What is the first thing you think of when lifting weights at the gym? I’ll wait……. Did you say getting stronger? Yeah, me too. When I began weightlifting years ago, I always wanted to lift heavier and heavier without really thinking about where I was starting. I did not have an intentional strategy. I just jumped in, used heavy and challenging weights, and continued to increase my weight.

But the issue with that strategy with growing strength was that I never felt like I was getting stronger. I was getting fatigued quicker. I still had postural struggles, and my gym sessions were ineffective. I started to lose motivation because I felt like I was doing everything right, but I felt like I was getting nowhere.

I started to think about my everyday posture and how the body is fully connected. When I stand, I have a slight forward tilt in my pelvis. By standing this way, my weight shifts to the balls of my feet, my knees are more locked, and my hamstrings and glutes are not working. So my knees tend to take on my body weight rather than my muscles. My upper body also has struggles. My shoulders and back are are round, and I often have a hunched-over stance. When my upper body is rounded like this, my core is turned off. My back muscles are not engaged properly. Rounding the shoulders lengthens the back muscles and shortens the pectoral muscles. Often, my shoulders are tensed up by my ears which also engages muscles in ways that shouldn’t be engaged just from standing.

I struggle with posterior chain muscle endurance. The posterior chain muscles comprise the back body, back muscles, glutes, hamstrings, calves, and core. Even as I sit here, I start with proper posture; my shoulders are relaxed, and my back and core muscles are engaged, but over time I find myself hunched over. I often correct my posture throughout the day, but I struggle to break these poor postural habits every day.

This is an expert from my full blog post in My Active Life, LLC Members, where I post exclusive blog posts with nutrition and fitness tips and full workout videos and programs. Click here to join My Active Life, LLC Members, and read the full post.

What is Muscular Endurance

Now, you’re probably wondering what muscular endurance is and why you should care about it. Muscular endurance is the length of time in which your muscles can work before becoming fatigued. So basically, how many reps in a row can you do before your muscles feel tired? This can also be applied to your daily movements and posture. 

Posture

Reduce Risk of Injury

My Current Fitness Goals

This is an expert from my full blog post in My Active Life, LLC Members, where I post exclusive blog posts with nutrition and fitness tips and full workout videos and programs. Click here to join My Active Life, LLC Members, and read the full post.

If you are here and reading this, you are interested in your health and fitness and subscribed to My Active Life Members. That is so good; I am so excited for you! Taking care of your body is the best thing you can do for yourself in the present and the long term.

“Do something today that your future self will thank you for”

— unknown

I find that quote so inspiring. Hard work will pay off in the future, but you also have to live in the moment, and I feel like taking care of yourself is doing both. You are doing good for yourself now as well as for your future self.

Please note that this post contains affiliate links. Should you purchase using my links, I may make a small commission at no additional cost. I appreciate your support! Check Out my AMAZON IDEA LIST for my Favorites!

Amazon has a deal on organic vitamins and supplements. Check it out here!

Click here for Amazon Deals for safe and natural household products!

Click here for all of my referral links!

Thank you so much for reading! If you want to learn more about health and fitness, follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram @myactivelife_stacey. I am now offering nutrition and personal training online coaching programs. These six-week programs are designed to help you create lifelong healthy habits with nutrition and fitness. Click here to learn more!

I am not accepting new personal training and nutrition clients at this time. I am fully booked! If you want to know when I accept new clients, subscribe Here!

Subscribe to my newsletter at the bottom of the page to get notified when I post new blog posts on health and fitness-related along with some tips on outdoor activities sprinkled here and there. Thank you all for the support, and I’ll see you in the next post!