The Most Effective Exercise To Correct Tech Neck & Improve Posture
Look around any coffee shop, office, or public transit and you'll see it: people hunched over devices, shoulders rounded, heads jutting forward. This modern epidemic, known as "tech neck" or kyphosis, isn't just unsightly; it's potentially damaging your spine and contributing to chronic pain.
But according to award-winning journalist Henry Abbott, author of "Ballistic: The New Science of Injury-Free Athletic Performance," there's a surprisingly simple solution that can help reverse years of poor posture.
On the mindbodygreen podcast, Abbott revealed a game-changing exercise used by elite movement specialists that can transform your upper back at any age.
The posture problem
When Abbott asked movement specialists at the Peak Performance Project (P3) about the most common biomechanical problem they observe in everyday people, the answer was unanimous: computer back, or kyphosis. This forward rounding of the upper spine has become increasingly prevalent as we spend hours hunched over screens.
"Everybody's like, 'oh no,' Abbott jokes on the podcast when discussing people's reactions to even thinking about their posture. Most of us instinctively sit up straighter when posture is mentioned, aware we've been slouching again.
The surprisingly simple solution
The specialists at P3 are remarkably confident about this particular issue, claiming, "We can fix this at any age."
Their solution? A weightlifting movement called the snatch squat press. Despite its technical-sounding name, it's surprisingly accessible. All you need is a broomstick or a lightweight bar to get started.
How to master the movement
Ready to try this posture-correcting move? Here's how to integrate it into your routine:
- Start with the basics: Use a lightweight implement like a broomstick or PVC pipe before progressing to a weighted bar.
- Focus on form: Begin by placing the broomstick across your shoulders, behind your neck.
- Master the squat: Lower into a deep squat where your hips are approximately at knee level. If this is challenging, place a small rolled towel under your heels for support.
- Add the press: While maintaining the squat position, press the broomstick directly overhead, fully extending your arms.
- Hold and repeat: Hold briefly at the top, then lower the bar back to your shoulders. Aim for 8-12 repetitions.
What makes this exercise so effective is that it creates a neuromuscular challenge. If you have kyphosis, the movement will feel extremely difficult at first; you might feel unstable or want to fall over. That's precisely the point. The exercise is challenging your brain to recruit the muscles needed to properly align the vertebrae of your upper spine.
The takeaway
In our increasingly screen-dominated world, proactive posture maintenance isn't optional; it's essential. The snatch squat press offers a powerful tool that goes beyond simply "standing up straight." Instead, it retrains your nervous system to recruit the right muscles for proper spinal alignment.
What's most encouraging about Abbott's findings is that poor posture isn't a life sentence. No matter your age or how long you've been hunched over devices, your body maintains the capacity to change.
With consistent practice of targeted exercises like the snatch squat press, you can counteract years of tech-induced slouching.