Tips to improve your posture, part 1

It’s never too late to start improving your posture! It’s worth it. How you hold yourself when you sit, stand, and move affects both your mind and body (check out this and that article). 

You may be wondering where to begin. This article will help you get started. 

Every body is different. But. There are tendencies in our modern society.  

We need to 

• open the chest

• strengthen the back body

• strengthen abdominal muscles

Certain “postural” muscles keep you upright, supporting the spine. We need to strengthen these muscles. 

Below are actionable tips you can start to incorporate into your day. Each tip takes 5 minutes or less. But if doing them all is overwhelming then start with one. 

Pick one and commit to doing it every day for 1 week. See how you feel.  Then maybe add another one to your day.

Tip #1 – Open the chest with a passive backbend

This will open up the front of the body and get to that spot in your upper back that can be difficult to open.

1. Roll up a blanket or towel.

2. Lie on the roll so the roll is across your upper back, just under your armpits. The roll is on an area of the upper back that often is ignored and can round.

3. You can decrease your roll if it’s too much.

4. Don’t let your chin point to the sky. If it does this, support the head with a block, another towel/blanket, or a book.

5. Keep the knees bent.

6. Arms are out to either side.

7. Breathe here for 3-5 minutes.

8. To get out of this, roll to the side.

 

Tip #2 – Strengthen the front abdominals 

This practice specifically focuses on strengthening the deep muscles in the front body. You’ll find and work to maintain a neutral pelvis. This is when the pelvis is in a position that best supports the curve in your low back and is optimal for spinal health. Don’t worry, there are instructions below on finding a neutral pelvis.

You’ll learn to engage the transversus abdominis muscle. Why strengthen this muscle? The transversus abdominis

• is the deepest of all the abdominal muscles.

• is considered one of the most important abdominal muscles to prevent back pain

• starts at either side of your spine and wraps around your torso (like a cummerbund)

• holds internal organs in place

• stabilizes spine and pelvis

This muscle is an important one!

Instructions to find your neutral pelvis

1. Safely make your way to the floor and lie on your back. 

2. Bend your knees. Feet are flat on the floor, it doesn’t matter how close they are to your bum.

3. Place your fingers on your belly button. Now slide them out to each side, and slightly down, where you’ll feel your frontal hips points (called ASIS, or anterior superior iliac spine). 

4. Place the heel of your palm on your hip points and place your fingertips on your pubic bone (the bone just above your genital area)

5. The pubic bone and hip points should be level to each other – if you were to lay a piece of paper on the front of your pelvis it should be flat. Every body is different but it should be close to level.

6. IF your fingertips are higher than the hip points (the pubic is higher) you likely tuck your tailbone. Your low back may even be touching the floor. Press your tailbone into the floor until your pubic bone and hip points are more level. This will feel weird if you’re a tucker.

7. IF the heels of your palms are higher than fingertips (the hips points are higher) you likely overarch your low back. Reach your tailbone toward your feet until your hip points lower to the level of your pubic bone.

8. You have a neutral pelvis, or close. Keep this pelvic position as best you can. 

9. Last cue for the pelvis – slightly reach your pubic bone toward your breastbone (sternum). NOT so much that your low back flattens to the floor. The goal here is to engage the transverse abdominal muscle. It may feel subtle to you, that’s okay. The more you practice the more you’ll feel. 

 

Keep all this work, as best you can!  Don’t forget to breathe.

 

Instructions to strengthen the front abdominals

1. Lift your knees over your hips, and let your feet dangle. 

2. Don’t let your lower front ribs lift to the sky. They like to do this! Control them by lowering them down toward the floor. 

3. Keep your hands on your pelvis OR lay them on the floor next to you. 

4. Keep your head and shoulders resting on the floor and don’t make faces. The face is soft, perhaps with a smile on it. 

5. As you inhale touch your right toes to the floor. 

6. Exhale and bring the right knee back in line with the left one. 

7. Inhale and touch your left toes to the floor.

8. Exhale and bring that knee back to your center, next to the right knee. 

9. Repeat 10 times on each side.

10. When you’re done stay on the floor and stretch the legs out and the arms overhead (if your shoulders allow that). Stretch like you would if you just woke up. Strong and flexible muscles are important for moving with ease. 

 

*Breathe in and out your nose and go SLOW!

*If you’re doing it with ease you can touch your toes further from your bum to increase the difficulty.

*You should feel the “work” on the front abdominals – if you start feeling the low back doing the work, stop. The front abdominals are tired and you can come back to it later.

Tip #3 – Strengthen the back muscles with shalabhasana

This will help strengthen the muscles on the back that hold you in an upright position.

Instructions

1. Lie down on your belly with your chin or forehead on the floor.

2. Place your arms alongside your body with the palms touching your outer thighs.

3. Help protect the low back by engaging some abdominal muscles.  Gently press your pubic bone into the floor or reach your tailbone to your heels (does the same thing). 

4. Lift the heads of each shoulder (where 80s style shoulder pads would sit) to the sky. You are not trying to squeeze an orange between your shoulder blades here. Lift enough to feel muscles engage.

5. Keep your face soft.

6. As you inhale lift your head and shoulders a few inches off the floor. Don’t lift your gaze, keep the back of the neck long.

7. Keep breathing as you hold this lift for 5-10 breaths. 

8. Lower on an exhale.

9. Repeat 3 times. You can lift slightly higher each time, but NOT if you feel the work go into the low back. We are targeting more mid and upper back here.

10. Now as you lift also lift the legs. Imagine the lift comes from the inner thigh or inseam of your pants (I assume you’re wearing them). This prevents you from rotating the leg out, which will engage different muscles. 

11. Repeat 3 times with both torso and legs lifting. 

12. When done make a pillow with your forearms and take a moment to rest. Great job! 

**Don’t hold your breath, breathe in and out the nose.

It can be difficult to fit one more thing into your day. My best suggestion? Pick one of these tips to try out this week.

Commit to it and see how you feel.  Comment below and let me know!

Be patient. Be consistent. Be kind to yourself. 

Next week, you’ll learn 3 more tips focused more on the position of your feet, ribs, and head.