welti health and fitness - virtual health zone - with Darren Ruff. shropshirelive.com has teamed up with Welti Health and fitness in Shrewsbury. Bringing you regular top health tips and advice from the experts at Welti. Read part 3 of the series Continue reading below.....

the many benefits of improved posture
Lets face it most of us at some point during our life have had a bad back, some more than others. Clearly this can occur over a number of ways but the most common being poor posture traits. So what do you look for when viewing you body alignment?

• collapsed arches in your feet
• an elevated hip or shoulder
• one side of the body rotated forward or back
• pelvis and hips tilted to the front, back or side
• rounded back
• drooping chest and shoulders
• head jutting forward

Fear not, if you do indeed fit into one of the above categories poor posture traits are easily changeable with the right guidance. Follow these top tips to correct any imbalances to help improve your day to day activities and improve your biomechanical efficiency.

Here are my 5 top tips…….

1. Neutral spine
It’s at this point when maintaining a neutral spine the body is best equipped to deal with external stress and strain, forces we deal with in everyday day life from standing to sitting to those gym workouts. A personal trainer will be able to effectively view you natural alignment correcting any imbalances we might have to result in a more efficient you through all walks of life.

2. Contact a specialist
Posture problems can have serious consequences on your health and quality of life, taking that step to ask the right people may be the best decision you make. Along with your personal trainer there are many other professionals you may wish to consult such as an orthopaedic specialist a physical therapist or a chiropractor.

3. Abs benefits
Working with you trainer will help your body effective stabilise your spinal alignment, lower back the most popular area of back pain and pelvic region. By introducing stabilisation into your programme and rotation in-order to utilise those muscles to improve posture while enhancing your abs workout thus achieving that all desired flat stomach come those summer holidays.

4. Flexibility for those hips
Not always the firm favourite of majority gym users but nether the less Flexibility is a huge component of an individuals programme in-particular with any rehab or correction work. Tight hip flexors / quads / gluteus can change pelvic and spine alignment increasing potential back issues and poor posture.

5. Be Ballsy
Swissballs now days seem to be permanent fixture of most gyms and are a great tool to help improve and strengthen those muscles that act as our corset in our core. Take a class or ask your gym instructor to take you through some exercises that will have a direct impact on your neutral spinal alignment.

more about me

My name is Darren Ruff and I’m the health & fitness manager and personal trainer at Welti health & fitness, Shrewsbury. Over the next few months I will be bringing you advice, tips and the latest trends and research with-in the fitness industry exclusively for shropshirelive.com in the “Welti virtual health and zone”. I have been involved in the industry for 7 years now visiting conventions, seminars and show cases all over the UK. I continue to work with clients at both ends of the spectrum from professional athletes to everyday gym goers looking to get in shape for that up coming holiday. Basically, I’ve been lucky enough to carve out a career in an industry that I have so much passion and enthusiasm for…… So surely that can’t be bad thing! For more tips and advice call me at Welti health & fitness on 01743 467755 or look out for next months article. Daz written by Darren Ruff, Health & Fitness Manager @ Welti and Personal Trainer

have a question?
If you would like any health tips or advice then with your question and the team at Welti will give you the answers here in the 'virtual health zone' - click here to mail us your question.

Read other articles in the series:-

Part 1 - New Year - New you
Part 2 - Turning over a new leaf

welti health and fitness If you are looking at joining a Health Club, look no further than Welti Health and Fitness with memberships starting from as little as £25 per month. Welti also has monthly special offers so call now on 01743 46 77 55 to find out more