Your posture probably needs some work if you spend a lot of time behind a desk. Long periods of sitting have been shown to weaken the muscles involved in maintaining proper alignment while tightening the hips, lower back, and chest.
Actually, a lot of people who come to me for personal training want to get better at their posture. It’s a fantastic objective to have since bad posture can result in decreased range of motion, a higher risk of injury, and persistent aches and pains.
To strengthen key postural muscles, I suggest doing the following three exercises. You might stand and sit a little taller if you incorporate them into your current routine.
You might see a woman in a living room with a large blue balancing ball and a blue sofa next to her. The woman is pulling the ends of an orange resistance band under her feet in a bent-over row.
These three exercises which are advised by trainers can strengthen your posterior chain if you spend a lot of time sitting down.
A woman with an exercise band in front of her I tried doing banded pull-aparts every day to get better posture, and these are my results.
A woman in a kitchen chair twists to her right. As a personal trainer who spends a lot of time sitting, I make sure to perform these four stretches every day.
1. A row with bands
Banded Row, OPEX Exercise Library, YouTube Watch On Sets: 1-3 Reps: 10–15
- Encircle a sturdy anchor point with a resistance band.
- Step back until the band is taut while holding the end in both hands.
- Stand tall and contract your core muscles.
- Pull the band in your direction while squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Hold for a short while.
- With control, extend your arms back to the beginning position.
Advice for trainers: Keep your elbows near your chest. Don’t shrug your upper shoulders up toward your ears during the exercise; instead, keep them relaxed. Keep your lower back from arching.
2. Good morning
- Place your feet hip-width apart and take a tall stance.
- Work the muscles in your core.
- Put your hands behind your head, or on your hips if you’re having trouble.
- Your knees should be slightly bent.
- Lean your torso forward gradually while hinging at the hips and maintaining a straight back by pushing your hips back.
- Squeeze your glutes and slowly get back to your feet.
Trainer advice When you bring your torso forward, avoid letting your back round. Throughout the exercise, your spine should stay in a neutral position. The backs of your legs should feel stretched.
3. Superman
- Stretch your arms out in front of you while lying on your stomach.
- Squeeze your upper back and glutes while using your core muscles.
- Raise your legs, arms, shoulders, and chest off the mat.
- Hold for a short while.
- With control, descend back to the mat.
