5 Exercises To Improve Your Posture

Why do you train? What drives you to hit the gym and work out?Many people want to stay fit and active, while others feel the need to sculpt the perfect physique. Whatever it is that makes you want to get healthy, here’s an unexpected benefit that exercise can yield – it can improve your posture and possibly reverse bad posture habits.

Check out these 5 simple exercises for better posture:

1. Planks

Your core dictates your posture more than you know. Keeping it strong and well-conditioned could be the key to boosting your posture. One of the best exercises for improving your core strength is the plank. Get down using your feet and forearms to prop you up. You should feel tension in your abdominal muscles when you get into this position. Make sure that your back is low to the ground and that your butt is not raised. Hold the position for a period of 30-90 seconds at a time.

2. Back extensions

Never underestimate the role that your back plays in your overall posture. To strengthen the muscles here, the back extension exercise is ideal. Lie face down on your front and extend your arms forward. Next, start to lift your chest as much as you can so that it makes a break from the floor. Hold the position for as long as you can. Don’t worry if you can’t lift your chest too high when you first start. This is an exercise that takes practice to perfect. Just keep going.

3. Dumbbell side bend

Targeting your obliques, the dumbbell side bend is a neat little exercise that you ought to be practicing on a regular basis. Choose two medium-sized dumbbells and hold one in each hand. Straighten up your posture so that you’re standing tall and your feet are hip-width apart. Slowly bend down to one side, extending your arm downward as you do so. Repeat this exercise around ten times on each side for the best results.

4. Squat balance

Of course, without a great sense of balance, there’s simply no way that your posture will improve. This next activity is one of the best exercises designed to improve balance. You can use a balance ball or just do it on the floor. Squat down as far as you can go without it straining any muscles. Hold that position for a period of 60 seconds. Make sure that you engage your core so that you really feel the burn. Practice this on a regular basis to see a real change in your sense of balance.

5. Shoulder rolls

When we talk about posture, most people only consider their standing position. What about your seated posture? The shoulder rolls can help you with just that. Sit on a chair with your back straight and your shoulders relaxed. Breath in deeply as you raise your shoulders toward your ears and backward. Exhale as you bring them down. Repeat this action several times. The great thing about this particular activity is that you can do it anywhere for your home to the office.

Thanks again to my friend Joe, Co-Founder of Vive Health for another great post. We appreciate your tips!