Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 2: Getting a good posture
• Part 2 of 2: Keeping a good posture
• Tips

If you are currently or have ever been a teenager, chances are your mom has told you to stand up straight. With a good posture you will look taller and slimmer, but the pressure on your muscles, bones and organs is also reduced. This makes you healthier and happier and you also gain more self-confidence. Even people who have been around like a salt bag for years can easily change this and improve their posture with a few simple exercises.

To step

Part 1 of 2: Getting a good posture

1. Stand with your back against the wall. Make sure that both the floor and the wall you are standing against are fairly straight so that you can properly estimate your posture and make your body more straight.
   • Stand with your back to the wall about three feet from the wall. Then slowly walk back until you can feel the wall against your back (but not leaning against the wall).
   • Make sure your feet are about as far apart as your shoulders and stay two to four inches in front of the wall.
2. Try to feel which parts of your body are touching the wall. Ideally these are three parts: the back of your head, your shoulder blades and your buttocks.
   • If you don't have a good build, you will find that your back (and maybe your butt) is touching the wall first.
   • While this is not very common, some people lean with their shoulders back instead of forward. In this case, your head hits the wall first.
   • Should your butt or the back of your head touch the wall first, try positioning your body so that your head, shoulder blades, and butt are all touching the wall at the same time. Make sure that your feet remain in the same place.
3. Take a step forward and try to keep your posture the same. Once you know what it feels like to stand upright against the wall, you can try to walk around the room and maintain your posture.
   • Your body will soon return to its old position on its own. Try to focus on what it feels like to stand up straight so that you can maintain your posture for as long as possible.
   • When you feel yourself "collapsing" again, you can walk back to the wall to straighten your posture.
4. Remind yourself of the benefits of good posture. For most people it is not that difficult at all to improve their posture, but you will have to put in time and effort. It may be tempting to simply revert to your old stature, but try to remember that it is really worthwhile to permanently improve your stature.
   • While it may feel more relaxed going through life with a slumped stature, poor posture can force your muscles to work harder to maintain this stature. This consumes a lot of energy and can also cause respiratory problems.
   • Poor posture can put extra pressure on your spine, making your back and shoulders feel stiff, less flexible and less easy to move.
   • A good posture makes your muscles more flexible and makes your neck, shoulders and back feel relaxed. This can lower your stress level and can even make you feel better about yourself. Research shows that people with a good build have on average more self-confidence and more energy. They can also remember things better.

Part 2 of 2: Keeping a good posture

1. Be aware of your stature. Whether we are working, relaxing or walking around town, we often do this leaning over a screen. This of course has no positive influence on your posture. If you consciously work with your posture and make simple changes, you can deal with your posture more consciously and ensure that your back stays straight.
   • Try to keep your phone at eye level when using it instead of bending over continuously. This small change can improve your posture considerably.
   • Whenever you stand in front of the mirror or walk past a window, pay attention to your posture. The more often you remind yourself of good posture, the sooner your body will get used to its new posture.
   • Get up as often as possible. The human body is built to stand and standing is better for your muscle development and your overall health. Many people of poor build have developed their posture while sitting.
   • When you sit, make sure your feet are flat on the floor and your back is against the back of your chair. Place your computer screen at eye level and adjust your office chair high enough that you can rest your elbows on the armrests while you work.
2. Do exercises to train the muscles in your shoulders. Good posture is more than just correct posture. You will therefore have to train your muscles to support a good posture. Strong shoulder muscles, for example, are indispensable if you have a tendency to slump quickly.
   • Bend your arms and keep them at shoulder height in front of you. Keep your arms parallel to the floor.
   • Squeeze your shoulder blades together. Do not do this by moving your outstretched arms towards each other, but by pushing your arms further apart. Try to use the muscles in your upper back.
   • Squeeze your muscles for one to two seconds at a time, then relax. Repeat this for about two minutes. Do this exercise at least once a day, but preferably several times.
3. Do exercises to train your neck muscles. It may sound crazy, but one of the best ways to train your neck muscles is to move your chin in different ways. Once you do this, you will soon find that this is a great way to stretch your muscles and strengthen your neck muscles.
   • To do the exercises, sit upright in a chair. Keep your head upright. Retract your chin as if you were trying to press it against your neck, but without moving your head down. If necessary, use your hand to support this movement (but don't press too hard). You should now feel your neck muscles tighten. Squeeze your muscles for one to two seconds at a time, then relax and repeat for about two minutes.
   • For another exercise, lie on your back on the floor. Place your arms at your sides and bend your knees so that your feet are flat on the floor. Pull your chin in (towards the floor, not towards your chest) and keep the back of your head on the floor. Tighten your muscles for one to two seconds, then relax and repeat the exercise.
   • For a traditional chin exercise, sit upright in a chair. Put your feet flat on the floor and put your hands on your thighs. Turn your head down so that your chin touches your chest (or is as close to it as possible). Try to relax and stretch your neck muscles. Make sure your shoulders are not pulled forward as you roll your chin forward. Hold the position for thirty seconds. Then relax your muscles and repeat the exercise a few times.
   • You can stretch your muscles even better by placing your hand on the back of your head and gently pushing your head forward while pulling your chin in. Don't press too hard, and if you feel pain, stop immediately (not the usual pressure that comes with stretching your muscles).
4. Strengthen your chest muscles. Strengthening your chest muscles will not only make guys look better, but you'll also help both men and women maintain good stature.
   • Face to a corner of the room. Raise your arms to shoulder height and keep them parallel to the floor. Keep your arms bent so that your elbows rest against the two walls. Stand so that you are not leaning against the wall, but your arms can still rest against the walls.
   • Keep your arms and elbows against the wall and start leaning forward until you feel a pulling sensation in your chest muscles. Hold this position for about thirty seconds. Then go back to the starting position and repeat this a few times. Do this exercise several times a day.
   EXPERT TIP

   

   Laura Flinn

   
   
   NASM Certified Personal Trainer Laura Flinn is a National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) certified personal trainer, sports performance coach for the United States Olympic weightlifting team, and certified fitness nutritionist. She is also qualified as a TRX suspension trainer. Laura has her own personal training program in the San Francisco Bay Area and specializes in topics such as weight loss, muscle building, cardio training and strength training.

   Laura Flinn
   NASM-certified personal trainer

   Concentrate on exercises that involve stretching your chest and exercising your back. If you have poor posture, your chest muscles may be tense and they could use some stretching to open them. Your upper back muscles may also be underactive, and exercising them will strengthen them and correct your posture.

   
   

Tips

• Belts and straps to improve your posture can help. However, the best way to improve your posture in the long term is to strengthen the muscles in your shoulders, neck, chest, hips and feet and exercise regularly.
• Use electronic tools to improve your posture. For example, the iPosture is a small device that you wear on your chest. When you start to collapse, the device will give you a small electric shock to remind you to stand up.