A common problem across this country, and all over the world, is bad posture. The advent of the computer age forces people to spend so much time typing that developing back injuries often is the outcome. But did you know that doing a few exercises a day to improve posture can go a long way in helping you avoid the painful side-effects of the “paperless” society. Improving your posture is an iterative process, maintaining it one day at a time in an iterative process. You will probably be pleasantly surprised by how quickly you will both see and feel progress.
Research suggests that the strength of our core muscles can be linked to good/bad posture. Crunches, which are great core-building exercises, are therefore one of the best exercises to improve posture. Having a strong core helps you maintain a healthy back, which will help your chances of having an overall better health when you get older. Stomach strengthening exercises are one way to improve you posture.
You should, of course, also do other exercises to improve posture and that target muscles in your back as well. Maintaining a balance in back and stomach muscles is important to get the support you need for your posture. One of the more popular exercises, now a day, is to use a balance ball (you can do this at home). The exercise has a very similar to crunches, except that it targets the back and not the front.
Compound exercises like leg lifts are also great to improve your posture. There are too many leg lift exercises to mention, but just like with the stomach/back balance it is important to exercise both sides of the legs. Two exercises, one for each side will therefore do, and my favourites (at home) are these:
For back pain and stress relief, these exercises are great.
As a final note, there are several exercises that specifically target the back, and help you improve your posture. This last one here is popular among dancers, whom require strong backs, core, and strong postures to be able to perform.
Cat/Cow Stretch
Now, try some of these exercises and see if they help you improve your posture. Remember to start out slow, and give your self rest between work outs.
Disclaimer: Consult with your physician before trying out any of the exercises above if you are predisposed to back injury.
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