Posture Busting Exercises

[Rail Tracer]

Wow, after seeing a picture of myself in my natural inclinations, I've noticed that my posture has been getting worse. Posture is getting worse probably because I spent a bit of time on the computer during free-time. But wow, I may be laughing now, but I really don't want that posture.

So I am asking, what are some posture busting exercises that I can do in 10-15 minutes along with trying to maintain a neutral posture position?

 

[kyuuei]

The things I suggest are not 10-15 minutes a day, but seconds a day ALL the time around the clock.

Things that help:
- If you're at a desk job, get up every hour for 10 minutes. Stand, shuffle stuff around, take a water break, whatever. Don't sit for more than one hour at a time. Same with at home.
- Set an alarm on your phone to vibrate every 30 minutes to 1 hour at a time. This alarm is to remind you to tuck your stomach in, straighten out your shoulders, and sit more upright/walk more upright.
- Practice walking straight forward by Looking straight ahead instead of at the ground. If you need to look at the ground, glance at it, then look ahead again. Keep your head on a swivel.
- When driving, adjust your seat so you can actually use the back rest while driving. The back rest will help you remember to stay sitting straight. Also, practice while driving at every red light drawing your stomach into your spine and holding it there for the duration of the red light.
- Finally, if you're that intent on it all, do some basic yoga exercises. Those will help adjust, rehabilitate, and generally straighten out your body a bit. They have plenty of 10-15 minute yoga videos for free on befit's youtube channel.

 

[gromit]

Kyuuei had some good suggestions.

I think chin tucks:

and shoulder blade squeezes:

are both good ones as well.

Also, stretch out your hip flexors with lunges or something similar, because those muscles can shorten from sitting all day too.

 

[grey_beard]

Wow, after seeing a picture of myself in my natural inclinations, I've noticed that my posture has been getting worse. Posture is getting worse probably because I spent a bit of time on the computer during free-time. But wow, I may be laughing now, but I really don't want that posture.

So I am asking, what are some posture busting exercises that I can do in 10-15 minutes along with trying to maintain a neutral posture position?

[MENTION=10431]Rail Tracer[/MENTION] -- lotsa good suggestions from [MENTION=4939]kyuuei[/MENTION] and [MENTION=9486]gromit[/MENTION].

Here are a couple of others, as I'm on a computer all day.

At work: once an hour get up and take a walk around the perimeter of the office, or at least to the coffee pot or restroom.

Try to touch your elbows behind your back while at your desk (seriously -- this combats shoulder slouching).
Stomach vacuums -- suck in your stomach and tighten ALL your abdominal muscles as hard as you can, while holding your breath, for 10 seconds. Then rest 10 - 20 seconds.
Repeat the cycle 10 times.

Work up to doing the 10-times thing 3 times a day.

This will tighten your abs, which will give your poor beleaguered spinal muscles some help.

Occasionally change your position on purpose: lean back in your chair, almost slouching backwards, and stretch out your legs.
This way, when you fall asleep at your desk, you won't fall as far as if you were sitting upright. Time for more coffee!

 

[EJCC]

IME, sucking your stomach in helps -- just as a small thing. Helps you sit/stand up straighter.

 

[Mal12345]

The things I suggest are not 10-15 minutes a day, but seconds a day ALL the time around the clock.

Things that help:
- If you're at a desk job, get up every hour for 10 minutes. Stand, shuffle stuff around, take a water break, whatever. Don't sit for more than one hour at a time. Same with at home.
- Set an alarm on your phone to vibrate every 30 minutes to 1 hour at a time. This alarm is to remind you to tuck your stomach in, straighten out your shoulders, and sit more upright/walk more upright.

I don't have that kind of alarm on my phone. Also, sitting upright causes my right side to hurt where I had torn a muscle years ago.

 

[johnnyyukon]

Dead Lifts. Thread over.

 

[Mal12345]

Dead Lifts. Thread over.

Do you even lift, bro?

 

[johnnyyukon]

Do you even lift, bro?

Haha, yessir. More of a hoist.