Becoming a Strong Lady: the posture of a queen (part 2)

3 daily exercises to improve your upper-body posture

Issue 1: Rounded Upper Back

Exercise: Reverse Fly

1. Hold an elastic with your arms straight in front of you and the palms of your hands facing each other. 
2. Open your arms wide out to your sides and squeeze your shoulder blades close together. Do it while taking a deep breath in.
3. Slowly bring your arms back in front of you while breathing out. Resist the movement and count to 5.

Repetitions: aim to do 2 sets of 12 reps.

Making it harder: shorten the elastic by bring your hands closer when in front of you.
Where you should feel it: between your shoulder blades and upper-back
Where you should NOT feel it: in your upper-shoulders

Key safety tips: 

• Do not lift your arms higher than shoulder level
• Turn your thumbs out have the palms of your hands face slightly up to also work the rotator cuff and reduce the risk of shoulder impingement syndrome.
  

Issue 2: Elevated Shoulders

Exercise: Straight arm dips

1. Hold yourself in a crouching position just above a chair with your hands on the arm rests on the side of your hips and your arms straight.
2.  Without bending your arms, push down on the chair and bring your shoulders as down as possible while raising your chest up and forward. 
3. Count to 5 at the top, take a deep breath in, and then relax and lower yourself down while breathing out. This is one repetition. 

Repetitions: aim to do 2 sets of 12 reps.

Making it harder: Strap yourself to the chair with an elastic as if wearing a seatbelt on your laps before doing the exercises
Where you should feel it: under your armpits and under your chest
Where you should NOT feel it: in

Key safety tips: 

• Do not lock your elbows: keep a soft band at the elbow to avoid pain in the joint
• Keep your core tight to avoid arching your lower back when doing the exercise
  

Issue 3: Forward Head

Exercise: Posture hold back against the wall

1. Stand with your back to a wall and your heels and shoulder blades touching the wall
2. Use two fingers to drop your chin down and in toward your sternum while stretching the back of your neck.
3.  Gently push your head back until it presses slightly against the wall
4. Hold the position while counting to 30

Repetitions: aim to do 2 sets of 30 seconds holds

Making it harder:Hold the position longer and do "wall angels" at the same time.
Where you should feel it: in the back of your head
Where you should NOT feel it: under your chin

Key safety tips: 

• Do not press your head too hard against the wall