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A Simple Exercise That Can Fix Your Back and Improve Your Posture in 2 Minutes a Day
Poor posture can affect your health in many different ways — from headaches, to neck pain, to breathing problems all the way to changes in your mood and low self-esteem. To avoid all of these issues and get your beauty back, you can try to perform the eagle pose, or garudasana, for a couple of minutes every day.
We at Bright Side are eager to help you improve your posture, so we’ve prepared for you a step-by-step guide on how to do this exercise and what other benefits it might bring to you.
Step 1
Stand on the floor with your feet together, your arms resting at your sides and your gaze fixed at a point in front of you. Then stretch your arms forward, to shoulder height. Bend your elbows slightly and cross your left arm over your right one so that your arms are now parallel to the floor.
Step 2
Slowly bring your hands toward each other in front of you and intertwine them, pressing your palms together. Lift your elbows a bit and stretch your fingers toward the ceiling. Make sure that your back is straight and the crown of your head is pointing upward.
Step 3
Keeping your arms intertwined in front of you, slightly bend your knees. Then lift your right foot up and make sure that your left foot is firmly placed on the floor.
Step 4
Cross your right thigh over your left thigh as high as you can and tuck your right ankle behind your left calf. The toes on your right foot should be pointed downward. Breathing smoothly, try to lengthen your spine as much as you can.
Keep balancing in this pose for 30-60 seconds, then slowly release your legs and arms and repeat the exercise on the opposite side.
Tips for beginners
- If balancing in this pose is hard for you, try to use a wall to support your back.
- If you can’t yet wrap your arms until your palms touch each other, just press the backs of your hands together.
- If you can’t hook the lifted foot around the calf, simply sink your hips a bit lower and rest the big toe of your raised foot on the floor.
Why it’s good for your body
Besides fixing your poor posture, the eagle pose may also bring you the following benefits:
- Improving balance and coordination
- Developing better concentration
- Making your thighs, ankles, and calves stronger
- Stretching your hips, thighs, shoulders, and upper back
- Making your entire body more flexible
- Stimulating your immune system
Warning: Avoid practicing this pose if you’ve had a recent knee, ankle, shoulder, or elbow injury. If you have any condition that affects balance like low blood pressure or inner ear problems, perform the pose against a wall. It’s also not recommended to do this exercise in the late stages of pregnancy.
Would you like to try doing this exercise to correct your posture? Do you know of any other ways to fix your back at home? Please, share them with us in the comments!
