So you want to improve your posture. Do you even know what that means? Modern society is often very unaware and sometimes even completely unconcerned with exactly what good posture is, and why it is important. As one of the very few animals with upright posture, humans are rather blessed. Because of our upright posture we have a larger field of vision, greater mobility with our bodies and use of our hands, and way better sex. Ensuring that we keep our posture intact is vital for many things, like our level of confidence and of course, our health. Unfortunately, correct posture is rarer than it used to be, and if you're anything like me, you are curious about why that is.
Having good posture is important for avoiding back and neck problems later in life. It aids our digestion, by giving our internal organs more room to function. It provides us with more energy. It generally looks better. It seems that there is no reason NOT to focus on having good posture, so why is there becoming such an epidemic of slouches? There are a some simple telltale signs of bad posture.
You can tell if someone has bad posture with a few guidelines:
- They have rounded shoulders
- Their neck and head lean forward
- Their lower back is very arched and their butt sticks out
- They have a constant "lean" to one side or another If any of these things are evident, then there needs to be some posture improvement.
Chances are you have seen many people that display these symptoms, or perhaps show them yourself. I believe the much this problem stems from the lifestyle presented to children. Most habits are formed in the early stages of life, but if we look at today's youth, you will notice that they spend much of their days sitting at a desk, leaning over a homework assignment. As if that weren't enough, they get places by car or bus, and then sit at home playing video games or watching the tube! Even here I have only covered the basics. Look at the load of books they must carry on their backs, or the bags that cause a posture imbalance by having only one strap. Many bed mattresses are terrible for posture because they provide no support for the sleeper. Of course their are other reasons for having bad posture. Many taller people slouch a little to bring themselves closer to eye-level. People struck with confidence issues often slouch, and much more, but those problems have existed for millennia. I believe the sudden surge of bad posture is due to the information age's lifestyle - The Age of the Slouch. Of course children aren't the only ones affected, how many adults do you know with bad posture are stuck sitting in a cubicle from 9-5? There are many causes of chronic posture problems, and identifying the causes of yours is a start to avoiding it in the future.
So what does good posture look like? Better yet, how does it feel? Imagine for a moment that there is a string running from the very crown of your head, and it has been fastened down the length of your spine. Now place your hand above your head and gently lift this string. Remember that your spine does not stop at your back, but goes up through your neck as well. Often when someone is told to fix their posture, they take the weight they carry in their shoulders and simply put it into their lower back by arching from that point. The real key to good posture is the lift and stack method.
The Lift and Stack Method. Lift like a feather, then stack like cups. To perform this method, stand up from your chair, place your feet shoulder-width apart. Point your toes forward, then rotate them inwards very slightly. This will cause your legs to become solid without locking your knees. Now lift your hips up and forward, then settle them onto your thighs, they should feel stacked and secure. Next do the same with your back and neck: Lift from your head, roll your shoulders up and back, then let it all settle onto your hips in another stack. Ensure that you are supporting your weight equally through the bases of your feet. As you will notice, posture is not just in the back, but goes from your toes to your head. This whole process may take some getting used to, but I can assure you it is well worth the effort.
Sitting. In an ideal world, we would not use chairs, as they give our bodies little support. Of course, this is a practical world, and we do use them, so there are a couple things to keep in mind. It is important to sit with proper posture as we will go over in a moment, and it is even more crucial to maintain that posture even while writing, drawing or using a computer. Ensure that your materials are all close enough to your body so that you don't have to hunch over them. Maintain good posture while writing and drawing actually improves your accuracy with the pen or pencil, and improves your vision, so as to see what you are doing better, so do not think for a second that leaning in so close to the page will benefit you. Sit upright. Some people find this very hard, and so I will examine the process closely. In order to sit with good posture we must first have good posture in a standing position, trying to reverse the effects of bad posture while sitting often causes more damage. Use the lift and stack method, then stand directly in front of your seat, feet planted where they will be once you sit down. Next lean slightly forward from your head while keeping your back straight and feet in position, then bend your knees and lower yourself onto the edge of your chair. Obviously this is too much to think about to do something as simple as sitting, but try it slowly and fluidly a few times and it will become perfectly natural. You may also feel unusually secure in your seated position, this is a good thing, don't freak out. It is OK to lean back and lounge, and too comfortable to resist, but avoid letting your back cave in. It is not beneficial to have your body submit to organ-crushing relaxation, and in the long run you will be much less relaxed than if you had simply kept a solid frame to your eased position.
Tips & Tricks. Along with consciously correcting your posture, there are many ideas available to make it easier for you.
- Sitting Cushions. If you can abandon the chair and desk lifestyle for a the comfy floor cushion one, or at least give it a try, then this is a sound option. Try searching for "sitting cushions" online, perhaps refine your search by adding "posture" in the mix. I personally use a Zafu meditation cushion for long periods of time, sitting in a cross-legged position, and I couldn't be comfier.
- Exercise. Many back and posture problems come from muscle imbalances in the core, chest and back. "Body-builders" who put more focus on their chest and abs are setting themselves up for disaster. There can be many causes for muscle imbalances, such as using one side of your body more, or repetitious tasks like those that occur in tennis. Doing full-body composite work-outs have invaluable benefits to correcting posture. I recommend Strong Lifts for the best results and most enjoyable program I have found.
- Yoga. Try yoga. It is a full body workout and is extremely relaxing.
- Reminders. Set a couple of reminders for yourself around the house with post-its, get your family in on it, or even have a daily reminder alarm on your phone to correct your posture. Your posture is a habit, and can be difficult to correct. Read my article on relieving stress for some ideas on how to break bad habits.
- Alexander Technique. If you are in serious need of posture fixing, check out the Alexander Technique for a full posture make over. I learned a lot from this program and can attest for its results.
That's all for now. Thanks for reading. Feel free to SUBSCRIBE! if you enjoyed this post.
Hail & Health,
Colin Morris
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