For quite a few of us, good posture doesn’t occur easily — especially as we age. Whether our less than proper position is due to all the time spent hunched over computers or just a life of not standing up straight, these actions can wreak havoc on our posture. By incorporating these simple exercises into your routine, you can improve upper body mobility to improve your posture and reduce back pain.
Mountain Pose
GIF: Yoga Foster
Mountain Pose may look like just a regular stance, but it is the epitome of proper posture, sis. Place your feet hip-width apart and gently bend in your knees. Grind your feet into the mat, place your hips in a neutral position, and tuck your tailbone under you just slightly. Glide your shoulder blades down your back and reach the crown of your head toward the sky.
Tree Pose
Photo: Yoga Foster
This pose forces you into the proper posture to promote balance and harmony.
Center yourself and ensure your shoulders are in line with your hips and your spine elongated. Putting pressure on your left foot, lift your right foot and press the sole of your foot against your left inner thigh. As you move up from your body, make sure you are standing tall. Keep your hands at your heart center or reach them toward the sky.
Superman row
GIF: SELF
This move is a useful exercise that works the entire back of your body. Having a stiff back is essential for all-around core strength because it will aid in maintaining an upright position throughout the day. Lay down face down with your arms outstretched in front of your body.
Engage those abs by lifting them off the ground; all while you keep that neck in alignment with your spine. Using your back and core, raise the arms, chest, and legs off the ground to come to a “superman” position. Keeping your stomach and legs hoovering off the ground draw your elbows in towards your ribs to perform a row.
Cat-Cow Pull
Photo: SELF
To develop good posture, you need to know what neutral is, and Cat-Cow is here to help you understand what that entails. Using your hands and knees, inhale and round your back, then exhale and arch your back entirely. Repeat this back and forth motion a few times before returning to a neutral position.
Band Pulls
GIF: Greatist
Band pulls are a fantastic exercise for opening up the chest, increasing upper body mobility, and strengthening the back. Grab a resistance band and place it at chest level with your arms straight and hands shoulder-distance apart. Keeping your arms straight, squeeze your shoulder blades and pull your hands away from one another until they are out to your sides. You can then return to the starting position and repeat a couple more times.
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