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Young or old, athlete or couch potato, strengthening posture with daily StrongPosture™ exercise is an intelligent LifeHabit for living and aging well.
“Straighten up and don’t slouch” doesn’t work. To change your posture, you need to teach your body new habits and change how you move. Daily StrongPosture™ exercise builds awareness of posture and, when performed daily, can stretch muscles, ligaments, and other structures that shorten with poor posture. Unused muscles strengthen and your body learns new habits as retrains posture and motion patterns.
These posture- strengthening exercises are based on contemporary biomechanical concepts blended with ancient yoga practices and wisdom. The goal is to become conscious of your posture, and then strengthen your posture and balance over time as you progressively learn to focus on and control your body. Many of the exercises can be done anywhere, and none require expensive equipment. You'll use a flat wall as a reference for posture alignment, and then learn to use inexpensive, low-tech tools like exercise balls. If you see a Certified Posture Exercise Professional (CPEP) you may also be shown how to use exercise bands, foam rollers and other low-tech tools to help you become conscious of how you are moving along the path towards new LifeHabits. CPEP patients and clients often report improvement with problems ranging from knee pain to headaches, and say they even feel, and sometimes look, taller and thinner.
StrongPosture™ not only helps back and neck pain, but it also helps you feel better in general as you breathe deeper, reduce stress, and have more energy. Consciously training new patterns of motion retrain the body to move unconsciously in those new patterns of motion and helps people stay active, combating health issues from degenerative joint disease to cardiovascular and respiratory problems. Strengthening your posture with daily posture exercises as part of your regular physical activity can literally help you keep moving well as you age.
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 Posture is how you balance your body . . .If you don’t balance, you fall down!
Exercise balls are a tool to help us find unbalanced motion, and then exercise in a way to improve balance. When you feel unstable sitting on a ball, you can blame it on bad balance, or you can see it as a way of learning where your perceived reality and actual reality disagree. Being conscious of a problem is the first step to change.
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Floor PressUps can be great for relief of postural low back pain*
Lie on your stomach in a "push-up" position. Slowly, carefully and gently, with controlled motion, "press up" your body.
Keep your hips and pelvis on the floor.
Do not strain the low back-- STOP IF THERE IS ANY LOW BACK PAIN
Only come up as high as you feel comfortable.
Slowly lower back down to your stomach, and then repeat.
*Always consult your doctor before participating in any exercise program. All posture exercises should be performed pain free. If you experience pain or discomfort, stop the exercise and consult your physician. |
StrongPosture™ Forward Stretch (lengthens and stretches tight spinal muscles)
Ball Hug
Kneel in front of the posture ball.
Slowly, with controlled motion, roll forward on the ball, letting the ball support your entire weight. Keep your hands on the floor for balance only. Gently roll forward on the ball until you are on your toes, and then slowly roll back until your knees are on the floor again. Repeat several times. Do not strain the low back and only come as far forward as you feel comfortable. Remember to take slow deep breaths as you stretch and relax.
Always consult your doctor before participating in any exercise program. All posture exercises should be performed pain free. If you experience pain or discomfort, stop the exercise and consult your physician. |
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StrongPosture BallStretch: PostureBalls are big inflatable balls chiropractors, physical therapists and posture exercise professionls use to strengthen balance, posture and motion. Have someone spot you the first time you sit on a postureball until you feel comfortable and balanced. The Ballstretch is the anti-stretch for siting, and helps unbends hunched over posture caused by heavy backpacks.
Sitting on the ball, slowly walk forward and roll down on the ball until your head touches the ball. Then walk backwards so your spine curves and lengthens over the ball.
When you feel comfortable, try and reach your arms overhead. It is important to move slowly and with control. Relax and stretch for 5 slow breaths.
Choosing the proper ball for your body type is important. For tips on choosing the size that’s right for you and for more exercises, and other helpful information visit the Posture Exercise section.
Try This: PostureBall Hug
Always consult your doctor before participating in any exercise program. All posture exercises should be performed pain free. If you experience pain or discomfort, stop the exercise and consult your physician.
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Aligning the Head over the Body
Stand against a wall facing straight ahead.
- Keep your face level
- Look straight ahead--don't look up or down
Gently press your head towards the wall.
Then, let you head glide gently and slightly forward.
Visualize your head as if you were gliding on railroad tracks, perfectly straight and level
You should feel like a turtle pulling his head back into his shell.
Repeat five times.
Try a finger on your chin to help keep your head level
Breath out as you press your head back
Breath in as you glide your head forward.
Always consult your doctor before participating in any exercise program. All posture exercises should be performed pain free. If you experience pain or discomfort, stop the exercise and consult your physician. |
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