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Exercises for Better Posture

Want the lean look and elegant posture of a yoga or Pilates teacher? Good posture comes from strong cor

muscles that stabilize your torso, whether you're sitting at your desk or running errands all day.

Good Posture Starts With a Strong Core

Want to know the best way to improve your  posture? Focus on a strong core -- the abdominal and low back

muscles that connect to your spine and pelvis. Some of the muscles move your torso, for instance, by flexing

extending, or rotating your spine. Others stabilize your pelvis and spine in a natural, neutral position. The oldstyle sit-ups used only a few core muscles, often with jerky momentum. Today's yoga, Pilates, and core

fitness programs target all of your core muscles with slow, controlled movements to get the most out of your

core workout.

The American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association urge all healthy adults to ad

muscle-strengthening exercises to their fitness program at least twice a week for optimal health.

Poor Posture and Back Pain

Weak core muscles are common for people with low back pain. And poor posture can make back pain

worse. Core-strengthening may help ease and prevent low back pain, a common problem for about 31million Americans.

The North American Spine Society recommends core strengthening exercise for people with mild low back

pain to help improve posture, ease symptoms, and prevent future back pain. For severe back pain or injury

clear any exercise program with your doctor before you start.

Stop doing any exercise that causes pain or worsens existing pain and check with your doctor. Depending

on your health condition, some exercises may not be recommended.

The Anatomy of Posture Exercises

Picture these core muscles you'll strengthen for good posture:

Rectus abdominis: The wide "six-pack" muscle runs vertically down your stomach. It's used when you

bend your spine forward.

Obliques: The obliques run diagonally around your waist to rotate your torso. The internal obliques lie

under the external obliques.

Transverse abdominis: The deepest core muscles wrap around your waist like a corset and pull your 

abdomen inward and upward toward your spine. Exhale strongly and pull your stomach in, and you'll feel

 Article Link: http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/better-posture-exercises

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these muscles working.

Erector spinae: These back muscles extend your spine and prevent slouching.

 

Better-Posture Exercises

Make these posture-boosting exercises a regular part of your workout. Remember to exhale strongly and pu

in your core muscles as you work -- a key principle in both Pilates and yoga.

1. Core Stabilizer: Single Leg Extension. This exercise trains your core muscles to work together to

stabilize your pelvis.

Starting position: Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor, and hands behind your 

head. Press your low back into the floor, and curl your head up off the floor.

Action: Exhale strongly and pull your navel in and up toward your spine. Slowly pull one knee into your 

chest, keeping your low back pressed to the floor, while extending your other leg straight at about a 45-

degree angle off the floor. Keep your abdominals pulled in and your low back on the floor. If your low backarches off the floor, extend your leg higher toward the ceiling. Switch legs. Start with five to 10 extensions

on each side.

Better-Posture Exercises continued...

Variations to increase intensity:

Double-leg extension: Pull both knees into your chest, then extend both legs straight at about a 45-degree

angle, using your core to keep your low back on the floor.

 As you extend your legs, extend both arms overhead, reaching in the opposite direction from your legs.

2. The New Crunch. The new crunch works the rectus abdominis and obliques. It's also called a "curl up."

Starting position: Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Press your low back into

the floor. Place your hands behind your head, or reach your arms toward your knees if it doesn't create to

much tension in your neck.

Action: Exhale strongly and pull your navel in and up toward your spine. Curl your head and shoulders

slowly off the floor. Hold, then slowly lower back down. Repeat three times.

Variations to increase intensity:

Extend one leg straight at a 45-degree angle toward the ceiling.

Hold both legs off the floor, knees bent, with your shins parallel to the floor.

3. Pilates Roll-Ups / Yoga Sit-Ups. These exercises work the rectus abdominis, obliques, and transverse

abdominis.

Starting position: Lie on your back with your legs straight, your feet flexed, and your arms reaching

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overhead on the floor. Press your low back into the floor.

Action: Exhale strongly and pull your navel in and up toward your spine. Roll up in slow motion, reaching

your arms off the floor, then your shoulders and head, rolling up one vertebra at a time until you're sitting u

with your abdominals still pulled in. Slowly roll back down. Repeat three to five times, adding more as you

core gets stronger.

Variation to increase intensity:

Cross your arms over your chest as you roll up.

4. Crossovers. Crossovers work all the core muscles, focusing on the obliques.

Starting position: Lie on your back with your hands behind your head, your chest lifted off the floor, knee

pulled into your chest. Keep your low back pressed into the floor.

Action: Exhale strongly and pull your navel in and up toward your spine. Pull one knee into your chest wh

extending your other leg straight and rotating your torso toward the bent knee. Slowly switch legs, pulling

the other knee into your chest and rotating your torso toward it while extending the opposite leg off the

floor. Repeat five to 10 times, adding more as your core gets stronger.

Variation to increase intensity:

The closer your straight leg is to the floor, the harder the work for your core. Try extending your leg just

inches off the floor, making sure your lower back stays on the floor.

5. Cobra Pose: Back Extension. The cobra pose strengthens the erector spinae and other low back

muscles.

Starting position: Lie on your stomach with palms flat on the floor near your ribs. Extend your legs

straight behind you, and press the tops of your feet into the floor.

Action: Exhale strongly and pull your abdominal muscles in and up toward your spine. Lengthen out

through your spine and slowly raise your head and chest off the floor, using only your back muscles. Do no

push down into your arms to press up. Keep your hip bones on the floor, and gaze down at the floor to rela

your neck muscles. Slowly lower back down. Repeat three to five times, adding more as your lower back

gets stronger.

Better-Posture Exercises continued...

Variation to increase intensity:

Reach your arms long beside your head. Keep your elbows straight.

6. Plank Pose. This exercise strengthens the obliques and transverse abdominis, as well as your shoulder

and back muscles.

Starting position: Start on your hands and knees with your palms under your shoulders. Extend both leg

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WebMD Medical Refe rence

straight behind you, toes tucked under, into a position like the top of a push-up. Pull your abdominal

muscles in to prevent a "sway-back," and gaze down at the floor.

 Action: Hold the plank until you start feeling fatigued. Rest and then repeat. Keep your abdominals pulled

and up so your low back doesn't sag as you exhale.

Variation to increase intensity:

Forearm plank: Balance on your forearms instead of your hands.

Keep Your Core Exercises Safe and Effective

Follow these guidelines to keep your core exercises safe and to make them effective:

Pull your abdominal muscles in and up toward your spine as you exercise.

Work with slow, controlled movements, breathing evenly, without holding your breath.

Tailor your number of repetitions and sets to your current level of core fitness.

Remember that not every exercise is right for everyone. If you already have back pain, or if any of theseexercises makes pain worse, check with your doctor before continuing.

 

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SOURCES:

Lamond, P. Pilates: Harmonious Body Control , The Lyons Press, 2002.

Siler , B. Your Ultimate Pilates Body Challenge, Broadway Books, 2006.

Manocchia, P. Anatomy of Exercise, Firefly Books, 2008.

Haskell, W. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, August 2007.

North American Spine Society: "Exercise: The Backbone of Spine Treatment."

 American College of Sports Medicine: "When To See a Doctor Before Exercising."

Coulter , H. Anatomy of Hatha Yoga, Body and Breath, 2002.

 American Chiropractic Association: "Back Pain Facts and Statistics."

University of South Carolina: "Strength Training Basics."

Reviewed by Melinda Ratini, DO, MS on June 30, 2013

© 2013 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.

My Notes:

 

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