Now, onto the MEN.

    It's been about 4 months since my last update (I know, pathetic) but in that time,  have managed to be hospitalized for heart problems, get branded (don't ask), be smitten by a young lady, work about 12 hours a day, and spend as much time with my little squirt as possible.

   In that time, there has been much reflection as well. I have been interested in possibly going back to school for kinesiology at McMaster - but as of 2012, they no longer accept mature OR transfer students.. So that idea was scrapped. Then, it was massage therapy. This was something I've always been interested in as well, but after a coupld of days of arthritic pain in my wrist from a prior accedent, I don't know if that is the right avenue either.

   Keep in mind, I never wanted to stop being a triner, just kind of expand on what I am doing now, and make myself a bit more accredited academically. I am now taking some seminars online, and will continue to try and help clients with their mobility issues and the constant obsesity epidemic that plagues our society.

     (Tiny side note - I may be featured on CHCH news in the near future for my work on hips, and helping people understnad that life isn't over becasue you are in pain, you just need to find someone willing to fix it, and don't just let someone tell you that if golfing hurts, stop golfing - I'm incredibly excited.. . I'll keep you posted as I get more details)


 OK! Now, the reason for this blog. I had gotten quite a good repsonse from my last blog post ages ago, about women and their postural likeliness to a certain creature from the Triassic period....  BUT, I also got some flak for not addressing men and how they are becoming more and more like the Hunchback of Notredame.

  So, ladies - this is my rebuttal. Here it comes men. Put down the gaming controllers and sit up straight when you read this - I'm about to fix that nagging shoulder/low back/neck problem you have been living with for so long.


 Well, I will start off by saying that it is not only women that suffer from anterior pelvic tilt (see last article) but a lot of men have this imbalance as well.. . myself included... But, that is not what I have stopped by to write about today. It's kyphosis, fellas.

 Kyphosis is now becoming the norm. I see people every day hunched over; whether it be in their cars, at their desks, on the couch, in front of the computer.. . it's constant. Unfortunately, society plays a huge role in this. I am one of the lucky ones who is able to be up at both jobs, never really getting a chance to sit down. I I am very fortunate in this respect. Others, are not so lucky. If you are sitting at your desk right now, pay close attention to your posture. You probably have your shoulders rolled forwards to reach your keyboard, with your head pushed out towards the monitor like a turtle peeking out of it's shell. Stop that. Sit up straight. Now, there is a big difference between sitting up straight, and pushing youyr chest towards the sky like someone shoved a popsicle down the back of your shirt. Imagine there is a string on the top of your head, and it is "pulling" you upwards. It doesn't have to be dramatic, just subtle. Try doing this every day, as many times as you can remember.

 "But Bryan," you ask, "why do I need to do this?" Well, superstar, let me tell you. Being rounded in your upper back and having forward head posture is very detrimental to your activities away from your desk. Do me a favor and stand up. Now, exaggerate this rounded shoulder posture. From there, I want you to try and raise one arm straight in front of you, and over your head. It wont go. You can "make" it go, but then you compensate by using your low back and really hyperextending your lumbar spine. Now, do the string thing I told you about earlier. Stand tall, and raise an arm above your head. Easier? Exactly. There is a simple test to see how much you absolutely suck at something as simple as raising your arms above your head. It's called a wall slide. This is the link.

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYNSZz-fPRw

    It consists of getting against a wall. With your heels about 5 inches away from the wall, push your butt, your upper back, your elbows and your forearms against the wall. Now, slide your arms up and down the wall and see how far you can get. Also, make sure you aren't forming an upper case "C" with your lower back to compensate for your problem. Keep your low back nice and close to thwe wall. Embarrassed? Now, get your girlfriend to do it. More embarrassed? You should be. Now sir, we fix it.

    Obviously I can't assess you all. So, what I will do is give you some generic corrective exercises to hopefully fix this problem. Do these a lot. Think about how much you are stuck in that terrible position. Doing these once every 2 days is not going to help. Start with every morning. Then, do them every morning and every night. You will feel like a million bucks after a month. You will excel on the field (if you play sports) you will excel with the ladies (nobody likes a hunchback) and you will excel in the bedroom. (Ok, maybe not that last one, but you get my drift.

  #1. Stretch Your Chest - You aren't going to be able to wake up any of those posterior postural muscles if your chest is ridiculously tight. And chances are, it is. Do this. Hold it for at least 45 sdeconds. Build up to holds of 2 minutes.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gq2rYIobvns

  #2. Side Lying Rotations - 2 sets of 10 each. This one is good because it works on extension and rotation in your thoracic spine. You don't need an actuall medicine ball under that top knee, just something to keep that knee elevated so your hips stay neutral - so that you don't use your lumbar spine for any of this movement.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysAnAYSH_jM

  3#. Quadraped Thoracic Rotation - 2 sets of 10 each. This one is relatively simple. Get on all fours and I want you to sit back on your heels slightly (he isn't doing this in the video) and keeping your abdominals braced and an elbow against your head, follow the movement in the video and make sure you follow your elbow with your eyes.. Only go as far as your upper back will let you, don't do this with your lower back.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atppDJ8xwEY

  #4. Wall Slides - 2 sets of 10. These are the first exercise we tested with. Do them now, after you completed these. Much easier, is'nt it?? I know, I know.... I'm like a magician.


 So, my soon to be "mobile friend". . .  enjoy these excercisesand let me know of your progress. If I can help even one of your rounded freaks out there, I'm a happy camper.