“Stand up straight!”
We’ve all heard it, maybe even said it. But what does it mean? Most often the response is tensing the muscles, sticking the chest out and pulling the head back. WRONG! The spine has two natural curves (called double C or S curves) which help to maintain balance, allow movement and absorb shock (like springs). When you stand up straight you need to allow these natural curves to do their work. As you do so, your posture, muscle tone and overall health will improve.
Why Bother with Good Posture
- Poor posture looks bad – slouching conveys a lack of interest, energy and vitality
- Poor posture is unhealthy – bad habits can cause problems with joints, muscles, the spine & internal organs
- Good posture commands respect – carry yourself with confidence and others will look to you as a leader
- Good posture feels better – optimism, good health and positive self esteem result from working with the body instead of against it
Standing Tall: Discover the Mid-line
Properly performing mountain pose is the first step to improving and maintaining good posture. Your aim is to learn about the mid-line of the body which divides the body into front and back, left and right. For most individuals this means
- standing a little more onto the front of the foot instead of resting the weight back on the heals
- allowing the hips to become level by balancing equally on both feet
- engaging the core muscles to support the spine
- leveling the shoulders to form a T with the spine
- imagining the crown of the head lifting up as if attached to a helium balloon
When first learning how to stand up straight it is sometimes helpful to use a full length mirror to visually reinforce what level looks and feels like. Numerous other yoga poses are fantastic for improving posture. Check out the Alphabetical List of Poses for more information.
StraightenUp has this poster with easy to do exercises for kids which help promote good posture.
Sitting Tall: Wow, Sitz Bones
One pose that is extremely helpful to teaching good posture when sitting is boat pose. Whenever I teach this pose, the students and I discuss sitz bones (ischial tuberosity), those boney protrusions on the bottom of the pelvis, and how they differ in purpose with the tail bone (coccyx). It’s important to sit on your sitz bones, its what they were made for, not on your tail bone, to maintain proper curves of the spine, allow the internal organs space to function, permit full use of the lungs, and lengthen the hamstrings.
An easy way to discover your sitz bones is to sit on the floor with your feet in front of you, legs bent, hands on knees. Extend your spine and lift your chest. You are now on your sitz bones. Roll back so that you are sitting on your tailbone. Roll forward and feel your sitz bones ‘click’. Repeat rolling back and forth until you are aware of how it feels to sit on your sitz bones.
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