7 Effective Exercises That Can Improve Your Posture

Dec 27, 2018

Your posture provides you with an effective representation of your body’s fitness health. Not only this, but having good posture is essential for you to acquire and maintain both a healthy lifestyle as well as a good balance.

Obtaining good posture is beneficial for your overall health in general, in addition to being beneficial to your workout plans. If you continue to engage in workouts that are done in incorrect positions, then you are more likely to experience injuries than other individuals that workout in the correct position.

In order for you to improve your body’s posture, you are advised to do certain exercises that involve lifting light weights, balancing exercises, as well as exercises that build your core strength. By participating in these types of workouts, you will notice that your posture and overall health will improve in as early as the next few weeks. Here are the top 7 specific exercises that can help you improve your body’s posture.

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1. The Goblet Squat

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The Goblet Squat exercise is capable of improving the blood circulation in the lower parts of your body. Typically, when someone first begins doing squats, they are tempted to allow their body to lean forward. This is problematic because this means that you’re not engaging the postural muscles located along your back.

By doing goblet squats, your body is prevented from leaning forward, and it forces you to use the correct muscles when doing the exercise. For increased results, you’re also advised to hold weights in both hands at the height of your chest while participating in this exercise.

Directions:

  1. Pick up a kettlebell and raise it to the height of your chest
  2. Bend your knees and squat in the lowest position possible
  3. Straighten your knees and repeat the process about 10 times

2. The Arm Bar

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This Arm Bar exercise is responsible for increasing the amount of stability that you have in multiple areas of your body, including your shoulders and spine. This exercise can improve your posture because it allows your shoulders to gain more strength and it ensures that your joints are aligned correctly.

The Arm Bar exercise is also beneficial for individuals that remain in a seated position for long periods. The study conducted by the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea found out that Prolonged sedentary lifestyle is generally accepted as one of the important risk factors for pain in the lower back. Therefore, this exercise can come handy as it requires that your body moves in ways that other exercises don’t need. 

Directions:

  1. Lay down with your back on the ground and hold a kettlebell straight up into the air using your right hand
  2. Raise your left hand vertically into the air so that both arms are now in the air
  3. Push your right foot into the ground so that your body rolls over onto your right knee
  4. Straighten out the leg that’s bent
  5. Begin rotating the kettlebell in the air at least 10 times, and then repeat this process using the opposite legs and arms

3. Asymmetrical Kettlebell Split Squat

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This exercise allows your body’s muscles to move in several directions, which is beneficial because it improves the mobility and stability of your body. This exercise specifically improves your lower body’s strength and increases your body’s ability to rotate. 

Directions:

  1. Lay on the ground on your side
  2. Raise a kettlebell into the air with your right hand while taking your left leg forward
  3. While you bend your right knee, decrease the height of your left leg and then repeat this process for 10 times

4. Prone Breathing

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Scientists have discovered that the position of your rib cage can have a major effect on your posture. Because your lungs are located inside your rib cage, incorrect breathing cycles can have adverse effects on your body’s posture. Prone breathing is a type of breathing exercise that allows you to position your rib cage back to a healthy position. 

Directions:

  1. Lay down on the ground with your face on top of your hands
  2. Breathe in and out as deeply as possible
  3. Fill your lungs with so much air that your belly button touches the ground beneath you
  4. Inhale and exhale deeply for up to 5 times

5. Plank With A Row

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This exercise can improve your posture because it enhances your body’s ability to find its center of balance. Your center of balance is one of the most important aspects for your body to maintain a healthy posture. 

Directions:

  1. Get into the plank position with two kettlebells in place of where your hands are supposed to go
  2. Lift one kettlebell off the ground while simultaneously pushing the other into the ground
  3. Avoid moving your hips at all and repeat this process for 5 times

6. The Farmer Carries

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The Farmer Carries exercise is beneficial for you to improve your posture because it promotes correct alignment in your body, and it also has the capability of improving your stability and core strength. 

Directions:

  1. Make sure you have 2 kettlebells and carry one of them in each arm while you walk for a few minutes
  2. Be sure that you keep your spine vertical and don’t raise the weights while you walk because that will throw off your balance

7. Step-Back Lunge With Arm Reach

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This reverse lunge exercise is responsible for improving your body’s posture because it allows you to increase the range of motion that is present in the core regions of your body. Not only this, but this exercise also helps to relieve muscle tension that may be present in your back and hips. 

Directions:

  1. Stand with your right foot extended in front of you and your left leg extended behind you
  2. Bend your knees so that the left one almost touches the ground
  3. Extend your arm towards the ceiling with your left arm first and then repeat this whole process about 10 times

Overall, your body’s posture can have profound effects on your overall health. Because of this, you’re advised to maintain a healthy posture as much as you can. And this can be gained through the practice of these specific exercises. Try these exercises and see how they work for you. If they’re useful, consider recommending these exercises to your friends and family!

Our content is created to the best of our knowledge, yet it is of general nature and cannot in any way substitute an individual consultation by your doctor. Your health is important to us!