10-Minute Posture Workout You Can Do at Home

You don’t need an hour at the gym to fix your posture. You need 10 minutes of the right exercises, done consistently.

This routine targets the muscle imbalances that cause poor posture—tight chest and hip flexors, weak upper back and core. No equipment required. You can do it in your living room, office, or hotel room.

The key is consistency. Ten minutes every day beats an hour once a week. Your body adapts to what you do regularly, and regular posture work creates lasting change.

Here’s the complete routine.

The 10-Minute Posture Workout

This routine follows a specific order: mobilize, stretch, strengthen. Each exercise flows into the next. Once you learn it, you can do it without thinking.

Warm-Up: Cat-Cow (1 minute)

Start on your hands and knees to wake up your spine.

How to do it:

1. Position yourself on all fours, wrists under shoulders, knees under hips
2. Inhale as you arch your back, lifting your head and tailbone (cow)
3. Exhale as you round your back, tucking chin and tailbone (cat)
4. Move slowly and smoothly between positions
5. Continue for 1 minute (about 10-12 cycles)

This mobilizes your entire spine and helps you tune into your body. Don’t rush it.

Chin Tucks (1 minute)

The single best exercise for forward head posture and tech neck.

How to do it:

1. Sit or stand tall with shoulders relaxed
2. Without tilting your head, pull your chin straight back (like making a double chin)
3. Hold for 5 seconds
4. Release and repeat

Do: 10-12 reps

You should feel a gentle stretch at the base of your skull and activation at the front of your neck. This strengthens the deep neck flexors that hold your head in proper alignment.

Chest Doorway Stretch (1.5 minutes)

Tight chest muscles pull your shoulders forward. Open them up.

How to do it:

1. Stand in a doorway with your forearm against the frame, elbow at shoulder height
2. Step through with one foot until you feel a stretch across your chest
3. Keep your core tight—don’t let your lower back arch
4. Hold 30 seconds
5. Repeat on the other side

For a more complete stretch, do an extra round with your elbow higher than your shoulder (stretches the lower chest fibers).

Total time: About 90 seconds for both sides

Thoracic Extension (1 minute)

Your upper back gets stuck in flexion from sitting. This restores the extension it needs.

How to do it:

1. Sit in a chair with a firm back, or kneel in front of a couch
2. Place your hands behind your head to support your neck
3. Lean back over the chair, extending through your upper back
4. Keep your lower back stable—the movement comes from your mid-back
5. Hold 2-3 seconds and return

Do: 10-12 reps

If you have a foam roller, you can do this lying over it, rolling along different segments of your upper back.

Wall Angels (1.5 minutes)

This opens your chest, mobilizes your shoulders, and strengthens your mid-back.

How to do it:

1. Stand with your back against a wall, feet 4-6 inches from the base
2. Press your lower back, upper back, and head into the wall
3. Bring your arms to a “goalpost” position—elbows at 90 degrees, backs of arms against the wall
4. Slowly slide your arms up overhead while keeping them against the wall
5. Slide back down to the starting position

Do: 10-12 reps

Most people can’t keep full contact with the wall at first. That’s normal—just go as far as you can while maintaining contact. This will improve.

Hip Flexor Stretch (1.5 minutes)

Tight hip flexors pull your pelvis forward and contribute to lower back posture problems.

How to do it:

1. Kneel on your right knee, left foot forward (half-kneeling position)
2. Tuck your tailbone under—this is crucial for feeling the stretch
3. Shift your weight forward slightly until you feel a stretch in the front of your right hip
4. Reach your right arm overhead and lean slightly to the left for a deeper stretch
5. Hold 30-45 seconds and switch sides

Keep your core engaged throughout. If you arch your lower back, you’ll miss the stretch.

For more hip flexor work, see our hip flexor stretches article.

Dead Bug (1.5 minutes)

Core stability is essential for posture. Dead bug builds it without straining your back.

How to do it:

1. Lie on your back, arms reaching toward the ceiling
2. Bring your knees up to 90 degrees (tabletop position)
3. Press your lower back flat against the floor—this is non-negotiable
4. Slowly lower your right arm overhead and extend your left leg, keeping your back flat
5. Return to start and repeat on the other side

Do: 8-10 reps per side

If your lower back arches off the floor, you’ve gone too far. Reduce the range of motion. Quality over quantity.

Bird Dog (1 minute)

This challenges your core stability and strengthens your posterior chain.

How to do it:

1. Start on hands and knees, spine neutral
2. Extend your right arm forward and left leg back simultaneously
3. Keep your hips level—don’t let them rotate
4. Hold 2-3 seconds
5. Return and switch sides

Do: 8-10 reps per side

Focus on control. If your hips are rocking side to side, slow down.

Prone Y Raises (1 minute)

This strengthens the lower trapezius, which is weak in almost everyone with poor posture.

How to do it:

1. Lie face down, forehead on the floor or a towel
2. Extend your arms overhead in a Y position, thumbs pointing up
3. Lift your arms off the floor by squeezing your shoulder blades down and back
4. Hold 2-3 seconds
5. Lower and repeat

Do: 10-12 reps

You don’t need to lift high—a few inches is fine. Focus on the squeeze between your shoulder blades.

The Quick Reference

Total: 10-11 minutes

Tips for Best Results

Do it daily. Consistency matters more than duration. Ten minutes every day beats 30 minutes three times a week for posture correction.

Same time each day. Attach it to an existing habit—after your morning coffee, before lunch, after work. This makes it easier to stick with.

Don’t rush. These exercises work best with slow, controlled movement. Rushing through them reduces their effectiveness.

Breathe. Don’t hold your breath during exercises. Steady breathing helps your muscles relax and work properly.

Notice how you feel. After a few weeks, you’ll start feeling less tension in your neck and shoulders. Your body will start preferring good posture because it feels better.

Modifications

If you have neck pain: Go easy on the chin tucks. Reduce the range and don’t hold as long. Skip prone Y raises if lying face down bothers your neck.

If you have lower back issues: Use extra padding under your knees for lunging stretches. Be extra careful to keep your lower back flat during dead bug.

If you’re at the office: You can do chin tucks, chest stretches (using a corner instead of doorway), and wall angels without getting on the floor. See our desk posture routine for more office-friendly options.

If you’re a beginner: Start with just the first five exercises. Add the others after a week or two. It’s better to do half the routine consistently than the full routine occasionally.

What’s Next?

This 10-minute routine addresses the most common posture issues. But depending on your specific situation, you might want to add:

• Upper back exercises if you have significant kyphosis (rounded upper back)
• Core exercises for posture if core weakness is your main issue
• Forward head posture exercises if tech neck is severe
• Rounded shoulder exercises if your shoulders are significantly forward

For a complete approach to posture correction, read our guide to fixing bad posture.

The Key Is Starting

The best posture routine is the one you actually do. This 10-minute workout is designed to be simple enough to stick with and effective enough to create real change.

You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be consistent. Start today—not Monday, not next week. Ten minutes.

Your future self, standing taller with less pain, will thank you.

Related articles:

• How to Fix Bad Posture: Complete Guide
• Core Exercises for Better Posture
• Morning Posture Routine
• How Long Does It Take to Fix Posture?

Want this routine with video guidance? The Posture Workout app walks you through each exercise with clear demonstrations and tracks your daily streak. Download it free →