3 Exercises for Improved Posture

Optimal posture can help you breathe better, alleviate and prevent back pain, and look and feel more confident. Maintaining good posture is always important, but is especially pertinent if you sit many hours of the day, or are less active than you have been in the past. 

Much of having good posture is simply practicing it habitually, but you can do exercises to develop and reinforce good posture. Do these 3 exercises a few times a week. You can do these at the beginning of your training session, after, or as a standalone session. 

Band Pullapart

• extend tall through your spine, whether you are sitting or standing

• press your arms straight around your side

• squeeze your shoulders behind you as you do this

• press until the band touches your chest

• elbows can have a slight bend here, but will stay at the same angle. Do not straighten or bend at the elbow

Bird Dog

• start from a 4 point position on the ground 

• be sure wrists are directly under shoulders and knees are directly under hips

• keep an active, neutral, flat back (no arching or hunching)

• be tall through your spine, from the top of your head to your tailbone

• without wiggling or compensating, extend one arm straight in front of you, and back under you

• repeat on your other arm

• extend one leg, thinking about squeezing your glutes and straightening at the knee

• imagine you are wearing your favorite white shirt and balancing a tray of red wine on your back

• If this is easy, you can extend the right arm and left leg at the same time, then alternate sides

Breaststroke

• lay flat on the ground with arms extended in front of you

• head should be facing the floor, not looking in front of you

• make a wide sweep with your arms around and slightly extend your upper body off the floor

• as arms reach your sides, tuck your hands by your sides as you again extend your arms in front of you

• inhale as you sweep your arms wide toward your sides

• exhale as you return your arms to your starting position

The Details

Begin with a set of 8-10 reps of each exercise. That is one round. From there, repeat, trying to do each movement better. Be in a better control, pay attention to what you are feeling. You can do 3-5 rounds, depending on how you feel. Still have more questions? Leave me a comment or email me! I’m happy to hear from you!

About the author

Kathryn Alexander is a strength coach and personal trainer in Austin, Texas. She loves hiking, college football, and the feel of a perfectly knurled barbell. Read more about Kathryn here.