Perfect posture doesn't just happen. Dancers, martial artists and athletes are all known for exhibiting great posture. The thing they have in common is exercise. You can draw from different methods of exercise and disciplines to correct your posture. Core exercises, ballet and the Alexander technique are just some of the sources from which you can borrow exercises. Maintaining good posture throughout these exercises will stretch and strengthen your muscles so that your body is able to achieve good posture all the time. Work up to doing posture exercises daily.
Rounded Shoulders
Step 1
Sit in a chair or on a stability ball with your feet on the floor. Bend forward at the waist to lay your stomach on your thighs. Look at the floor. Flatten your back and position your neck in line with your spine.
Step 2
Extend your arms straight out to your sides. Rotate your arms and point your thumbs up. Bring your hands and elbows in line with your shoulders.
Step 3
Raise your arms straight up toward the ceiling as high as you can. Pull your shoulder blades together as if trying to make them kiss. Touch your thumbs together if you are flexible enough. This motion will strengthen the rhomboid muscles of your upper back, according to Kathy Smith of Your Total Health.
Step 4
Lower your arms back down to shoulder level. Keep your arms straight and your shoulders away from your ears.
Straight Spine
Step 1
Stand up straight with your feet together. Turn your toes out to 45 degrees to borrow a spine-straightening move from ballet, the Port de Bras exercise. Lift your arms over your head and slide your shoulders down.
Step 2
Bend forward at your waist with your back flat. Reach for your toes as far as you can without rounding your back. Keep your biceps in line with your ears and your neck in line with your spine.
Step 3
Raise your upper body back up as you stand up straight. Arms should lift to the ceiling again. Arch your lower back a little to do a slight back bend. Look up and slightly behind you. Pull your shoulders back and feel your chest opening and stretching. Do eight reps, recommends the Women's Health article "Lean and Tall in Minutes."
Alexander Technique
Step 1
Kneel on the floor with a stability ball in front of you. Straighten your arms parallel to the floor and hold the sides of the stability ball. Lean forward and bend at your waist so your back is also parallel to the floor. Look at the floor.
Step 2
Position your hips so they are slightly further back than your knees. Place your shins on the floor. Twist your shoulders and roll the ball to the right a few inches without moving your knees or your hips. Feel your hips stretch. Keep your shoulders back, your spine straight and your head pulled back so that your neck is in line with your spine.
Step 3
Rotate back to straight so that you're facing the floor.
Step 4
Rotate toward the left a few inches. Roll the ball three more times in each direction, alternating left and right. Roll the ball a little further each time if you can do so without sacrificing your postural alignment, recommends Women's Health.
Things You'll Need
- Chair
- Stability ball
