When was the last time you hit the gym and thought, 'OK, it's posture day today'? Probably never, but by following this simple routine you could reap real rewards. You'll look taller and slimmer, you'll protect yourself from injuries, you'll breathe easier and improve your energy levels.

Why you need it
Thanks to that dastardly invention the chair, most of us have posture problems. All that hunching over computers and slouching on sofas upsets your muscle balance, leading to, among other things, ankle injuries, shin splints, lower back pain, slipped discs, neck and shoulder soreness and headaches. Perfecting your posture - through a combination of relaxation, strengthening and stretching - will make you stand taller, feel stronger and knock years off your appearance.

What's involved?
The following short workout programme is designed exclusively for Men's Fitness by Steve Jordan, performance enhancement specialist and a certified strength and conditioning specialist with the National Strength And Conditioning Association. It contains three different workouts which take less than ten minutes to complete.

Each routine addresses a major posture 'syndrome'. You may not believe that you have any of these syndromes, but many of us actually have all three to a greater or lesser extent, so it's worthwhile doing each of the routines.

Each workout has three components:
1. Massage Using a foam roller, you will identify, massage and relax tight muscle fibres, allowing them to lengthen and contract properly. This helps your muscles operate through their full range of motion.

2. Strength When you sit still for too long or lift something heavy your muscles get thrown out of whack (highly technical term!). These exercises help to restore the natural balance of your muscles, minimising pain and maximising performance.

3. Stretch Used to increase the length of your muscles, ligaments and tendons.

How to tackle the routines
Perform all three routines to achieve the best results.

If you're new to exercise, do each workout at least three times a week.
If you're already hitting the gym regularly, perform each workout at least once or twice a week. You can omit the strength component of each routine or work it into your current programme.

You'll approach each syndrome in three steps. 'You'll feel the difference after just one session,' says Jordan. 'After six weeks, you'll look and feel fantastic.'