5 ways to improve posture using wall exercises
What's the story
Improving posture is crucial for a healthy spine and a reduced risk of back pain.
Wall exercises help you achieve better posture by providing support and alignment cues.
They can easily be included in daily routines without any special equipment.
Here are five wall exercises that can help improve posture, focusing on strengthening muscles and improving the awareness of your body.
Shoulder mobility
Wall angels for shoulder mobility
If you're looking for an exercise to improve shoulder mobility and posture, you can't go wrong with wall angels.
Stand with your back against a wall, feet slightly away, arms at your side.
Raise your arms slowly upward, keeping them in contact with the wall, forming a 'Y' shape over your head.
This opens up the chest and strengthens the upper back muscles, improving alignment.
Upper back strength
Wall slides to strengthen upper back
Wall slides target the upper back muscles that are vital for good posture.
Stand against a wall with shoulder-width apart feet and bent arms at ninety degrees.
Slide your arms up the wall while keeping elbows and wrists touching it.
This exercise strengthens the scapular stabilizers, helping you keep your shoulders in place.
Core stability
Wall plank for core stability
The wall plank is an excellent way to work on core muscles that help keep the spine aligned.
Stand facing a wall at arm's length distance, place forearms on it and walk feet backward until body forms a straight line from head to heels.
Hold this position while engaging core muscles to prevent sagging or arching of lower back.
Lower body engagement
Wall sit for lower body engagement
Wall sits target lower body muscles that play a role in keeping your posture stable overall.
Stand against a wall with feet hip-width apart and slide down until thighs are parallel to the floor as if you're sitting on an invisible chair.
Maintain this position while keeping the knees aligned over ankles without letting them go beyond toes.
Chest opener
Chest opener against wall
A chest opener against the wall helps counter forward-leaning postures from sedentary sitting or device-using habits.
These involve texting or typing a lot during daily activities, like work.
Stand facing away from any flat surface, such as walls. Then place hands behind you onto the said surface.
Before gently pressing forward, until feeling a stretch across the front torso area, including the pectoral region itself!