Get Better Posture (and a Sexy Back)
By Shelby Miller, NASM – CPT – March 1, 2011
Have you ever given much thought to your posture? Stand in front of a full-length mirror, and turn to the side. Do your ears line up with your shoulders, or are they several inches in front? Do your shoulders roll forward? Is your upper back hunched?
If you said yes to any of the above, you’re not alone. Thanks to modern habits like working at a computer or spending long hours in a car, many of us have developed poor posture. The reason is that when we’re seated for long periods, the muscles in our core that would normally work to hold us upright against gravity become underused. At the same time, other muscle groups like the trapezius, which shrug the shoulders, become overdeveloped as we hunch forward over our computer screens or steering wheels. This muscular imbalance over time can lead to severe neck and back pain and difficulty performing everyday movements.
With a little conscious behavior and the right strength-training moves, however, you can regain good posture and its many benefits. You’ll appear (and likely will be) taller and more confident, commanding more attention when you enter a room. You’ll reduce pain, and you’ll have an easier time performing exercises correctly. Finally, you’ll strengthen and tone your back and abdominal muscles, and who doesn’t want that?
To improve your posture, you’ll need to do resistance exercises to strengthen the underused muscles as well as stretches to release the overused ones. Perform each of these exercises two to three times weekly---at least two sets apiece---and stretch daily for optimum results.
Strength Training Exercises for Improved Posture
If you don’t exercise at a health club, you may want to consider picking up some inexpensive and portable equipment to keep at home or the office. The inflatable exercise ball (also known as a stability ball or Swiss ball) and the resistance band (also known as exercise tubing) are versatile and can be found at your local sporting goods store for under $25 and $15, respectively. The following exercises focus on the muscles in your upper back that pull your shoulder blades together as well as your abdominal muscles.
· Seated Reverse Flies. Sit on the ball, feet planted firmly on the floor, and grasp the tubing in front of you at chest height with hands spaced about shoulder-width apart. Keeping your chest lifted and shoulder blades pulled down and back, pull your hands apart horizontally until your arms are straight out to either side, then slowly return to starting position. Do not bend your elbows, and do not allow band to snap back. Perform 10—15 repetitions.
· Stability Ball Crunches. Lie back on the ball so that the small of your back is curved over the top of the ball, knees are bent 90 degrees, and feet are planted firmly on the floor. Place hands lightly behind your head with elbows out and chest open. Look straight up at the ceiling and slowly crunch through the abdominals without moving the ball. Exhale as you lift, inhale as you lower. Make sure you come all the way back down so your abdominals fully extend before crunching back up. Perform 10—15 repetitions.
· Cobras. Turn onto your stomach on top of the ball and place your toes against a wall for support (you may also perform these without the ball, laying on your stomach on the floor). Place your fingertips on the ground below your shoulders. Slowly and without moving the ball, lift your chest off the ball, extending your low back and lifting your hands behind you, palms down, in a low V. Pause briefly at the top, looking at the floor in front of you (do not crane neck) and return to start. Perform 10—12 repetitions.
· Modified Push-Ups. To reap the benefit of improved alignment, perform these in front of a mirror. Hands should be slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and positioned to either side of your chest, and your knees should be on the ground. Bend the elbows and lower into a deep push-up (so that your upper back is even with your elbows), making sure to pull your chin in so that your head doesn’t drop forward. Push back up into starting position while maintaining spinal alignment. Do as many reps as you can with good posture.
Stretches for Better Alignment
Stretching is also an important component of good posture, and it’s something you can do anywhere. Post reminders in your work space so that you’ll take time to stretch at least once a day. These particular stretches focus on opening your chest and shoulders and lengthening the muscles of your back.
· Chest Stretch. Stand in a door frame and place your left hand behind the frame at face height. Slowly turn your shoulders to the right until you feel a stretch in the front of your left shoulder, and hold this position for 15—20 seconds without bouncing. Repeat on other side.
· Trapezius Stretch. Sit up straight in a chair and clasp hands behind your hips. Gently pull downward through the shoulders, drop your chin, and let your head fall to the right, keeping your chest lifted. Hold for 15—20 seconds; repeat on the other side.
· Seated Twist Stretch. Perched on the front of your chair, sit up straight and slowly rotate spine to the right, grabbing the seat of the chair behind you with your right hand and placing your left hand on the outside of your right knee. Look over your right shoulder and hold 15—20 seconds, then repeat on the other side.
· Lat Stretch. Stand behind your chair and place both hands on the seat back at about waist height (you should be a step back from the chair so that your arms are out in front of you). Slowly bend forward from the hips to about 90 degrees, allowing your chest to drop toward the floor and keeping your arms straight, until you feel a stretch in your mid-back and under your arms. Hold for 15—20 seconds (again, remember not to bounce).
Don’t forget that you also need to exercise conscious effort over your posture. When you’re seated at your desk, sit up straight instead of leaning forward (you pay have to pull your chair closer) to relieve pressure on your lower back. Position your computer monitor so that the top of the screen is at or several inches below eye level. This will allow your chin to drop, releasing tension in the back of your neck and upper shoulders. Finally, while seated think about drawing your stomach muscles in, belly button toward spine, to exercise your deep abdominal muscles and support your lower back. Taken together, these efforts will allow you to stand up straight and take on the world with confidence.
If you said yes to any of the above, you’re not alone. Thanks to modern habits like working at a computer or spending long hours in a car, many of us have developed poor posture. The reason is that when we’re seated for long periods, the muscles in our core that would normally work to hold us upright against gravity become underused. At the same time, other muscle groups like the trapezius, which shrug the shoulders, become overdeveloped as we hunch forward over our computer screens or steering wheels. This muscular imbalance over time can lead to severe neck and back pain and difficulty performing everyday movements.
With a little conscious behavior and the right strength-training moves, however, you can regain good posture and its many benefits. You’ll appear (and likely will be) taller and more confident, commanding more attention when you enter a room. You’ll reduce pain, and you’ll have an easier time performing exercises correctly. Finally, you’ll strengthen and tone your back and abdominal muscles, and who doesn’t want that?
To improve your posture, you’ll need to do resistance exercises to strengthen the underused muscles as well as stretches to release the overused ones. Perform each of these exercises two to three times weekly---at least two sets apiece---and stretch daily for optimum results.
Strength Training Exercises for Improved Posture
If you don’t exercise at a health club, you may want to consider picking up some inexpensive and portable equipment to keep at home or the office. The inflatable exercise ball (also known as a stability ball or Swiss ball) and the resistance band (also known as exercise tubing) are versatile and can be found at your local sporting goods store for under $25 and $15, respectively. The following exercises focus on the muscles in your upper back that pull your shoulder blades together as well as your abdominal muscles.
· Seated Reverse Flies. Sit on the ball, feet planted firmly on the floor, and grasp the tubing in front of you at chest height with hands spaced about shoulder-width apart. Keeping your chest lifted and shoulder blades pulled down and back, pull your hands apart horizontally until your arms are straight out to either side, then slowly return to starting position. Do not bend your elbows, and do not allow band to snap back. Perform 10—15 repetitions.
· Stability Ball Crunches. Lie back on the ball so that the small of your back is curved over the top of the ball, knees are bent 90 degrees, and feet are planted firmly on the floor. Place hands lightly behind your head with elbows out and chest open. Look straight up at the ceiling and slowly crunch through the abdominals without moving the ball. Exhale as you lift, inhale as you lower. Make sure you come all the way back down so your abdominals fully extend before crunching back up. Perform 10—15 repetitions.
· Cobras. Turn onto your stomach on top of the ball and place your toes against a wall for support (you may also perform these without the ball, laying on your stomach on the floor). Place your fingertips on the ground below your shoulders. Slowly and without moving the ball, lift your chest off the ball, extending your low back and lifting your hands behind you, palms down, in a low V. Pause briefly at the top, looking at the floor in front of you (do not crane neck) and return to start. Perform 10—12 repetitions.
· Modified Push-Ups. To reap the benefit of improved alignment, perform these in front of a mirror. Hands should be slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and positioned to either side of your chest, and your knees should be on the ground. Bend the elbows and lower into a deep push-up (so that your upper back is even with your elbows), making sure to pull your chin in so that your head doesn’t drop forward. Push back up into starting position while maintaining spinal alignment. Do as many reps as you can with good posture.
Stretches for Better Alignment
Stretching is also an important component of good posture, and it’s something you can do anywhere. Post reminders in your work space so that you’ll take time to stretch at least once a day. These particular stretches focus on opening your chest and shoulders and lengthening the muscles of your back.
· Chest Stretch. Stand in a door frame and place your left hand behind the frame at face height. Slowly turn your shoulders to the right until you feel a stretch in the front of your left shoulder, and hold this position for 15—20 seconds without bouncing. Repeat on other side.
· Trapezius Stretch. Sit up straight in a chair and clasp hands behind your hips. Gently pull downward through the shoulders, drop your chin, and let your head fall to the right, keeping your chest lifted. Hold for 15—20 seconds; repeat on the other side.
· Seated Twist Stretch. Perched on the front of your chair, sit up straight and slowly rotate spine to the right, grabbing the seat of the chair behind you with your right hand and placing your left hand on the outside of your right knee. Look over your right shoulder and hold 15—20 seconds, then repeat on the other side.
· Lat Stretch. Stand behind your chair and place both hands on the seat back at about waist height (you should be a step back from the chair so that your arms are out in front of you). Slowly bend forward from the hips to about 90 degrees, allowing your chest to drop toward the floor and keeping your arms straight, until you feel a stretch in your mid-back and under your arms. Hold for 15—20 seconds (again, remember not to bounce).
Don’t forget that you also need to exercise conscious effort over your posture. When you’re seated at your desk, sit up straight instead of leaning forward (you pay have to pull your chair closer) to relieve pressure on your lower back. Position your computer monitor so that the top of the screen is at or several inches below eye level. This will allow your chin to drop, releasing tension in the back of your neck and upper shoulders. Finally, while seated think about drawing your stomach muscles in, belly button toward spine, to exercise your deep abdominal muscles and support your lower back. Taken together, these efforts will allow you to stand up straight and take on the world with confidence.