Stand Tall: The Importance of a Neutral Spine

By Martina Navratilova

Standing tall gives you an air of youth, confidence, and well-being. What's more, it benefits your health, says AARP health and fitness ambassador Martina Navratilova. When you align your spine into its natural "S" shape, you relieve stress on your joints, muscles, and other body parts. You also reduce your chances of injury.

So how to stop slouching over your computer and achieve what Martina calls an aligned, "neutral" spine?

Find out as she and AARP The Magazine's fitness editor, Gabi Redford, demonstrate some spine-aligning exercises in our video. You'll learn the standing T, the standing L, and the standing Y. Note that you'll need hand weights for these.