Yoga for Better Posture: Try These 5 Poses Today
Do you want to improve your posture? If so, then yoga is the perfect way to do it! Yoga helps improve your flexibility and balance, which will help correct poor posture.
Today we are going to share the best type of yoga for improving bad posture along with 5 poses that can be done by anyone of any age or fitness level.
First, let's dive into some of the most frequently asked questions about yoga for better posture.
Can yoga improve posture?
The short answer is yes, absolutely! It can help to correct some of the common postural issues such as forward head and rounded shoulders, which are often caused by poor lifestyle habits like sitting at a computer all day, using your phone while on public transport or going too hard on the bench press. While it's unlikely you'll see results in only one yoga session, regular practice will help improve posture over time.
How does yoga improve posture?
Yoga improves posture by strengthening the postural muscles of the upper body. These are often smaller, deeper muscles that can't be seen or easily targeted with weight training.
Yoga also helps to stretch tight shoulders and hamstrings which contributes towards better posture as well as relieving common aches and pains associated with poor postures such as neck strains, lower back pain and tension headaches.
Can you correct years of bad posture?
If your shoulders are rounded and you have a slouched posture, it may seem like they are set in stone by the time you reach a certain age. You might believe that you have no chance of improving your posture.
The good news is, as long as you have a healthy spine, there is still time to make improvements to posture.
According to Saloni Doshi, a physical therapist with Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital: "It's not as hard as you may think. Better posture is often just a matter of changing your activities and strengthening your muscles."
Which style of yoga is best for improving posture?
Any form of yoga will be beneficial for improving your posture. However, some yoga styles will be more beneficial than others.
I would recommend Yin yoga or any form of restorative yoga to improve posture.
Yin yoga is a slow-paced practise with long holds that are held for at least five minutes each. This style of yoga works on the connective tissues, which include muscles and tendons. As you hold these poses for so long, they begin to lengthen your body's connective tissue over time.
You can also try a style of yoga called Ashtanga if you want to challenge yourself while improving your posture at the same time.
With Ashtanga, you'll be expected to hold each pose for a longer period of time before moving on to your next position. This will also help improve your posture over time!
Note: You should consult with an experienced yoga instructor if you are new to this practice or have any injuries that could prevent certain movements.
5 Best yoga poses to correct bad posture
Here are five yoga poses you should try today for improved posture:
Camel pose
This is a great pose to stretch out tight chest muscle while improving thoracic extension (Open your heart!).
How to do it:
Start in a kneeling position with the top of your feet on the mat. Make sure your knees are hip-width apart
Place your hands on your hips with your fingertips at the base of your spine
Gently lean back, looking up and back as you reach for your heals
Holding your ankles, lift and pull up, making sure to breathe deeply
Downward facing dog
What list of yoga poses would be complete without this staple pose? Holding the downward facing dog poses for a few deep breaths will help you to stretch your shoulder blades & triceps.
How to do it:
Begin by getting down on your hands and knees. Your wrists should be under your shoulders, and your knees should be directly beneath your hips. The top of your mat should be parallel to the fold of your wrists. Make a straight line with your middle fingers to the top edge of your mat.
Relax your upper back and stretch your elbows.
Press forcefully through your palms and knuckles with your fingers spread wide. Spread your weight equally between your hands.
Tuck your toes and lift your knees off the floor as you exhale. Draw your sit bones towards the wall behind you as you raise your pelvis towards the ceiling. Straighten your legs gradually, but don't lock your knees. Make the shape of an "A" using your body.
As you lift your pelvis, press the floor away from you. Lift your sit bones towards the ceiling while you stretch your spine. Now apply equal pressure to the heels and palms of your hands.
Press your index fingers into the floor while contracting the outside muscles of your arms. Lift your arms from the inner muscles to the tops of both shoulders. Draw your shoulder blades towards your tailbone and into your upper back ribs. Increase the width of your collarbones.
Externally rotate your arms so that the creases of your elbows face your thumbs.
As you continue to press the mat away from you, draw your chest towards your thighs, stretching and decompressing your spine.
Continue to lift your sit bones high while rotating your thighs inward. Sink your heels into the ground.
Align your ears with the tops of your arms. Relax, but don't let your head dangle. Look between your legs or in the direction of your navel and hold for a few deep breaths.
Exhale as you softly bend your knees and return to your hands and knees to release.
Pigeon pose
Perform the pigeon pose to stretch your hips, quads & IT band. Another great pose to do if a majority of your day is spent sitting down.
How to do it:
Bring your right knee forwards towards your right wrist while on all fours. It could be immediately behind your wrist, or it could be on the outer or inner border of it, depending on your anatomy.
Experiment with what feels comfortable for you in terms of a stretch on your outer hip without causing any knee discomfort. Your right ankle will be in front of your left hip at some point.
Slide your left leg back and point your toes up to the ceiling, your heel pointing up.
Draw your legs in nearer each other and scissor your hips together. If necessary, place some support under your right buttock to maintain your hips level.
Come to your fingertips as you inhale, stretch your spine, draw your navel in, and open your chest.
Walk your hands forwards and lower your upper body to the floor as you exhale. On the mat, you can rest your forearms and forehead. Stay for at least 5 breaths.
Try to relax the stiffness in your right hip with each inhale.
Push back through your hands, lift your hips, and slide your leg back into all fours to exit the posture. Repeat on the opposite side.
Cat/cow spine twist
Spicing up traditional poses is always fun. Perform a cat/cow pose with a twist to help to realign the vertebrae in your spine and stretch out your back.
How to do it:
Begin on your hands and knees, with your wrists and knees aligned beneath your shoulders and hips, respectively.
Curl your toes underneath and relax.
Tilt your pelvis back until your tailbone protrudes.
Draw your navel in to keep your abdominal muscles clutching your spine as your tummy sinks.
Gently raise your head to the ceiling without craning your neck.
Allow the tops of your feet to fall to the floor.
Tuck your tailbone and tip your pelvis forwards. Allow this action to progress up your spine once again. The natural curvature of your spine will occur.
Bring your navel closer to your spine.
Bring your attention to your navel.
On each inhale and exhale, repeat the Cat-Cow Stretch, syncing the movement to your own breath.
Cobra pose
How to do it:
In a prone position, lie down. Lie down on your mat, face down, with your full body extended
Bring your hands to the back of your shoulders, between the shoulder blades
Start lifting your upper body
To lift higher, use your lower back muscles.
Take a step forwards and up
Gently lower yourself
Shift to the next position
Practice these poses daily for best results and see how your posture improves!
Yoga for better posture: final thoughts
Remember, yoga is not just about losing weight or getting stronger! Make your health a priority. Start thinking of it as preventative medicine before you find yourself in need of more serious treatments like surgery to correct poor posture and chronic pain.
