By Maya Howard, Certified Personal Trainer & Registered Yoga Teacher (@mayashealthyday)
While working and working out from home for the past however many months, many of us have had to get creative with finding low-cost options for effective home workouts. Who knew that my favorite discovery happened by unscrewing a broomstick from its brush-base? The lightweight stick is the perfect device for encouraging proper posture while completing bodyweight exercises!
When held in different positions as shown in the exercises below the “bar” helps to maintain optimal skeletal alignment that counteracts the shoulder slumping, neck craning, and forward leaning positions that many of us find ourselves in as we work from computers and seated desks.
On their own, the seven exercises below build muscle strength and increase mobility. With the bar added, we become more mindful about the movements and they become so much more effective. Grab a broom “bar”, towel, or yoga strap and add these posture-saving exercises into your workday routine!
1. Narrow Front Squat
Bar Position: Fold your arms in front of you and rest the bar on top. If you’re not using a bar, hold the strap or towel in your hands and hold extended arms away from your body as you squat.
Exercise Notes: Keep torso, neck, and head upright as you sit down into a narrow squat. Make sure that your knees track in the direction of your toes and push through your heels and glutes to stand.
Reps: 10x slow and controlled
2. Wide Sumo Squat
Bar Position: Hold the bar in your palms then extend the bar overhead.
Exercise Notes: Keep torso, neck, and head upright as you sit down into a wide squat. Squeeze your shoulder blades and gently tuck your chin towards your chest, maintaining this posture as you squat. Make sure that your knees track in the direction of your toes and push through your heels and glutes to stand.
Reps: 10x slow and controlled
3. Overhead Split Squat
Bar Position: Hold the bar in your palms then extend the bar overhead.
Exercise Notes: Keep the torso, neck, and head upright as you maintain the shoulder blade squeeze. Stagger the feet and lower into a lunge position. Resist the urge to lean forward as you lunge up and down.
Reps: 5x each leg, slow and controlled
4. Good Morning Hamstring Stretch
Bar Position: Place the bar along your spine with one hand holding the top of the bar and one hand holding the bottom. Gently press the back of your head into the bar and tuck chin towards your chest.
Exercise Notes: Squeeze your shoulder blades into the bar and engage your abs. Keep your knees slightly bent as you hinge forward from the hips to about 45 degrees. Maintain your posture as you return to the standing position.
Reps: 10x slow and controlled
5. Side Body Stretch
Bar Position: Hold the bar in both hands with one end facing the floor and one facing the ceiling. Rest one end on the floor, an arms-distance away from your body. Rest both hands at the top of the bar.
Exercise Notes: Hinge forward from the hips to about 90 degrees. Keep your feet planted in one spot as you push the bar to the left and sway your hips to the right. You should feel a deep stretch along your right ribcage. Return back to center and sway your hips and the bar to the opposite side.
Reps: 5x each side
6. Superman
Bar Position: Hold the bar in both hands with your palms facing towards the floor. Stretch your arms away from your body.
Exercise Notes: Lay face down on the floor. Engage your core and tuck your chin towards your chest as you raise your arms, head, chest, legs, and feet off the floor. Maintain eye contact towards the ground and squeeze shoulder blades together as you hold this position. Your stomach should be the only body part touching the floor.
Reps: 3x10 sec hold in raised position
7. Deadbug
Bar Position: Hold the bar over your chest with your arms extended away from the body.
Exercise Notes: Gently pull your shoulder blades together while keeping your lower back pushed into the floor. Lift your knees and feet off the ground and hover them at 90 degrees above the floor. Keep one knee hovered as you extend one leg toward the ground. Allow the extended leg to hover above the floor as you hold this position for 3 seconds. Return the extended leg to its starting position and repeat the exercise on the other leg.
Reps: 5x3 sec hold, alternating legs
Do these posture-supporting exercises at least once per day, preferably during a midday break! And if you’re looking to add more core-focused exercises into your 2021 movement routine, be sure to check out 4 Basic Exercises to Build Stronger Abs!
