Many of us sit at computers or desks most of the day and don't realize that we're sitting all hunched up. Most of us don't sit straight unless we're actively thinking about it and make an effort to sit tall. However, slouching can not only eventually cause permanent damage to posture, but often leads to buildup of tension, headaches and neck aches. Improve your posture, especially rounded shoulder posture, for a professional, fresh and healthy appearance, and to reduce aches and pains, as well.
Step 1
Perform a rotator cuff exercise, which will help lengthen upper chest muscles and shorten the muscles of the upper back and shoulder blade. This will help reduce the appearance of rounded shoulders and help pull them back and up. Stand tall with your arms bent at 45 degrees in front of you and elbows tucked slightly in to the waist. You can use light 2- to 3-pound dumbbells for this exercise if you wish, but they aren't necessary.
Rotate the arms outward until they are each facing toward opposite walls, away from your body. Keeping the arms bent, press your hands toward the rear, as if you're trying to touch something just behind you. This is a small move--a couple of inches at most. Perform this backward move between 10 and 15 times, keeping the shoulder blades pressed downward. You should feel the back muscles and the muscles between the shoulder blades compressing together. This exercise is also a great tension reliever.
Step 2
Stand straight with your arms to your sides and shoulder blades pressing down toward the base of the spine. Lift the arms on either side of your body, as if you're a bird preparing to take flight. The move should be smooth and controlled. Lift the arms, hands bent, until you can feel the stretch. Then, pull in the shoulder, bringing the hands down, all in one motion. Do this exercise between 10 and 15 times, concentrating on keeping the shoulder blades pressed downward at all times.
Step 3
Shorten the upper back muscles and elongate the upper chest muscle to help pull the shoulders back (the opposite of what happens to those with rounded shoulders). Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, arms reaching out in front, parallel with your shoulders. Extend the left arm to the left, turning with your hips in the same direction. Hold and then bring the right arm across the chest. You should be able to touch your left arm around the elbow or upper-arm area. Continue to touch the left arm with the fingers of the right hand, drawing the fingers to the shoulder, across the chest, and then fully extending the right arm out and away from the body. Return to the starting position, and then repeat this exercise on the other side, extending the right arm and turning the hips to the right. Repeat this sequence of exercises about 10 times for each side.
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