Slouching can slow you down and lead to injuries. BY JENESSA CONNORPUBLISHED: JAN 14, 2023 8:00 AM EST
If you’ve tried your best to improve your posture by simply “standing up straight” only to find yourself defaulting to a rounded spine minutes later, don’t feel bad. Slouching is a tough habit to break, and your musculature may be working against you.
Noam Tamir, C.S.C.S., CEO and owner of TS Fitness in New York City, tells Runner’s World that the anterior deltoids, or “delts,” found on the front of the shoulders, are often more developed than the posterior delts, which are located on the back portion of the shoulders. This, he explains, is due to “lifestyle use.”
“We push a lot more than we pull,” he says. Even when we’re not cranking out push-ups, bench pressing a barbell, or doing planks, we’re pushing on grocery carts, strollers, furniture, and doors. “This imbalance can cause rounded shoulders and poor posture,” he says.
Why Runners Need Rear Delt Exercises to Improve Posture
Forward-leaning shoulders and a rounded spine can be problematic for runners—and not just because of the discomfort it causes while sitting at a desk. “Posture is very important in the mechanics of a runner. It helps them to optimize pace and reduce the chance for injury due to excessive forward leaning,” Tamir explains.
To fix poor posture, Tamir recommends specifically targeting the rear delts in your strength training—but don’t overdo it. “The rear delts are small muscles and will fatigue quickly,” he says. …
