BODY ALIGNMENT FOR FITNESS
One of the less glamourous, but certainly essential elements of fitness, is body alignment. My first gym I trained at was Mack's Gym in Toronto which was run by Mack Miya. He was one tough SOB and was a very old school trainer. His philosophy was that you had no business handling any weight unless your alignment was spot on. So in order to teach me, he had me doing squats with a broomstick. This seemed very unusual to me at the time and I didn't understand it, but as the years went by I truly appreciated it since I've been able to stay injury free for the most part. The ones which I have had have been very minor.
So there are a few keys to proper alignment in the squat.
1. Feet shoulder width apart and pointed outwards
2. Butt out (back arched) and chest out
3. Push your feet through the ground rather than thinking of standing up
4. Shoulders must not extend past your knees.
For the plank and pushup, the key is actually quite simple. It's all psychological. In short, you must think about it and put your thoughts there. I know it seems too simple but that really is the biggest key. Anyway watch the video for more info. And if you want to know more about online or in-home personal training, click here.