How to Get Perfect Posture in 30 Days
Spending a month focusing on your posture can have profound benefits for your back. Practicing good posture helps relieve back pain, reduces wear on your discs, prevents excess muscle strain, helps combat fatigue, promotes healthy organs and breathing, and can even help you look taller and thinner. Keeping a keen eye on your posture for 30 days and practicing exercises to help you improve your spine's alignment can help you achieve and maintain perfect posture.
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's width away from the wall.
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.
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.
Step 4
Place a rolled towel between the back of your chair and the small of your back for extra support.
Step 5
Pause what you're 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're maintaining perfect posture.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Things You'll Need
Mirror
Footrest (optional)
Towel (optional)
Stability ball (optional)
