Psychological research found that you will be perceived as more attractive and a better leader if you have good posture. Having your head back so your ear is over your shoulder and a small inward curve in your lower back makes you feel more confident and relaxed once you're there. However, after years spent slouching in a school desk getting back to that upright position seems like a ton of effort. As humans most of what we do is in front of us resulting in our faces looking downwards, our shoulder rolling inward and our back muscles tightening up to hold that heavy head up. For every inch your head is forward your muscles have to exert an extra 10 pounds of force to hold it up. No wonder your shoulders are always for tight. The muscles pull so hard that over time the stress absorbing curvatures are flattened out. Rather than wait for that to lead to degenerative wear lets try these 7 things.
Open up your chest by grabbing a door frame at or above your shoulder height, then turn your body and lean away. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds. You can do both sides at once at leaning through a doorway with your arms open wide. Loosening off your pectoralis muscles lets your shoulder go back.
Cellphones create tech neck due to prolonged forward neck flexion. Instead of taking your face down to your cellphone, lift your phone up and hold it in front of your face.
Pull your chin backwards into your throat without flexing or extending the neck and hold for 30 seconds. Force that curve back into your neck.
Strengthen your upper back by retracting your shoulder blades down and back. Whether you engage your rhomboids and latissimus dorsi muscles with pull ups or bent rows remember to do enough repetitions that it gets hard to even one more. If you want your shoulders to stay back you're going to have to give them some support to make them stay there.
Plant your feet shoulder width apart and rotate your trunk and neck to each side, as if you were trying to see if something was behind you. Go to each side 25 times and then lie with a small roll behind your neck and another roll in the small of your lower back. Lie there for 15 minutes as the curve are re-introduced to these areas.
Mobilize your chest by going on all fours and then alternate touching each shoulder to the floor. If a spot feel particularly tense, stay the for 30 seconds and hold that pose.
Be aware of your posture. Sometimes we get so engaged in a project that we sit hunched or we just slip into old habits. It's easier to correct your postural problems if you're aware of them. Good posture lines up your spine takes stress off the nervous system and can even make it easier to breathe when you stand or sit just a little taller.
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