Exercises to Improve Your Posture
Slouching, hunching, stooping, tech neck, nerd neck - all synonyms for the shoulders forward, chest sunken in, and forward neck posture. We're most likely to do this while using a smartphone or personal computer. Recent studies show that Americans spend an average of 4 hours on phones daily. Many females slouch to make their breast less prominent. Remembering to stand upright with your chest out and neck erect is important. Strengthening the muscles responsible for holding that position with exercises that require good posture at the same time sets you up best for success. Try the exercises below to correct standing posture.
Pull and Row Exercises
Rowing boats and using identical rowing machines work a lot of back muscles barely visible when you face a mirror. The reason someone slouches is sometimes because those muscles are weaker than the "bench press" muscles - primarily the pectoralis major and anterior (front) shoulder muscles. A quick muscle anatomy lesson for the major back muscle groups involved:
- Trapezius (traps) (A in the image) are oftentimes wrongly referred to as neck muscles. A classic example: prime Brock Lesnar. The traps do assist with neck movement but are best known for shrugging the shoulders. They also help lift the shoulders up and back. Basically, traps assist with moving the upper arm.
- Latissimus dorsi (lats), also called "the pull-up muscle," (D in the image) is most notably known for pulling the elbow to the body (e.g., swimming down-strokes, climbing, and of course rowing).
- Rear delt muscles, or posterior deltoids, help move the arm back.
- Erector spinae, or spinal erectors, are the actual lower back muscles covering the length of the spine. They keep the spine erect and assist with hip extension.
- Pulling exercises that involve bending the elbow also work the biceps, grip, and other forearm muscles.
Most back, "pull," or rowing workouts consist of variations of the following exercises:
- Strength training row machine with various grips (overhand, neutral-grip, underhand, etc.)
- Bent-over barbell row
- Bent-over dumbbell row
- Lat pull-down machine
- Pull-up
There's a full sample workout at the end of this post.
If you're new to exercise, I recommend starting with a strength training seated row machine for safety. If doing free weight bent-over rows, ensure you have a good hip hinge position. Alternatively, you can lean on an incline bench for support.
Is rowing for cardio a full body workout? Yes, it works the back muscles, biceps, forearms, glutes, and legs. It provides minimal resistance against the legs. If you want to work the legs more, search your gym for something that raises your body above parallel during the row similar to the Total Gym ELEVATE Row machine.
Is the cardio rowing machine a good workout? Yes, for competitive rowers and exercisers who enjoy it for aerobic exercise. For everyone else, there are plenty alternatives that raise the heart rate just as well.
Bent Over Rear Delt Raise or Reverse Pec Deck
Quick reminder - the rear deltoid and traps - emphasis on the mid-traps - assist with rowing movements. The dumbbell or DB rear delt raise and its variations work the rear delts and mid-traps without assistance from the larger pull-up muscles. Targeting the posterior delts with rear delt fly exercises ensure they don't become a weak point during pull movements. It also mitigates shoulder muscle imbalance. Common rear-delt exercises:
- Reverse Pec deck machine
- Resistance tube, band, or cable rear delt fly
- Cable face pull
- Dumbbell rear delt raises, bent over or lying on a slightly inclined weight bench
- TRX rear delt fly
I want to clarify something. Do lateral raises work rear delts? No. You must lean over to engage the rear deltoids. If you don't like holding that bent-over position, simply do DB rear delt raises on an incline weight bench.
Super Range of Motion Lateral Raise
Super range of motion (ROM) lateral raises, also known as "Lu raises," are simply dumbbell lateral raises but going overhead. I call them dumbbell lateral flies, but many hear that and think of normal dumbbell lateral raises where you stop at arms parallel. Super ROM lateral raises work the front and middle delts, and traps. I've prescribed Super ROM lateral raises to teach people to open their chest from a slouched standing position. Start very light - 5 pounds or less. I recommend keeping the palms facing forward the entire time to mitigate shoulder impingement issues.
Incline Bench Dumbbell Y Raise
The incline bench dumbbell Y raise is a regression for those unable to comfortably do super ROM lateral flies. It also improves the ability of the front and middle (lateral) delts, and traps to thrust the arm overhead. Think of a volleyball bump pass. Bump, set, spike, right? You can do this exercise standing to load the movement from the hips upward. Doing the dumbbell Y raise on an incline bench limits body movement, restricting movement to the arms. Interested in improving power output? Incorporate kettlebell swings.
There's an exercise I oftentimes super-set with Incline bench Y raises...
Incline Bench Dumbbell Shrug
There are two goals of isolating mid-traps with shrugs. First, ensure they get sufficient opportunity to strengthen. Second, learn how to pull the shoulders back. This mostly applies to exercisers with little to no exercise history. This is not about bodybuilding the entire trap area through various angles. Doing dumbbell shrugs on an incline bench after Y raises is a convenient super-set.
Deadlift Variations
Deadlifts primarily target the hamstrings, glutes, lower back (all part of the posterior chain). They also work the quadriceps, traps, grip, and core. The same applies to deadlift variations such as:
- Romanian deadlifts (RDLs)
- Stiff-leg deadlifts
- Glute-ham chair, a.k.a. roman chair
- Sumo deadlifts
- Deficient deadlifts
- Rack pulls
I recommend starting with kettlebell romanian deadlifts to learn how to hip hinge properly. If you're struggling with RDLs but can comfortably handle your bodyweight, try the glute-ham raise. If you're comfortable with both, advance to the conventional deadlift. I recommend senior citizens and others not focused on strength use kettlebells over dumbbells for deadlifts because their handles are higher. You can grab one kettlebell per hand or a single one in the center of the body.
Deadlifts can do a lot of damage to your spine if done improperly or too soon after back-related injuries.Below are videos to help you learn how to do deadlifts safely. If possible, ask others to audit your deadlift form. Or, record yourself for later review.
When doing deadlifts and other exercises targeting the lower back, remember that lower back endurance is more important than strength for mitigating low back pain.
Sample Back Workout
Below are two example back workouts to get started. You only need to do one per gym session as the movements are redundant. Similarly, one or two "pull day" workouts a week is enough for most people. As you get more comfortable and goals shift, mix and match exercises and make additions as necessary.
Sample Rowing Machine Workout
This workout uses only strength training machines, perfect for beginners without someone checking their form.
| Exercise | Sets and Reps | Focus Per Workout |
|---|---|---|
| Strength Training Row Machine | 3 sets of 8-12 reps, 1-2 minutes rest | Add weight |
| Reverse Pec Deck machine | 3 sets of 10-15 reps, 1-2 minutes rest | Add reps |
| Lateral Raise machine | 3 sets of 10-15 reps, 1-2 minutes rest | Add reps |
| Back Extension machine | 3 sets of 10-15 reps, 1-2 minutes rest | Add reps |
Sample Free-Weight Back Workout
This example workout is for intermediate exercisers and those without access to much gym equipment.
| Exercise | Sets and Reps | Focus Per Workout |
|---|---|---|
| Romanian Deadlift | 3 sets of 8-12 reps, 1-2 minutes rest | Add weight or reps |
| Bent-over Barbell Row | 3 sets of 8-12 reps, 1-2 minutes rest | Add weight or reps |
| Incline Bench DB Y-Raise & | 3 sets of 10-15 reps | Add reps |
| Incline Bench Rear-Delt Raise & | 3 sets of 10-15 reps | Add reps |
| Incline Bench Shrug | 3 sets of 8-15 reps, 1-2 minutes rest | Add reps |
The "&" indicates that the exercises should be done as a superset or tri-set. In this scenario you'd complete a set of Y-raises, a set of rear delt raises, and a set of shrugs with no rest in between. Only after doing the shrugs do you rest for 1-2 minutes be repeating the tri-set.
Don't forget stretches. The most accessible chest stretch: place your hands on either side of an open doorway and lean forward. Hold for 10-20 seconds, rest 30-60 seconds, and repeat 1-3 times.
How long does it take to fix your posture? I don't know. That depends on your determination to work on your posture, correct your posture, strengthen your back muscles. Contact your doctor and a trainer you trust with concerns you have regarding this information. They may have better advice for your specific needs than provided in these generic workouts.
