When it comes to posture, most people have heard a lot of advice.

Some of it sounds sensible. Some of it’s total nonsense. And a lot of it? It can actually make things worse.

I work with clients every day who’ve tried all sorts of things to improve how they stand, move, or feel — but they’re still stuck.

Here are 3 common tips that I recommend you avoid — and what actually works instead.

1. “Remind yourself to sit and stand up straight more often.”

This is the classic advice: Pull your shoulders back. Lift your chest. Imagine a string pulling your head up. And every time you catch yourself slouching — fix it.

But here’s the problem:

You’re relying on willpower to fight your own structure.

Even if you succeed for a while, you’ll usually end up tense, sore, or back where you started.

You don’t need constant reminders. You need your muscles and joints to naturally hold you in good alignment — without you even thinking about it.

That’s what proper posture therapy does.

2. “Strengthen your core.”

Not always a bad idea. But if you’ve been told to fix your posture and pain by doing planks, crunches, or Pilates — without first looking at your alignment — you could be making things worse.

Here’s why:

If a tall building is leaning, would you just pour more concrete into it? Of course not — you’d get it aligned first.

It’s the same with your body. Strengthening without realignment can actually lock in the very imbalances you want to improve.

Yes, core work can help — but only at the right time, in the right way, as part of a full-body plan.

3. “Use a posture gadget or vest.”

From posture vests to buzzing devices, there’s a whole market of tools that promise to “hold you straight” or beep when you slouch. They look good on Instagram. But here’s the truth:

Most of them just take over the job your muscles are supposed to do. They create dependency instead of fixing the root cause.

If your posture is off, it means your muscles aren’t coordinating properly. A strap can’t solve that, but the right movements can.

What Actually Works

Now that we’ve established forcing your body into a new shape doesn’t work… what does?

When I work with clients — whether in my London and Tunbridge Wells clinics or online — I give them tailored posture correction exercises that match their unique misalignments.

These exercises do the real work: they retrain the muscles, restore joint balance, and help the body hold itself in better alignment — automatically.

No forcing. No overthinking. Just steady progress, built into how your body moves.

You can see real-world examples of this on my Client Results page — with photos and stories from people who’ve improved their posture and reduced pain through this approach.

One of the best places to start?

Try This Simple Posture Correction Exercise That Helps Almost Everyone →

It only takes a few minutes. It’s gentle, calming, and surprisingly powerful. Most of my clients feel straighter, lighter, and more grounded — even after just one go.

 

Written by Ameet Bhakta
Posture Specialist | Health Through Posture
Clinics in London, Tunbridge Wells & Online
Trusted by GPs, consultants, athletes & busy professionals