11 Ideal Postures To Try And Improve Your Bent Pandemic Posture

We are all way too comfortable sitting at home and getting all our work done. It is natural that many people feel lazy to step out and get physical work done due to their habit of staying home most of the time. Some are also complaining of developing unhealthy habits which is a blow to health as well as a healthy lifestyle.

Work from home has been the highlight of the pandemic. From social distancing to new gathering norms, it has changed the whole essence of our lifestyle. While we can’t deny the pleasure of working in pajamas, it has taken a toll on our posture. No matter what we do, home is for slouching down and being comfortable. However, not maintaining the correct posture puts pressure on our backbone and can damage more than just our bones. If you have been googling ways to fix your arched back and forever sore muscles, you are at the right place. We at Stylecraze have made a list of easy exercises that will help you improve your posture without having to move out of your house. Read to know more:

1. Child’s Pose

This resting pose stretches and lengthens your glutes, spine, and hamstrings. The child’s posture is ideal for relieving muscle tension on the neck and lower back. It is called a child’s pose because if you would have noticed, a baby inside the mother’s womb has the same stance. With legs folded and arms stretched just enough for blood circulation.

How To Do It:

• Relax on your shin bones, and place your knees in a straight line with your toes.
• Bend your hips inwards and place your hands on the sides.
• Lower your hips towards your feet and lay a cushion or folded blanket beneath them for extra support.
• Place your forehead on the floor and tilt your head aside.
• Maintain your arms in a relaxed position or place them on your body.
• Maintain this posture for 5 to 10 minutes while breathing deeply.

2. Forward Fold

The standing stretch relieves the tension of your spine and glutes. This pose helps stretch your legs and hips and increases your flexibility. We understand you cannot master this overnight, but keeping up the practice will help you reach there. This posture is also a great way to improve flexibility in your body. You would stop feeling stiff and feel the fresh adrenaline rush of a post-workout.

How To Do It:

• Keep your toes touching each other and separate your heels. This might disbalance you, so as a beginner, you need to hold on to something.
• Place your hands on your hips and fold them.
• Let your hands touch the floor. Don’t be concerned if hands aren’t touching the ground.
• Relax your knees to soften the hip joints and let your spine extend.
• Put your chin on your chest, allowing your head to bend towards the floor.•
• Maintain this position for at least 1 minute.

3. Cat-Cow

Stretching with the cat cows’ pose massages the spine and eases stress in your shoulders, torso, and neck. It also encourages proper blood circulation. The fact that you are on your all-fours and stretching in that position brought about its name.

How To Do It:

• Sit on your knees and hands and place your weight equally across all fours.
• Take a deep breath, look upwards, and lower your abdomen towards the floor as you stretch the spine.
• Exhale and arch your spine towards the ceiling. Tuck your jawline in your chest.
• Keep this up for a minimum of 1 minute.

4. Chest Opener

This exercise lets you stretch and open your chest. It is particularly useful for those who spend a lot of time sitting, which causes your chest to expand inward. The strength of your chest can help to make you stand taller.

How To Do It:

• Keep your feet approximately the width of your hips. You can also do it while sitting cross-legged if you can sit with your back straight.
• Place your arms backward and connect your fingers by interlacing your palms pressed together.
• Keep your spine in the direction while you stare at the sky.
• Inhale and raise your chest to the ceiling, then submit your hands towards the floor.
• Relax deeply and remain in this position for five breaths.

5. High Plank

Doing plans can make you realize the passing of each second! But the results are worth the pain. High plank posture can help relieve stiffness and strengthen your glutes and shoulders. It aids in developing balance in your back and core, which are essential for an ideal posture.

How To Do It:

• Take a step on all fours and raise your hips.
• Straighten the back, abdominal legs, and arm muscles.
• Relax your neck muscles, and look down.
• Your chest should be wide as well as your shoulders.
• Stay in that pose for 1 minute.

6. Side Plank

You can do the side planks to preserve the neutral position of your spine. This exercise works on the muscles of your glutes and sides. The strengthening and alignment of these muscles aid in supporting your backbone and improving your posture.

How To Do It:

• From a plank and move your right hand toward the center.
• Place your weight on your ankles, then raise your hips.
• Put the right side of your body on your waist.
• You can bring your knee towards the floor to provide additional assistance.
• Involve your abdomen, flanks of your muscles as you remain in this pose.
• Keep your eyes straight ahead or look up towards your hands.
• You can hold this position for as long as 30 seconds.

8. Downward-Facing Dog

This pose can be utilized as a posture to maintain your balance. The downward-facing dog helps ease back pain and strengthen your muscles, and maintain your posture. In addition, this also enables you to grow thick and beautiful hair. If you manage to hold the position until you break into a sweat, take a short one-minute break and try again.

How To Do It:

• Sit with your stomach on the floor and tuck your feet under, and raise your heels.
• Then lift your hips and knees to lift your bones towards the ceiling.
• Bend your knees slightly.
• Align your ears by extending your arms upwards or putting your jawline all the way to your chest.
• Make sure to press your hands tightly as you keep your heel elevated.

8. Pigeon Pose

The pigeon posture can assist in stretching muscles like your quadriceps. The stretching and opening of these spots within your body address the inequities in your posture directly.

How To Do It:

• Bend down on your all fours and relax your shin against the floor.
• Move your left leg forward, and then place your thigh on the ground.
• Slowly rest your torso on your right thigh while keeping your arms out to the side.
• Hold this position for at least 1 minute.
• Then slowly release by moving your hands and raising your torso.

9. Thoracic Spine Rotation

If you have been complaining of a stiff neck, this exercise helps relieve the stiffness. Since your spine is connected to your neck bone, try to lie down and stretch the opposite way for a good pull.

How To Do It:

• Take a step on your feet and hands, and lower your hips to your feet.
• Place your hand over your head, and bend it to the side.
• Put your other hand underneath your shoulder.
• Exhale and rotate your elbow, and then stretch your torso’s front.
• Inhale for a long time and then exhale as you change the position.
• Repeat this motion 5-10 times.

10. Isometric Rows

This workout helps alleviate stiffness and pain from being in one spot all day. Isometric pulls exercise your arm, shoulder, and back muscles to give you the ability to maintain your posture.

How To Do It:

• Relax and sit cross-legged.
• Make your palms face one another.
• Inhale as you pull your elbows back while holding your shoulders together.
• Breathe deeply and hold this posture for 10 seconds.
• Return to the position you were in before.
• Repeat this exercise for one minute.

11. Glute Squeezes

This exercise strengthens your back and improves the position of your pelvis. This is ideal for beginners and will improve the way you sit in no time.

How To Do It:

• Relax on your spine and keep your knees folded.
• Place your feet approximately one foot from your waist.
• Relax your arms along your body, palms facing downwards.
• Exhale as you place your feet closer to the body.
• Keep this posture for ten seconds, then move away from your hips.
• Repeat this exercise for one minute.

So now that you know the tricks to rectify your posture, working efficiently from your home desk shouldn’t be a problem. Other than these exercises, make sure you take a brisk walk, take water breaks and look into the greenery. Taking care of our body is a priority, and we must never ignore our body’s needs. What is your favorite exercise to maintain posture? Do let us know in the comments below!

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Indrani KarmakarSenior Social Writer

 

Indrani is a writer and artist who likes to add a dash of humor to everything she does. She has two years of experience in writing articles across beauty, health, and lifestyle genres. After graduating in Political Science from Calcutta University, she took a detour into the world of creativity and discovered her knack for social writing, advertising, designing, and...more