Fitness: Workouts

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Lower-crossed syndrome - strength

Symptoms: a sway-back. Occurs: when you have tight hip flexors, calves, quadriceps and hamstrings combined with weak glutes and lower abdominal muscles. Causes: your buttocks to stick out during squats and wears down your vertebrae, causing bulging discs, slipped discs and nerve damage.

By Words: Steve Mazzucchi Photos: Blake Little

November 2003



Transverse abdominus, connecting the lumbar spine, hips and pelvis - Position yourself on your hands and knees, keeping your neck and hips in neutral. This means your head is neither jutting forwards nor thrown back and your back is straight, rather than arched or rounded. Draw your belly button up towards your spine and try to create an indentation in your stomach. Hold for ten to 60 seconds, then release. Do three sets, resting for 15 to 60 seconds between each.

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Pronation distortion syndrome - massage

Symptoms: knock-knees and overpronation (rolling in) of the feet. Occurs: when you have tight calves and tight inner thighs, with weak glutes, peroneals (the outside of the lower leg), hamstrings and middle quads.

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Pronation distortion syndrome - strength

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Pronation distortion syndrome - stretch

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Lower-crossed syndrome - massage

Symptoms: a sway-back. Occurs: when you have tight hip flexors, calves, quadriceps and hamstrings combined with weak glutes and lower abdominal muscles.

View workout

Lower-crossed syndrome - strength

Symptoms: a sway-back. Occurs: when you have tight hip flexors, calves, quadriceps and hamstrings combined with weak glutes and lower abdominal muscles.

View workout

Lower-crossed syndrome - stretch

Symptoms: a sway-back. Occurs: when you have tight hip flexors, calves, quadriceps and hamstrings combined with weak glutes and lower abdominal muscles.

View workout

Upper-crossed syndrome - massage

Symptoms: head forwards, shoulders rounded. Occurs: when you have tight pecs, neck and front shoulder muscles as well as weak upper back and rear shoulder muscles.