How can a person improve their posture?
Most of us tend toward muscular imbalance. Typically our chest and front shoulder muscles are stronger than our upper back and rear shoulder muscles. As a result, our chins jut out, our shoulders round, and our backs sway.
Strengthening and stretching the upper body will bring your muscles back into balance, improving your posture and making you look better in clothes. Try the following exercises to better posture.
Chest Expander
- Lie faceup with legs bent and feet flat on the floor. Bend elbows and bring forearms together over chest, with hands directly over forehead and in prayer position.
- Keeping elbows bent at 90 degrees, lower arms to floor on either side of head. Your should feel chest and shoulders opening and expanding. Hold for three breaths, then slowly lift arms back to start, feeling the stretch in upper back and between shoulder blades. Repeat 10 times.
Wall Roll-Down
- Stand with back against wall, arms by sides. Bring heels together an inch or two from wall; angle toes out slightly.
- Contract abs and relax lower back, then roll down one vertebra at a time until tailbone is all that touches wall. Slowly reverse the move. Repeat three times.
Shoulder Strengthener
- Stand with feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent, holding a 2 to 8 pound dumbbell in each hand. Keeping back straight, bend forward 45 degrees at hip. Let arms hang down from shoulders, palms facing in.
- Squeeze shoulder blades together in order to raise dumbbells 2 to 3 inches, then relax. Repeat 10 times.
