3 Easy Moves to Improve Your Posture Throughout The Day

Let's face it: We all spend more time sitting than we probably should. And when we sit, we’re often hunched over— whether we’re working at our desks, texting on our cell phones or driving in our cars. 

And where does that inevitably lead us? To a place with less than stellar posture.  

The good news? You can fix bad posture with a few simple moves done throughout the day wherever you are, says Coach Eli, a professional posture protection coach and TikTok sensation (@coach.eli), who boasts over 650,000 followers and counting. 

Eli developed his passion for posture after injuring his back at age 18 and getting treatment at a rehab facility. 

“I fell in love with the process of healing my own body through movement. So much so [that] I became a personal trainer, and I'm known for [sharing] easy tips that we can do for our body for our posture,” he says.

"We put our bodies through a lot — whether it's working out, picking up the kids, sitting at a desk all day, or cooking in a kitchen all day," he adds. "It's easy to forget about our posture." 

In order to help “real, everyday people feel their strongest, their healthiest and their happiest,” Coach Eli — who has also been a personal trainer in Los Angeles for over a decade — shares 3 easy, yet powerful movements that he recommends working into your day for better posture. 

MOVEMENT #1: Shoulder Opener 

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Coach Eli says you can do this first move standing up or seated. 

Interlace your fingers behind your head. Open your elbows to the side, pressing them back and down. Squeeze your butt. Big deep breath, expose your body, look left, and look right.  Do this for about 20 seconds and relax. 

MOVEMENT #2: Bear Hug Spinal Twist 

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Coach Eli says it’s now time to give yourself some love. Bear hug yourself with “big, big hug.” Squeeze your butt. Roll your spine forward and arch your back.   

“Now, we're going to take our spine through every range of motion available to us,” Coach Eli says. 

Bend to the left, bend to the right, breathe, look and twist one way and look and twist the other. 

Move your torso in “a big circle,” rotate the opposite side, and relax.  

“Our spine was meant to flex, to extend, to side-bend, to rotate in every possible direction,” Coach Eli adds. “We want to do that daily for our body and for our spine.” 

MOVEMENT #3: Hip Stabilizer  

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Last but not least, Coach Eli recommends doing this movement using a wall for stability.  

Place your hand gently on a wall. Now, whatever leg is closest to the wall, bring that leg up and find your balance. Once you're ready, kick that leg back and return to the starting position.  

“And notice how your hand will naturally start to slide down the wall as your entire upper body moves while the leg moves. Everything is moving as one. I want you to notice the connection going all the way up into your hip, that foot to hip and glute connection. Very important,” Coach Eli says. 

Do this for about 20 seconds per leg.  

“You see, this is bringing strength and stability back to our hips, which will in turn yield better mobility, better posture and better alignment throughout our body,” he adds. 

For more tips from Coach Eli, be sure to follow him on TikTok at @coach.eli!