by Chase Livingston

If we want to build a strong life, we are going to need strong bodies. This entails more than just getting large biceps or being able to lift hefty amounts of weight. It means building upon a solid foundation that will enable us to progressively grow without sacrificing our muscular integrity and putting ourselves at risk for injury.

Building a solid foundation involves making sure our core muscles and stabilization muscles are doing their job, so our prime movers and their counterparts can work properly. When this is compromised, we end up with what is known as synergistic dominance, or worse, muscular imbalances.

From years of sitting at a desk and neglecting proper posture, many of us have developed tight hips, an overactive chest, and an underactive lower back. This will manifest itself in the body with an arch in our lower back, rounded shoulders and our heads protruding forward. Our smartphones and computers which provide hours of scrolling through social media feeds do not assist much with this.

Most of us out there carry these imbalances with us. I, myself, am going through corrective exercises to help restore balance and muscular integrity to my body. It’s taken us years to get to this place and it’s something that won’t fix itself immediately. Fortunately, there are things we can do to fix this problem.

First, we must become more aware of our bodies. We don’t pay enough attention to ourselves when we slouch or go through the same repetitive motions that cause these ailments. Bringing awareness to our posture and the parts of our body that ache can help tremendously. Second, take frequent breaks at work and use your breaks efficiently. Go for a short walk or stand up and stretch at the very least. Third, speak to a professional about getting a postural analysis assessment and pinpointing exactly where your imbalances are.

Here at The Plex, we have multiple personal trainers who are professionally qualified to help you find out where your muscular imbalances are located. We can offer specific exercises on how to correct these imbalances with a workout program to prevent them from returning. This will lay the foundation for us to continue building the body and lives we desire.

Chase Livingston is a certified Personal Trainer through the National Academy of Sports and Medicine. He holds both Yoga and Meditation certifications, and he enjoys helping others unify mind, body, and spirit.