How to Get Better Posture and Why
“Stand up straight.” It’s one of a mother’s many excellent pieces of advice. Her reason—appearance. You look better—more confident—when you stand tall. But good posture provides even greater rewards.
Prevents back pain
Holding your head high, torso vertical, and shoulders back keeps your spine in proper alignment and helps you avoid back pain. Slouching curls your spine and puts extra stress on back muscles that have to work harder to keep you stable and upright according to sources and the Mayo Clinic.
Makes you look slimmer
Want to trim your tummy instantly? Stand tall. Slouching compresses your torso and pushes your midsection outward. Pull your shoulders back and belly in.
May boost your mood
A few studies suggest that adopting good posture may improve affect among people with mild depression and those under stress. More research needs to be done to confirm these results, but next time you find yourself in a figurative and literal slump, sit up, stand up, pull your shoulders back, hold your head high, and face those challenges with confidence. You can learn more here.
Moves that Improve Posture
Certainly be aware and attentive to how you stand and sit–head up, shoulders back and in line with your hips—but your best strategy for achieving and maintaining good posture is to strengthen your back, shoulders, and core says Macie Lea, Manager of Science and Kinesiology. Here’s how the Curves Circuit does just that.
The Dip Shrug
“The move you perform on this machine requires you to stand nice and tall,” says Lea. “And it helps sculpt your shoulders.”
The Chest-Back
This machine—as the name reveals—strengthens your chest and back muscles.
The Ab/Back
“You might not think of this machine when you think about improving your posture,” says Lea, “but a strong core is the foundation of good posture, and the ab/back machine will strengthen your core.”
The best move you can make toward improving your posture is to get yourself to Curves regularly every week. You’ll walk out stronger, slimmer, and happier.
To find out more about how you can informed lifestyle and health choices, visit our blog under the ‘Live’ category! You can also learn more about how the Curves Circuit can benefit your lifestyle here.
