Essential Exercises: Stand Up Straight!!

It's a fact -- most people have terrible posture.  Very few people have enough strength, flexibility and body awareness to stand tall most of the time.   That's a shame, because poor posture not only looks bad -- it also sets us up for injuries by causing misalignments with the joints that contribute to pain and dysfunction.

Here are two simple exercise you can do to help improve your posture, particularly if you have a rounded upper back/forward head posture.  These essential moves only take a few minutes and help strengthen the midback and stretch the front of the chest and the rotator cuff.  Do them as part of your exercise program, as a warm-up before -- or just for a few minutes during the day.

Geralyn Coopersmith, MA, CSCS is an exercise physiologist, certified personal trainer and the creator of The Best Me Ever, a comprehensive weight loss and wellness system just for women

Special thanks to Five Iron Fitness in White Plains, NY