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12 Exercises to Improve Your Posture

Medically reviewed by
Daniel Bubnis, M.S., NASM-
CPT, NASE Level II-CSS —
Written by Emily Cronkleton
— Updated on May 29,
Child’s pose Forward fold Cat cow Standing cat cow Chest opener 2020

High plank Side plank Downward-facing dog Pigeon pose

Thoracic spine rotation Glute squeezes Isometric rows

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Why posture’s so important

Having good posture
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throughout the day. Proper posture also reduces stress on your muscles and ligaments, which
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can reduce your risk of injury. More information

Improving your posture also helps you become more aware of your muscles, making it easier
to correct your own posture. As you work on your posture and become more aware of your
body, you might even notice some imbalances or areas of tightness you weren’t previously
aware of.

Read on to learn how to do 12 exercises that’ll help you stand a little taller.

1. Child’s pose

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This resting pose stretches and lengthens your spine, glutes, and hamstrings. The child’s pose
helps to release tension in your lower back and neck.

To do this:

1. Sit on your shinbones with your knees together, your big toes touching, and your heels
splayed out to the side.
2. Fold forward at your hips and walk your hands out in front of you.
3. Sink your hips back down toward your feet. If your thighs won’t go all the way down, place
a pillow or folded blanket under them for support.
4. Gently place your forehead on the floor or turn your head to one side.
5. Keep your arms extended or rest them along your body.
6. Breathe deeply into the back of your rib cage and waist.
7. Relax in this pose for up to 5 minutes while continuing to breathe deeply.

2. Forward fold ADVERTISEMENT

This standing stretch releases tension in your spine, hamstrings, and glutes. It also stretches
your hips and legs. While doing this stretch, you should feel the entire back side of your body
opening up and lengthening.

To do this:

1. Stand with your big toes touching and your heels slightly apart.
2. Bring your hands to your hips and fold forward at your hips.
3. Release your hands toward the floor or place them on a block. Don’t worry if your hands
don’t touch the ground — just go as far as you can.
4. Bend your knees slightly, soften your hips joints, and allow your spine to lengthen. ADVERTISEMENT

5. Tuck your chin into your chest and allow your head to fall heavy to the floor.
6. Remain in this pose for up to 1 minute.

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3. Cat cow

Practicing cat cow stretches and massages your spine. It also helps to relieve tension in your
torso, shoulders, and neck while promoting blood circulation. ADVERTISEMENT

To do this:

1. Come onto your hands and knees with your weight balanced evenly between all four
points.
2. Inhale to look up, dropping your abdomen down toward the ground as you extend your
spine.
3. Exhale and arch your spine toward the ceiling and tuck your chin into your chest.
4. Continue this movement for at least 1 minute.

4. Standing cat cow

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Doing the cat cow stretch while standing helps to loosen up tightness in your back, hips, and
glutes.

To do this:

1. Stand with your feet about hip-width apart with a slight bend in your knees.
2. Extend your hands in front of you or place them on your thighs.
3. Lengthen your neck, bring your chin toward your chest, and round your spine.
4. Then look up, lift your chest, and move your spine in the opposite direction.
5. Hold each position for 5 breaths at a time.
6. Continue this movement for a few minutes.

5. Chest opener

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This exercise allows you to open and stretch your chest. This is especially useful if you spend
most of your day sitting, which tends to make your chest move inward. Strengthening your
chest also helps you stand up straighter.

To do this:

1. Stand with your feet about hip-width apart.

2. Bring your arms behind you and interlace your fingers with your palms pressing together.
Grasp a towel if your hands don’t reach each other.
3. Keep your head, neck, and spine in one line as you gaze straight ahead.
4. Inhale as you lift your chest toward the ceiling and bring your hands toward the floor.
5. Breathe deeply as you hold this pose for 5 breaths.
6. Release and relax for a few breaths.
7. Repeat at least 10 times.

Ready to see how this all fits into an exercise plan? Check out our guide for better posture in
30 days.
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LEARN MORE

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6. High plank

The high plank pose helps to relieve pain and stiffness throughout your body while
strengthening your shoulders, glutes, and hamstrings. It also helps you develop balance and
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strength in your core and back, both important for good posture.

To do this:

1. Come onto all fours and straighten your legs, lift your heels, and raise your hips.
2. Straighten your back and engage your abdominal, arm, and leg muscles.
3. Lengthen the back of your neck, soften your throat, and look down at the floor.
4. Make sure to keep your chest open and your shoulders back.
5. Hold this position for up to 1 minute at a time.

7. Side plank

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You can use a side plank to maintain the neutral alignment of your spine and legs. This
energizing pose works the muscles in your sides and glutes. Strengthening and aligning these
muscles helps to support your back and improve posture.

To do this:

1. From a high plank position, bring your left hand slightly in to center.
2. Shift your weight onto your left hand, stack your ankles, and lift your hips.
3. Place your right hand on your hip or extend it up toward the ceiling.
4. You can drop your left knee down to the floor for extra support.
5. Engage your abdominals, side body, and glutes as you maintain this pose.
6. Align your body in a straight line from the crown of your head to your heels.
7. Look straight ahead of you or up toward your hand.
8. Hold this pose for up to 30 seconds.
9. Repeat on the opposite side.

8. Downward-facing dog

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This is a forward bend that can be used as a resting pose to balance out your body. The
downward-facing dog pose helps to relieve back pain, while also strengthening and aligning
your back muscles. Practicing it regularly helps to improve posture.

To do this:

1. Lying with your stomach on the floor, press into your hands as you tuck your toes under
your feet and lift your heels.
2. Lift your knees and hips to bring your sitting bones up toward the ceiling.
3. Bend your knees slightly and lengthen your spine.
4. Keep your ears in line with your upper arms or tuck your chin all the way into your chest.
5. Press firmly into your hands and keep your heels slightly lifted.
6. Remain in this pose for up to 1 minute.

9. Pigeon pose

This is a hip opener that also loosens up your spine, hamstrings, and glutes. The pigeon pose
can also help to stretch your sciatic nerve and quadriceps. Opening and stretching these
places in your body makes it easier to correct imbalances in your posture.

To do this: ADVERTISEMENT

1. Come down on all fours with your knees below your hips and your hands a little bit in front
of your shoulders.
2. Bend your right knee and place it behind your right wrist with your right foot angled out to
the left.
3. Rest the outside of your right shin on the floor.
4. Slide your left leg back, straighten your knee, and rest your thigh on the floor.
5. Make sure your left leg extends straight back (and not to the side).
6. Slowly lower your torso down to rest on your inner right thigh with your arms extended in
front of you.
7. Hold this position for up to 1 minute.
8. Slowly release the position by walking your hands back toward your hips and lifting your
torso.
9. Repeat on the left side.

10. Thoracic spine rotation

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This exercise relieves tightness and pain in your back while increasing stability and mobility.

To do this:

Come onto all fours and sink your hips back down to your heels and rest on your shins.
Place your left hand behind your head with your elbow extended to the side.
Keep your right hand under your shoulder or bring it to center and rest on your forearm.
Exhale as you rotate your left elbow up toward the ceiling and stretch the front of your
torso.
Take one long inhale and exhale in this position.
Release back down to the original position.
Repeat this movement 5 to 10 times.
Repeat on the opposite side.

11. Glute squeezes

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This exercise helps to strengthen and activate your glutes while relieving lower back pain. It Was this article helpful?
also improves the functioning and alignment of your hips and pelvis, leading to better posture.

Yes No
To do this:

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet about hip-distance apart.
2. Keep your feet about a foot away from your hips.
3. Rest your arms alongside your body with your palms facing down.
4. Exhale as you bring your feet closer to your hips.
5. Hold this position for 10 seconds and then move them further away from your hips.
6. Continue this movement for 1 minute.
7. Do this exercise a few times per day.

12. Isometric rows

This exercise helps to relieve pain and stiffness from sitting in one place for too long. Isometric
pulls work your shoulder, arm, and back muscles, giving you the strength to maintain good
posture.

To do this:

1. Sit in a chair with a soft back.

2. Bend your arms so your fingers are facing forward and your palms are facing each other.
3. Exhale as you draw your elbows back into the chair behind you and squeeze your
shoulder blades together.
4. Breathe deeply as you hold this position for 10 seconds.
5. On an inhale, slowly release to the starting position.
6. Repeat this movement for 1 minute.
7. Do this exercise several times throughout the day.

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Last medically reviewed on July 27, 2018

 3 sources   v  z  FEEDBACK:  

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What’s the Best Sitting Position for

Medically reviewed by Gregory Minnis,
DPT — Written by Kimberly Holland —

Good Posture?
Updated on August 31, 2020

Basic positioning Support your back Adjust your chair ADVERTISEMENT

Put your feet on the floor Keep your screen at eye level

Position your keyboard correctly Use the right mouse Keep it close

Try a handset Take regular breaks Takeaway

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Why your posture matters ADVERTISEMENT

You’ve likely heard that sitting is the new smoking. Research suggests sitting for most of your
day increases your risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Unfortunately, that’s almost all
of us.

As technology keeps us strapped to computers and electronic devices, more of us are sitting
for longer periods of time than ever before. And our health is suffering the consequences.

While you may not be able to swap your desk job for one that requires you to walk or stay
active all day, there is one thing you can do to improve your health right now: Sit correctly.

To avoid the effects of a lifetime of sitting, read on to learn how to find and maintain good
posture. Plus, find out which gadgets really are worth the money if you’re trying to protect your
bones for the future.

What’s the correct position?

Finding the correct position for sitting requires you to follow a few simple steps. Each time you
sit down, quickly repeat these steps to help your body settle into its best position.

First, start by sitting at the end of your chair. Roll your shoulders and neck forward into a full
slouching position. Then, slowly pull your head and shoulders up into a tall sitting position.
Push your lower back forward and accentuate the curves of your spine. This will likely feel
forced and uncomfortable, but hold for several seconds.

Release this sitting position slightly, and you’re sitting in a good posture position. Scoot
yourself back in the chair until your back is against the chair and your hips are in the bend of
the chair.

Now that you have your back in a good position, you need to address other factors that ADVERTISEMENT

influence your posture, from where to put your feet to how far away your screen should be.

Check out: How to treat back pain at home »

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1. Support your back

Ergonomic desk chairs are designed to properly support your body and reduce stress and
friction on bones and muscles while you sit. These chairs can be quite expensive and cost
more than $100. If you’re not ready to make that investment, don’t worry. You can try several
other things.

If your office chair doesn’t have a lumbar support, grab a small towel and roll it up. A small
pillow will also work. When you slide back in your chair after finding your proper posture, place
the towel or pillow between the chair and your lower back. This support device should help
you maintain good posture. If the towel or pillow is too large, you could be forcing your spine
into an awkward position that will be painful quickly.

You can also buy specially designed lumbar pillows, such as the Ziraki Memory Foam Lumbar
Cushion. These devices mimic the support of a lumbar rest in your chair, and you don’t have to
invest in a new chair.

2. Adjust your chair

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Move your seat up or down until your legs are parallel with the ground and your knees are
even with your hips. Your arms should be parallel to the ground, too.

Your feet should be resting on the floor. If they aren’t, use a stool or foot rest to elevate your
feet until you are in this position.

Plant your elbows by your side, and extend your arms into an L-shaped bend. Arms that are
extended too far out from your body could add stress to the muscles in your arms and
shoulders.

3. Put your feet on the floor

Make sure your body weight is distributed evenly across your hips. Bend your knees at a right
angle, and make sure your knees are either even with your hips or slightly below.

Your feet should be flat on the floor. If you’re wearing shoes with heels, removing them may be
most comfortable. If your feet can’t reach the ground, use a foot rest. Adjustable ergonomic
foot rests, like Halter’s Premium Ergonomic Foot Rest, let you find an angle of tilt and a height
that works best for your natural posture alignment.

Don’t sit with your legs crossed. This can reduce blood flow and cause muscle strain.

Check out: Stretches to do at work every day »

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4. Keep your screen at eye level

From your seated position, move the screen directly in front of you. Extend your arm, and
adjust the monitor until it’s about an arm’s length away.

Next, adjust how high the monitor is. The top of your computer’s screen should be no more
than 2 inches above your eye level. Computer monitors that are too low or too high can strain
your neck and eyes.

Stacks of books are an easy way to adjust your monitor’s height. If you’d like something more
formal, a monitor desk stand is a simple device that can help. AmazonBasics Adjustable
Monitor Stand is a simple table with column-style stackable legs. It can add almost 5 inches of
height under your monitor.

Free-standing monitor mounts, like WALI Dual LCD Monitor Mount, allow for greater flexibility
with adjustments. The arms allow you to adjust the screen’s height as well as the tilt.

5. Position your keyboard correctly

Your keyboard should sit directly in front of your computer. Leave 4 to 6 inches between the
edge of your keyboard and the desk so your wrists have room to rest while you type.

If your keyboard is tall and you must tilt your wrists at an awkward angle to type, look for a
padded wrist rest. Ergonomic wrist pads like Glorious PC’s Gaming Wrist Pad can help position
your hands evenly with your keyboard. Straining to type can cause muscle fatigue and pain.

6. Use the right mouse

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Your computer mouse should be on the same surface as your keyboard, and it should be
within easy reach. Stretching to reach any item could cause muscle strain and fatigue.

While you’re using your mouse, your wrist should be straight. Your upper arm should be by
your side, and your hands should be slightly below your elbows.

An ergonomic computer mouse helps prevent wrist strain and fits your hand’s natural shape.
Look for one with a low profile like Apple’s Magic Mouse 2.

7. Keep frequently used objects within

reach Was this article helpful?

Items you use frequently, such as a stapler, phone, or notepad, should be very close to you
while you’re sitting. Stretching to reach items you need can strain muscles. Repeated twists Yes No
and stretches may lead to joint pain.

8. Use a handset if you spend a lot of time

on the phone
If you spend a lot of time on a phone and typing or writing, use speaker phone. If that’s not an
option, invest in a headset like Plantronics’ Over-the-Head Wireless Headset System. Bending
your neck to cradle the phone can cause stiff muscles, pain, and even ligament damage over
time.

9. Take regular breaks

Sitting for long periods of time can reduce blood flow and cause muscle fatigue. To prevent
that, take frequent breaks. Stand up from your desk and move.

When you take a break, stand up and walk away from your desk if you can. Get your blood
flowing by doing some calf raises and shoulder shrugs. If you have the room, practice a few
lunges or squats.

Several short breaks during the day are better than just a few long breaks. If you can, take a
one- to two-minute break every 30 minutes. At the very least, get up and move around every
hour.

The bottom line

The modern workplace doesn’t invite much movement, and sitting all day can be detrimental to
your health. Still, you can do a lot to improve your health just by improving your posture.
Investing in a few ergonomically designed products and learning to sit properly can go a long
way to reducing wear and tear on your muscles and bones. Over the course of your career, this
can really pay off as you avoid injuries, strains, and soreness.

Keep reading: 10 Daily habits to stop back pain »

3 Yoga Poses for Tech Neck


WATCH VIDEO

3 Yoga Poses for Tech Neck

Last medically reviewed on May 18, 2017

 6 sources   v  z 

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