Walking and standing upright makes us feel confident and full of energy. Here you will find tricks for the right posture that you can implement immediately.
A nice upright and correct posture makes us look confident, it prevents problems with the intervertebral discs and back pain.
Did you know that your posture is strongly influenced by your state of mind?
Those who feel bad, small and inferior have a closed and stiffened posture. Those who feel big, strong and really prim have an open and strong posture.
But it also works the other way around: You can influence your feelings through your posture. That's why the right posture is so important.
We'll show you a few simple tips for proper posture while sitting, lying down and lifting weight.
Table of contents
Am I doing everything right?
Before we explain to you what the correct posture is, you must first deal with the actual situation. You need to become aware of your current posture: How do you walk, stand and sit?
Little Tip: Pay attention to your posture
We have come up with a little exercise for the right posture. It consists of four parts and will take you 10 minutes. With this exercise you will realize how much your well-being and your physical posture are connected.
And go:
- Normal posture: Stand up and walk around in your usual posture for 2 minutes. It's best to have a couple of mirrors available. Pay conscious attention to your posture. How are your head, shoulders and neck when you walk? How do you stand? Where do you look when you walk? (Ground, air, straight ahead?)
- Limp posture: And now the comparison. Walk for 2 minutes with head bent and shoulders tilted forward. Head and neck hang down. Walk slowly. How do you feel? Do you notice how oppressive your posture is to your feelings?
- Upright posture: And now the complete opposite: Stand completely upright. Chest out, shoulders back, stomach in. Look forward and chin a little higher than usual. Do you feel how you suddenly strut? Feels good, doesn't it?
- Back to normal posture: Do you notice the difference? What is different compared to the last exercise? The correct posture and your normal posture should ideally differ very little from each other.
How are your shoulders? Is your back still straight?
The difference between these postures allows you to see how your feelings are influenced by your body and vice versa. Crazy, isn't it?
Walking, lying, standing and lifting for correct posture
Sitting upright for improved posture
We all sit far too much. Whether at work, at university, at school, at home, in the car, on the train, on the bus, on the sofa. Sitting takes up a very large percentage of our daily routine.
Unfortunately, you often can't prevent it. If you sit incorrectly, you are not doing your body any good. Correct posture has to be learned!
A little tip in between: Swap your regular chair for an exercise ball in between :)
When we sit upright, the spine is in its natural shape: nicely stretched and upright. Those who sit correctly do so from the pelvis.
This is how sitting works for proper posture:
- Stretch your spine through
- Push the chest forward
- Lower the chin slightly
- You push the shoulders back
- The legs are shoulder width apart
- The soles of the feet touch the floor
- The angle of the lower and upper leg is slightly greater than 90°.
This sitting upright is really exhausting at first. You can even get sore muscles from it. Especially if you have never paid attention to the correct posture.
It's worth the effort :)
Correct lying
What does correct posture have in common with lying down? You can also do a lot of things wrong when lying down. Correct lying down frees the spine from body weight and relaxes the muscles. In this position your intervertebral discs absorb water, they can recover and regenerate.
You should eliminate the prone position from your sleeping positions. Because when you sleep on your stomach, you make a hollow back. Because you naturally want and need to breathe, you put your head to the side - which leads to terrible tension.
If you like to lie on your back, you should put a pillow under your knees. This will relax your lumbar vertebrae. Try to bend your legs even during short naps.
Carrying and lifting for the correct posture
Anyone who trains with weights knows that lifting incorrectly is pure poison for the back. If you stretch your legs when lifting, the load on your lumbar spine is very high. When you do that, your intervertebral discs have to take a lot of punishment.
If you lift a soccer ball with your legs stretched out, up to 150 kg press on your intervertebral discs!
Stand on both legs
Do you sometimes lean on one leg? That may look chill, but it's really bad for your spine. You put excessive pressure on your lumbar vertebrae.
Therefore: Always stand on both legs. This distributes the weight and relieves your spine.
Training for correct posture
If you want to improve your posture, you can also do it with a great exercise.
Crunches for the upright posture
Sit-ups are not only a great exercise for your abs. Lie on your back and bend your legs. Both soles of your feet touch the floor. Extend your arms forward like the tips of your toes. Now start to lift your upper body off the mat.
Do 12 repetitions.
Exercises with exercise ball for the back
An exercise ball can also help you straighten your back. A great exercise is this one. Put your heels on the ball. Your shoulders and hands are on the mat. Push the rest of your body off the floor. Stretch your whole body firmly. Hold the position as long as you can.
You can find more great exercise ball exercises here: "The 11 best exercises with exercise ball for abdomen legs buttocks".
Stretching exercises for improved posture
Stretching exercises are great for getting your body upright. You can also easily incorporate them into your workday. It's best to start stretching in the morning.
This straightens your body and makes you fit for the day.
Our conclusion:
Observe yourself and your posture every now and then. If you notice that you are lacking energy, then stand confidently and show everyone the correct posture.
This is the energy boost you need to feel fit again.
You can't learn the right posture overnight. It's a long process. Just make yourself aware again and again that you straighten up properly. Like a proud poodle :)
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