Posture

In this first installment of the series 'Posture in Athletics', former international 1500m runner Joseph Mills who is now a Body Control pilates teacher and a current Ph.D student at the University of Alberta provides with an extremely insightful presentation as to how great posture can afford a foundation for performance in athletics.

In this interview, Dr. Bell and Joe Mills discuss a number of advantages of posture in athletics – from injury prevention to enhanced performance by virtue of enjoying a complete working body in which all muscles are engaged. In discussion, they wonder whether ‘efficiency’ is as important an athletic attribute as speed, power, strength and stamina.

In this interview, at the end of the CACC’s jumps mentorship project, Boo Schexnayder describes how the center of gravity and correct posture are not just fundamental characteristics of jumping, but all athletic events. He alludes to some of the problems modern-day athletes may have in achieving good posture and how their coaches have to be very careful when planning their strength and conditioning routines.

Physiotherapist Marilou Lamy is the Medical National Coordinator for Athletics Canada and has been a member of more than 10 Canadian National teams including those at the previous three Olympic Games. Holding degrees from Laval University in Canada and Sydney University in Australia, Marilou has over 15 years of clinical experience. Her knowledge and implementation of proper muscular balance and postural control has led to several helpful protocols and testing programs being administered to members of the Canadian team which are showing to be very beneficial in the promotion of athlete health.

Joe Mills is a former international 1500m runner from the UK with a lifetime personal best of 3:42.23. Joe, a Ph.D. student at the University of Alberta and accredited sports psychologist, is a Body Control pilates teacher who has worked with several top athletes in the sport. His current research is focused on the application of his knowledge in the area of postural control to strength and conditioning and to training theory in general.