One of my recent clients was frustrated because she had been trying to improve her posture by—you guessed it—pulling her shoulders back. Instead of feeling more aligned and upright, pulling her shoulders back while she walked or sat in a chair meant she felt stiff and uncomfortable.
But hang on a minute. "Pulling your shoulders back" is supposed to help your posture, right?
Actually, no. It’s terrible posture advice and often a fast track to even more posture problems and pain. Which is exactly what my client experienced.
Whether it was your well-meaning mum, a stern teacher or even a fitness instructor, this outdated posture advice is still being handed out - and followed - far too often.
It’s time to set the record straight on why “Pull your shoulders back!” is not only unhelpful but one of the worst things you can do for your posture.
Why "Fixing" One Part Doesn't Work
Let’s start with the basics.
The logic behind pulling your shoulders back is to "straighten up", counteract rounded shoulders and sloppy posture—something that happens all too easily in our modern, desk-bound lives. The idea is that pulling our shoulders back will help us look taller, more confident and avoid projecting a hunched-over, Neanderthal vibe.
But here’s the catch: when you hyperfocus on trying to adjust or improve just one part of your posture, it creates a domino effect of other issues.
Your body is an interconnected web of muscles, bones, and joints, all working together. By forcing your shoulders into a different position without addressing how the rest of your body functions, you’re just moving the problem around, not solving it.
When you focus on “fixing” one part—like pulling your shoulders back—you disrupt the balance of the entire system and set off a chain reaction of other compensations. It's like patching one hole in a sinking boat, only to realise you've sprung five new leaks.
Here’s some common compensations and increased areas of tension that occur when you pull your shoulders back:
Rib Thrust: Your shoulders aren’t islands floating on their own; they’re part of a much larger system that includes your ribs, spine, and pelvis. Pulling your shoulders back often leads to a “rib thrust” where your rib cage pulls up and forward. While you might think you're standing or sitting tall, you're actually misaligning your spine and ribs, leading to more dysfunction.
Head Protrusion: When your shoulders pull back, your head tends to push forward to counterbalance. The classic “turtle head,” where your head starts jutting forward like it’s trying to escape. Not only does this look awkward, it also strains your neck and upper back, potentially causing headaches, neck and jaw tension. Wonder why that tension headache keeps showing up? Yep, your 'perfect posture' might be the culprit.
Restricted Breathing: With stiffly pulled-back shoulders (and probably a rib thrust), guess what? Your diaphragm—the muscle responsible for easy, relaxed breathing—can’t move freely. You end up with shallow, restricted breaths, adding to your stress and fatigue. So your attempt to look poised has just cost you the ability to breathe deeply and stay calm.
Lower Back Pain: As your upper body gets pulled into awkward positions, your lower back compensates by tightening up. Congratulations, now you’ve got a stiff, overworked lower back. This doesn’t just feel uncomfortable—it can lead to chronic low back pain and heighten your risk of injury.
How To Stop Your Pull Back Your Shoulder Habit
The reason you may have rounded shoulders in the first place isn’t because your shoulders are inherently flawed; it's because your entire body has adapted to the way you sit, stand and move (or don’t move).
When you consciously try to improve your posture by pulling your shoulders back, you’re engaging in a short-term fix. Sure, it might feel good for a few moments, but soon enough your muscles start screaming for mercy. The minute you get distracted, your old slouchy habits sneak back in, leaving you frustrated all over again.
Good posture isn’t something you can fake or force; it’s a deeply ingrained habit baked into your body’s autopilot over time. Trying to "fix" it by pulling your shoulders back is just an artificial adjustment—it doesn’t address the underlying patterns your body has been practising for years.
Finding Dynamic Posture
With a Feldenkrais® Method approach (what I teach), instead of forcing your body into arbitrary positions or zeroing in on just one thing, you’ll explore a more holistic, whole body approach.
Rather than desperately trying to sit or stand up straight ALL day, and using lots of effort and unnecessary tension to do so, you'll learn how to improve coordination and develop postural habits that feel good and are sustainable for the long haul.
Moshe Feldenkrais, the founder of this incredible method, coined a term called acture. It’s a blend of action and posture—a perfect way to describe what we should be aiming for: dynamic, fluid and responsive posture, rather than something stiff, forced and static. Acture is about how your entire body moves and supports itself in a coordinated way. It's the antithesis of the rigid "pull your shoulders back" approach.
Dynamic posture means you’re ready to move and adapt to whatever life throws at you. It’s not about holding one “perfect” position, but about being able to adjust and flow as needed. It’s about how you move through your entire day, whether you’re walking, sitting at your desk, bending over to pick something up or even lounging on the couch.
So, the next time someone tells you to pull your shoulders back, give them a smile, thank them for their concern and then IGNORE that advice.
The Best Whole Body Exercise To Do Instead
Understanding how your body works as a system is key. Easy, mindful movements can help you feel connections between the moving parts and tune into the subtle sensations of how you feel throughout the day.
One of the best and most simple movements to achieve this and find a more natural, upright posture is what I call "The Wave".
In The Wave, you explore gentle, flowing movements through your pelvis, spine and shoulders—much like a wave travelling through your body. These subtle movements help you find a more dynamic alignment, where your spine naturally supports itself with ease. No more rigid, military-style sitting!
Doing this will help you experience less tension and strain, move more comfortably and breathe better. Most importantly, you’ll develop a sense of ease and confidence in your posture that can’t be achieved by just pulling your shoulders back.
If you want to experience The Wave for yourself and finally ditch the exhausting posture battle, grab my free guide, Unf*ck Your Sitting. The exercises and awareness tips inside will transform how you work, travel and play.
Your shoulders (and entire body) will thank you.
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