Improve Your Posture with Exercise

Bad posture is gradually becoming a lifestyle epidemic. With an inactive lifestyle, correcting posture can be difficult and if not addressed, it could potentially deteriorate with years of bad posture. The good news is that an active lifestyle can reverse this and promote stronger muscles and flexibility.

Something a lot of people don't think about adding to their daily routine is weight training. Weight training can help improve bad posture by strengthening the weak muscles that help improve posture, for example rear deltoids and abdominals.

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Weak back muscles

A huge factor in bad posture are weak back muscles. Strengthening back muscles (trapezius, latissimus dorsi, rear deltoids, infraspinatus) with exercises like the deadlift, pull-ups/chin-ups, and seated rows are shown to be beneficial and help maintain strong muscles in an area which is notoriously weak. Back muscles will get weak over time due to inactivity and also with too much sitting.

Fix Rounded Shoulders

Rounded shoulders, although common, are actually a postural abnormality caused by spending hours hunched over behind a computer or desk, while driving a car or watching television, or while performing repetitive tasks on the job. Always reaching forward and rounding your shoulders, your chest, shoulders and hip muscles become tight while the muscles of your upper and middle back weaken. You can improve your posture by strengthening the weak upper back muscles, while stretching tight muscles in the chest, shoulders, and hips. As the upper back becomes stronger and the chest becomes more flexible, the shoulders will naturally pull back.

Sample exercises that strengthen the upper back:

Reverse dumbbell flys

Seated weighted rows

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Deadlifts

The deadlift is a hip-hinge movement pattern that uses your glutes and legs to help you lift a heavy weight off the floor. This requires a stable spine and strong abdominals to keep your torso and shoulder girdle in place to avoid torque in the spine. Nothing is more natural to the human body than lifting something from the ground, and we have to lift things every day whether we want to or not. Getting this basic movement strong a little at a time with a loaded barbell is just good preparation.

The deadlift is so amazing because it trains the whole body. Your legs, hips, back, lats, arms and grip are all worked at the same time. Not much is missing from a deadlift. That is why deadlifts are so important, and why you should be doing them.

Please find a coach that can properly train you to deadlift!

Having strong abdominal and lower back muscles is a must for proper posture as well. Here are a few basic exercises:

Basic crunches on the ball

Side plank

Plank hold

Back extensions

Never attempt to perform any weighted exercises if you cannot perform them with proper form and technique. If your poor posture is preventing you from doing certain weightlifting exercises, work with a qualified coach to address the cause of your condition before you continue to lift. Sometimes poor posture can be defensive behaviour to avoid pain, and consulting with a physical therapist before you continue to train is recommended.

Angelique Kronebusch Fitness