If you’re like most people, you’ve caught yourself slouching at your desk or noticed your shoulders rounding forward after a long day. As a Doctor of Physical Therapy practicing in Phoenix, AZ, I’ve spent the last four years helping patients improve their flexibility, mobility, and injury prevention at The Pickleball Physio and in an outpatient orthopedic setting. I’ve seen firsthand how proper posture can transform not just how you look but how you feel and move. Read on to discover three powerful standing exercises that will help you build muscle while improving your posture—and learn exactly how to do them right.
Why Standing Exercises Are Essential for Posture
This question may bring to light a different question: “Does posture need to be fixed?” The answer to this isn’t quite as simple as fixing it in the first place. There are definitely exercises that can be performed to improve our posture, but whether it needs to be fixed is likely on a case-by-case basis. Does it impact your quality of life? Is it correlated with pain? Does it negatively affect how well we function? If the answer to these is “yes,” then completing exercises can assist in improving it. The reason this type of exercise can be helpful is because it can engage and strengthen muscles of your legs, core, and trunk – all of which are important in maintaining your posture.
The Deadlift
How to do it:
Stand with feet shoulder width apart with a weight of your choice in your hands with your arms relaxed in front of you. Keep your knees relaxed and shoulders back, while bending towards the ground. Your butt should move backwards with the movement coming from a “hinge” at your hips. Return to standing tall while emphasizing squeezing your hamstrings/buttocks at the top.
How often to do it:
I recommend shooting for 2-4 sets of 6-12 repetitions, 2-3 times per week.
Why it works:
This may be the best exercise to challenge your posterior chain (muscles on the back side of your body that are excellent for postural support), given that it requires engagement to return to standing up tall. If we want to improve at upright standing, why not complete an exercise that challenges that movement – inherently improving your ability to do it?
Ways to adjust it:
You don’t need to bend all the way down to the floor; you can adjust the weight you are holding onto, or you can modify the exercise as a whole to a different variation – dumbbell, conventional, trap bar, RDL.
Common mistakes:
Excessive bending throughout your lower back, which can be uncomfortable, bending your knees like a squat, hyperextending your back when you return to standing neutral, and progressing too quickly if you haven’t been completing the lift regularly.
Farmer’s Carry
How to do it:
Choose a weight that you would consider as heavy in both arms, and engage muscles of grip/forearm/shoulders/core with weight down at your side prior to walking. Walk until muscles feel fatigued and set the weight back down.
How often to do it:
I recommend shooting for 2-4 sets of 100-200ft, 2-3 times per week.
Why it works:
Muscles are challenged in the upright position that is required for proper posture. It engages muscles of legs/arms/trunk/core all in one movement and it can provide an alternative stimulus to the body as generally folks can tolerate a heavy weight.
Ways to adjust it:
Adjust the weight you hold onto, or the distance that you walk.
Common mistakes:
Not intentionally engaging muscles of your grip, forearm, shoulder and core while you are walking, holding your breath, not lifting a heavy enough weight to fatigue in around 200 ft (30-45 seconds).
Standing Cable/Band Row
How to do it:
Place a resistance band or set the cable machine at about waist height. Stand with feet hip-width apart, core engaged, and knees slightly bent and hold onto a band or cable. Step back to create tension in the band or cable and squeeze your shoulder blades together as you pull your hands toward you. Keep your elbows in close to your body, and return your arms back out in front of you slowly.
How often to do it:
I recommend shooting for 2-4 sets of 6-12 repetitions, 2-3 times per week.
Why it works:
It strengthens the muscles of your upper back and back of shoulders that are often engaged while sitting upright or standing tall.
Ways to adjust it:
You can modify the weight, you can complete sitting vs. standing, you can use one or both arms, you can also change the height of the band/cable attachment to prioritize different muscle groups.
Common mistakes:
Pulling elbows back far past your trunk to put additional strain on the front of your shoulder, moving quickly instead of being controlled, having too much weight on there that negatively affects your form.
How to Structure Your Workout
I generally recommend starting with a light warm-up of some kind, getting your heart rate up slightly and working into positions/movements that you will be utilizing in your routine. You can then complete all of these exercises as part of a total body exercise day in whichever order you would like. Sometimes I like switching back and forth between two different exercises to be efficient and this could be done in any order/group of 2 that you would like.
Daily Habits for Better Posture
The key to posture is that you want to be able to move into “good” and “bad” posture at free will. What I mean by this, is that there isn’t always one particular position that trumps another, but you want to be able to continue modifying this as the day goes on in order to remain the most comfortable. The phrase I often use is “the next posture is the best posture.” If there comes a time where we are unable to move into a particular position due to stiffness/pain this can become problematic.
What to Expect After 4-6 Weeks
If you are consistent with a weight routine and have the ability to progress this over the course of 4-6 weeks, there should be signs of muscle growth/improved strength. This may be identified by workouts getting easier, being able to move heavier weights, or not being as fatigued when trying to remain upright for a given time.
A Word of Caution for Beginners
If you don’t have an extensive history of resistance training, work with a professional like a physical therapist to remain safe. You may also benefit by consulting with your doctor to determine if you are appropriate to starting a strength training program. Lastly, all good things take time! Work on being consistent, while also being patient. And if you enjoyed this article, don’t miss How Long Your Walking Workout Should Be To Shrink Belly Fat.
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