6 Ways To Improve Your Posture

how to improve your posture

Want perfect posture? Try these six easy ways to improve your form and improve your posture in no time.

When it comes to exercise, whether it be building strength or trying to build definition, one of the most important factors is your form. Form is the foundation of improving your posture to protect your body, keep your spine healthy and may even help alleviate any headaches and muscle soreness.

Performing exercises properly, at the right pace and with an appropriate level of resistance is so important. Not only will the correct form help you feel more confident in the gym or studio, but it will also help you avoid injury as well. If you’re looking to improve your form, here are 6 ways to get started.

Learn first hand:

Attending Pilates classes is a great way to learn the appropriate way to perform exercises properly and improve your form. Learning first hand from an instructor is one of the best ways to learn, and see first hand how exercises should be performed. In a class, you will also have the opportunity to ask questions and watch others as well.

Sometimes improving form is simply about practising and in other circumstances, it’s about hearing and seeing how you should be doing something first. A pilates class is a great way to do all of the above, see and hear how to perform the exercises, as well as practice them.

Pilates is an effective way to improve your posture
Pilates is an effective way to improve your posture

Lose the weight:

Depending on what exercise you’re doing, one of the best ways to improve form is to lose resistance or weight. Performing exercises with no weight or bodyweight is a great way to feel the exercise, the movement, and whether you are focused on moving the right ways. Resistance can impact form quite a lot, especially if you aren’t confident doing the exercise in the first place or are a weightlifting beginner.

Take your time to lower the weight or complete it a few times without weight to learn the form. Then when you feel more confident, slowly add the weight back on but be sure to feel for the form as you add the weight. If you feel yourself losing form at all, lower the weight and note down your limit. As you build strength through the right form you can add weight back on.

Pace is important:

Fast or jerking movements are key contributors to poor form and injuries. Exercises should be performed with a nice controlled and smooth pace to help ensure correct form. Using a simple process like a one, two, three count for both push and pull exercises are a great way to improve form and slow things down.

No fancy apps required! When you move slowly and with purpose, you will help build strength faster and ensure you avoid injuries.

Breathing is key:

Breath is a powerful tool in any exercise situation, whether you are focused on creating power or trying to centre your attention. Learning to breathe effectively through your exercises will help improve form and is a simple process as well. To help create strength and focus as you lift, pull or squeeze ensure you are breathing out and as you let go or prepare, breath in.

Using your breath as a support is a good way to help improve your form, and be sure not to hold your breath while doing any exercises as this creates unwanted pressure.

Breathing is great for the body
Did you know by doing small breathing exercises you can improve your posture?

Don’t skip muscle groups:

Form is about all parts of your body contributing and working together to complete an exercise properly. If you skip muscle groups or avoid certain areas of your body, you can impact your form overall. Improving your form is about using all muscle groups to help complete an exercise.

Make sure you exercise with intent and work on all muscle groups to keep strength even, so all muscles can help keep form tight.

Do your research:

Your form is all about how well you understand how to do an exercise. Take your time and learn how to do the exercises properly by doing some research. There are many apps on the market now which include short videos on how exercises should be completed.

Alternatively, you can watch videos on YouTube for how to complete exercises with the right form. The more informed you are about how an exercise is done, the better form you can exhibit.

Correct form is such a crucial factor when you are exercising, so taking the time to listen, see and feel how an exercise is done is so important for improving. To improve your form try implementing any or all of these six tips into your routine.

Victoria Nash

Contributor

Victoria is a guest contributor for Bondi Beauty, who writes about a variety of fitness, beauty and health topics. She is a freelance writer who works for a variety of different publications across Australia, as she loves having the flexibility to write for different brands about different subjects.

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