Wall Angels

This week’s exercise focuses on perfect posture. Doing these wall angels a few times a week will help re-align your spine and have you looking taller, slimmer and sleeker instantly. Standing against a wall with your heels, bum, shoulders and head touching the wall may be challenging enough at first. You may find it hard to have all of these points touching at the same time without some form of discomfort. That’s ok – start out here. One thing to focus on is that as you place your head against the wall you’re looking straight forward – not up at the ceiling or down at the floor (that’s not good posture). If this part is doable for you – add the “angels”. Start with the back of your hands and wrists against the wall by your sides, elbows slightly bent. Slowly raise your arms all the way up over your head until your hands touch. Keep the wrists against the wall throughout. Then slowly return back to the start. If you lose contact with the wall, work to just beyond this range to keep pushing your ability, but no further. Imagine making snow angels against the wall.

Do 10 -20 reps, 3-5 times/week.

Notes: Keep breathing throughout. Do not let your shoulders rise to your ears as you do these exercises. It may feel uncomfortable because you are re-training your postural muscles to behave in a different manner than they have for months or even years. Stick with it and it will get easier.

Easier: Do this exact same exercise lying on your back on a hard surface. This will allow gravity to help your body meet all the contact points easier. Eventually you will want to take this to a standing position because that’s when it counts most (when your body has to support itself).

Harder: Do more reps or more often during the week.