Yoga can help to improve your posture. Too often, people spend most of the day hunched over the desk at work, the steering wheel on the way home, and then at home, we hunch over the sink to wash the dishes and the tub to give the kids a bath. Yoga is the perfect counterbalance to the hunching.
There are several benefits to good posture. The most obvious is an improvement in your overall appearance. Another benefit is increased confidence. When you carry your body with good posture, you appear more confident.
Improving your posture won’t just make you look better. There are physical benefits to good posture. When you stand straight, the organs, muscles and joints of the body will function at their full capacity. Oxygen and blood circulation is improved with better posture and this offers many benefits, including improved concentration, energy and better overall health.
There are several aspects of yoga that work to improve posture. By strengthening and toning the core muscles of the body and keeping the spine in alignment, your body is balanced, aligned and strong. You will carry this posture from your mat and into your daily life.
In addition to strengthening the muscles and toning the core, yoga helps to make the back stronger and reduce the risk of injury. When the posture is out of balance, back pain often results, especially in the upper back.
Poor posture won’t just affect your back. The neck and shoulder muscles get sore and headaches can result after a day of hunching over. Yoga helps to eliminate the back, neck and shoulder pain that is caused by poor posture.
A general yoga practice offers benefits for posture. In addition, there are specific poses that can help to counterbalance the forward hunching motion. These include backbends, cat pose, and bridge pose. Other asanas that benefit the spine and posture include, tree pose, triangle pose, and child’s pose.