Now more than ever we are hunched over causing poor posture. Obesity rates are at an all-time high, we are looking down at our phones, and we are typing at a computer for 8+ hours a day. It’s easy not to pay attention to our posture when doing these things. Even now sitting here typing out this article I catch myself slouching!
The lats and lower traps are the muscles used to hold your shoulder blades down and body upright. As a result of hunching over, your chest muscles become tight and those back muscles become weak. The days you are going to work on those back muscles give your chest muscles a really good stretch. Increasing flexibility and range of motion of the chest can help with the movement of your shoulders and back creating better posture.
I will give you 3 exercises to help create better posture.
Cable or Banded Face Pull
Put a band around something sturdy. Put the band at the same level as your eyes. Arms should be fully extended when starting. Keep your core and glutes tight. Exhale and pull the band to the same level as your ears and the same
height as your eyes. The backs of your arms should end up facing out towards the band. Squeeze the shoulder blades as you pull back. Return to the start position. You should feel the burn in your upper back. Do 3 sets of 25-30
Wall Press
Start in a seated position against the wall with your ENTIRE back flush to the wall. Place your arms up in a 90-degree angle against the wall. At this point you want your entire back and all of your arms against the wall best you can. If this is hard to do you know this is where you will start. Once you can successfully do this you can move on to the press. Keeping everything against the wall you will raise your arms up to an overhead position. And then return back down to a 90-degree position. Repeat this 10-15 times for 3 sets. You should feel your upper back working and tightening up.
Bird Dog
Begin in the all four position. Take your right leg and extend out and up to hip height. At the same time, keeping your core tight, take your left arm and extend up and out to shoulder height turning your hand so the thumb is facing up. Hold for 5 seconds and return to all fours. Repeat on the opposite side. Do 3 rounds of 10 on each side.
Working on strengthening your back muscles, stretching out your chest muscles, and breaking some bad habits can help get you on your way to better posture. Stay tuned for the next blog on what those bad habits are and how you can change those.
– Kristen Sharp, Co-Owner
