Back Exercises for Good Posture

Posture is the position someone holds their body in while standing or sitting. Since I work at a computer desk for long periods of time, proper posture is very important to me. Working in the same position for 8 hours a day can cause repetitive strain and overuse injuries. Office workers who practice good posture are still at risk for this tension and pain. But office workers with poor posture will feel the negative effects much worse.

Bad posture can lead to a variety of aches and pains. I focus on good posture habits specific to the muscles and tendons first. Obviously, the spine can get pulled out of alignment too. But it’s the tight muscles and tendons that are pulling the spine into an incorrect position. I’ll cover some of my favorite back strengthening exercises in this article.

Quick disclaimer: My content is not professional medical advice. I talk about my own experience and opinions. I share proper posture habits that’ve helped improve my computer ergonomics. Do your research. Make good decisions. Consult a doctor when necessary. But be the best advocate possible for your own healthcare. Now back to the article, “Back Exercises for Good Posture.”

Back Exercises for Good Posture

The back plays an important role in our good posture. Sitting at a computer desk 8 hours a day is an endurance event. It requires muscle strength. But our bodies were made to move. And to be durable. When we work in the same position for long periods of time, that durability starts to work against us. We get too strong at holding our posture. And our range of motion in thoracic spine rotation quickly decreases.

Practicing back strengthening exercises for good posture is not as simple as it sounds. I take an approach to posture that is two-fold, both strengthening and reducing tension. There is a fine line between the balance of these 2 variables.

Our back muscles are already overworked from holding proper posture all day at a computer desk. I don’t want to go straight to the gym after work and overuse them even more. That’s why reducing tension is so important to prevent slouching forward in your chair.

A balanced routine of these tension-reducing methods, plus strengthening exercises, is the best way I’ve been able to improve posture at a computer. This will give the back strength and stability, while also maintaining flexibility. These are my variables for a strong, pain-free back.

Poor posture and a weak core can cause back pain in the long run. So, I also like to focus on strengthening the core as a whole. The core is made up of muscles in the lower back, obliques, and abdomen (just to name a few). A strong core doesn’t just mean strong abs. Some of the exercises in this article may not technically be back exercises for good posture. But, they are all helpful exercises for good back posture. If you know what I mean.

There are plenty of exercises you can do, whether sitting, standing, or being on the floor, that can help strengthen your back muscles for good posture. Here are some of my favorites…

Deep breathing

My back is one of the most overused and overextended muscle groups by far. The amount of stress I hold in my back is excessive. So, I lay flat on the floor at least once a day while I focus on deep breathing exercises. This helps to relax my back muscles while bringing them back into a neutral position. I also like to practice glute squeezes while I’m in this balanced position.

Box breathing is one of my favorite deep breathing practices. I don’t want to get too far off track from back strengthening exercises in this article. Click here to read my article titled Improve Your Posture by Breathing More Effectively if you’d like to learn more.

Cat cow pose

Cat cow is one of my favorite back strengthening exercises. I do cat cow at least once a day. But I had been doing it incorrectly for a long time. I recently came across a video on Instagram (@moveu) that was super helpful in explaining the correct way to do a cat cow pose. That video can be found here. Since I started following this method, the functionality of my lumbar spine has improved and my lower back pain has decreased.

The starting position is similar to the starting position for child’s pose. My hands and knees are on the ground, hip width apart. Extend your spine comfortably. The only movement is a slight extension of the hips. This compresses the lower back for a second.

The muscles stretched the most when I do cat cow pose are my hips. I used to have a lot of muscle tension and confusion in my lower back. This dysfunction was likely caused by tight hips from sitting for long periods of time. 

I make sure to do this exercise very slowly and carefully. This isn’t a yoga pose I do to focus on strength. I don’t really focus on the stretch either. Cat cow pose helped me focus on organizing those hip flexors and lower back muscles, allowing me to better understand how the lower back is supposed to function.

High plank and side plank

Most people think of planks strictly as ab exercises. But high plank and side plank have been good strengthening exercises for my core muscles as a whole, including my back. These exercises don’t put a strain on my back muscles like sit ups and crunches do. I’m not even worried about the intensity of the plank. Most of the time, I use a progression with my elbows and knees bent (hip width) on the floor to support my upper body. This is less intense for me than if I was to have my hands and toes on the floor. Besides, I’ve already overworked my core muscles by sitting at a computer 8 hours a day. I’d rather do the exercise intentionally, at a lower intensity, with my elbows and knees supporting me on the floor (instead of my hands and feet). This allows me to focus more on my deep breathing and the stability of my spine.

Thoracic spine rotation and chest opener

I like to approach both of these movements at the same time with steel mace strengthening exercises. A steel mace is kind of similar to a kettlebell. But instead of having a handle, the weight is at the end of a short, thick, barbell-style rod. 

Sitting at a computer for long periods of time, 8 hours a day, puts an incredible amount of stress on my chest. Using my steel mace is a very dynamic chest opener that counteracts all of that pressure on the front of my torso.

Side note: This is not paid promotion. I’m not compensated by Onnit. I paid for their product with my own money. And I enjoy sharing products that’ve helped improve my computer posture.

Since the weight on a steel mace is at the end of a short barbell, it’s far away from my hands. The momentum generated when swinging a steel mace is much more intense compared to swinging a kettlebell. This requires me to use the steel mace for improved thoracic spine rotation and as a great chest opener.

STEEL MACE

The steel mace pictured is made by Onnit. I bought 3 different sizes (7 pounds, 10 pounds, and 15 pounds).  

I bought the 10 pound mace first. It was a little heavy for me as a first-time user. I could do it, but my movements were very slow. So, I bought a 7 pound mace to get used to the movements. Using the 7 pound steel mace increased my speed a lot. At that point, I was ready to use the 10 pounder again. The 10 pound mace is the one I use the most these days. I recently added the 15 pound Onnit steel mace to my collection. This is pretty heavy for me. So I usually keep the repetitions low (around 3 to 5 per set). 

The above video is a similar exercise, but with a modification at the end. I like both of these exercises because they are unique ways to improve thoracic spine rotation. Also, when the weight goes over my head and behind me, that’s when it works as a great chest opener. This is important because it helps counteract the anterior compression from slouching forward at a computer for long periods of time. Sitting at a computer for 8 hours a day adds up quickly. The muscle tension and lack of blood flow in the front of my torso used to be one of my biggest poor posture problems caused by a computer.

There are tons of different steel mace workouts available on YouTube. I still consider myself somewhat of a novice, so I won’t explain how to do any exercises. I just wanted to introduce the steel mace to my readers since it has given me the ability to hit different back muscles in ways I’ve never hit them with traditional strengthening exercises. It really has been a game changer, decreasing my back pain and improving functionality.

Pidgeon pose

Sitting in an office chair can compress, shorten, and tighten our hips. Pigeon pose is a great yoga pose to counteract that by stretching the hips.

There are many different versions of pigeon pose. Some are higher intensity than others. My favorite modification is a beginner-friendly version.

I start by lying flat with my back on the floor. I cross my left foot over and rest it on top of my right knee. Then, I grab my right hamstring with both hands. While still lying flat, I pull my right leg towards my chest. I pull until I get the mixture of a comfortable, yet challenging, position. Once I’ve done this with my left foot, I repeat the pose. Except this time, I rest my right foot on my left knee, while pulling my left hamstring with both hands.

Tight, weak hips from sitting in an office chair caused instability in my back muscles. The pigeon pose is one of my favorite ways to counteract that imbalance.

Abdominal muscles

Although this article is focused on back exercises, I have to include at least a couple ab exercises. Having a strong back is dependent on having strong abdominal muscles. They work together. If one is weak, the other won’t function properly.

Sit ups and crunches

I don’t like to do sit ups and crunches after a long day of sitting at a computer desk. My abs are already compressed and tight from slouching forward at my desk all day. I will do abdominal exercises on days off from work instead. It’s also crucial that I use some kind of lower back support when I do them. My favorite thing to use is an AbMat. The AbMat stabilizes my lumbar spine while I do the sit ups and crunches. 

This greatly decreases the chances that I suffer from back pain. I prefer to do the CrossFit style sit ups, where my hands are over my head when I’m in the down position. Then, I swing my arms and hands toward my feet when I begin my upward motion. This allows me to take advantage of the momentum that my arms create. I prefer this over the older, traditional physical fitness style of sit ups, which is a much stricter and slower movement.

Side note: This isn’t paid promotion. I’m not compensated by companies that make the AbMat or the X Bands. They are simply products I’ve spent my own money on, that have helped improve my computer posture .

Leg lift

There are 2 different ways that I do a leg lift. Both of them can help strengthen your core, as well as your hip flexor muscles. 

THE FIRST WAY IS TO GRAB A PULL UP BAR, JUST LIKE WE WERE GOING TO DO A PULL UP. 

Instead, I lift my legs until my thigh is at a 90 degree angle with my upper body. On this method, the muscles around the lumbar spine are active, but it’s pretty easy to maintain a neutral position while doing it. 

THE SECOND WAY IS TO LAY FLAT ON MY BACK, NEXT TO A CABLE MACHINE IN THE GYM. 

I use X Band foot straps to connect to a cable with a carabiner. The metal hook of the X Band straps would be at the bottom of my foot for this exercise (not the top of my foot, like in the picture above). This allows me to do a leg lift under a weighted load. It has helped me build core strength in my lower abs, which are the hardest variable in attaining that elusive six pack. This version of the leg lift has also helped me wake up and activate my hip flexor muscles that have gotten incredibly tight and deactivated after years of sitting at a computer for long periods of time. This exercise is also referred to as a reverse squat.

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Thanks for your interest in sitting posture. If you’ve read this far, congratulations! You’re taking valuable steps to reduce pain and improve computer posture. That’s something to be very proud of!

If you liked this article on back exercises for good posture, check out my book titled “45 Ways to Improve Computer Posture.” It’s available in both digital and paperback versions.  

>>> Click here to pick up your copy

This book is a great supplement to the article you just read. My book explains how to improve posture through different variables of health and wellness. These include sitting posture, standing posture, sleep, hydration, and breathing. Proper posture is not just how we sit at a computer. The health habits we practice, 24 hours a day, are directly related to our good posture at a computer.

Go to SittingPosture.com/book to learn more.

Take care,

Todd Bowen

P.S. You can sign up for my free computer posture newsletter here.