Simple Tips on How to Improve Your Posture

You may have been told when you were younger to stop slouching or to stand up tall.  Now that you are an adult, you may feel like you often need to remind yourself to sit up tall or stand with a good posture.  So how is your posture?  Do you feel like your shoulders round forward or does your lumbar area arch more than you would like?  Listed below are some simple and effective tips to help improve your posture.

Simple Tips on How to Improve Your Posture

Maintaining a good posture works well with your physical health.  For one, a good posture can help prevent chronic lower back pain and for another, a good posture looks great.  So how does one maintain a good, tall posture?  Follow along with the tips below to help maintain and improve on your posture.

• Stretch throughout the day. In the technology era, it is no surprise that many of us spend hours every day behind a computer working, typing, and researching. If you spend more than four hours every day behind a computer working and sitting for a prolonged period of time, consider simple stretching techniques to help open the shoulders and move the spine [1].  The following stretches can help keep the spine mobile and tall: light neck circles, shoulder stretching, wide arms to the side (try to touch elbows behind the body), back bends in the chair, forward bends to stretch the lower back, hamstrings stretches, and side bends left and right.  Hold each stretch for about 30 seconds each for two sets. Also, you can find and apply anti aging products for your neck for best results.
• Strengthen the core muscles. A strong core will not only look good on the beach or at the swimming pool, but a strong core will allow the torso to remain upright in a good posture and to prevent lumbar slouching.  Performing light “curl-ups,” which are also known as crunches, can help maintain a strong abdominal area to help bring the posture up tall.  Follow along with these directions to help improve on your abdominal area for your posture.
• Attend Yoga classes. Yoga is generally considered a mind-body exercise, but many receive flexibility benefits as well as core strengthening, which are main reasons why it is such a popular class.  Many poses in yoga can help stretch and strengthen the core, but none are better than the prone lying Cobra Pose.  These directions here can show you how to bring your body into Cobra Pose to help lengthen the core muscles.
• Strengthen the lower back muscles. The most important muscles for posture include the lower back and spine muscles.  A simple and effective back extension can reap the rewards for your posture.  In addition, exercises such as the deadlift and clean can work the lower back muscles conducive for you posture.
• Remind yourself. Remembering to remain in a tall posture is another effective way to maintain good posture.  When driving in your car, especially, you should aim to keep your back in a neutral position and try to avoid reaching too far forward for the steering wheel.  Placing a towel to support the lumbar area can help train the spine and back muscles to remain in this position.
• Keep your head up. Keeping the head up when walking can have great benefits for your posture.  When the head sags and looks down, so do the shoulders and cervical area of the spine.  Keeping your head up will help neutralize everything to help keep a great posture.

Your Challenge

Over the next month, challenge your body to stay up tall in a good posture.  If you suffer from chronic back pain, consider the exercises above to help alleviate the pressure on the spine.  In addition, over the next month, consider trying a few, if not all, of the tips above to help raise your posture.

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