The Posture Workout You Need To Try If You Have A Desk Job

More people than ever are working from home or employed behind a desk. And while these sorts of jobs are easier on our bodies than, say, manual labor or night shifts, they still come with negative side effects. Especially when it comes to our posture.

Whenever people bring up the importance of posture they sort of sound like a nagging grandmother. The reminders to sit up straight, pull your shoulders back, and keep your feet flat on the floor are familiar to many. And, for a long time, the warnings seemed unnecessary. After all, did it really matter if we sat up straight at the table?

It turns out, yes. The Cleveland Clinic says that poor posture can lead to muscle strain and fatigue as your muscles either weaken or overwork depending on your posture. And that's just scratching the surface. Your posture is far more important than you probably think. As Shape says, slouching can put your head out of alignment from the rest of your spine, leading to back pain and neck issues. It's why they interviewed Katie Dunlop. The creator of Love Sweat Fitness and a certified trainer, Dunlop recently went viral on Instagram for her posture-improving workout. And it's easy to see why.

On her Instagram, Dunlop says that she has always struggled with her posture. It likely started, she says, because she developed large breasts early on and learned to slouch so they would appear smaller, a struggle many people can relate to. Now as an adult she spends more time at her desk than she knows she should. The effects on her posture got worse during lockdown, so she created a healing workout.

It became a hit, probably because it is both short and easy. With only three moves, it's something most people can easily throw onto the end of a work day.

The first move is the bird dog. Starting on your hands and knees, look down while holding one arm straight out in front of you. At the same time, raise and extend the opposite leg. Keep your back straight and return to center using slow, controlled movement. Repeat ten times on each side.

From there, sit back on your knees. Tuck your chin in and down, then roll your shoulders up and back. Hold them back for a few seconds, then let them relax forward. Repeat ten times.

Finally, lay on your back with your knees bent and feet planted on the ground. Lay your arms out in a T-shape. Lower your legs to one side as you look to the opposite side, twisting slightly to perform a chest opener, then go back to center. Ten twists to either side and you're done.