You know stretching is an important component in any pre- or post-exercise routine, but it can also improve your posture.
How poor posture affects your health
Poor posture isn’t just about how you look in terms of confidence. If your alignment is off, you can increase your risk of health problems, including everything from headaches, poor balance and difficulty breathing to back and neck pain, heartburn, constipation, and incontinence.
Of course, if poor posture is connected to sleep disturbances, you can also end up with mood disorders and fatigue. Part of the problem may be due to low levels of strength and flexibility and poor muscle tone. A strong core, for example, might help align your spine.
Stretching exercises that help posture
If you want to focus on stretching to improve your abdomen, back and butt muscles, consider these simple moves.
• Planking: Lie on your stomach and shift your weight to rest on your forearms and toes. Keep the rest of your body off the floor. Hold the position for several seconds, keeping your core muscles tight. Then lower your body and relax. Repeat several times.
• Chest stretch: Stand with your legs shoulder-width apart and reach behind your body with both hands. Lace your fingers so your palms are facing up, then gently pull your locked hands away from your back and downward. Hold for several seconds, release and repeat.
• Hip flexor stretch: Standing upright, lunge forward with one leg, keeping your knees and feet facing forward. Bend into the lunge until you can feel stretching in your opposite hip. Hold for a few seconds, go back to the standing position and repeat with the other leg.
• Bridge: Lie on your back with your knees bent and your heels as close to your butt as is comfortable. Your legs should be shoulder-width apart and your hands should be at your side with your palms facing down. Lift your butt and lower back off the floor. Hold for a few seconds, then put your hips back on the floor before repeating.
