0 Yoga Poses For Correcting Bad Posture

by Grace and Zhen

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure for more info.

 Pin
 Share
 Twitter

31.5kshares

Many factors can contribute to one’s bad posture. If your work needs you to stay in one spot for
very long, chances are you might be staying in one posture for too long.

For example, sitting too long is one of them and that can cause bad posture easily.

Having a wrong posture can develop some serious problems over time.

These problems range from upper back pain, lower back pain, weakened muscles, digestion
issues to curvature of the spine.

If you want to improve your posture, then roll out your yoga mat and start doing these yoga
poses for correcting bad posture!

They will help you correct your bad posture, relieve the pain and strengthen your muscles.

10 Yoga Poses For Correcting Bad Posture

These yoga poses are a good stretch after a long day stuck in one position.

You can do all the yoga poses so you can give your whole body a good stretch. Or, you can just
do what you feel is helping you the most in fixing your posture!

1. Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)

The Bridge Pose stretches the chest, neck, and spine. It helps to calm your mind and alleviate the
stress built up in your body.

Begin by lying down on your back and palms facing down at the sides. Bend your knees so that
your heels are as close as possible to your buttocks.

Exhale and press the soles of your feet and arms against the floor. Push your hip upwards while
keeping your buttocks firm. Now clasp your hands below and extend your arms to stay on top of
your shoulders.

Keep your knees directly perpendicular to your heels and firm your shoulder blades against your
back.
Hold this pose for 30 seconds.

Tip: You can adjust how deeply to go based on your own comfort by pressing your hips upwards
more or lifting up your heels. 

2. Fish Pose (Matsyasana)

The Fish Pose is an amazing pose to it before bed or after a long drive.

Begin by lying down on your back on the floor. Bend your knees and lift your pelvis slightly off
the floor. Now slide your hands below your buttocks with the palms facing down.
Rest your buttocks on your hands. Keep your forearms and elbows close to the sides of your
torso. Next, inhale and press your forearms and elbows firmly against the ground.

While doing that, you will also need to press your scapulas into your back. Lift your upper torso
and head until they are away from the floor. Arch your back and lift your chest as much as
possible.

At this point, you can now release your head back onto the floor, so the back of your head will
rest on the floor. Your head should feel only a minimal amount of weight.

You can either straighten your knees or remain bent. If you choose the former, you will need to
apply pressure on your heels against the floor.

Hold this pose for at least 1 minute.

Tip: If you feel that your neck is straining or any discomfort, lower your chest slightly toward
the floor or you can put folded yoga blankets or yoga blocks under both your back and head.

3. Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)

A great way to open the heart, upper back and shoulders is to do the Cobra Pose.

Start by laying flat on your belly. Stretch your legs straight back with the tops of the feet on the
floor. Spread your hands on the floor beneath your shoulders.

Press your hands against the floor and slowly lift your head, neck and then chest off the floor.
Firm the shoulder blades against the back, pushing the ribs forward.

Slightly tuck the chin without straining the neck.

Hold this pose for 30 seconds.

4. Bow Pose (Dhanurasana)

If you do this pose correctly, your back and chest will instantly feel good after the stretch. Makes
sure to warm up properly before doing this.

Start by lying down on your belly with your hands at the sides. Inhale and bend your knees to
bring your heels towards your buttocks. Hold your ankles with your hands. Keep your knees hip-
width apart.

On the exhale, lift your chest and thighs away from the floor. Continue to lift your thighs higher
and press your shoulder blades firmly against your back. This will open up your heart.

Roll the tops of the shoulders away from your ears. You can keep your gaze forward.

Hold this pose for 30 seconds.

5. Cow Face Pose (Gomukhasana)

For anyone that is tied to a desk, this is one of the best yoga poses for correcting bad posture.
You can do this anytime every day in the office or the comfort of your home.

If you’re sitting on a chair, have both of your feet grounded on the floor. Or if you’re at home,
you can seat on the floor comfortably.

Lift your right arm towards the ceiling, then bend your right elbow so that your right fingers are
down your back. Now bring your left arm behind your back and try to have your left fingers
reach your right fingers.
If your fingers can touch each other, use your right fingers to grab hold of your left fingers. You
can use a yoga strap or towel to bridge the gap between your hands if you can’t touch each other.

Finally, draw the elbows back and lift your chest.

Hold this position for 30 seconds and switch sides.

Tips: Most people aren’t able to hook their fingers together. It’s perfectly normal. A simple
solution to this dilemma would be holding a strap between the hands.

6. Camel Pose (Ustrasana)

The Camel Pose is great for undoing all the slouching that you do unintentionally at work or
home.

Begin by kneeling on the floor with your knees hip-width apart. Have your toes tucked under and
rest your hands on the back of your pelvis.

Lightly press your hips forward, lift your heart by pushing your shoulder blades against your
back ribs. Slowly lean back against the shoulder blades and tailbone.

Lean until you can touch your feet with both hands simultaneously while keeping both your
thighs perpendicular to the floor.

For beginners, you may find it hard to drop into the pose straightaway. You can tilt your torso to
one side to get one hand on one of your feet. Then turn your torso back to neutral and lean back
to touch the other foot with the other hand.

Hold for 30 seconds.

7. Plank Pose (Phalakasana)

The Plank Pose is to build up your core strength because a bad posture may also be contributed
by a weak core! So, you need to start improving your core strength today.

Go into a table-top position and spread your fingers wide. Press your hands against the floor and
lift your knees until your legs are straight.

Makes sure your hips are in line with your shoulders and back. Keep your core tight and try to
resist your tailbone from sinking towards the floor.

Hold for at least 30 seconds.

8. Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

This is one of the most basic poses if you had taken yoga before. It’s a wonderful and universal
pose. Because it has so many benefits, it’s included in most yoga sequences

This pose strengthens the arms, core, shoulders while opening up the back, chest and shoulders.

From the plank pose, lift your hips up and back. Straighten your knees without locking them.
Press your hands actively against the floor.

Firm your shoulder blades against your back and keep your head between the upper arms. Relax
your neck and gaze towards your toes.

Hold this for 1 minute.

9. Warrior I Pose (Virabhadrasana I)

To have a good posture is to stand tall and proud like a warrior. The Warrior I Pose can help you
build confidence and better posture.

From the previous pose, Downward Facing Dog, step your left foot in between your hands.
Rotate your back foot 45 degrees outwards. Bend your front knee until your thigh is parallel to
the floor.

Now reach the sky with your fingertips by lifting your chest away from your pelvis. Feel the
stretch across the belly and chest to your arms. Draw your shoulder blades down your back and
keep your gaze forward, or tilt it back a little to look up.
Hold this for 30 seconds and switch sides.

10. Wide-Legged Forward Fold (Prasarita Padottanasana)

There are many variations for the Wide-Legged Forward Fold. No matter which variation you’re
doing, it will greatly help to lengthen the entire spinal column. We will be looking into the
variation with your fingers behind you back for this one.

Begin by standing with both your feet hips-width apart or what feels comfortable for your body.

Have both your fingers behind your back and interlace them. Inhale and gaze upward toward the
ceiling while keeping your neck long. Draw the palms closer to each other.
Now exhale and fold forward slowly, try to hang up and hold your hands together. If you find
that your hands are not flexible enough to interlace, you can use a less intense method that is
holding onto a yoga strap or a towel behind your back.

Keep your core engaged and hold this pose for 30 seconds.

Practicing These Yoga Poses for Correcting Bad Posture

Having a bad posture is normally contributed by your daily activities and it may affect your
health. By stretching and strengthening your core, back, shoulders and chest with yoga, your
body will be stronger so you can stand taller and sit up straight longer.

Practicing these yoga poses for correcting bad posture can also relieve any discomfort in your
body. In fact, doing these yoga poses regularly will not just improve your posture, but also help
you to avoid chronic back pain.

Even though one might not have any pain caused by bad posture at the moment, it’s still a good
practice for those whose work requires them to stay in one posture for very long.

So, it’s good to readjust your body posture from time to time!

And hey, we all know that even a slight discomfort stuck at our back or the neck can easily
disrupt our daily lives.

Yoga can also be used for many other purposes such as for weight loss and improving flexibility.

No matter what you do, you shouldn’t allow any parts of your body to be idle for too long. Keep
yourself active as much as possible!

Essential Equipment for Your Yoga Practice