4 Exercises to Improve Your Posture and Reduce Your Pain

Improving your posture is a sure-fire way to reduce back pain and improve your spine’s health and wellbeing. Unfortunately, the age-old adage of “sit up straight!” might not be enough to cure bad posture. After all, bad posture is the result of tight, sore, and/or weak muscles and joints, so if you want to fix your posture, you have to address the underlying causes.

If you are serious about improving your posture, here are four simple exercises that will loosen and strengthen all the right muscles, and make you feel great in the process!

1. Child’s Pose

If you’ve ever done yoga, then you’re no stranger to child’s pose! This simple, relaxing position is one of the most powerful tools in your arsenal when it comes to improving your posture. Resting in child’s pose stretches and lengthens your spine, glutes, and hamstrings. It releases tension in your back and neck, making good posture easier to achieve.

To do this:

  1. Sit on your shins with your knees together. Your big toes should be touching with your heels relaxed out to the side.

  2. Fold forward over your thighs and stretch your hands out in front of you.

  3. Sink your hips back down toward your feet. If your thighs won’t go all the way down, that’s okay! Just place a pillow or folded blanket under your hips for support.

  4. Gently place your forehead on the floor or turn your head to one side, and keep your arms extended in front of you.

  5. Breathe deeply into the back of your rib cage and waist as you relax in this pose. You can stay here for up to 5 minutes, and don’t forget to breathe deeply!

2. Forward Fold

While “forward fold” sounds like a special, fancy move, it’s actually just your basic toe-touch! Forward folds are great for releasing tension in your spine, glutes, and hamstrings. Stretching these muscles are important for good posture because a tight butt and legs will pull on the low back, causing slouching and discomfort. During a forward fold, you should feel the entire backside of your body stretching.

To do this:

  1. Stand up straight with your big toes touching and your heels slightly apart.

  2. Fold forward at your hip. It helps to place your hands on your hips so that you can feel your upper body hinge forward into the fold!

  3. Drop your hands down to the floor, or rest them on a block or your shins if they don’t reach. No stress if you can’t touch the floor! Just go as far as you can and never push it.

  4. Put a slight bend in your knees, loosen your hips, and let your spine lengthen towards the floor.

  5. Tuck your chin into your chest so the crown of your head can fall heavily towards the floor, lengthening your spine. Hangout in this pose for up to 1 minute, and don’t forget to breathe deeply!

3. Cat-Cow