12 Exercises to Improve Your Posture

A combination of yoga, stretching, and strengthening exercises may help you to fix or correct your posture over time.

Maintaining good posture is important for helping you develop strength, flexibility, and balance.

These may reduce the risk of muscle and spinal injuries that could lead to musculoskeletal disorders and improve body-related emotions, such as body image satisfaction and self-esteem.

Some research suggests that a combination of exercises that focus on strengthening, stretching, and lengthening the spine and torso could help improve your posture.

Here are 12 exercises to help improve your posture.

This article is Day 4 of Healthline’s 30 Days of Movement Challenge. Learn more about how you can build long-lasting fitness habits through quick and accessible exercises by following the Challenge.

1. Child’s Pose

Child’s Pose stretches and lengthens your spine, glutes, and hamstrings. It may also release tension in your lower back and neck.

To do this pose:

1. Sit on your shins with your big toes touching and your knees together or slightly apart.
2. Fold forward at your hips and walk your hands out in front of you.
3. Sink your hips back toward your heels. If they don’t reach comfortably, place a pillow or folded blanket between your hips and heels for support.
4. Rest your forehead on the floor, a block, or a pillow.
5. Keep your arms extended or rest them along your body.
6. Breathe deeply into the back of your rib cage and waist.
7. Relax in this pose for up to 5 minutes while continuing to breathe deeply.

To do this pose:

1. Stand with your big toes together or your feet hip-width apart.
2. Bring your hands to your hips and fold forward at your hips.
3. Release your hands toward the floor or place them on a block. Don’t worry if your hands don’t touch the ground — just go as far as you can.
4. Bend your knees slightly, soften your hips, and allow your spine to lengthen.
5. Let your head and neck relax.
6. Remain in this pose for up to 1 minute.

Gif by Active Body. Creative Mind.

1. Come onto your hands and knees with your wrists under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Distribute your weight evenly through your hands and knees.
2. Inhale as you lift your chest and tailbone, allowing your abdomen to drop toward the floor as your spine arches. (Cow)
3. Exhale as you round your spine toward the ceiling, drawing your chin toward your chest. (Cat)
4. Continue flowing between Cat and Cow with your breath for at least 1 minute.

To do this pose:

1. Stand with your feet about hip-width apart with a slight bend in your knees.
2. Extend your hands in front of you or place them on your thighs.
3. Lengthen your neck, bring your chin toward your chest, and arch your back.
4. Then look up, lift your chest, and move your spine in the opposite direction.
5. Hold each position for 5 breaths at a time.
6. Continue this movement for a few minutes.

To do this stretch:

1. Stand with your feet about hip-width apart.
2. Bring your arms behind you and interlace your fingers with your palms pressing together. Grasp a towel if your hands don’t reach each other.
3. Draw your shoulders back and down while keeping your head, neck, and spine in a neutral line. Gaze straight ahead.
4. Inhale as you lift your chest toward the ceiling and bring your hands toward the floor.
5. Breathe deeply as you hold this pose for 5 breaths.
6. Release and relax for a few breaths.
7. Repeat at least 5 times.

Gif by Active Body. Creative Mind.

6. High plank

1. Come onto all fours and straighten your legs, lift your heels, and raise your hips.
2. Straighten your back and engage your abdominal, arm, and leg muscles.
3. Lengthen the back of your neck, soften your throat, and look down at the floor.
4. Make sure to keep your chest open and your shoulders back. Lower your elbows to do a regular plank if needed.
5. Hold this position for up to 1 minute at a time and repeat 5 times.

1. Begin in a high plank position. Bring your right hand slightly toward the center of your mat.
2. Shift your weight onto your right hand, stack your feet, and lift your hips as you rotate your body to the side. You can also place your right forearm on the floor with your elbow under your shoulder.
3. Place your left hand on your hip or extend it toward the ceiling. For extra support, you can lower your bottom knee to the floor
5. Engage your abdominals, side body, and glutes as you hold the pose.
6. Align your body in a straight line from the crown of your head to your heels.
7. Look straight ahead of you or up toward your hand.
8. Hold this pose for up to 30 seconds.
9. Repeat on the opposite side. Do 2-3 sets total.Gif by Active Body. Creative Mind.

1. Begin on your hands and knees with your hands slightly in front of your shoulders. Press into your hands as you tuck your toes under your feet and lift your heels.
2. Lift your knees and hips to bring your sitting bones up toward the ceiling.
3. Bend your knees slightly and lengthen your spine.
4. Keep your ears in line with your upper arms and allow your head and neck to relax between your arms.
5. Press firmly into your hands and keep your heels slightly lifted.
6. Remain in this pose for up to 1 minute.

Gif by Active Body. Creative Mind.

1. Come down on all fours with your knees below your hips and your hands a little bit in front of your shoulders.
2. Bend your right knee and place it behind your right wrist with your right foot angled out to the left.
3. Rest the outside of your right shin on the floor.
4. Slide your left leg back, straighten your knee, and rest your thigh on the floor. Keep your hips square.
5. Make sure your left leg extends straight back (and not to the side).
6. Slowly lower your torso down to rest on your inner right thigh with your arms extended in front of you.
7. Hold this position for up to 1 minute.
8. Slowly release the position by walking your hands back toward your hips and lifting your torso.
9. Repeat on the opposite side.

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1. Come onto all fours and sink your hips back down to your heels and rest on your shins.
2. Place your right hand behind your head with your elbow extended to the side.
3. Keep your left hand under your shoulder or bring it to center and rest on your forearm.
4. Exhale as you rotate your right elbow up toward the ceiling and stretch the front of your torso.
5. Take one long inhale and exhale in this position.
6. Release back down to the original position.
7. Repeat this movement 5 to 10 times and then change sides.

Gif by Dima Bazak

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet about hip-distance apart.
2. Keep your feet about a foot away from your hips.
3. Rest your arms alongside your body with your palms facing down.
4. Exhale as you lift your hips toward the sky, straightening your spine.
5. Hold this position for up to 1 minute at a time and repeat 3 times.

1. Begin standing or sitting in a chair.
2. Make a fist with each hand and extend your arms in front of you so that they’re parallel to the floor.
3. Exhale as you draw your elbows back toward your shoulders and squeeze your shoulder blades together.
4. Breathe deeply as you hold this position for 10 seconds.
5. On an inhale, slowly release to the starting position.
6. Repeat this movement for 1 minute for 3 sets.

Source: www.healthline.com