04 / Posture guide
Posture Exercises: A Daily Routine That Works
These posture exercises take ten minutes and need a wall and a bit of floor. Do them daily for two weeks and standing tall starts to feel like your default.
Save this guide to PinterestThe 10-minute routine
- 01
Chin nods (1 minute)
Sit or stand tall. Glide your chin straight back, as if making a double chin, without tipping your head down. Hold for three seconds and release. Do ten. This wakes up the deep neck muscles that hold your head over your shoulders.
TipKeep your eyes level the whole time. The movement is backwards, not down.
- 02
Wall angels (2 minutes)
Stand with your heels a hand’s width from a wall, and your bottom, upper back and head against it. Raise your arms into a goalpost shape against the wall and slowly slide them up and down. Two sets of eight.
TipIf your lower back arches off the wall, bend your knees a little and close your ribs.
- 03
Open book (2 minutes)
Lie on your side with knees bent and arms straight out in front, palms together. Keep your knees down and open the top arm across your body to the other side, following it with your eyes. Eight slow reps each side. This opens a stiff upper back.
- 04
Glute bridges (2 minutes)
Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat. Press through your heels and lift your hips until your body makes a straight line from knees to shoulders. Pause, lower slowly. Two sets of twelve. Strong glutes hold your pelvis in neutral.
TipSqueeze your glutes at the top. You should not feel it in your lower back.
- 05
Doorway chest stretch (1 minute)
Place your forearms on either side of a doorway, elbows at shoulder height, and step one foot through until you feel a stretch across your chest. Hold for thirty seconds, rest, repeat. Tight chest muscles pull the shoulders forward.
- 06
Tall-standing hold (2 minutes)
Finish standing. Feel your weight on your heels and the balls of your feet, let your tailbone drop, close your ribs, and lift the crown of your head. Hold it with normal breathing for one minute, then walk slowly around the room keeping it.
TipThis last step is where the habit forms. Don’t skip it.
Why these posture exercises
Most posture problems come from the same few places: a head that drifts forward, an upper back that stiffens and rounds, a tight chest that pulls the shoulders in and a pelvis that tips because the glutes are quiet. This routine works on each one, in order, and then finishes by practising the posture you want, standing and walking.
These are posture correction exercises for everyday stiffness from sitting and screens. They are not a treatment for pain or injury.
How long until you see a difference
Most people feel taller within a few days, simply because the routine reminds them where aligned is. Real change in how you stand without thinking about it takes longer, usually a few weeks of daily practice. Take a side-view photo on day one and again on day fourteen, in the same spot, and compare.
Pick extra work for your posture type
The routine covers everyone. If you know your type of posture, add a little extra where you need it:
- Forward head: double the chin nods and read the forward head guide.
- Swayback: double the glute bridges and read the swayback guide.
- Slouched: add a second round of wall angels and read rounded shoulders.
Take it into your walk
Posture that only exists when you stand still is half the job. After a week of the routine, practise good posture while walking: keep the tall-standing feeling as you move and check it on video from the side.
Questions
How long do posture exercises take to work?
Most people feel taller within days and see a visible change in photos after two to four weeks of daily practice.
Can I do these posture correction exercises at my desk?
Chin nods and the doorway stretch, yes. Save the floor exercises for home. Even a two-minute desk version done daily helps.
Common mistakes
- Doing the routine fast. Slow reps with control do more.
- Squeezing your shoulder blades hard. Posture is length, not squeeze.
- Arching your lower back during wall angels.
- Only doing it when you remember. Attach it to something daily, like after brushing your teeth.
- Skipping the standing hold, which is what carries the routine into your day.
Not medical advice. If you have pain, numbness or an injury, see a physiotherapist before you start.
Défilé · Posture score
Track your posture over two weeks. Film a walk today and again in 14 days.
Film a walk and Défilé scores it out of 100, shows you the one thing holding it back and gives you a short drill to fix it. Your video never leaves your phone.
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