ActiveWorkoutsPilates instructor shares five everyday exercises to improve posture and relieve upper body tensionWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
ActiveWorkoutsPilates instructor shares five everyday exercises to improve posture and relieve upper body tensionWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Jump to category:Kristina’s stretch routine
Jump to category:Kristina’s stretch routine
If you’re a full-time desk dweller who spends their days hunched over a laptop then an achy back and hips is something you’re probably all too familiar with. However, bad posture doesn’t just lead to aches and pains, it can also affect your breathing, create poor balance, and increase the likelihood of injuries when working out. But these five stretches fromKristina Rudzinskaya, a certified Pilates instructor and CEO ofEtalon, will relieve tight and tensed muscles, elevating your posture.
Good posture isn’t just important for our physical wellbeing but can also impact our mental wellbeing too. Onestudyassigned 74 participants to sit in either an upright seated posture or a slumped seated posture to assess their emotional response to a psychological stress task. Those who sat with an upright posture reported having increased self-esteem, positive mood and less fear in comparison to those who sat with a slumped seated posture. Kristina says this is because: “When you hold yourself upright with an open chest and a lifted spine, you’re not just standing taller physically; you’re also sending signals to your brain that you’re more confident.”
Kristina’s stretch routine
You won’t need anyhome gym equipmentfor these five stretches, just a mat or something soft beneath you, like a towel. If you’re also interested in more posture-improving exercises, save this8-move Pilates workoutfor afterward, or thisgentle three-move glute workout.
1. Child’s pose
(Image credit: Etalon/Kristina Rudziskaya)
(Image credit: Etalon/Kristina Rudziskaya)
Why: “This simple but effective pose stretches and lengthens your spine, glutes, and hamstrings,” says Kristina. “Additionally, it helps stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting relaxation and feeling of tranquillity, which makes it a perfect position to meditate. “
2. Forward fold
(Image credit: Etalon/Kristina Rudziskaya)
(Image credit: Etalon/Kristina Rudziskaya)
Why:“This standing stretch helps release tension in your spine muscles, hamstrings, and glutes, while also stretching your hips and legs, but it also contributes to the entire back side opening up, lengthening,” says Kristina.
3. High plank
(Image credit: Etalon/Kristina Rudziskaya)
(Image credit: Etalon/Kristina Rudziskaya)
Why:“The high plank is excellent for strengthening your shoulders, glutes, and hamstrings, but it also works as a great relief to the pain and stiffness within the body,” explains Kristina. “As a bonus, you’ll get balance and strength in your core and back, which are crucial to good posture.”
4. Cobra Pose: back extension
(Image credit: Etalon/Kristina Rudziskaya)
(Image credit: Etalon/Kristina Rudziskaya)
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5. Chest opener
(Image credit: Etalon/Kristina Rudziskaya)
(Image credit: Etalon/Kristina Rudziskaya)
Why:“An open chest is crucial for good posture and this exercise will definitely help you stand up straighter, opening and stretching the chest,” says Kristina. “It’s also a lifesaver for those slouching over laptops for the most of the day.”
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