Hi,
I'm Dr Kim and today we're going to focus on a quick standing movement sequence to improve your posture and confidence.
If you spend a lot of time sitting or feel tension in your shoulders,
Upper back and neck,
This routine is perfect for you.
All you need is a bit of space and a wall nearby.
Let's get started.
Stand up straight with your feet shoulder width apart.
Make sure your chest is open and your chin is slightly tilted upwards.
Start to roll your shoulders backwards.
Let your arms hang naturally by your sides and roll your shoulders backwards in a circular motion.
Exaggerate the movement as much as you can,
Drawing big circles.
Breathe deeply,
Feeling your shoulders and your neck muscles start to gain mobility.
As you pull your shoulders back and down,
Focus on opening your chest and squeezing your shoulder blades together as if you're trying to hold a pencil in between them.
Keep rolling.
Now relax.
It's time to open out your chest.
Bring your arms out to the sides at shoulder height,
Palms facing outwards.
Gently stretch your arms backwards,
Opening up your chest,
Noticing how your chin tilts upwards.
Hold this position.
Now bring your arms forwards and cross them in front of your chest,
Giving yourself a gentle hug.
Feel the stretch through your shoulder blades.
Now inhale and bring your arms out to the sides again,
Stretching out your chest.
Exhale,
Bring your arms forward and give yourself a gentle hug.
Inhale,
Open up your chest again,
Feeling the stretch through the front of your chest and shoulders.
And now exhale and bend forwards,
Giving yourself a hug.
Continue this movement with your breath.
Well done.
Relax your arms and legs and shake out any tension.
Clasp your hands behind your back,
Interlocking your fingers.
Now keeping your posture nice and upright,
Straighten your arms and gently lift them upwards,
Keeping your chest open.
Hold this position and breathe deeply.
Feel all of your muscles stretching and how your chest is starting to open up completely.
Chin to the ceiling.
Keep breathing.
Great.
Shake out your body once again.
It's time to start using the wall.
Stand with your back against the wall with your feet about two inches away from it.
Allow your lower back to maintain a natural curve,
Avoiding pressing it flat against the wall and avoiding any arching of the back.
Bring your arms up into a W position,
Keeping your elbows bent and your hands facing forwards.
Press your arms gently into the wall whilst squeezing your shoulder blades together.
Feel that activation between your shoulder blades.
Slowly glide your arms upwards into a Y position,
Keeping them stuck to the wall.
Now bend your arms and glide them back to the W position.
Repeat this motion,
Gliding your arms between the W and the Y shapes.
Focus on squeezing in between your shoulder blades and keep your arms attached to the wall.
Breathe deeply and continue this slow and controlled movement.
Relax.
Shake out your arms and legs and give your muscles a gentle push up.
Relax.
Shake out your arms and legs and give your muscles a bit of a break.
We're going to end with some side stretches.
Stay in this position against the wall.
Place your hands by your sides with your palms on your thighs.
Slide your right hand all the way down so your fingers go towards your knee.
Keep your back and your shoulders on the wall.
Hold this position and feel that stretch through the entire left side of your torso.
Come back up to neutral.
Now let's stretch to the left.
Slide your fingertips all the way down past your left knee.
Keep your back and your shoulders against the wall.
Feel that right side of your torso completely stretching out.
Come back to neutral.
Step away from the wall into the middle of the room.
Stand tall and let your arms fully relax by your sides.
Take three deep breaths,
Focusing on the alignment of your head,
Shoulders and spine.
Feel how your shoulder blade muscles are now activated.
Feel how they're pulling your shoulders back into good posture.
Notice how open your chest feels and notice how easy it is to breathe.
To have your head sit on top of your shoulders with no tension remaining in your spine.
Notice how your body feels more open and balanced.
As you go throughout your day,
Don't forget to notice your posture.
If you find yourself slouching forward,
Simply pull your shoulders back,
Open up your chest and activate those muscles again.
Make this posture routine a daily habit and you'll notice your body feeling lighter and more aligned within one to two weeks.
Don't forget to repeat this track every day for best results.
If you like this content,
You can check out my other courses on Insight Timer,
As well as my premium content.
Have a wonderful day or night,
And I will see you tomorrow.
