Using a Head Bag When Training
by Paul Chek
Having challenges with maintaining proper posture and awareness during your workouts?
When I still had a full head of hair (MANY years ago), I developed a simple technique utilizing a weighted bag like the kind you can find at a sporting goods store that sells scuba diving equipment.
This technique is a variation from decades ago when women balanced books on their heads to develop better posture. I refined this for my clients, using a soft 5-pound divers weight full of lead shot.
The goal: Building proprioceptive awareness of where your head is in space to increase your postural awareness while exercising so your brain learns to incorporate optimal structural alignment into your movements.
This is so critical because your body is designed to move from positions of optimal orthopedic alignment. If you are in proper alignment, you possess optimum mobility to move in any direction.
Also, I’ll show you how to balance this weight in more complex ways, by doing lunges on a rocker board or picking up dumbbells and doing curls.
Two things to keep in mind when using a weighted bag:
- Keep the weighted bag in a wet suit bag or neoprene bag to protect your skin, especially when you’re sweaty.
- Before you experiment with lighter or heavier weights, a 5-pound bag is the optimal amount. No more or less.
Love and chi,
Paul
