Perfect Posture Challenge

In this week challenge you must correct your posture . Good posture has numerous health benefits including higher energy levels, increased oxygen intake, alleviating chronic neck and back pain, migraine relief, and confidence. This posture challenge combines a posture correcting brace to train and lift your muscles, exercises focused on strengthening the core, shoulders, and back, and stretches to help relieve muscle tension.

How to Get Perfect Posture:

1. Step 1

   Stand against a wall to help yourself recognize proper standing posture. Your head, shoulder blades and buttocks should touch the wall with your feet a few inches away from it. The small of your back should be about a palm width away from the wall.



2. Step 2

   Study your reflection in a mirror several times a day each day of the month to focus on how you hold your shoulders. Pushing them too far back creates too much of a curve in your lower back, while slouching forward puts excessive strain on your neck and shoulders.



3. Step 3

   Press your back against the chair while sitting. Keep your neck and shoulders aligned and place both feet flat on the floor or on a footrest.



4. Step 4

   Place a rolled towel between the back of your chair and the small of your back for extra support.



5. Step 5

   Pause what you are doing several times each day to draw an imaginary line from your ears, through your shoulders and to your hips. You should be able to draw a straight line through these body parts if you are maintaining perfect posture.



6. Step 6

   Adjust your keyboard and computer monitor so that you can easily reach the keys and see without forcing your shoulders forward or bending your neck.



7. Step 7

   Take frequent breaks and change your position at least once every hour. Moving around or adjusting your position will help prevent you from slouching or slipping out of perfect posture.



8. Step 8

   Exercise every day for at least 30 minutes. Moderate aerobic activity, such as biking, walking or jogging, helps condition the muscles that support your back and help you maintain good posture.



9. Step 9

   Strengthen your abdominal muscles by performing crunches or exercises on a stability ball to improve your balance and tone your core muscles that help your spine stay aligned.

Suggested Reading:

Quick 4-minute fix for Neck Hump - Learn more here.

Back Health and Posture - Learn more here.