Strengthening your posture is crucial, especially if you spend most of your time in a seated position. Maintaining a proper posture not only builds flexibility but also helps maintain your body balance. A healthy posture keeps you protected from injuries, stress, and pain. This article outlines yoga moves aimed at improving your body posture, awareness, and core strength.
The Cow Pose
This stretch is also referred to as a Chakravakrasana and helps you discover your spine’s natural curves. It also enables you to lengthen your hamstrings and glutes. Below are the steps to perform a successful cow pose.
- Get down and support yourself with your knees and arms. Ensure your hands are straight with the palm aligned with the elbows and the shoulders.
- Position your hips right above your knees without bending them forward or backward.
- In this position, inhale and push your back to the ground to curve it downwards.
- Stay in the position for around 10 seconds and exhale to resume the initial position.
These movements should originate from your tailbone to the spine, leaving the head to be the last part to move.
Child’s Pose
Also known as the Balasana, the child pose helps you massage and stretch your spine, releasing the tension in your neck, shoulders, and torso. Follow these steps for a perfect child pose.
- Kneel and rest your hips on your heels
- Then raise your arms straight above your head and gradually bend forward from your waist.
- Only pause when your palms reach the ground.
- Maintain the position of your thighs and try to touch them with your stomach. Don’t force it if it proves challenging.
- Maintain the pose for five to ten seconds and slowly resume your initial position.
You can repeat the child pose up to ten times.
The Bridge Pose
This move focuses on your shoulders and chest, whose constriction contributes to a poor posture. The bridge pose will also provide more support to your spine and strengthen your back.
Steps To Practice the Bridge Pose
- Lie on your back and bend your knees, placing your feet flat on the ground.
- Ensure you close your hips and keep your arms straight beside you.
- With your palm facing down, slowly lift your back and hips about 5 inches above the ground.
- Your knees and heels should form a straight vertical line
- While you lift your back and hips, only your feet, head, shoulders, and hands should be on the ground.
Hold the pose for about ten seconds and slowly resume the initial pose.
The Shoulder Opener
The move involves interlacing your hands behind the back as if to expose the center of your chest. You start the pose by joining your hands behind your back and moving your shoulders towards your ears. Slide your shoulder blades down your back as you straighten your arms.
The four yoga moves highlighted above can help you improve your health by strengthening your posture. You can practice simple moves even in modern workplaces that don’t allow for much movement. Repetitive and regular practice of these moves will pay off in the long run as you will avoid strains, injuries, and soreness.
