There are a lot of benefits to practicing good posture, from preventing back pain to presenting yourself with confidence. But, as most of us know, maintaining proper posture is easier said than done.
It’s a lot of work — mentally and physically — to hold your body in alignment. But there are a few products out there that aim to help.
Historically, posture correctors or “trainers” have resembled a brace that encourages the muscles in your back to activate and hold yourself in proper alignment. But, these days, you can even find devices — like the Upright GO 2 Posture Trainer — that work to train your posture using a training program and haptic feedback.
Whatever the method, the goal of a posture trainer is to strengthen the muscles in your back and core to hold your spine in proper alignment.
Before I jump in, you should know I was sent the Upright GO 2 to test, but they didn’t have any sway in this review.
I was actually pretty excited to test this out because I had started to feel like my posture was going straight down the drain ever since I started working from home. Here’s a video of my review:
Now, when I’m not sitting at my desk, I’m a pretty active person and a certified personal trainer. But I’m also human and spend plenty of time on the couch, slouched over my phone, and so on. I knew there was plenty of room for improvement!
The Upright GO 2
So, here’s how it works.
The Upright GO 2 is a small device that uses a sensor to monitor your spinal alignment. It’s connected to an app with Bluetooth where you can set your desired posture, and work through guided training sessions each day.
When I got started, Upright asked me to rate my posture and back pain. Then the app set a daily training goal for me (think: 2 sets of 14 minutes wearing the device). The duration of the training sessions start shorter and get longer each week.
In training, Upright tracks my alignment based on my set posture, and will vibrate when I spend too much time out of range of that alignment. The vibration definitely does not hurt, but the first time it buzzed at me I jumped! Luckily, you can change the vibration intensity in the app if it’s too startling for you.
Customization
Not only am I in charge of setting my goal posture, but I can also change the amount of time it takes for the Upright to buzz at me, how wide a window I have for mobility, and whether I plan to be sitting, moving, or a combination of the two.
When I’m done with my training, I can switch over to tracking mode, which monitors my alignment, but without the guiding vibrations. This helps me see how much time I spend slouched versus upright during the day — although I’ve not been very good about wearing it after my training.
Other app features
The app, which is compatible with both iOS and Android devices, sets you up to stick to a training plan with daily push notification reminders and suggested resources to learn more about proper alignment.
You can even chat with an Upright team member for tips or help through the app.
Wearing the Upright GO 2
When it comes to wearing the Upright GO 2, there are two different options. Luckily, they’re both relatively discreet for public use.
The first way to wear the GO 2 is with little sticky pads that you can place right on your upper back. Anywhere on your spine is okay, so long as it’s vertical and you can reach it comfortably.
The other is a magnetic silicone necklace, which comes in a few different colors and is pretty great if you don’t want to stick anything to your skin. I’ve used the GO 2 both ways and haven’t really noticed a difference in terms of tracking and vibrations — they both seem to work well.
Pricing
The Upright GO 2 typically retails for around $80, although they do offer discounts from time to time. It comes with a set of adhesive pads to stick to your back, and you can buy a pack of 10 refill sticky pads for around $10.
The silicone necklace costs around $20, which might seem more expensive than the sticky pads, but doesn’t require refills over time. So, the necklace might be worth the investment if you like wearing it.
| Pros | Cons |
| easy to use | possibly cost, depending on your budget |
| great accountability tool, assuming you follow the training plan | |
| discreet for public use |
My take
All in all, the Upright GO 2 is a pretty cool tool if you’re willing to put in the work.
Because that’s really the key: correcting your slouchy posture isn’t comfortable, and it really does feel like a workout for your back and core muscles after a while if you’re not used to sitting upright.
But as with most types of training, the payoff is typically worth the work. While I can’t say I’m sitting up straight consistently after using the Upright for a few weeks, I’m definitely more conscious of my posture. So even when I’m not wearing it, there’s a little voice in my head saying, what if you just sat up a little straighter? So, I consider that a win.
As far as a recommendation goes, I say if you really want some accountability for improving your posture, and are willing to spend some cash to do so, this is a great tool. All in all, there really aren’t any downsides beyond the financial investment.
However, as much as the app will coach you through things, it’s on you to put in the work. Good luck out there!
