How To Improve Your Posture, by the 4D Personal Trainer in Barnes

Work long office based days? Find yourself becoming a little rounded around the shoulders and not as flexible as you used to be?

Over time, poor posture takes a serious toll on your spine, shoulders, hips, and knees. It can course all sorts of structural problems that lead to back and joint pain, reduced flexibility, and compromised muscles, all of which limit your spine strength and breathing.

Poor posture can stem from many sources; one of the most significant sources deals with repetitive motion without frequent breaks. If you spend a substantial part of your day in a certain position e.g slouched over your desk, the spine tends to orient itself to this position and will gradually start to develop a more exaggerated forward curve of the thoracic spine (mid-back area) and create a muscular imbalance.

Here are 3 key corrective exercises for bad posture:

Standing Hip-Extension Stretch

Why It’s Good Loosens the hip flexors and strengthens the glutes, reducing lumbar curvature and stretched stomach.

How To Do It Stand and place your left foot on a chair with your knee bent 90 degrees. Tighten your right buttock and reach overhead as high as you can with your right arm. Side-bend slightly to the left. Hold 30 seconds. Repeat on the other side.

Scapular Wall Slide

Why It’s Good Prevents rounded shoulders.

How To Do It Stand with your back and head against a wall. Place your arms against the wall so they form a W. Slide your arms upwards into a Y. Hold for a count of 3, and then lower them. Do this 12 times.

Chair Mobilisation

Why It’s Good Prevents hunchback.

How To Do It Sit so the back of your chair is just below shoulder blade level. Place your hands behind your head and bring your elbows towards each other. Arch back and push your elbows upwards as you exhale. Hold for a count of 3. Do this 12 times.