5 Yoga Poses for Back Strengthening and Better Posture

It’s no secret that a vital component to good posture is back strength. Truth is, our backs are responsible for our mobility, wellness, confidence and overall health. Yoga is a great resource for back strengthening and improving, whether you’re a bonafide yogi or someone who spends most of your day at a desk. Try these 5 simple yoga poses for back strengthening and better posture.

1. Downward Facing Dog 

Why try it? For the majority of our days, the blood in our bodies is flowing toward our feet. Inversion poses are great for reversing blood flow and balancing our bodies. For a quick dose of energy and full body rejuvenation, try downward facing dog.

How to do it: Begin in all fours with your knees hip distance apart. Exhale, curl your toes and lift your knees off the ground. Float your hips back and high, and make an upside down V with your body. Keep your knees bent and even play around with pedaling your feet back and forth to release tension in your hamstrings, calves, shoulders and spine.

2. Cat & Cow Pose

Why try it? Not only does this pose build up the muscles in your lower back, but it creates stability and balance in the joints in your wrists, shoulders, hips and knees.

How to do it: Appropriately named, you’ll mimic a cat and cow. Start on your hands and knees, inhale and drop your belly toward the ground while lifting your tailbone up high. Then, as you exhale reverse everything by dropping your tailbone down toward the ground and lifting your belly up as high as you can, the way a cat does when it’s stretching. Repeat this combo at least five times for an ultra-strengthening routine.

3. Bridge Pose

Why try it? Bridge pose releases tension from the lower back muscles by opening the hip flexors and lengthening the spine.

How to do it: Lie on your back with your hands at your side. Keep your feet hip-width apart and bend your knees with your feet flat on the floor. Gently lift your hips off the ground while bearing down on your arms. Keep your chin to your chest and do not rotate your neck. Repeat 2-3 times, and in between sets draw your knees to your chest for 30 seconds to rest the lower back muscles.

4. Supine Spinal Twist

Why try it? Spinal twists realign the spine by lengthening and relaxing the muscles and joints surrounding it. The full range of rotation also strengthens the core, which helps relieve pressure from the spine and lower back.

How to do it: Lie down on your back and lift your right knee to your chest. Exhale and roll your right knee over your body to rest gently toward the ground. Keep your left hand resting gently on your right knee, and extend your right arm out beside you. Breathe into the stretch for 10-15 breaths, then switch sides.

5. Child’s Pose

Why try it? For utter relaxation. Simply put: this pose feels amazing. Though it seems relatively simple to do, it yields feel-good results by increasing flexibility where much of our tension accumulates: in the spine.

How to do it: Sit on your heels and bring your knees together. Exhale and gentle lower your torso to the floor, arms stretched out in front of you. Rest your forehead softly on the floor, close your eyes, and enjoy the feeling of gravity releasing tension from your spine, hips and knees.

A healthy body and great posture are linked to abundant physical, mental and emotional benefits. Yoga provides mental clarity and is a great method for back strengthening, better posture, increasing circulation and improving overall well-being. Combine your yoga practice with UPRIGHT, the posture training device that improves posture with daily 15-minute training sessions!