Best postural exercises

This is not medical advice.

More click bait. I just wrote an article stating that there is no perfect posture. There is this very large movement on social media where people are extremely concerned about their posture. They take pictures of their posture, and post them, and then ask what to do about it. It’s ironic that the device used to take the photo is causing much of the original concern.

I am not mocking these cases. It is correct to be concerned about posture. Back in the day, it was a swift swat to the back, to sit up straight. Truth is, movement and variety is the best posture. Developing some postural muscle strength will also help.

I tried to list my favorite postural exercises and stretches. See a medical professional before attempting any of these exercises. Don’t do anything that hurts.

Planks

Society used to work abdominal muscles with sit ups. The fitness industry then started to notice that sit ups work our hip flexors more than abdominals, and pull on the lower back. Sit ups aren’t wrong, it’s just that planks mimic how our core works all day, mostly isometrically, stabilizing the spine, and transferring force between upper and lower body, especially in sports.

Try these side planks, and the front planks pictured at the top.

Some people need easier variations, like standing at the counter, or from their knees. Sometimes we have to start as low as 5-10 seconds. You gradually hold them longer, as you get stronger. The recent world record is 18 hours! Impressive, but boring.

Bridges, and bridges with hip abduction

Our buttocks are important postural muscles, and extensors. They can be difficult to challenge, as they already lift us and propel us forward all day. There are hundreds of buttocks exercises. Here are two examples above.

Standing rows

Most people think of this as an arm exercise. I like it as a postural strengthening exercise. The lower back and hip extensor muscles have to fire to hold you from pitching forward.

Foam roll stretch for rounded shoulders

I think standing rows are more important for rounded shoulders, however people have asked for a suggested stretch.

Thoracic stretches

These may not be for everyone. Some people need more back extension, some need more flexion. Get advice from numerous professionals. You don’t want to stretch in the wrong direction. Everyone's posture is unique.

Bird dogs

Great for strengthening the lower and middle back postural muscles. If you are unable to do arms and legs, just do legs first. There is also a picture of an easier variation standing, if you can’t be on your knees. When you do extend the arm, it is the opposite arm, as in right leg, and left arm. The ideal posture is pushing them straight out, like a pointer dog, not up towards the ceiling.

Shrugs

Simple but forgotten. Those neck and shoulder muscles support our shoulder girdle from the cervical spine all day, like a suspension bridge. The tower is the cervical spine, and the wires would be our muscles.

Photo by Wes Hicks on Unsplash

Muscles like to move and fire, or relax. They don’t like being on constant tension all day. Shrugs relieve that tension and moves the muscles.

Chin tucks

It’s probable that most of us would benefit from chin tucks, because we tend to look down at things all day, like this device. However they may not be for everyone, especially someone with a flat cervical curve. I will need to say see a medical profession in person, however some professionals will give this out to every patient. Find someone who will review your neck xrays with you and explain your unique posture. If you are intent on trying these on your own, research as many videos as possible. Nothing should hurt or become worse.

Go slow

Most people go way too fast with exercises, just trying to get it done and over with. Momentum robs you of strength and muscle recruitment. Reps should be 2 seconds to pull/push, and 4 seconds to return to the starting point. That’s extreme, and most won’t follow that, but it might help slow down a few reps.

Ergonomics

This is where industries want us to find that one perfect posture where we exert no stress on our muscles, and can sit for hours like good little worker bees. That posture doesn’t exist. Variety and movement is better.