An Exercise that Will Actually Improve Your Posture

Quick Overview

The key to improving posture using the wall exercise involves coordinating lengthening movements throughout the body—specifically extending the legs and lengthening the torso while keeping the pelvis and ribcage aligned against the wall—to counteract habitual shortening patterns, rather than relying on common, often counterproductive exercises like sit-ups or leg extensions.

Key Points: The recommended exercise involves standing with the back against a wall, ensuring the sacrum and the height of the armpit maintain contact, and then lifting up onto the toes while keeping the back against the wall. A crucial element is maintaining proper foot alignment: the outsides of the feet should face straight ahead, and the individual must stay on the insides of the feet, avoiding falling onto the outer edges. When going up onto the toes, one should actively pull the outer malleolus (ankle bone bump) backward and the three toes forward, while simultaneously abducting the thighs (pulling the insides of the thighs apart). The goal of the exercise is to learn to extend the legs and lengthen the torso vertically while maintaining the alignment of the ribcage and pelvis against the wall, avoiding leaning the front of the ribcage forward or letting the knees go back. The video contrasts this beneficial lengthening approach with common exercises like weighted lifts, push-ups, and sit-ups, which often encourage detrimental shortening movements or poor alignment (e.g., forward head posture shown in comparison images). F.M. Alexander's favorite exercise, going up on the toes while maintaining wall contact, is presented as a highly effective method for retraining posture by encouraging coordinated lengthening. Self-assessment is vital; viewers are urged to video record themselves performing the exercise to check for common errors like pelvic tilting or ribcage protrusion.

Context: This video focuses on applying principles derived from F.M. Alexander's work to improve posture through a specific wall-based exercise. The context establishes the baseline of poor posture, often resulting from habitual shortening movements encouraged by common exercises (like excess lumbar lordosis or forward head posture), and introduces a corrective exercise designed to promote coordinated lengthening throughout the entire body chain, from the feet up to the head.