How to Fix Hunched Shoulders?

To help fix hunched shoulders, focus on exercises that gently move your elbows and hands backward while squeezing your shoulders together. This action, along with specific hand position variations, can effectively target the muscles that contribute to improved posture.

Understanding the Exercise

A key technique involves performing a controlled movement designed to counteract the forward slump often associated with hunched shoulders. The core of this exercise is the deliberate backward motion of your arms and the activation of your upper back muscles.

Performing the Technique

This simple exercise can be integrated into your routine to help improve shoulder posture.

• Step 1: Position Your Arms
  Start with your elbows and hands in a comfortable position, perhaps hanging loosely by your sides or slightly bent.
• Step 2: Move Backward
  Gently move the elbows and hands backward. Focus on the motion coming from your shoulders and upper back.
• Step 3: Squeeze Shoulders
  While moving your arms back, squeeze the shoulders together as if trying to touch your shoulder blades. Hold this squeeze for a moment before releasing.

Adding Variations for Targeted Stretch

Varying the hands to positions on top of the head or a few inches above can change the focus of the stretch from the shoulders to the chest, making it helpful for hunched shoulders.

Here are the suggested variations:

• Standard Position: Moving elbows and hands backward while squeezing shoulders targets the shoulders and upper back directly.
• Hands on Head: Placing hands on top of your head while performing the backward movement and squeeze shifts the stretch focus more towards the chest.
• Hands Above Head: Holding hands a few inches above your head while doing the motion also helps target the chest muscles, which can become tight and contribute to hunched posture.

These variations help address potential tightness in the chest muscles that often accompanies rounded shoulders, promoting a more open and upright posture.

Here's a quick overview of the focus areas:

Regularly incorporating these movements can assist in stretching tight muscles and strengthening weak ones contributing to poor posture.