my adaptation of the NN insult).
Lazy Me:  All right, zip it.
Smart Me: Every ab exercise should, in fact, start with ab bracing...
Lazy Me:  Zzzzzip it.
Smart Me:  We should have braced abs any time we do ANY exercise...
Lazy Me:  Ladies and gentlement of the jury... exZIPit A.
Smart Me:  Any exercise physiologist will back me up on this...
Lazy Me:  Look at me, I'm Zippy Longstocking.
Smart Me:  Even when we're just sitting we should...
Lazy Me:  When a problem comes along you must ZIP IT.

Okay, okay, enough of that.  I certainly want to stop before coming up with an reenactment of the "zipple" portion of that clip.

The zipping reference does become relevant... just keep reading...

This whole time I've been languishing under my cloak of agony (dramatic, huh?), I've been mad at my neck for giving me such grief.  But as I am emerging and becoming unfettered from that constant pain and tingling, I realize that I'm the one who really has given my poor neck a LIFETIME of grief.  Thanks to my habitual bad posture, my poor neck's been having to tote around a 10-lb (maybe 11 lb. - I'm pretty smart) noggin mostly in an incorrect position. 

The therapy that has been helping me heal has focused almost entirely on postural improvement stretches and exercises.  This is all stuff I know is good to do, but it's stuff that takes time and effort that I just haven't wanted to give it.  But let me tell ya:  life is the great equalizer and it's usually true that if we aren't doing what we should be doing, at some point we will be FORCED to do what we should be doing.

Let's all be smart and try to do the right things BEFORE we suffer the consequences of our lazy ways.

Good posture is paramount to our overall health.  Certainly for preparing us to exercise properly, but also to go about our mundane daily tasks, as well.  Throughout the day, we should give ourselves periodic posture checks to make sure we're lined-up the way we should be.

These are four simple things that I'm going to incorporate into my daily existence:



Zzzzzzip it!



1.  Zip it. Pull your tummy in tight like you're zipping up a tight pair of pants... or brace your abs like you're preparing for someone to punch you in the gut.

Ooooof!
Good thing I have abs of steel.

2.  Pull it.  Imagine there's a string tied around your breast bone gently pulling you forward.

3.  Squeeze it.  Keep your shoulders relaxed (not shrugged) and gently squeeze your shoulder blades towards each other to keep your shoulders from rounding forward.

4.  Stretch it.  This really opens up your chest so you have the flexibility to maintain good posture.  Plus if feels soooooo good!

These pictures might help.



First, look at this horrible posture.
This is seriously how I usually stand.
Yuck!





But look what happens when I "zip it" and "pull it".
Miraculous.  I've grown about 2 inches and don't look pregnant any more.



Just yer basic tube rowing but all I'm focusing on is squeezing my shoulder blades together.



Find a corner, step forward with one foot and feel that wonderful stretch. 

This one's just a gratuitous showing-off picture.  This is the Fila tank I won for free!



Good posture definitely helps me look, feel and act less lazy.  So, everyone, just Zzzzzzip it!