In my many years of training, I have worked with countless clients with two distinct postural distortions. The first is upper cross syndrome (or as I call it, “iPhone syndrome”), and the other is lower cross syndrome (also known as “ghetto booty syndrome”). Upper cross syndrome looks something like this: your head is tilted forward, shoulders hunched forward, with an excessively rounded spine. Lower cross syndrome means that your hips are tilted so the butt is up nice and high, but the lower core is not engaged.
Upper cross syndrome can make you more susceptible to shoulder injuries, neck pain, and tension headaches. Lower cross syndrome is one of the top causes of lower back pain and other movement dysfunctions that can lead to pain in the knees. Having these imbalances will not only make you more prone to injury, but will also make your workouts less effective, because you do not get the right movement patterns and muscle activation from each exercise. Bad activation means fewer results. Basically, muscle imbalances like upper and lower cross syndrome mean that you experience more pain, and won’t be able to get the hot body you want.
The good news is that these are easily fixable with five simple moves that you can do at home. Simply commit to doing each of these exercises for two minutes each every day. After a week or two, you will notice a huge difference in your posture and the way your workouts feel.
Grab your foam roller and a timer and follow along! Remember that this is not a walk in the park. Rolling is meant to feel like a deep tissue massage. Remember to breathe as you release tight spots. If at any point you feel sharp or shooting pain, or tingling, back off.
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1. T-Spine Roll
a. Set your timer for 2 minutes.
b. Place the foam roller in the middle of your back.
c. Cross your arms over your chest and roll back and forth and side to side.
d. Spend extra time on the areas that are especially tight.
2. Lat Roll
a. Set your timer for 2 minutes.
b. Lie on your side and place the foam roller directly under your armpit, with one arm extended.
c. Rock side to side and back and forth, going both against and with the grain of the muscle.
3. Quadriceps Roll
a. Set your timer for 2 minutes.
b. Lie on your stomach with one leg at the end of the foam roller. You will be doing ONE LEG AT A TIME, so this will take 4 minutes for both legs.
c. Roll the entire length of the quad, from just above your knee, all the way up to the top of your hip/underwear line.
d. Again, go back and forth and side to side. Play around with different angles to hit those super tight spots.
e. Repeat with the other leg after 2 minutes.
4. IT Band Roll
a. Set your timer for 2 minutes.
b. Lie on your side with the foam roller at the very top of the leg. Cross your top leg over the bottom leg – you will be using it for support.
c. Roll halfway down your leg, and then all the way up to the top of your hip/underwear line, with and against the grain of the muscle. It is important to not go below the halfway point of your leg, as it can agitate the IT band more than it will help it.
d. Repeat with the other leg for 2 minutes when you are finished.
5. Piriformis Roll
a. Set your timer for 2 minutes.
b. Sit your right butt cheek on the foam roller, and put your right foot on your left thigh.
c. Rock back and forth the entire length of the butt. Do not be afraid to hit those super tight spots.
d. Repeat with the other butt cheek for 2 minutes when you are finished.
For more information or to book a class, visit www.phoenixeffectla.com.
The Phoenix Effect, a metabolic bootcamp that gets you in shape fast, is offered exclusively at 7264 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, CA.
Ummmm Yeah
What kind of roller am I supposed to get? Brandname? Size? A picture of one would have been helpful.
Ummmm Yeah
OK I got a roller and tried the first one the best I could without a video showing the right way to do it. It popped my spine all up and down. The roller moved from the middle of my back up toward my neck just a popping at it went. It was nice.