Improve your Posture

What if we told you that you could improve your posture and relieve stress at the same time, and in just 5 minutes?  If we haven't convinced you that using a foam roller on your sore muscles is worth the time and effort, perhaps we can entice you onto that roller with the following exercise.

Simply lie back on the roller with it centered along the length of your spine.  Make sure that your head is supported on the roller and that your spine is in neutral alignment.  To be in neutral alignment you want your lower abs flat with just a slight natural curve of the lower spine.  In other words, there should be just a small gap between your lower back and the roller.  Relax your arms out to the side with chest and shoulders relaxed and the backs of your hands resting on the floor.  Breath easily as you imagine yourself "melting" into the roller.  After a couple of minutes you can increase the stretch through your chest and shoulders by sliding your hands a little higher toward your head.

It really is that easy.  Just five minutes to undo that forward hunched position that we get sitting for long hours at a desk or doing most of our activities reaching and leaning forward.  But just like everything else, if we expect results we need to make it a habit.