5 Exercises to Improve Your Posture
- Updated:
Looking for to improve your posture? Here are 5 simple posture exercises that can help you to improve your posture and prevent back & neck problems. Take a few minutes a few times during the day to perform the exercises.
Thanks in large part to the prevalence of our digital devices (phones, tablets, laptops), bad posture has become an epidemic in our society. Staring at our devices all day leads to a tendency for your head and shoulders to slouch forward.
This tendency is even more pronounced as we get older. Device usage can combine with the body’s aging process can lead to worsening posture. Bad posture can lead to a host of problems including neck pain, reduced core strength, and being more likely to experience falls.
5 Exercises to Improve Posture
Chin Tucks – Chin tucks can be performed either sitting or standing. Keeping you chin parallel to the floor, retract your head over your spin (imagine you’re pushing the back of your head towards the back of the room). Hold for a three count then relax. Do 10 times.
Rows – do this exercise using a resistance band firmly anchored to a door anchor or other steady object. Stand up straight and grasp handles with arms extended. Pull elbows back just past your body while simultaneously squeezing your shoulder blades. Return to starting position.
Bird Dogs – Start 0n all fours with your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Lift your right arm to extend it out straight in front of you while simultaneously extending our left leg straight behind you. Try to create as straight a line with your arm, torso and leg as possible. Pause and then gently lower your arm and leg to the starting position. Repeat with your left arm and right leg.
Chest Stretches – Stand in front of an open door and place your hands on the door frame slightly above shoulder level. ‘Lunge’ forward slightly until you feel a stretch on your chest muscles. Hold the stretch for a few seconds then return to starting position.
Shoulder Blade Squeeze – Stand or sit straight up. Pull your shoulder blades back and slightly downward. Hold for a few seconds then reverse the movement. Repeat 10 times.
More Stories You May Enjoy
Additional Resources for Healthy Living
Unfortunately, there are a lot of web sites out there giving unreliable fitness advice. But there are also some great ones which we rely on when writing our articles. A few great resources for information you may want to also view include the National Institutes of Heath, the Mayo Clinic, and the World Health Organization.