Athena Vale
Good posture is important for avoiding tension, fatigue, and strain on your tendons, ligaments, and muscles. Poor posture can be caused by modern-day habits such as working in front of a computer, slouching on a couch, or looking down at your smartphone. It can also be caused by many hours spent carrying heavy objects. To improve your posture, you need to strengthen and stretch the muscles in your upper back, chest, and core. This can be achieved through exercises such as planks, glute bridges, and scapula squeezes. Yoga, Pilates, and Tai Chi are also great ways to improve your posture.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Muscle Groups | Core, back, shoulders, glutes, hips, legs, chest |
| Muscle Types | Deep muscles, abdominal muscles, postural muscles |
| Muscle Actions | Strengthening, stretching, contracting, relaxing |
| Muscle Locations | Abdomen, pelvis, back, buttocks, thighs, calves |
| Muscle Benefits | Improved posture, reduced pain, increased mobility, better balance |
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What You'll Learn
Strengthen your core, abdominal, and lower back muscles
Good posture is often just a matter of changing your activities and strengthening your muscles. Poor posture can be caused by modern-day habits like working in front of a computer, slouching on a couch, or looking down at your smartphone. It can also be caused by carrying heavy objects. These activities can make you stoop or bring your shoulders forward, overstretching and weakening the muscles in the back of your shoulders and chest, and shortening the muscles in the front of your shoulders and chest. Gravity then pulls the muscles forward, as the muscles are too weak to pull them back up. If the core muscles in your back and abdomen have grown weak from inactivity, that can also cause you to lean forward.
Core stability muscles, or postural muscles, are the deep muscles in your abdomen, pelvis, and back. They act as a corset or scaffolding, holding you together and helping you maintain good posture. If these muscles are weak, it is often difficult to lift your arm up fully. The muscles on top of your shoulders tend to overwork, causing hunching when you raise your arm. As they are not designed to stabilize your shoulder, they get tired quickly and ache, making it harder to use your arm.
To strengthen your core, abdominal, and lower back muscles, you can try the following exercises:
- Planks: Start in a push-up position, bend your arms and support your body with your forearms. Keep your hips, legs, and torso in a straight line while tightening your abdominal and glute muscles. Draw your core muscles in at the level of your belly button and hold this position for as long as you can.
- Bird dog: Get on all fours, making sure your spine is neutral (not arching up or down). Brace (contract) your core as hard as you can, then, while bracing your core, raise your left arm and reach it forward until it is aligned with your torso. At the same time, kick your right leg backward until it is aligned with your torso. Repeat on the opposite side.
- Glute bridges: Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet about hip-distance apart. Keep your feet about a foot away from your hips. Rest your arms alongside your body with your palms facing down. Exhale as you lift your hips toward the sky, straightening your spine. Hold this position for up to 1 minute at a time.
- Squats: Begin in a standing position with your feet positioned about shoulder-width apart. Look straight ahead and brace your core. Keep your abdominals tight, then hinge at your hips and bend your knees to a 90-degree angle (as if you're sitting). To come up, use your legs first and then follow through with your glutes (squeeze your butt). Aim for 10 to 15 repetitions.
These exercises will help strengthen your core, abdominal, and lower back muscles, leading to improved posture and reduced back pain.
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Stretch your chest and upper back
Stretching and strengthening the chest and upper back muscles can help improve posture. Sitting for long periods, slouching on the couch, or looking down at your phone can cause poor posture, which in turn can lead to shortened and tightened chest muscles.
Chest stretches
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Bring your arms behind you and interlace your fingers with your palms pressing together. If your hands don't reach, grasp a towel instead. Keep your head, neck, and spine in one line as you gaze straight ahead. Inhale as you lift your chest toward the ceiling and bring your hands toward the floor. Breathe deeply as you hold this pose for 5 breaths. Release and relax, then repeat at least 10 times.
- Put your arms behind your back and grasp both elbows (or forearms if that's as far as you can reach). Hold this position for 10 seconds, then release.
- Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart. Place your hands on your lower back, with your fingers pointing up or in whatever direction feels comfortable. Draw your shoulder blades together, opening your chest, as you try to aim your elbows straight back. On your next inhale, lift your chest and bend backward slightly, looking up toward the ceiling. Hold for 5 breaths. With each inhale, allow your chest to open and lift a little more. Release the pose, then repeat two more times.
Upper back stretches
Try these stretches to ease upper back pain and improve your posture:
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat. Keeping your knees bent, gently rotate them to the right side. Hold this position for a few seconds, then return to the centre. Repeat the stretch several times on both sides.
- Begin seated or standing. Stretch your arms above your head and lean to the right, keeping your arms stretched upward. To deepen the stretch, use your right hand to gently pull your left arm further to the right. Repeat the stretch several times on both sides.
- Gently take a step forward with your right foot and twist to the left, allowing your right shoulder and upper back to stretch. Hold for a few seconds, then return to the starting position. Repeat the stretch several times on both sides.
- Sit or stand up straight. Gently drop your chin to your chest, then roll your head so that your right ear is close to your right shoulder. Hold this position for a few seconds, then slowly rotate your head back until your left ear is near your left shoulder. Hold for a few seconds, then continue this gentle rotation from shoulder to shoulder several times.
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Improve shoulder stabilisers
Improving shoulder stabilisers is an important part of maintaining good posture. The muscles in your shoulders can become overstretched and weak, which can lead to poor posture and shoulder instability. This can be caused by modern habits such as working at a computer, slouching on a couch, or looking down at your phone. Carrying heavy objects or doing strenuous activities can also put a lot of stress on the shoulders.
To improve shoulder stabilisers, you can try exercises that strengthen the rotator cuff muscles and the scapular muscles. These muscles are responsible for powering your shoulder blade and pressing the ball of the shoulder into the socket. It is important to have both internal and external rotation strength and endurance in these muscles. You can achieve this by working against resistance in rotation, such as using a resistance band or a rolled hand towel.
Additionally, you can try exercises that target the shoulder blade or scapula. When the scapular muscles are weak, the shoulder can become malaligned and unstable. Scapula squeezes, where you squeeze your shoulder blades together, can help strengthen these muscles. You can also try exercises that involve lifting your arms above your head, such as the "wings" exercise, where you start with your hands at your hips and move your arms toward the sky, ending in a T-shape.
It is recommended to do at least five rotator cuff exercise sessions per day, each taking about five minutes. It is important to consult with a physician or physiotherapist before starting a new exercise program, especially if you have had a shoulder injury or period of disuse. They can provide guidance on specific exercises and ensure they are comfortable and suitable for your needs.
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Glute bridges
To perform a glute bridge, lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart. Keep your arms at your sides with your palms facing down. Tighten your abdominal and buttock muscles by pushing your lower back into the ground, and inhale as you lift your hips towards the sky, creating a straight line from your knees to your shoulders. Focus on your glutes throughout the movement, and avoid arching your back. Hold this position for up to a minute, then slowly lower your hips back down without releasing the tension in your abs and glutes.
Once you've mastered the basic glute bridge, you can increase the challenge by incorporating a single-leg variation. To perform this, keep one leg bent in its typical position while the other leg is pointed straight up. The straight leg rises and falls with your body as you go through the movement.
For an even greater challenge, try the straight-legged bridge, where you perform the glute bridge with both legs straight. This variation can be made easier by using an exercise ball to support your legs.
If your goal is to increase strength, you can also slowly incorporate weights into your glute bridges. Start by laying a dumbbell or weighted bag on your hips, and lightly hold the weight as you lift and lower your hips.
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Planks
To perform a basic plank, start by getting into a push-up position. Rest your weight on your forearms or fully extend your arms, depending on your comfort level. Engage your abdominal, arm, and leg muscles, and keep your body in a straight line from the crown of your head to your heels. Focus on your breathing and hold this position for as long as you can, aiming for at least 10 seconds. Over time, you can increase the duration of your planks, eventually working up to 30 seconds or even a few minutes.
If you're a beginner, you can modify the plank by performing it from your knees or standing straight and leaning against a counter at a 45-degree angle. As you get more comfortable, you can challenge yourself by adding leg lifts during the pose or trying a high plank or side plank variation.
It's important to note that improving your posture takes time and consistency. Incorporate planks into your regular workout routine or practice them on alternate days. Combine them with other exercises that stretch and strengthen your spine, chest, back, and lower body muscles for a well-rounded approach to improving your posture. Remember to listen to your body and consult a healthcare professional or physiotherapist if you have any concerns or injuries.
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Frequently asked questions
There are many exercises that can help improve your posture. Some examples include:
- Scapula squeezes: Squeeze your shoulder blades together for 30 seconds at a time.
- Rows: Using a resistance band, pull back your elbows as if you're rowing.
- Modified planks: Hold a push-up position while propped up on your elbows.
- High planks: Get into a plank position and lift your hips.
- Glute bridges: Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet hip-distance apart. Exhale and lift your hips towards the sky.
Strengthening your muscles helps to improve your posture by providing better support for your body. Weak muscles can cause joint and tissue injuries, as well as make it difficult to maintain proper posture.
Focus on strengthening your core, back, shoulder, chest, and hip muscles. These include your abdominal and lower back muscles that connect to your spine and pelvis.
