These simple exercises require no equipment and rely on your own weight and form to engage the parts of your body that need to be stretched.
Working from home or working in the office can include sitting for long periods of time. These long hours can make you prone to discomfort including headaches, back pain, indigestion, and more. Posture is key to making your work hours more comfortable, avoiding work injuries, and in the long-term improving your physical health.
Improve your form no matter your work setting with a list of causes and 8 easy exercises below.
What Causes Bad Posture
Physical and mental factors impact bad posture. Understanding how to make subtle changes with factors that are controllable will prevent developing poor posture in the future.
Muscle Weakness
Injury
Stress or Anxiety
Technology Use
Genetics
Footwear Choice
8 Easy Exercises to Improve Posture
Targeting your core, and back muscles, lengthening your spine, and stretching your body will help correct your posture and improve the quality and quantity of time spent at work. Engage those areas with these positions.
Cat and Cow Pose
Start with your hands and knees on the floor.
Curl your shoulders downward and push your hips toward the floor to curve your back upward; this is the cat pose.
Now, push your hips upward and your stomach toward the ground; this makes the cow pose.
Switch between cat and cow pose multiple times to complete the exercise.
Child’s Pose
Start on your hands and knees.
Sit on your heels, forming your body into a ball shape.
Move your arms by your sides with your palms facing upward.
Remain in the child’s pose for many cycles of breath.
Forward Fold
Start in a standing position.
Bend over to touch the floor near your feet (as low as you can go).
Leave your hands on the floor next to your feet, or hold your ankles.
Downward Facing Dog
Start in a standing position.
Bend over and touch your hands to the floor.
Move your feet backward so your body forms a 90-degree triangle.
Pigeon Pose
Start with a downward-facing dog.
Place your right foot forward into a lunge.
Place your right shin on the ground, perpendicular to your body.
Bring your left leg down to the floor.
High Plank
Start on your hands and knees.
Step both feet backward as if you’re about to do a push-up. Make sure to wear workout shoes to help you hold the plank.
Stay in this pose for 10-30 seconds.
Side Plank
Lie on your side with your elbow on the floor under your shoulder and lift your body.
Push your hips and knees off of the floor.
Stay in this pose for 10-30 seconds.
Crunches
Lie on your back with your feet on the ground, shoulder-width apart.
Cross your arms over your chest.
Sit up to work your core muscles, then lie back on the ground.
Repeat movements.
These simple exercises require no equipment and rely on your own weight and form to engage the parts of your body that need to be stretched. Learning the reasons that cause bad posture and the proactive poses that relieve pain can also help you avoid work-related injuries. Practice these positions to create a healthy posture and check out our infographic below to see illustrations.
Exercise to improve posture. Infographic courtesy of Adidas.
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