Having good posture is like having a firm handshake: it speaks volumes. Additionally, having good posture while you’re young and forming healthy habits to maintain it will help you as you get older in more ways than one.
Not only does standing up straight make you look better and carries yourself in a way that exudes confidence, but it also helps you keep from straining your shoulders, hips, knees, bones, and spine.
Here are five easy ways to stay upright:
Be Mindful
Remembering to sit up straight can be half the problem. Developing the discipline to remain aware of shrugged shoulders is key. Try activities that will help you stay conscious of your form, like yoga or pilates.
Exercise
A stiff neck can get in the way, so be sure to move your head using its full range of motion to wake up your muscles in the morning. Keep your head from tilting too far forward or backward by thinking of it as a trophy standing on top of your perfectly stacked vertebrae.
Pay Attention to Your Shoulders
Keep your shoulders at the same height. Roll your shoulders up and down regularly. Investing in a foam roller, which you can use for DIY massage, helps relieve tension in tight muscles in your neck, shoulders, and back. There are a variety of different exercises that will open your chest and shoulders leaving you feeling great.
Alignment
When standing, it’s best to keep most of your weight on the balls of your feet. Keep your feet pointing straight about shoulder width apart, and avoid crossing your legs. When sitting, make sure your legs at a 90 degree angle. Again, foam rollers work wonders in terms of alignment. Throughout the day you might become stiff, and rolling out your upper body will help stack your vertebral discs as they should be.
Core
Having a strong core is key to good posture. Building up your pelvic and abdomen muscles to help support your posture will make sitting up straight relaxed and comfortable. Doing workouts that focus on your core, like pilates and yoga, can also help you maintain a straight posture.
xx, The FabFitFun Team
