To Look Good in Photos, Core Strength Is Key

Want to strike a flattering pose and look good in photos? The key is core strength, which can be achieved with three simple exercises.

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Good posture is the key to looking good in photographs. Rocky, a Chinese classical dance teacher, believes that core muscle strength is the key to good posture. In this article, he will share three tips to strengthen core muscles and look good in photos.

Rocky, who has a long, slender physique, said long and solid muscles are called natural muscles. These are the muscles we use in our daily life.

“I do weight training four times a week. Although I know weight training can make my bum bigger and my upper arms more shapely, I don’t want to build big muscles,” Rocky said.

“The principle of weight training lies in that when increasing the load on muscles, they will be lightly injured, and as the body repairs the injured muscles, the strength and size of the muscles will be increased, so the muscles will get stronger and stronger as we train.”

Rocky explained that while weight training requires extra time in the gym, natural muscles are developed in daily life.

“As long as you use muscle strength in the right way, it’s like you are exercising when working, eating, and walking, which greatly increases the time we exercise muscles.”

Core Strength Is Critical for Good Posture

The key to developing natural muscles is control, which requires core strength, said Rocky. Core strength refers to the area below the navel, including the energy center, back, and two tendons above the buttocks. The muscle power of this middle part of the body is like a car engine. When a Ferrari engine is installed in a Toyota, the Toyota will run more like a Ferrari.

“The most important [thing about] core strength is back strength,” he stressed.

Weak upper abdominal muscles will result in shoulder and neck pain. Evidence of this is reflected in older people having difficulty getting out of bed. Weak side abdominal muscles will also affect the movement of rolling and turning.

While many think that knee pain is a knee problem, it is actually related to the hip, and lower abdominal muscle strength is the main factor affecting hip movement. If the front muscles are not strong, the back muscles will not be better. Back and waist pain will affect more than just the back and waist.

Core strength generally refers to the cylindrical area below the diaphragm and above the pelvic floor muscles. Most people exercise the upper and lower abdomen and lateral abdominal muscles but rarely the back.

“To look good in photos, you must learn to stand with your back straight,” Rocky said. “One can stand straight because he or she has back strength. In fact, building abs is also building back strength.”

3 Tips to Strengthen Your Back

Try these exercises to strengthen your back. You can do 12 repetitions of each of the first two exercises, then repeat two or three sets or modify them to your ability level. The last exercise can be done for as long as suits you.

1. Leg Lift

1. Lie on your back.
2. Put your palms under your buttocks.
3. Stabilize your body and then lift your legs with the strength of your waist.

Exercises while lying prone should not involve the center of gravity, Rocky said. Use only the power of your back and abdominal muscles.

2. Situps

1. Lie on your back with your legs bent at the knees and feet on the floor.
2. Use the power of your back and abs to sit up. You can have someone press down on your feet if it helps.

This not only builds back strength but also exercises the abdominal muscles.

3. Running

Running will force your back to work. Once the back and abdominal muscles are strengthened, running will be much easier.

To look good in photos, apart from having a straight back, lengthening the neck is also important. The neck appears lengthened when the shoulders are relaxed, and the shoulders can relax when the core is strong.

Upper crossed syndrome, which manifests in rounded shoulders, hunched back, and turtle neck, is caused by weak abdominal muscles. Strengthening the core will help you stay healthy, look confident and slimmer, and also visually lengthen your neck.

For sedentary office workers, Rocky offered three suggestions on how to relax the shoulders and neck:

1. Use a hard lumbar pillow: Every time you lean back or relax your posture on a chair, the hard pillow will remind you to sit up straight.
2. Check in with yourself: Remind yourself to make good posture a natural state.
3. Set an alarm: Leave your seat every 20 minutes. Don’t sit for long periods.