By Mr. Sailendra Raane
Director- Fitness Division, RESET- Holistic Living Concepts
It is important to consider thathaving good and right posture is about more than looking good. It facilitates you in developing body strength, elasticity, and stability. These can all contribute to reduced muscle discomfort and more energy all through the day. A correct posture also has the ability to condense anxiety levels on your muscles and ligaments, which can further cut your peril of injury. Refining your stance also aids you become more conscious of your muscles, making it almost effortless to correct your own posture. As you work on your posture and become more mindful of your body, you might even witness certain disparities or areas of muscle tightness that you weren’t earlier aware of.
If you are under the impression that posture correction requires you to hit the gym on a regular basis, you must give your considerations a second thought.
Mentioned below are a couple of at-home workouts that will nothing but fine-tune your posture within the comforts of your personal space.
Child’s Pose
This resting pose elasticities and stretches your glutes, spine and hamstrings. The child’s pose facilitates you to release any kind of tension in the areas of your lower back and neck.
How to perform this workout
- You must start the exercise by sitting on your shinbones with your knees being together, your big toes touching, and your heels spread outwards to the side.
- By folding forward at your hips, you must gradually walk your hands out in front of you.
- This step must be followed by sinking your hips back down towards the direction of your feet. If you feel it is difficult for your thighs to go all the way down, you must consider placing a pillow or folded blanket under them for some support.
- You must mildly place your forehead on the ground or consider turning your head to one side.
- You must ensure to keep your arms stretched or you can rest them alongside your body.
- Inhale deeply into the back of your waist and rib cage.
- Unwind in this pose for up to five minutes while you continue to respire deeply.
Forward Fold
This standing stretch helps to release any form of tension in your spine, hamstrings, and glutes. It also expands your legs and hips. While you do this posture exercise, you should feel the whole back side of your body opening up and expanding.
How to perform this workout:
- Start this posture correction exercise by standing upright with your big toes touching and your heels being marginally apart.
- Continue by bringing your hands to your hips and consider folding forward at your hips.
- Now you must slowly release your hands toward the flat surface or you can consider placing them on a block. It is completely ok if your hands are not able to touch the ground. You must just go as far as you can.
- Slightly bend your knees, relax your hips joints, and let your spine to stretch.
- By tucking your chin into your torso you must allow your head to fall heavy to the base.
- You must remain in this pose for about one minute.
Chest Opener
Performing this exercise lends you the opportunity to open and expand your torso. This is particularly beneficial if you spend most of your day just sitting, which tends to make your chest move in the inward direction. Reinforcing your chest also aids you in standing up straighter that you could do before.
How to perform this exercise
- You must stand with your feet being about hip-width apart.
- Intertwine your fingers with your palms being pressed together by bringing your arms behind you. You can hold a towel if your hands aren’t able to properly reach each other.
- You must consider keeping your spine, neck and head in the same line as you look straight ahead.
- Breathe in as you elevate your torso towards the direction of ceiling and get your hands towards the flat surface.
- Inhale deeply as you hold this pose for about five breaths.
- Release the pose and unwind for a couple of breaths.
- Replicate the exercise for at least ten times.
Cat Cow
Performing cat cow helps to stretch and massage your spine. It also facilitates to release any form of tension in your chest, neck and shoulders along with encouraging circulation of blood.
How to perform this exercise:
- Start the fitness training by coming onto your hands and knees with your weight being evenly stable between all the four points.
- Breathe in to look up, dropping down your abdomen toward the direction of the flat surface as you consider spreading out your spine.
- Breathe out and arch your spine upwards toward the ceiling and tuck your chin into your torso.
- You must continue this move for a time frame of at least one minute.
Reverse Plank Bridge
Performing this exercise helps to activate specific muscles while extending important muscles like your pectoral muscles and the muscles present in your neck. This workout needs the following:
- By keeping your arms straight you must pull your shoulders backwards.
- By getting your shoulder blades close together, you must tuck your chin.
- Gently push your torso upwards and spread your spine.
- Your fingers can be pointed in the forward or backward direction.
It is important to note that bad posture is a common snag for most people, as we reside in a world full of activities that lead to faulty posture. Postural dysfunction is when our spine is positioned in unusual or abnormal positions for lengthy periods of time, happening as a result of one’s day-to-day activities. Some common reasons behind poor posture include stooping in a chair, bending your back, inappropriate understanding of correct posture, leading an inactive lifestyle, failing to have a proper workout routine, poor core steadiness, and looking down at your computer and/or cell phone for prolonged periods of time. However the above mentioned physical trainings will meticulously aid you in correcting a poor posture.