Good posture is essential for muscle gain because it ensures your muscles are properly aligned and working efficiently. When your body is aligned correctly, your muscles can function and develop optimally. Here are several reasons why posture is crucial for muscle gain:
- Muscle balance – Proper posture promotes balanced muscle development. When your body is in alignment, the correct muscles are engaged during exercises, ensuring the target muscles receive the stimulation they need to grow. Good posture also helps prevent specific muscles from dominating and taking over during movements, allowing for more balanced muscle growth. For example, proper posture ensures that the chest muscles are primarily engaged during a chest press. In contrast, poor posture may result in the front deltoids and triceps taking over, reducing the stimulus for chest growth.
- Full range of motion – Good posture permits entire movement during exercises, which is crucial for muscle growth. When your body is aligned correctly, your joints move through their full potential range, stimulating muscle fibres across the entire muscle length. This full range of motion maximizes the effectiveness of each repetition and leads to more comprehensive muscle development.
- Mind-muscle connection – Posture is crucial in establishing the mind-muscle connection for effective muscle recruitment and growth. When you have good posture, you’re more aware of the muscles you’re targeting, allowing you to focus on the contraction and stimulation of those specific muscles during an exercise.
Common postural issues
Anterior pelvic tilt is a common issue in which the pelvis tilts forward, causing an increased arch in the lower back and a protruding stomach. The result is tight hip flexors, weak glutes, and weak abdominals.
- Rounded shoulders – Rounded shoulders, also known as kyphosis, are characterized by a forward hunch of the upper back and a rounding of the shoulders. This issue is often caused by excessive time hunched over desks or phones, leading to tight chest muscles and weak upper back and posterior shoulder muscles.
- Forward head posture – As the name suggests, forward head posture involves the head and neck shifting forward, often due to tight chest and neck muscles and weak upper back muscles. This posture leads to neck pain, headaches, and reduced upper back and shoulder muscle activation during exercises like rows and reverse flies.
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Exercises to improve posture for muscle gain
The following exercises help improve common postural issues, leading to better muscle recruitment and growth:
Thoracic extension
Using this exercise, you can counteract rounded shoulders and forward head posture.
- Place your knees hip-width apart on the floor.
- Arch your back gently, bringing your shoulders and chest back while lifting your chest toward the ceiling.
- Hold this position for 30-60 seconds, focusing on squeezing your upper back muscles.
- Repeat for 3-5 reps.
Shoulder external rotation
This exercise targets the posterior shoulder and helps improve rounded shoulders.
- Lie on your side with your elbows bent and your upper arm resting on your chest.
- Keep your elbows tucked into your sides and rotate your arms so that your hands move away from your body, engaging the back of your shoulders.
- Hold a second at the movement’s top, then slowly lower back down.
- Perform three sets of 12-15 reps on each side.
Proper posture allows for efficient muscle recruitment and a full range of motion during exercise. Keep your posture upright, strengthen your back, and stretch tight muscles.
