By Straighten Up!
Slouching saps energy! When you’re hunched over a computer, for instance, your rounded shoulders and compressed trunk promote shallow breathing and that can reduce oxygen intake by about 33 percent. Less oxygen means less energy. Poor posture can also lead to muscle fatigue, strain and lower back pain.
When your body is aligned properly, you look thinner, younger and more confident. Here are three posture-strengthening moves to work into your day.
Polish the Air
- Sit up straight in an armless chair, elbows at sides, bent to 90 degrees, palms facing the floor.
- Squeeze shoulders together without raising them.
- While keeping elbows at your sides, move your hands as though polishing furniture.
- Do this for 20 seconds. Repeat 4 times.
- Sit with your back against the back of a chair.
- Tighten abdominal muscles as though you expect to be punched.
- Press fingers into abdomen and tighten abs even more.
- Hold 15 seconds. Repeat 5 times.
- Keep breathing throughout the exercise.
- Stand with your butt and back against a wall, arms by your sides.
- Keeping your back against the wall, bring your feet about 12 inches from wall.
- Keeping your abs tight, lower your body until knees are bent to about 60 degrees.
- Raise yourself back up to where knees are slightly bent.
- Do 3 sets of 10 reps.
Tighten Up
- Sit with your back against the back of a chair.
- Tighten abdominal muscles as though you expect to be punched.
- Press fingers into abdomen and tighten abs even more.
- Hold 15 seconds. Repeat 5 times.
- Keep breathing throughout the exercise.
Slide Down the Wall
- Stand with your butt and back against a wall, arms by your sides.
- Keeping your back against the wall, bring your feet about 12 inches from wall.
- Keeping your abs tight, lower your body until knees are bent to about 60 degrees.
- Raise yourself back up to where knees are slightly bent.
- Do 3 sets of 10 reps.
