Exercises for Jawline and Posture
1. The Wide Smile
Did you know that smiling can sharpen your jawline? Raising and widening your mouth challenges a number of muscles in your mouth, chin, and neck. You can actually get rid of your double chin by forcing yourself to smile. Now, for this exercise, smile as wide as you can, keeping your teeth closed. The goal is to stretch the corners of your lips, so focus on the width of your smile. With your lips stretched wide, push your tongue against the roof of your mouth just behind your front teeth. Start slow and increase that pressure over a few seconds. The combination of lip and tongue extension creates a simple yet challenging exercise for the lower half of your face. The lips challenge the outer muscles around your mouth and chin while the tongue creates tension in the jaw and neck. If you can hold this position for a maximum of five seconds, then take a short break. Give your muscles a little time to unwind, and then repeat this process.
It helps to practice this exercise in front of a mirror, so you can see how your muscles are changing in your face. Don’t worry about how your smile looks. If your face doesn’t look tense and pained, then you’re not doing it right.
2. Back Support
Your neck, back, and shoulders are far more connected than most people realize. If you have poor posture in your spine, it may be damaging the posture of your neck too. That bad posture can easily create a double chin. You typically develop poor posture when the muscles in your back are not strong enough to support your body. Every day, gravity weighs down on you. It pushes on your head, your neck, and your shoulders. If your muscles aren't strong enough to resist that force, then you begin to hunch forward. Your back curves, your shoulders fall, and your neck angles downward. Together, these slumps in your posture cause many negative side effects, from back pain to double chins.
So, if you want to get rid of your double chin, pay attention to your posture. Do you hunch forward while you work? Do you experience back and shoulder pain? If the answer is yes, then you may have bad posture. Luckily, there are a number of changes you can make to improve your posture. For example, try adding a back support to your office chair. This back support will keep you from hunching and slowly strengthen the muscles around your spine. When the posture of your spine improves, the neck and shoulders are sure to follow.
3. Hold the Ball
Can you hold an object under your chin? This exercise is one of the most effective and challenging on this list. It engages a wide variety of muscles by forcing you to hold an object with only your chin. To perform this exercise, you do need one piece of equipment. You'll need a 9 to 10-inch ball, which you'll place under your chin. If you don't have a ball this size, there are plenty of household items that you can use. For example, an apple or an orange works just as well.
Now, take your ball or fruit and place it between your neck and chin. Your job is to hold the ball against your neck using only the strength of your chin. Once you've got the ball in position, keep it steady for at least five seconds. This exercise is a lot harder than it looks, but it tackles the area around your chin directly. As your jawline gets sharper, this exercise will get easier. You'll notice more space, movement, and flexibility around your neck and chin. You can repeat this exercise up to 25 times every single day. If you're just sitting at your desk working or browsing the internet, hold the ball under your chin. Don't worry too much about form. If you can hold the ball in place, then you're doing just fine.
4. Resistance Exercises
This exercise targets areas of fat around the neck and chin. Start out by making fists with both your hands, then place both fists directly under your chin. Now move your lower jaw downward, creating resistance with your hands. The goal here is to overcome the resistance created by your hands, which engages important muscles around your chin.
At first, keep your resistance light, and then gradually increase the pressure over a few seconds. When you reach your maximum resistance, hold your jaw in that position for three full seconds. You can repeat this exercise between 5 and 10 times per day. Like all the different exercises on this list, remember to pace yourself and be mindful of your muscles. Weak muscles around your jaw, chin, and neck can strain easily, so pay attention to any pain or soreness.
5. Cheek Puffing
This simple exercise can make a huge impact on your double chin. Start by sucking in a big breath of air, but don't exhale. Instead, close your mouth and hold that breath inside your cheeks. You should feel a light tension in your cheeks as they puff up and out.
Keeping your cheeks full of air, press your open palms against your cheeks. Gently create resistance with your hands if you can. Hold this position for a maximum of 5 seconds, then relax your cheeks and release the air from your mouth. Just take a few seconds to recover and regain your breath. You can repeat this exercise between 5 and 10 times each day. If done correctly, cheek puffing is a quick and accessible exercise that challenges muscles we rarely ever use. Like smiling, you should do this exercise in front of a mirror. Cheek puffing doesn't look pretty, but it's important to see the tension in your muscles as you practice. Over time, you'll notice more power in your cheeks and more definition around your chin.
6. Pucker Your Lips
Did you know that kissing can actually refine your jawline? Puckering your lips challenges muscles around your mouth, chin, and neck. You can easily get rid of your double chin by puckering up on a daily basis. Start by tilting your head back so that your eyes are looking directly at the ceiling. Now, as you look up, feel a light stretch in the muscles in your neck.
Next, pucker your lips, almost like you're trying to kiss the ceiling. Now keep your lips puckered as tightly as you can for three to five seconds. Puckering your lips stretches the same neck muscles, but it also creates tension in your chin and jawline. After three to five seconds have passed, relax your lips and return your head to a normal forward-facing position. Now give your muscles a short break before repeating this process. You can perform this exercise on a daily basis as long as it feels comfortable on your neck muscles. If this exercise is too easy, try weaving in other exercises from this list. After puckering your lips, move your mouth into a wide smile. The wide smile will challenge and engage different muscles, continuing to strengthen the jaw and neck. Alternate between the two exercises, making sure to settle into a neutral position between each one. Just like before, make sure to rest and give your neck muscles a break after five to ten repetitions. Raising your neck for long periods of time can lead to soreness and strain.
7. The Neck Roll
Our last exercise builds strength in the neck and jaw while also relieving unnecessary tension around your head. In this exercise, you'll gently and carefully roll your neck in a wide circle, stretching your muscles into new and challenging positions. Start out by lowering your chin to your chest. This position activates the muscles at the front of your neck. At the same time, it stretches the muscles at the back of your neck.
From this position, roll your head slowly to the left. Here, many people make the same mistake. You may turn your head like you're looking to the left, but this only contorts the muscles in your neck. Instead of turning your head, keep your eyes forward and bend at the neck. If done correctly, your head should settle at a soft diagonal. Now, as you bend, don't worry about tilting your head too far. Your head doesn't need to touch your shoulder. Bend until you feel a relaxing stretch, and then stop. Hold this position for five seconds before returning your chin to your chest. Now, repeat the process on the right side. Gently roll your head to the right, making sure to bend at the neck. Hold for five seconds, and then bring your chin back to the chest. You can alternate like this for 30 seconds at a time. The neck roll can relieve general neck pain while creating a great stretch in those all-important neck muscles. After practicing this exercise regularly, you'll notice more flexibility and definition around your neck and jaw.
Quick Tips for Practicing These Exercises
Exercise | Repetitions | Daily Frequency |
---|---|---|
Wide Smile | 5 seconds hold | 5-10 times |
Back Support | Ongoing | As needed |
Hold the Ball | 5 seconds hold | Up to 25 times |
Resistance Exercises | 3 seconds hold | 5-10 times |
Cheek Puffing | 5 seconds hold | 5-10 times |
Pucker Your Lips | 3-5 seconds hold | 5-10 times |
Neck Roll | 30 seconds | 2-3 times |