The short answer: Forward head posture is usually more about position and breathing than strength. While having a strong back is important, strength doesn’t dictate your resting position. This is more related to overall body position and how you organize your body at rest. Being able to breathe air into areas that are compressed, plus moving in more varied ways throughout your day, tends to help more then isolated chin tucks.
People are obsessed with “fixing” Forward Head Posture.
“Text Neck” or “Upper Crossed Syndrome” or “Forward Head, Rounded Shoulders”: these are all terms that describe the same thing, a head position that’s shifted forward, along with rounded shoulders and a “slumped” upper back appearance.
Why Common Forward Head Posture Fixes Don’t Always Work
I see 2 common strategies to fix Forward Head Posture, so let’s break them down together… and then talk about what I recommend instead.
Strategy #1: Extension exercises for forward head posture
At first glance, it may appear that since the body is slumped over, we need to train extension-based movements to pull us back upright. Typically I’ll see back exercises prescribed: such as rowing movements, deadlifts, Supermans, etc.
I see a couple issues with this.
First, posture has very little to do with actual strength. It’s a result of the body’s resting POSITION.
Think of how many people you’ve seen deadlift hundreds of pounds and then they walk out of the gym with a head that’s jutting forward…
It’s not a strength issue. It’s a position issue.
The second issue is that working on extension can actually drive you MORE into a “Forward Head” position.
How you hold yourself (aka: your resting posture) is shaped by gravity and its effect on your Center of Mass (COM).
Think of your COM as a “balancing point”: where you evenly hold your weight so you don’t fall forwards or backwards.
Now stand upright and let your weight shift toward your toes.
Your COM has now shifted forward, and you’re having to recruit MORE work from the muscles along your back to not fall on your face.
Now let your weight shift toward your heels.
Your COM has shifted backward, and you’re going to recruit more work from the muscles on the front of your body to keep from falling on your butt.
This visual is another way to visualize what I mean:
When we’re living in a “Forward Head Posture Position” our Center of Mass is actually shifted forward.
So in this position the muscles along our back and our calves are chronically “ON,” working to keep us from falling forward. Doing more extension-based movements will just continue to strengthen this pattern.
Strategy #2: Chin tuck exercises for forward head posture
If you’ve ever searched for solutions for Forward Head Posture on Google, I can guarantee you saw some sort of “Chin Tuck” exercise.
The premise makes sense: the head is forward, so we need to tuck the chin to get the head back in line with the body.
But remember how I talked about the problem being a POSITION issue, NOT a strength issue?
For most people, the POSITION is driven by airflow.
We take somewhere around 20,000 breaths a day. It happens on autopilot. We inhale, we exhale.
But just because we breathe, doesn’t mean we breathe WELL.
When we have a hard time expanding the ribcage and using the diaphragm, our body will find other strategies to get air in and out.
One strategy is letting the head move forward to open up the airway.
So again, Forward Head Posture is a position that’s ultimately driven by AIRFLOW.
Chin tuck exercises can actually narrow the airway, making it harder to breathe.
So instead of chin tucks, we need to address the BREATH!
A Different Approach: Address Your Breathing
In order to change our position, we have to change the underlying breathing pattern. We have to learn to breathe well. (New to this? Start with 360 Breathing: Why Your Ribcage Should Move When You Breathe.)
So let’s dive in.
The spine is designed to have an “S” shape. The neck and lower back curve inward (called “lordosis”), and the midback rounds backward (called “kyphosis”).
These spinal curves are essential for normal, effective breathing.
For many of us, we’ve adapted to a modern lifestyle of sitting in front of a screen all day: tapping at a computer or scrolling on our phones.
We lack variety. We aren’t spending time in the woods walking on uneven surfaces.
These lifestyle changes result in adaptations. Our body adapts to the demands we place on it.
Our spine begins to lose its natural “S” and becomes flatter and straighter.
Our neck loses its natural inward curve, and our upper back starts hinging at one point.
Even though the upper back appears hunched over, it actually has a hard time getting air in (the back of the ribcage isn’t expanding much), and it’s reacting to a COM that is chronically shifted forward.
So what do we need to do to address this?
Forward Head Posture Fix #1: Get Air Into Your Upper Back
By expanding the BACK of the ribcage, we can help restore your spine’s natural curves. We’re no longer “hinging” at one point because of a forward COM, but bringing our COM back to the center of our body.
I love the Standing Serratus Squat (shown below), because it addresses this beautifully.
In this position, the muscles along your back and your calves can relax, which lets you get air into the back of the ribcage and encourages your Center of Mass to move back.
Forward Head Posture Fix #2: Open the Airway and Expand the Upper Chest
When our diaphragm is in a poor position, it can’t move air as effectively.
As a result, we take shallow, less effective breaths, and we don’t get much air into the top of our lungs.
When the upper chest doesn’t expand well, our shoulders can cave forward and our breastbone (sternum) can drop down as a way to “push” air out.
This Sternal Positional Stretch (shown below) helps open up the airway (tipping the head back) and get air into the top of your lungs.
While breathing in this position, it’s important to lengthen your exhales, PAUSING for 5 seconds at the end.
This pause helps your side abs (obliques) pull your lower ribs down and in, allowing air to move upwards and expand your chest.
The Bottom Line
Your posture is a complex, dynamic system that is shaped by how you breathe.
Addressing your posture requires addressing your underlying breathing patterns, AS WELL AS…
Addressing lifestyle factors that may be causing you to default into those patterns.
If you’re a Loa Movement member, you can do the techniques mentioned in this post with my guidance by taking our Forward Head Posture class under the Body & Breath carousel.
You’ll also notice that our strength training classes include alternating movements. This helps keep us out of constant, extension-based patterns, which can drive us further into a “Forward Head” position.
But remember, it’s also crucial that we get off our screens, get outside, and move in a variety of ways!! It’s all connected!
Frequently Asked Questions
What causes forward head posture?
It’s often a mix of position and breathing, plus lifestyle factors like lots of screen time and sitting and not much variety in how we move. When your ribcage and diaphragm aren’t moving air well, your head may drift forward to help open your airway.
Do chin tucks fix forward head posture?
For many people, not on their own. Chin tucks target where your head sits, but this is often driven by the body underneath it. Just pushing the head back won’t address this.
Can strength training help forward head posture?
It can support it, especially with alternating movements and attention to your ribcage position. But more back strengthening alone usually isn’t the answer, since posture is more about position than strength.
How long does it take to improve forward head posture?
It varies. Many people notice a difference in how they breathe and hold their head after a few sessions of breathing work, while lasting change tends to come from consistent practice plus moving in more varied ways throughout your day.
Try It With Me
Want to feel the difference for yourself? Every Loa class is led by a Doctor of Physical Therapy, with breathwork built in. → (try 3 free classes here! No cc required!)
