If you spend a lot of time sitting at a desk, your posture is probably not great. Sitting for a long time can make your hips, lower back, and chest tighter and weaken the muscles that keep your body in the right position.
In fact, a lot of the people who hire me as a personal trainer want to work on their posture. It’s a great goal to have because bad posture can make it harder to move, raise your risk of injury, and cause aches and pains that won’t go away.
These three exercises will help you build up the muscles that are important for good posture. If you add them to what you already do, you might stand (and sit) a little taller.
You might like the woman in the living room with an orange resistance band under her feet pulling the ends toward her in a bent-over row. She has a blue sofa and a big blue balance ball next to her. If you sit all day, your back chain may be weak. These three exercises that trainers recommend can help.
I tried doing banded pull-aparts every day to improve my posture. Here are the results. Woman at home with dumbbells in her hands. A barre teacher says that working on this one group of muscles is just as important as the core for improving posture. Here is the three-part routine she suggests:
How to do the three exercises for good posture
You will need a yoga mat and a resistance band to do these exercises. Start with one set of 10 reps twice a week. As you get stronger, add more sets, reps, and days of the week you work out.
As a long-term goal, try to do these exercises for 4–5 times a week for 3 sets of 15 reps.
The exercises are:
- Row with bands
- Hello, Superman.
Most people can do these exercises, but people with certain injuries or medical conditions should be extra careful.
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Before starting any new activity, talk to your doctor. A certified personal trainer can help you fix your form or give you different exercises to do.
1. Row with bands
Banded Row – OPEX Exercise Library – YouTubeBanded Row – OPEX Exercise Library – YouTubeWatch OnSets: 1-3 10 to 15 reps
Put a resistance band around a strong anchor point. With both hands, hold the end of the band and step back until it is tight. Stand up straight and use your core muscles. Pull the band toward you and squeeze your shoulder blades together. For a few seconds, hold. With control, bring your arms back to the starting position.
Advice for trainers: Keep your elbows close to your body. Don’t shrug your shoulders up toward your ears during the exercise. Keep them relaxed. Don’t let your lower back bend.
2. Good morning
Bodyweight Good Mornings (Exercise Library) on YouTubeBodyweight Good Mornings (Exercise Library) – YouTube Watch On Sets: 1–3 Reps: 10–15
Stand up straight with your feet hip-width apart. Use your core muscles. Put your hands behind your head, or if that’s too hard, put them on your hips. A little bit bend your knees. Push your hips back and lean your torso forward slowly, bending at the hips and keeping your back straight. Squeeze your butt and slowly stand back up.
Advice for trainers: As you bring your torso forward, don’t let your back round. Your spine should stay straight during the whole movement. You should feel a stretch in the back of your legs.
