Great Stretches to Improve Your Posture

Stretching tips
Photo by LOGAN WEAVER on Unsplash

While technology certainly has its benefits, the increased usage of personal devices like cell phones and laptops has brought with it a new phenomenon that isn’t so beneficial. The “text neck” is increasingly occurring in people who spend much of their day bent over their gadgets, and without taking the time to properly stretch, the strain can cause long-lasting damage. Performing these exercises for just a few minutes each day can help improve your posture and save you from text neck.

Cat-Cow Pose (Beginner)

  • Position yourself on a yoga mat on your hands and knees with wrists directly under shoulders and knees directly under hips. Exhale, tuck your tailbone under and lower your head so that your back is arched upward like a cat.
  • Inhale and simultaneously lift your pelvis and head toward the ceiling so that your back is now arched downward and your belly toward the floor.
  • Repeat 5-10 times, breathing deeply.

Camel Pose (Advanced)

  • Stand on your mat and lower to “stand” your knees.
  • Place your hands behind you, holding onto your ankles.
  • Begin to arch backward, leading with your head. Imagine drawing a line with your nose from the ceiling above to the wall behind you.
  • Hold for 5 breaths to open up your chest and shoulder muscles.
  • To exit the pose, sit your hips on your heels, slowly straightening your spine and bringing your head up last.