These 16 simple exercises against hunchback help quickly

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You get a round back from sitting so much. If you've had enough of a hunchback, you've come to the right place with our 16 effective exercises against a rounded back.

Sitting. Always. And everywhere.

If you take a little time to think about everyday habits, we quickly realize: we sit all the time.

During work, on the way home, at home on the sofa, in the car, on the bike, at lunch or on the way to grandma.

Scary, isn't it?

The problem is that the human body was never designed to spend so many hours in a sitting position.

The sitting and the Lack of movement causes us pain, leads to postural deformities such as the hunchback (hyperkyphosis).

What is a hunchback and how does it develop

When sitting, the shoulders are usually pulled up and forward. The back appears round when viewed from the side. This also explains the name.

Our double S-shaped spine has a natural curvature backwards in the thoracic vertebrae area.

If this curvature is too pronounced, one speaks of a Hyperkyphosis - or a Hunchback.

In short, the hunchback is the hump that occurs when the shoulder blades are pulled forward or fall.

Very often, protruding shoulders and a rounded back are accompanied by a Vulture Neck accompanied. The head, spine and shoulders are not in balance.

Those who let their shoulders fall forward also very often tend to form a hunchback. And then we have the salad.

Then, from the upper back to the lower back, the posture is very unhealthy for your spine.

Lower back pain and tension in the shoulders and neck won't be long in coming.

What can help you with this problem is Upright. At Upright it is a small electronic straight holder* that you stick between your shoulder blades.

Whenever your posture leaves something to be desired, it vibrates and reminds you to keep a straight posture. At the end of the day, you can see in the app how often you really stood up straight and when not.

I can give you the Upright electronic straight holder* because I've been standing and sitting much more upright since I started using it. Even when I don't have it on at all. Somehow you subconsciously memorize the posture, which is quite practical. :)

One of the most common causes of pain and discomfort is postural deformity. Whereas in the past it was mainly older people who were affected, now it is also increasingly young people and children.

Let us work together with Exercises against hunchback declare war! Because you can get rid of a round back and bad posture very well with strength training.

If you have limited time and are looking for quick help, you can watch this video.

In it you'll find 3 exercises that you can do right away. Combine them with the exercises we present in this post if you want to see fast results.

The best exercises against hunchback

The best Exercises against hunchback are a Mix of strength and stretching exercises. We stretch the shoulders, neck, upper arms and open the chest muscles.

The key to success is that you build the workout firmly into your daily routine and really do it regularly!

Hold each stretch (exercise) for at least 30 seconds - 40 seconds is better. Shake your arms and repeat the process 2x more.

But what I can say about myself: It really does get better with time. When I started stretching and doing exercises, it was terribly hard. I realized how immobile I was - scary! 😅

I usually work out at home myself. The fitness platform Gymondo is great for that. You sign up once and can then choose from 60 programs and 570 workouts. All you need is a workout mat and a little space in your living room.

There is a wide range of stretching exercises and strength training. After all, if you have a round back, you need to work on all corners. So build muscle and stretch. But more on that in a moment.

Training plan for the living room
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At Gymondo you can do abs, legs, butt one day and legs and arms the next. Just put together whatever you feel like doing. With less than 8 euros per month and unlimited access to the workouts, the investment will soon pay off.

Here come my personal favorite exercises that are guaranteed to help:

Stretch arms backwards (biceps stretch)

effective exercises against hunchback

  • Stand shoulder width apart
  • Stretch the arms backwards
  • Interlock fingers
  • The back is straight, the shoulders are stretched backwards
  • Pull the arms stretched upwards and build a firm tension

Triceps stretch behind back

effective exercises against hunchback

  • We start in the upright position
  • Take the right arm up
  • The left down
  • At the level of the shoulder blades touch the fingers

You can't touch your fingers? It doesn't matter. It can take time to get through the stretch without any problems. Just hold the position as best you can.

Triceps and shoulder stretch

effective exercises against hunchback

  • Stretch the right arm straight up over the head
  • Bend it at the elbow behind the back
  • Put the other hand on the elbow and press it down gently

Hunchback exercise with wall

effective exercises against hunchback

  • Stand sideways to a wall
  • Put the left hand on the wall
  • Stretch the arm backwards
  • Go as close as possible to the wall
  • Hold the tension

Especially in the beginning it can be difficult not to fall back into old patterns. The shoulders tilt forward faster than we would like. This happens subconsciously. That's where a Posture correction for the upright posture*. You can easily put them on under your shirt. The principle is very simple: the posture corrector looks like a vest that you slip into with your arms. You fasten it with Velcro.

Now the correction ensures that your shoulders do not fall forward, that your chest is straightened and your spine is moved into the correct position.

You don't have to wear the correction forever. Soon you will internalize what the right posture feels like. Dangerous are always those moments when you sit and think about other things. Like at work. Subconsciously, posture correction will gently move you into the right position. It is best to simply read the Reviews of the posture correction on Amazon* through.

Hunchback exercise: stretch shoulders

effective exercises against hunchback

  • Face a wall
  • Stretch the legs through
  • Lean forward and place palms on the wall
  • The palms are as high as possible on the wall
  • Hold the stretch as long as possible

Yoga pose against round back: The camel

Camel exercise against round back

  • Kneel on the training mat
  • Place the top of the foot flat on the mat
  • Reach with both hands to the heels and let the head fall back
  • The thighs and buttocks are tense
  • Breathe deeply and hold the tension

Superman Fitness Exercise 1

effective exercises against hunchback

  • Lie on your stomach
  • Lift the legs from the floor
  • Stretch the arms in front of the head
  • Lift the head and chest from the floor
  • Pull the arms back like swimming
  • And forward again

Make sure your elbows are as high as possible throughout the hunchback exercise and you feel tension in your shoulders.

Superman exercise against hunchback

Superman exercise against round back

  • Lie down on the training mat
  • Stretch the arms forward
  • Lift the head and shoulders from the mat
  • You lift your legs alternately stretched upwards - like crawling

Hunchback exercise: Samson Stretch

effective exercises against hunchback

  • Do a lunge
  • The back knee touches the floor
  • The front knee does not protrude above the toes
  • You pull the hands upwards during the entire hunchback exercise
  • Straighten up and change legs

Pull the arms back to the sides

effective exercises against hunchback

  • Stand upright
  • Raise arms until palms and shoulders are at the same height
  • The palms face down
  • Guide the elbows as far back as possible without losing height
  • Then forward until they touch the fingers

Wall sitting against the round back

effective exercises against hunchback

  • Take a step away from the wall and lean your back against it
  • The legs form a 90° angle
  • Raise your arms so that your elbows and shoulders are at the same level.
  • Make sure that the buttocks, back and shoulders touch the wall
  • Press the shoulders firmly to the wall

Stretching exercise for the back in the knees

Stretching for the back

  • Kneel on the training mat
  • Put the head on the left hand
  • Stretch your right arm forward
  • Feel the tension and hold it as long as possible

The open lunge against the round back

effective exercises against hunchback

  • Stand upright
  • Take a step forward with your right leg
  • You push the left leg backwards
  • Place the left hand at the level of the right leg
  • Stretch the right arm straight up
  • Now place the right elbow to the tips of the toes
  • The back is straight
  • And reach up again!

Triceps Dips = the perfect exercises against hunchback

Triceps dips with legs stretched to build muscle

  • Grab a coffee table
  • Place the palms against it
  • The legs are stretched forward
  • Press the shoulders firmly back
  • Tense the abdomen
  • Lower the buttocks to the floor as far as possible

If you can't do the dips, you're already doing your body some good by doing the hunchback exercise with only stretching your shoulders. So, as in the photo, only stretch the back and press the shoulders firmly back.

Exercises against hunchback with theraband

The Theraband is a very inexpensive but effective training tool to train the back, shoulders, neck and chest muscles.

Here you can do all the exercises that open the pectoral muscles. That is, exercises that are performed behind the back or those in which the elastic band is pulled from the front to the back.

Small elastic band pulls over the head

effective exercises against hunchback

  • Take the theraband short
  • Stretch the arms above the head
  • Build up tension on the belt
  • Pull the shoulders down
  • When the tape is at head height, you pull it long

Pull the tape diagonally behind the back

effective exercises against hunchback

  • Grab the theraband
  • The right hand shows stretched diagonally upwards
  • The left hand is bent
  • Try that the right and left upper arms form a line
  • Stretch the left hand down and hold against it with the right hand

Stretching the shoulders with the theraband

effective exercises against hunchback

  • Stand upright and place the right shoe in the fitness band
  • The left foot is slightly flexed
  • Now pull the tape back with all your might
  • Push the shoulders back hold the pull as long as possible

Good reasons to train away your hunchback

A round back is simply not beautiful. It immediately catches the eye, makes us look submissive and not self-confident. A round back is, in short, unattractive!

Hyperkyphosis is responsible for back pain in the upper and middle back.

A round back restricts your breathing. Due to the incorrect posture, the rib cage is narrowed. This leads to tension in the diaphragm. Deep breathing is impossible for you. Breathing is very shallow and this robs you of energy.

Slouched shoulders lead to shoulder problems and pain.

A hunched back makes for a vulture neck, which in turn leads to neck pain and headaches.

A very round back has a negative effect on digestion. The stomach and intestines are constricted and cannot work properly.

As with other malpositions, some muscle groups have a very high resting tension. Others are too slack. And this can restrict the entire movement.

Especially those who work a lot in a sitting position tend to fall into the hyperkyphosis posture.

How to recognize that it's time for hunchback exercises

At the latest when the round back can no longer be hidden, it is time to take active steps against it. Exercises against a round back should then become a fixed part of everyday life.

Quite naturally - almost like coffee in the morning - you need to do something for your upright posture with the anti-round back workout.

6 Signs You Need to Start Exercising Against Hunchback Today

  1. Your shoulders move forward (=round back) and the upper arms turn inward.
    This happens whenever you sit or stand and don't focus on your posture.
  2. You develop a hollow back, which compensates for the hunchback in the thoracic spine.
  3. Your shoulder blades stick out strongly. This is called "angel wings". They are a sign that your shoulder blade muscles are not trained enough. Women are particularly affected by this.
  4. Your hip extensor is shortened. You will notice this when squatting, squatting and bending over are only possible to a limited extent.
  5. You have constant tension in your neck and shoulders.
  6. If the hunchback is very bad, the upper arm moves a little forward in the shoulder joint capsule.

How a hunchback develops

A round back does not form overnight. It occurs insidiously. Especially all those who many hours sitting spend are at risk of developing a hunchback.

What sounds harmless and at the moment "doesn't matter", however, leads to bad posture and a round back. This not only looks stupid, but also results in pain. Back pain, tension and increasing restriction of mobility.

A hunchback is trained and can be trained away

The bad posture of the spine in the fewest cases has medical causes. Much more it is a really bad habit.

All who have a Desk job know this all too well: you concentrate so hard on one task that you forget everything around you.

Unfortunately, so does the posture. The shoulders quickly tilt forward, the back becomes round. The legs are crossed and you have the mess: After some time, the back, shoulders and neck report with terrible tension.

By the way, it is quite normal that we tilt forward. Because it is not possible for our body to sit upright in the long term.

The muscles get tired and slacken. We slump forward. We get used to the typical office posture day after day.

effective exercises against hunchback

The same happens when you look at the Smartphone. When checking out the latest Instagram and Pinterest trends, your head and shoulders automatically tilt forward.

Over time, a dysbalance of the muscles develops. Muscles, fascia and the entire connective tissue have become accustomed to this position. A straight and upright posture seems impossible.

What happens to the body with a round back

Those who have a round back can attribute it to not exercising enough. This leads to postural problems and these in turn lead to postural damage and pain.

Many muscles are imbalanced when we suffer from a hunchback. From upright and healthy posture can no longer be spoken of.

These muscles are trained too weakly in the hunchback:

  • The middle back muscles (middle and lower trapezius)
  • The upper back extensors
  • The sawtooth muscle
  • The rhomboid

These muscles are tense or too short in a round back:

  • The pectoral muscles
  • The broad back muscle
  • The upper trapezius
  • The shoulder blade lifters

How hunchback exercises help you bend forward

A hunchback is an incorrectly trained posture. This means that we can also train ourselves out of it.

The most important element is movement in everyday work. Sitting rigidly for hours on end makes people ill. The lack of movement reinforces bad posture.

So you have to manage to build exercise into your daily work routine.

Here's how you can prevent a hunchback

  • Even if it's hard. From now on, you stand on the subway, streetcar or bus. Sitting is taboo.
  • Bye-bye elevator. From now on you take the stairs. By the way, that's also good for your butt ;)
  • Coffee breaks are held standing up
  • Get yourself a standing desk. You can use the Build standing desk yourself. And with our contribution "The first week with standing desk" to get an idea of what it's like.
  • Build Office gymnastics into everyday life.

Sports that help train away a hunchback

If you're not a fan of fitness exercises, you can try other sports to work on your hunchback. Whether exercises or another sport, those who want to train away their hunchback must focus on opposite movements.

So: Shoulders that move forward need exercises that move them backward. Pulling exercises of all kinds are therefore a good choice.

Get rid of hunchback by climbing

You want to get rid of your round back but don't feel like doing exercises against a round back? Then find a climbing gym!

Climbing is a very natural movement that often saved the lives of our ancestors. Today, we are increasingly unlearning how to climb.

That's a terrible shame, because climbing trains our entire body. But especially the arms, shoulders and neck - perfect to train away the hunchback.

Sport against the hunchback

Strength, endurance and coordination are also improved.

Climbing is a great sport for back pain because it releases tension and stretches muscles and joints.

Hanging in the climbing wall automatically stretches the shoulders, back and spine. Ideal for those who spend many hours sitting.

Train away hunchback with swimming

Pain, tension in the neck and back, and a hunched back don't stand a chance if you slip into your swimwear regularly.

When swimming, the body is carried by the water. We are light and can move in a way that is easy on the joints.

The water itself ensures that we constantly have to deal with resistance. This puts extra strain on the shoulders and arms. When swimming, you improve not only your posture but also endurance and blood circulation.

Training away the hunchback with swimming also works so well because the back muscles are strengthened. Since we have to breathe in the water, we automatically stretch our head upwards. This strengthens the back extensors, legs and shoulder blade muscles.

Train away hunchback with rowing

Rowing is the anti-round back sport par excellence. With a lot of force you push your shoulders backwards and train not only the entire upper body, but also the abdominal muscles and the circulation.

If you don't have a river or large lake nearby, you can also row in the gym.

This has a positive effect on all major muscle groups. Rowing is easy on the joints, but provides enough resistance to strengthen the upper body.

It is also one of the healthiest and least dangerous sports.

What sports aggravate the round back

There are also workouts and hunchback exercises that can have a negative effect. A typical example is running. Cycling, for example, is fine and important, however, it does not help against a round back.

Attention: Running aggravates the hunchback!

If you have a rounded back, in the worst case, jogging can actually aggravate it. The problem is the jolts that occur when we step on our spine.

The impact loads can make the spine even more crooked. This in turn has an effect on the intervertebral discs, which can promote a herniated disc.

Not so bad is cycling. This sport does not directly help against the cat hump, but it does not hurt either.

If the bike is set up incorrectly, we have to lean very far forward and usually just drop our shoulders to do so. So there is no question of a pulling exercise. A good Warm up should always be part of your exercises against hunchback. After that, you need to go into strength training.

Also, if you pump up your chest muscles at a very high speed, you make the situation worse. Balancing exercises to strengthen the shoulders are important!

Our conclusion

If you want to train away your hunchback, you need motivation and perseverance. Exercises against a hunchback can only be effective if you adapt your lifestyle.

This means that the workout must be regularly incorporated into everyday life. In addition, you should avoid sitting so much. A standing desk is particularly suitable.

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