When I say the word “posture” I immediately want to push my shoulders back, tighten my core, and stand up straight.
Having good posture is so important as it helps with breathing, allowing for more air to enter the diaphragm. It also helps with proper back alignment and can help prevent neck pain. Not to mention, it’s more attractive to sit and stand up straight then it is to be slouched over.
If you are like me and sit at a desk every day, you may struggle with maintaining good posture. It wasn’t until recently that I really started to focus on having better posture.
My core and lower back have always been my weakest areas and so I have been incorporating more exercises to strengthen both in order to improve my posture. Having a strong core and lower back allows you to sit and stand up straight without feeling uncomfortable.
Here are the 4 moves I like to do to improve my posture:
- Baby Cobra to Cactus Arms: This one is a great chest opener and upper back strengthener
- Swimmers: Great for lower back, core, and glutes
- C- Curve: Great for lower back and core
- Arms to Prayer with Cactus : Great chest opener and upper back strengthener
Here is a description on how to do each of the moves:
- Baby Cobra to Cactus Arms: Laying face down, bend your elbows and place your palms right under your shoulders. Release your palms off the ground and lift your chest while squeezing your shoulder blades together. Hold for a few seconds and then release. Repeat 14 times.
- Swimmers: Lay face down with your arms straight in front of you. Keeping your gaze down towards the ground and neck in line with your spine, lift your arms, chest, legs, and thighs off the ground. Bring one leg and opposite arm up higher at the same time, then quickly alternate to the other side. That’s two swims. Do 40 total.
- C- Curve: Sitting with knees bent and feet flat on the ground, bring your forearms to the ground with elbows bent. Pulling in your stomach towards the ground, quickly release your arms and grab a hold of your outer thighs while forming a C curve with your back (your lower back should be touching the floor). Hold position for 10 seconds and then release back down to your forearms or advance by removing both hands and holding them parallel to the ground for 10 seconds. Repeat 10-15 times.
- Arms to Prayer with Cactus: Standing up tall with abs and glutes engaged, bring hands to prayer. Shoot arms straight up above your head and then separate your hands and bend both elbows while bringing down your arms by your side and facing your palms forward. Squeeze your back so that your shoulder blades touch and then release and bring your hands back to prayer. Repeat 14 times.
When doing the above moves, I always make sure to take deep breaths to help expand and open up the chest. Focusing on breathing is also a great way to relax and release any tension from being hunched over.
I also use a bodyworks ball and a foam roller to do some self-massaging when I want immediate upper back and shoulder tension release and have a ball chair that I like to sit on at work which helps keep my core engaged and posture aligned.
Leggings: Athleta : Tie Dye Salutation
Have you tried any postural, core, and back strengthening exercises that you like? If so, comment below, I’d love to know what works for you!
