Exercise to Improve Posture

Sceptre

So, I have a bit of a slouch. I've been getting to the gym more lately and I was wondering if there are any exercises I can do that will correct it.

Any advice?

EggyToast

Put a pillow down, lay your chest on that pillow (so you're face down), and put your arms to your side. Raise your arms "up" and hold for about 4 seconds, and relax. Do 10 reps. Then, put your arms at a "T" shape out, and do the same thing, raise, hold 4 seconds, relax. 10 reps. Then do a "Y" shape, same thing.

This works all the muscles in your middle and upper back as well as your shoulders, which is usually what people who have bad posture need the most work on.

You can also do these over a yoga ball, but the floor works the same.

I had the same problem, with back pain associated, and went to physical therapy for about 2 months. Those exercises were the ones that did the most for me. Afterwards, sit on the floor and try to touch your toes while keeping your back and legs as straight as possible. Then, take one leg and cross it over the other, so your right foot is at your left knee (on the "outside"), and take your left elbow and gently twist your body so that elbow is touching the "right side" of your right knee. You should feel that along your side and back. Hold where it hurts, then switch.

Finally, lay flat on your stomach and do "reverse situps," arching your back. Again, don't go fast, just flex your back to bring your chest off the ground slowly, hold for a short period of time, and relax.


People slouch and get bad posture from weak back muscles. This will strengthen up your backside and standing erect with proper posture will feel much more natural and comfortable.

The Cat

If there's a group pilates class, definitely go.

RocketSauce

Deadlifts. You'll walk like fucking Superman.

However, be warned, this could be a major source of back problems if you're not doing them correctly. You'll probably want a trainer for this, and start out with light weight.

Dark Moon

RocketSauce wrote: »

Deadlifts. You'll walk like fucking Superman.

However, be warned, this could be a major source of back problems if you're not doing them correctly. You'll probably want a trainer for this, and start out with light weight.

Ding ding ding! Also, squats. Might want to get a trainer (with credentials - that's important) to show you how to do these as well, as they can do terrible things to your knees if done incorrectly. Or you can pick up Starting Strength by Rippetoe, an excellent book for learning how to do the basic lifts. If you only do two lifts at the gym, these are the two you should do.

HyperAquaBlast

Swimming. Especially freestyle and backstroke. When I was like 10 or so the doc said I was going to get a curvy back cause I slouched so much. Was in a swim team and after like a year the doc said there wasn't even a chance that I could get a a curvy back. Doubt it takes a year of constant swimming but it is a good exercise and will help.

Either way after a few laps of proper freestyle (the crawl for you weirdos) you will feel your back being made to be in a straight position.

nexuscrawler

You really want to evenly develop your core muscles to improve posture. Improve your back without strengthening your abs and pecs you're just going to make it worse in the long run. Try to work opposing muscle groups on the same day to keep some type of balance. if you find a particular weakness in one area concentrate on it a little more than the others. Also hips are a muscle group lots of people forget about that are often weak but are very important for balance. Be sure to work those too.

Scrublet

Believe it or not, if you want good posture abs are also important to work in addition to back. You will also find that if you improve your ab strength (keyword here is STRENGTH, not just multiple repetitions of situps), you'll be able to support more doing those back exercises. Be VERY careful doing the deadlifts and such that people are recommending...there are machines/other exercises almost as effective and much safer.

Keep in mind that you will also need to FOCUS on sitting correctly in addition to working out. You will have to condition yourself to not be lazy in the same manner that people have to learn to raise their wrists when they type or move all the way up AND down when doing pushups.