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PostureJac Exercises

Posture Exercises

EXERCISES DESIGNED FOR THE POSTUREJAC

The posture exercises displayed and demonstrated here in video format were created by Dr. Howard Makofsky, Professor of Physical Therapy and texbook author. They are also displayed on an attractive exercise sheet that comes with each PostureJac unit.

Dr. Makofsky demonstates posture exercises Poor posture affects the mechanics and structure of your entire body. Some muscles and connecting tissues become rigid and lose their elasticity. Their antagonists are likely stretched and weak. Both need to be reconditioned so they balance each other.

Taking this into account, it is best not to limit posture correction to one region such as the neck or shoulder. The exercises are designed for use with the PostureJac to gently mobilize the whole body over a controlled, consistent pattern.

You may feel an immediate correction to your alignment, and even some stiffness when you start, but long term change requires requires gentle, frequent repetition - for conditioning and to displace strongly embedded poor habits. Changes may be gradual but they will be well worth it!

Using the PostureJac for only 5 minutes a day can result in some changes. We recommend at the beginning that you wear it more frequently during your daily activities. Posture correction works best when you change your habits to mobilize regularly. Soon you will be doing it automatically.

Dr. Makofsky gives some exercise tips in this informal video.

The menu below brings you to the three groups of exercises.

After you purchase your own PostureJac use these videos for your instruction.

You will learn something new each time you watch them.


Exercise Video Demonstrations The exercises below are shown in illustrated text and video form. They are divided into four categories as shown. An attractive, illustrated exercise card is included with each PostureJac purchased. Clicking on the exercise title in the left column takes you to the illustrated text and Flash video demonstration. Professional in-depth information on these exercises and more will be posted on the PostureJac blog.
Posture Correction Exercises (click here): Focus on overcoming tightness and weakness in the neck and shoulders region to restore alignment and improve conditioning.
Rocket	The signature stretch of the PostureJac that aligns, stabilizes and stretches the spine according to the spinal corkscrew principle.
Piston	The spinal corkscrew principle at work; it actively engages and strengthens the postural support muscles in the back and improves posture fitness. Dr. Makofsky explains the three elevators.
Turtleneck	Like the turtle, the human head can retract into its "shell" and needs to be drawn out. This exercise stretches tight muscles in the neck and shoulder region to allow the neck to extend again.
Head Turner	Once the spine is aligned and stabilized, increased rotation can be experienced. This exercise provides a stretch to structures involved in rotation of the neck; essential for driving, etc.
JacRetract	This is designed to strenghthen the deep neck flexor muscles to restore the proper position of the skull on the spine and correct occipital extension.
Breathing and Shoulder Exercises (click here): Breathing problems and shoulder pain can be a a byproduct of poor posture. Correction contributes to reconditioning.
Posture Breath	A straighter back frees the rib cage, improves the mechanics of the breathing muscles, and increases the involvement of the diaphragm. Lung capacity could be increased by as much as 30% with proper stretching.
Rotator Cuff	As the name suggests, this exercise activates and stretches the rotator cuff musculature which offers protection to the shoulder joint. At the same time the lower trapezius muscles are recruited, providing enhanced dynamic support to the shoulder.
Core Strength Exercises (click here): Long term posture maintenance requires a strong core. These exercises can be used to improve core strength.
JacBack Press	Excellent exercises performed while standing or lying down, to strengthen the core muscles of the lower back (abdominal, hip, and deep spinal flexors).
JacBack Stabilizer	With the PostureJac engaged, the spine is stabilized. This enhanced core stability while engaging the PostureJac protects the lower back from strain during abdominal exercises. This is a great workout to increase core strength. This also exercises the pubococcygeous (pc) muscle; important for many functions, often called the Kegel Exercises.
Chair Rise	The most common activities that are done with poor mechanics can cause unnecessary wear and tear on the joints. Learn the proper mechanics for sitting and standing, hinging at the hips instead of the waist.
Hip Hinge	Similar to the chair rise, this exercise establishes a better mechanism for lifting and bending at the hips instead of the waist and reduces injury to the back.

These exercises are meant to be useful and effective. For the first week, perform them twice a day. This will give your body and mind an opportunity to adjust to the forces of postural realignment. After the first week, it's your call. Do what works for you. The PostureJac is convenient to wear and integrate exercises into your daily routines.

A more complete explanation of exercise frequency is available on the Exercise Guidelines page.

Display #

Article Title

Core Strength Exercises

Shoulder and Breathing Exercises

Posture Correction Exercises

Exercise Guidelines

MyoFascial Pain and Trigger Points

The Chair Rise

Hip Hinge

JacBack Stabilizer

The JacBack Press

The Rotator Cuff

The Posture Breath

The Jac Retract

The Head Turner

The Turtle Neck

The Piston

The Rocket

Precaution

At no time should excessive downward force be placed on the PostureJac handles. Mild to moderate force is sufficient to achieve desired results. If excessive force is used, injury to the neck and shoulder region can occur.

Those who suffer from physical limitations should check out the Contraindications page to ensure that the PostureJac is appropriate for use. If there are concerns, we urge you to check with your physician before use

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Spinal Manual Therapy, An Introduction to Soft tissue Mobilization, Spinal Manipulation, Therapeutic and Home Exercises, 2nd Edition

By Dr. Howard Makofsky, Slack, Inc.

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Posture Correction Exercises (click here): Focus on overcoming tightness and weakness in the neck and shoulders region to restore alignment and improve conditioning.

Breathing and Shoulder Exercises (click here): Breathing problems and shoulder pain can be a a byproduct of poor posture. Correction contributes to reconditioning.

Core Strength Exercises (click here): Long term posture maintenance requires a strong core. These exercises can be used to improve core strength.

Precaution