3 easy exercises to improve your posture

You must admit, being a mother and looking after everyone around you is physically and mentally taxing.

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We often carry the posture of utter exhaustion around our slumped shoulders and drag our feet when we walk.

Here are three simple and easy exercises you can do at home or at the park whilst with your kids so you can walk tall and with confidence:

1) Push-ups against the wall

This activates the major stabilisers of the shoulders, the upper trapezius muscles.

Stand at a wall, with your hands on the wall just below shoulder height.
Hold your shoulder blade back and up a little bit.
Lower yourself down towards the wall, using the elbows only.
Hold for 3 sec, then rise back up again

2. Multifidus muscle strength (Direct back control muscle)

This muscle is important for direct control of the lumbar spine.

Start on all fours.
Maintain a small arch in the back and squeeze your lower back muscles together (you should feel a sensation of the lower back muscles pushing towards the midline).
Maintaining this contraction, lift your leg straight back up in the air.
Hold for 3 sec and lower the leg down.
Repeat 10 times per leg.

3. Single leg bridging to activate your gluteus maximus muscle

Weakness in this muscle makes it harder to sit up straight when sitting, which changes the posture of the mid back and neck, often causing neck pain.

Lie on your back with your knees bent.
Raise one leg in the air, this will be the starting position.
Lift your bottom into the air to bring your body to straight.
Hold for 3 seconds, then lower your body down.
Repeat 10 times per side

Do you have any you would like to add to this list? SHARE with us in the comments below.

Image courtesy of Shutterstock.com

33 Comments

- - mom463245 said
  - 28 Apr 2020
    9:56 pm
HI Michael,
I have a terrible pain at my back today and here comes your post on the right time. How about lying on the bed (chest down) reading a book or working with my laptop. Will that be bad for my back too?
I liked your recommendations to push-up against the wall. Also I checked this guide https://myergonomicchair.com/core-exercises-for-posture/, do you agree with the necessity to release the muscles before training?

- - rovermum said
  - 09 Jan 2017
    12:44 pm
All great exercises that I need to take on board. I sit at a computer for 3 days a week and I know it’s not good for my posture.

- - mom169700 said
  - 03 Jan 2017
    9:24 pm
I started something similar to the Push-ups against the wall except that I use the bathroom vanity about 6 months ago. I really feel energised after doing just 10-12 pushups (when I have the time). My arms also look more shapely. I am starting to see some muscles. Wahoo!

- - tessie said
  - 03 Jan 2017
    10:25 am
Will definitely have to try these

- - mom101628 said
  - 02 Jan 2017
    11:51 pm
Stand with your feet against the wall, shoulders touching the wall, and draw the centre of your back towards the wall. Do this each morning when you wake and whenever else you think about it. It will keep you standing straight and when you sit at the computer your posture will be so much better. If you notice you are slumping at the computer, do it again.

- - mom71820 said
  - 15 Sep 2016
    11:32 am
Definitely need to improve my posture! Thanks for these simple exercises.

- - ella12 said
  - 02 Feb 2016
    4:43 pm
Interesting, thanks for sharing the article.

- - mom19782016 said
  - 28 Jan 2016
    4:07 pm
Thanks for posting this useful exercise regime. Always good to know what to do to improve posture!

- - coastalkaryn said
  - 08 Jan 2016
    9:09 pm
timely – my back is burning from slouching over my desk!

- - pakeko said
  - 31 Dec 2015
    7:49 pm
Man I need these tips and will add them to my morning routine

- - mum888 said
  - 19 Dec 2015
    7:48 am
This is so true, I found even lifting my kids when they were babies were exhausting especially when my son was nearly 9 pounds ! Also it is the extra housework , cleaning , feeding , washing etc. which involves repetitive muscle movements and sometimes lifting . I am very prone to lower back pain so I took extra care such as sitting up straight when feeding the children . This should be a general practise all the time such as sitting in front of the pc and even driving behind the steering wheel to make sure your back is straight and not bent.

- - rovermum said
  - 07 Dec 2015
    10:56 am
I sit at a computer for many hours a day and I know my posture is terrible. Someone suggested sitting on a gym ball to work. It’s a little tricky. I have a back support on my chair to help me sit straight, but then I tend to lean forward. All tips are most welcome.
- mom93821 replied
  
  09 Jan 2016 , 3:53 pm
  Gym balls can be a little tricky too!
- - Nas01 said
  - 06 Dec 2015
    10:19 pm
I really have to do these. After having kids and carrying them (mostly on one hip) my posture is really bad.

- - mom80542 said
  - 05 Dec 2015
    1:44 pm
Now this is something that I definitely need to do. Now just to find the time 🙂 ……..

- - deb_gs said
  - 04 Dec 2015
    9:05 pm
Thanks for these exercises. I didn’t actually realise that these are good for the posture. I was surprised to see no sit ups.

- - mom71820 said
  - 04 Dec 2015
    2:20 pm
great tips, thanks.

- - mom134803 said
  - 04 Dec 2015
    3:57 am
These are easy and doable exercises indeed ! Will try to start with these today 🙂 .

- - Missey Grace said
  - 03 Dec 2015
    9:46 pm
3 Simple exercises to maintain good posture – great, I can do it.

- - mom94125 said
  - 03 Dec 2015
    2:32 pm
yeah these are great exercises. i knew about the first one, using the wall, but i hadn’t heard of those other two. this is a great article for sure 🙂

- - curlytops said
  - 02 Dec 2015
    11:08 pm
thank you so much for writing such a helpful article with clear instructions and pictures. I shall give them a go and hopefully improve my overall posture.
So you have any advice on stomach muscles too?!