Saying ‘I do’ to StrongPosture

By Rebecca Coates, BodyZone.com

Bridal Boot Camps that cause exhaustion and injury?  Costly body wraps and dangerous fad diets to slim down in time for the big day?

Brides do not want or need the extra stress of torturing themselves on top of all the other preparations necessary for their wedding.  The good news:  there is a program that is sustainable, quick, and effective to help you achieve your most beautiful, confident, and healthy you.

Dr. Steven Weiniger, author of Stand Taller~Live Longer, outlines a 7-week, easy-to-follow plan that will improve your posture, making you appear taller and thinner, and will also help you live a longer “happily ever after.”

“Your wedding day is all about you…so why not flaunt your best assets?  When you stand taller, in addition to looking thinner and more confident, you literally breathe better and can burn more calories!  StrongPosture trains you to pull your belly pull in, as well as lengthen and align your neck.  And, the most important part – you are building a habit that will actually increase your lifespan!”

There is no need to carve out blocks of valuable wedding-planning time to achieve wedding-day posture – many of the exercises you could do while deciding which cake flavor you like best!

The posture-strengthening exercises developed by Dr. Weiniger focus on three simple concepts:  Balance, Alignment, and Motion (B.A.M). To achieve your strongest posture in 7 weeks, he recommends focusing on each of the B.A.M. areas a few times throughout the day:  Balance – 3 times, Alignment – 2 times, Motion – 1 time.

Try these:

BALANCE – The One-Leg Balance Stork
Required equipment – NONE!
1.  Stand up straight and lift your knee so your foot comes off the ground.  Slowly count and stop the first time you have to put your foot down or wave your arms to balance. (Don’t cheat!)
2.  Repeat on the other side.
3.  How long can you balance on your left leg?  On your right one?

You should be able to balance on each leg for at least twenty seconds.  If you cannot, this is a sign of weak posture.  But no need to fret!  This is the first step in becoming posture conscious, which is the baseline for your progression.

ALIGNMENT – BallSit with StrongPosture
Required equipment – Inflatable exercise ball
1.  Sit on the ball.
2.  Place your feet hip distance apart and square on the floor.  Be aware if your ankles are rolled in or out.
3.  Knees should be at 90 degrees, with your heel directly beneath the knee.
4.  Roll the shoulders back and down, pulling the tips of the shoulder blades together with your hands on your thighs, palms up.
5.  Looking straight ahead, pull your head directly over the shoulders by gently pulling the neck back, keeping your head level.
6.  Take five (5) slow, deep breaths.

MOTION – BallSit conscious motion
Required equipment – Inflatable exercise ball
1.  Enter into BallSit with StrongPosture
2.  Move the ball around, first front and back, then side to side.
3.  Try to keep the ball as still as you can and move your arms and shoulders.
4.  Bend forward and touch the floor.
5.  Bend to your left and to your right and touch the floor on each side.
6.  Repeat each movement three (3) times.

Ms. Raina Trevenna is an occupational therapist and Certified Posture Exercise Professional (CPEP) in Tampa, Florida – as well as a bride-to-be!  She teaches her clients the StrongPosture exercises with great results.  To brides looking to wow on their wedding day, she says strengthening posture is key.

“I believe posture practice can provide so much elegance and poise for that special day.  I learned the importance of body balancing exercises for posture over 10 years ago and started practicing them myself.  Now that I will soon be walking down the aisle as a bride, I will certainly be more than dedicated to my posture program!”