Get a Good Posture

Feeling like a slouch? Take this Mens Health test to check your posture then use the fix to straighten up

Wall test

Stand with your feet about 12 inches from a wall and rest your back against it. Place your right hand on the small of your back, palm facing the wall. Then tighten your abs until your palm is pressed against the wall. In this position, your body should have four points of contact with the wall: your tailbone, palm, upper back, and head. If you have to tilt your head back to reach the wall . . .

Your problem is... Kyphotic posture-also known as slouching.

The cause: Your abdominal and chest muscles have shortened, while your back extensor muscles and spine have weakened. Sitting for extended periods of time leads to this imbalance.

Fix yourself

Step 1: Mobilise your spine. Lie across a foam roll (available at www.perform better.com) or a thick PVC pipe so that it's perpendicular to your spine at the lower part of your rib cage. Reach overhead so your spine extends over the roll and hold for a count of 10. Move the roll up your spine about 2 inches, then repeat. Continue this process until the foam roll reaches the base of your neck.

Step 2: Use this dynamic backward lunge to stretch your abdominal, groin, and chest muscles. Hold a single 10-pound dumbbell with both hands. Step back with your left foot until your left knee nearly touches the floor. As you lunge, turn your torso to the right and reach up over your right shoulder with both hands. Then return to a standing position. Repeat for a total of 15 reps on both sides.

Step 3: Perform a single-arm dumbbell row with external rotation. However, instead of pulling the dumbbell to your rib cage, pull it to a position by your ear, allowing your torso to rotate upward. Repeat for a total of 15 repetitions with a lighter-than-normal dumbbell. Then switch arms and repeat.

  Words by Bill Hartman