Will Yoga Fix My Posture?
Will yoga fix my posture? It definitely can. Yoga is an amazing way to relieve stress and pain from your body, and in addition, can help fix posture problems. Did you grow up with bad posture? As a child, you may have been prone to slouching and sitting with your weight on one side. As an adult, you may still be adding to it by hunching over your phone or tablet. If you are conscious about your posture and want to correct it, there are yoga poses or asanas that can correct and improve your stance.
Some people believe that returning to one’s correct posture can only be done by corrective braces and intense physical therapy. But not all cases have to be extreme, and yoga does help with posture. We encourage you to try these easy poses at home.
Easy Yoga Poses To Fix Bad Posture
If you haven’t been physically active lately, you will definitely experience some discomfort. Your body is not used to extraneous physical movements, so it will take some time to adjust. Yoga does improve posture, and it will when you focus on it, dedicate time, energy, and meditation. Remember, at any point you experience pain; you can stop and take a rest. We’ll take these stretches slowly and carefully. Improving one’s posture does take time and patience!
These easy poses are a good start and an ideal base for a beginner yogi. Remember to take deep breaths every time you execute a movement. At any point, in case your mind will doubt and ask: “Will yoga fix my posture?” put a positive spin and breathe out a resounding Yes!
- The Mountain Pose - This is the most basic pose in any yoga routine. This should be the first pose you do every time you start a yoga session.
Start in a standing position with both hands down your sides. Your feet should be flat on the mat. It’s basically a standing position but a correct one! It’s best to look at the mirror while doing this pose. Make sure you look straight ahead. You will begin to notice the difference in stance. With your hands straight down your sides, your shoulder should round back, and you will feel it lifted. With your feet firmly planted on the ground, you will notice your weight is being balanced. When looking straight at the mirror, you will feel your neck position vertically and should not give you a “hunched over” feel. Hold the mountain pose for at least 30 seconds, and don’t forget to breathe while in position. You can do this several times, making sure to insert 30 seconds of rest each time. Your muscles and bones will soon get used to that new feeling.
- Downward Facing Dog - This is probably one of the most popular asanas. The Downward Facing Dog is an amazing pose that can help stretch your spine and release tension in your shoulders and back.
You will need to start in a Mountain Pose and slowly bring your hands down beside your feet. Slowly push your feet behind you until you’re planking. You can either move your hands or feet when you want to raise your bottom upwards until you form an upside-down “V.” This will take some time to get used to. You can feel your back stretching and your shoulders releasing stress. It’s okay if you can’t form the perfect pose yet. Just make sure to stand up slowly when you’re done holding this pose for at least 15 seconds. You can repeat this pose, but remember to inject 30 seconds of rest in between.
- Plank Pose - This is a familiar pose for a lot of gym-goers. This core workout targets your back, and the reason why you may be slouching is that you don’t have the core strength to stand straight. The Plank Pose will help correct your slouching and hunching over!
Start with a push-up position. (Nope, you're not going to do push-ups here!) You'll need to extend your hands downward as you push-up and hold that pose for as long as possible. You will feel a little strain in your mid-section where your core is. When done, take it easy, and you can try in between rest periods of 2 to 5 minutes.
- Cobra Pose - The Cobra Pose is a stretchy favorite for a lot of yogis. It is a basic pose that stretches the spine and neck. You can really feel the spine stretch on this one!
Start off with a push-up pose, but with your hands placed palms down beside the sides of your head and your chest should be close to the mat. Using your hands, you will lift your upper section and look towards the sky with your head. Using your hands, you will need to push back towards your midsection as you look upwards. Make sure your elbows are aligned with your shoulders. You should end up looking like a cobra, ready to strike! Hold the Plank Pose for as long as you can and repeat if you want, again, with rest in-between.
These basic yoga poses answer your question, “Will yoga fix my posture?” but remember that these are base poses to start you off as a good foundation towards your goal for having good posture.
The Benefits Of Yoga For Good Posture
If you’re still curious and still asks, "Will yoga fix my posture?”, you have to know that it will if you also realize a lot is going on aside from stretching. It’s not just a one-trick pony. Practicing yoga for back posture can give you the following benefits:
- Increase in body awareness. Yoga makes you mindful of your body as you begin to focus on alignment and centeredness.
- It improves muscle strength. You need the right muscle strength to support your back. Slouching “rests” those muscles and using yoga to improve your posture can poke those muscles back to shape.
- It improves the shoulder strength. Slouching can loosen the shoulders, and yoga knocks them back in place, giving you the correct stance.
- Better core strength. As mentioned earlier, the Plank Pose focuses on core strength. Other poses work on the upper-back while the Plank Pose focuses on your middle and lower back.
Conclusion
Now that you already know the basics of how you can improve your posture, you must remember that it requires a lot of patience as well. It will take some time for your body to get used to the routines. And as you push yourself further, you will eventually arrive at the best posture. So, will yoga fix my posture? Compared to expensive chiropractors, tedious physical therapies, and technical braces, that’s a yes! Find out more about the benefit of yoga.