A barre instructor says training this one muscle group is just as important as the core for improving posture—this is the three-part sequence she recommends

You can’t fix bad posture overnight. As well as adjusting the way you sit and stand, it’s important to strengthen the muscles in the upper body that support good posture and that takes time.

You’ll often see people talking about strengthening the core as an important element of improving posture, but according to Pilates and barre instructor Tara Riley, the upper-back muscles might be even more important, especially becaause upper-back exercises don’t feature in workouts as much as core ones.

“Our upper backs are often neglected because we think more about our core,” she says. “We always curl forward to work our core and we often don’t do exercises to make sure that our upper-back muscles are working hard enough and that we’re standing up straight,” she explains.

It’s also important that you train the entire core, not just the abdominal muscles. “A lot of people forget that their core is not just their abs,” says Riley. “Your core includes your back and part of your pelvis. So having a strong core is not just having a ripped six-pack.

“You have deeper ab muscles and you have muscles that run along your spine, and all of those muscles keep you standing up straight,” she adds.

Below, she’s shared a simple barre sequence designed to strengthen the upper back. It also engages the entire core.

Tara Riley’s barre sequence for upper-back strength

To follow this routine, you need a pair of light weights—2lb to 4lb (1kg-2kg) works well.

Try to complete this sequence without any rest to challenge your muscular endurance.

Part one:

• Stand in second position, with your feet wider than hip-distance apart and your toes turned out slightly, holding dumbbells in front of you at shoulder height, with your arms extended.
• Move into a plie by bending your knees to lower your body, keeping your hips and shoulders aligned. As you lower, open your arms out to the sides.
• Rise back to the start and bring the dumbbells back together.
• Complete eight to 16 reps.

Part two:

• Lower into the plie again, opening your arms out to the sides.
• Pulse up and down, bringing your arms back together, then pulse again, opening your arms wide.
• Continue for eight to 16 reps.

Part three:

• Lift your arms out to the sides and bend your elbows to 90°, so your elbows are at shoulder height and your wrists are directly above your elbows.
• Lower into the plie.
• Pulse up and down, while extending your arms overhead.
• Pulse up and down, bending your elbows back to 90°.
• Begin to pulse your hips and inch up and down again.
• Continue for eight to 16 reps.

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