My mom used to harp on me the importance of posture. Mind you she was referring to me sitting upright in a chair, not slouching forward. However, some people don’t think about posture when working out. Did you know there’s a right and wrong way to lift in regards to posture?

When you do most exercises, you should have your spine aligned. That means you can draw a straight line from the top of your head down to the lower part of your back. (Mind you this does not relate to EVERY exercise) You’ll often see people in the gym leaning over, lifting weights while looking in the mirror. Their neck will be bent and head turned. This is not good posture/form. You are actually putting strain on your back and neck. I understand looking over to check your form, but don’t watch yourself in the mirror the entire time you lift. Keep your spine aligned and make your muscles work without straining them due to bad posture.

When doing things like a shoulder press or curls, face the mirror so you can see yourself. Are your shoulders square and are you sitting upright in a “proud” stance? Make sure your shoulders aren’t rolled forward with your back hunched. You can feel a major difference when you hunch forward vs sitting upright.

Posture may seem like a minor thing to some but it can drastically affect the success of your workout. Next time you’re in the gym focus on your posture. See if your workout feels any different!