6 Easy Workouts to Prevent Hunched Shoulders
Did you know that slouching on your office chair working on your computer, driving, spending hours on your phone reading your Twitter and Instagram feeds will leave you with hunched shoulders? These activities and many others may seem to be helpful as you increase your working hours and entertaining but they will end up rounding forward your shoulders and tightening the shoulder muscles that leave you with a hunch. However, this should not worry you anymore. The following easy exercises will easily get you a straight shoulder like before. This is according to Meg Plot sky, a group exercise and corporate recreation coordinator in Las Collinas at the Well $ Being Spa at the Four Seasons Resort $ Club Dallas.
The good thing is that you can access these exercises wherever you are any time of the day. These exercises are shared by other chiropractors and personal trainers across the world and proven to effectively help in un-hunching your shoulders in a matter of minutes.
- Goalpost stretch
This is a type of stretch that will help in opening the inward collapsed chest muscles to get them in their natural position.
How To Do : You simply need to grab a yoga strap or belt above your shoulders with the palms facing downwards. Open your arms wider than the shoulder distance as you lift the strap up above your head and forward constantly controlling your breath as you inhale and exhale forming a goal post shape with your arms. Do this a couple of times and in a matter of minutes you will feel your shoulders relaxed.
- Back bound hand stretch
This is a simple exercise you should perform every time you rise from your chair after spending several hours there. Having a habit of sitting on your chair for too long becomes a habit and you can’t help having a hunched shoulder. With this exercise, you can easily counter the habit, says Plotsky. If any of these exercises cause some pain to the spinal joints, it is important that you consider some supplements that will nourish your body with vitamins for joint pain. Such supplements as Glucosamine, Omega-3, green tea and chondroitin will help in keeping the cartilage joints healthy due to their anti-inflammatory properties.
How To Do : It is very simple to do the exercise; while on a comfortable seated or standing position, hold both your hands at back and slide your shoulder plates down towards your spine with both arms touching the other’s elbow or wrist. Lift the chest and press the shoulders downwards as you take deep breaths. Do this a couple of times and you will easily prevent developing a hunch.
- Shoulder blade squeeze
This is a simple exercise that will strengthen your shoulder blade muscles thus preventing the hunch. According to Jesse Lewis, a physical therapist in Bethesda, Maryland, this exercise will give you a good posture.
How To Do : Bring your shoulder blades together and squeeze as you hold your breath. Repeat a couple of times and you will get rid of the fatigue that may cause hunching of the shoulders.
- Supine T
This is especially recommended every morning and before you get to bed. It is a simple exercise that will help open the chest and loosen the tight muscles which cause the shoulders to hunch forward.
How To Do : Lie down flat and bend your knees while the feet stay flat on the ground. Open your arms out wide forming a T shape with the body. You can do this better by placing a rolled towel under the spine with both the head and hips resting on the roller. Do this for only a couple of minutes and you are good to go.
- Resistance rowing
Strengthening the upper back muscles is the real solution to hunched shoulders because reinforcing the muscles will result to properly aligned shoulders. This is according to Jil Franklin, a certified Yoga and aerial instructor in Los Angeles.
How To Do : Get a resistance band and attach it to a steady object like a door knob or piece of furniture at waist height. On an upright position with hips apart, try to pull the band as you bend your elbows backwards squeezing the shoulder blades and then returning to a normal position. For more resistance step further back so that the band will resist your pull force and repeat it a couple of times every day.
- Wall angels
According to Eric Saxton, a chiropractor in Sterling, Virginia, this exercise controls the brain on where the shoulder range motion should be as it also helps in strengthening the shoulder muscles.
How To Do : Stand straight against the wall with wide open arms. Bend the elbows as you rotate the arms so that the hands are touching the wall above the elbows. Gently move the arms up above your head while staying focused that the elbows and hands touch the wall. Repeat this as you move the arms up and down until you feel relaxed.
Nobody ever wishes to have hunched shoulders because they portray a totally different picture of you. Using these simple exercises and many more others that you can do it on your own without going to the gym you can easily correct your body posture and have the amazing look you always want.
Related video: 10 Best Shoulder Exercises You Really Need To Know
Additional Warm Up Stretches And Toning Posture Workouts
You may also combine these exercises with stretches and toning posture workouts that you know to have better and faster results.
Warm up stretches like shoulder rolls, head turns, head rolls, big arm circles, head nods, small arm circles and toning posture workouts like tripod rows, bird dog, up and over press, bent over ventral raise and modified back bow will be quite helpful in un-hunching your shoulders. The good thing is that all the exercises discussed here are simple and easy to perform on your own anywhere and anytime you want.
References: http://www.prevention.com/fitness/7-exercises-that-instantly-un-hunch-your-shoulders
