Everyone exercises for different reasons, but many have one goal in mind: sex appeal. Following a strict nutrition and fitness plan will surely improve your body, but losing fat, building muscle, or sculpting a particular body part are not the only ways to be more attractive. One easy way to look sexier and more confident is to improve your posture.
Confidence and positivity commonly rank atop the list of attractive personality traits, and correcting your posture is a simple but often-overlooked way to improve that physical presence. A strong and balanced body will not only attract more positive attention, but proper posture can actually make you feel happier and more confident. A famous 2012 study done at San Francisco State University showed that poor posture and body movement can lead to feelings of depression, and improved body posture resulted in elevated mood. Similar studies have also shown a link between good posture and self-confidence.
The components of proper posture accentuate your attractive physical features, invite positive attention, and make you feel better about yourself. Unsurprisingly, poor posture can have an equally-negative effect.
Here are 3 common posture problems, what physical factors contribute to them, and how you can correct them with a few simple exercises:
Problem: Hunched back / rounded shoulders
Physical Factors: A weak upper back, tight chest muscles, and weak stabilizing muscles in your core cause your back to hunch forward and your shoulders to curve inward. This angles your chest downward and creates the unappealing hunched look.
Exercises: Strengthen your upper back with exercises such as Y-T-L-W’s, inverted rows, and seated rows. Strengthen your lower back and spine-stabilizing muscles with exercises like back extensions, front planks, side planks, and stomach vacuums. Stretching your pectoral muscles will also help to open up your chest.
Problem: Belly pooch
Physical Factors: Tight hip flexors and weak lower abs will tilt your hips forward, causing the lower part of your belly to stick out.
Exercises: Strengthen your lower abdominal with exercises such as leg lifts, hanging pikes, and swiss ball passes. To loosen your hips, make the hip flexor stretch a part of your workout routine.
Problem: Forward Head
Physical Factors: Long hours looking at a computer screen can result in a forward-leaning neck position caused by weakness and imbalance in the upper back and neck.
Exercises: Face pulls and neck extensions are two good exercises to strengthen your upper back and neck.