Improve Your Posture with the Alexander Technique
Does your shadow send a shiver up your spine?
Posture. What does the word mean to you? A straight back? Effort? Hard work? How many times were you told as a child to sit up straight, don’t slouch or stand up tall?
How many times as a parent have you said it to your children?
Everyone knows that good posture is beneficial for health, great for image and will prevent many aches, pains and sporting injuries. But are you aware that the advice given and received about sitting and standing up straight can actually make things worse?
Surely not, I hear you say. But using excessive muscle tension to try to achieve a good posture leads to tired muscles (the usual aches and pains), and puts additional strain on your tendons, ligaments and joints. The extra effort can also effect breathing, circulation and even your digestion - the exact same impact of poor posture.
But, if you think that to get a good posture requires hard work, exercises and corrective programs - think again! In fact, many of the conventional ways to improve posture can actually make it worse.
And in my opinion, they are a complete waste of time - because they do nothing to change the root cause of poor posture; habit.
So What Is Good Posture?
Good posture is NOT about standing or sitting up straight. This is just tightening your back and leg muscles and forcing yourself into a rigid position. And you may be surprised to hear exercises have a limited effect on improving your posture. This is because your body shape is a result of how you use it. How you stand at the bus stop, sit at your desk, lounge in front of the TV, or play your sport, will have a far greater influence on your posture than spending thirty minutes performing a set of exercises. If you slouch, or tighten your lower back to run, you're putting your body into a state that reduces the efficiency of your movement. Some muscles have to work harder to keep you upright, others may not be doing too much at all.
How many times as a parent have you said it to your children?
Everyone knows that good posture is beneficial for health, great for image and will prevent many aches, pains and sporting injuries. But are you aware that the advice given and received about sitting and standing up straight can actually make things worse?
Surely not, I hear you say. But using excessive muscle tension to try to achieve a good posture leads to tired muscles (the usual aches and pains), and puts additional strain on your tendons, ligaments and joints. The extra effort can also effect breathing, circulation and even your digestion - the exact same impact of poor posture.
But, if you think that to get a good posture requires hard work, exercises and corrective programs - think again! In fact, many of the conventional ways to improve posture can actually make it worse.
And in my opinion, they are a complete waste of time - because they do nothing to change the root cause of poor posture; habit.
So What Is Good Posture?
Good posture is NOT about standing or sitting up straight. This is just tightening your back and leg muscles and forcing yourself into a rigid position. And you may be surprised to hear exercises have a limited effect on improving your posture. This is because your body shape is a result of how you use it. How you stand at the bus stop, sit at your desk, lounge in front of the TV, or play your sport, will have a far greater influence on your posture than spending thirty minutes performing a set of exercises. If you slouch, or tighten your lower back to run, you're putting your body into a state that reduces the efficiency of your movement. Some muscles have to work harder to keep you upright, others may not be doing too much at all.
Common standing postures
Over time, this will change your posture. In order to get a good posture you have to change your habits for movement. This may sound like a lot of work, but in fact it can take a lot less effort than you think.
For example, compare the different standing postures in the photographs on the right. The slump on the left, and the forced-upright in the centre, use more effort than the poised stance on the right.
The most common (slump) puts the head in a forward leaving its 8 lbs pulling the neck out of position. Whereas, the forced posture leads to tightness and lower back pain. The poised stance allows the head to be supported fully by the spine, passing the weight directly down to the floor. Poised requires minimal effort from all of your muscles to keep you upright.
So to ultimately get good posture, you need to unlearn the poor habits that are pulling you out of shape. Until you can change these, nothing you do, whether through trying to 'do it', or corrective exercises, will have a limited effect.
Learning the Alexander Technique will show you how to make small changes that can make huge differences. You will first discover what you may be doing to cause poor posture, then learn to use strategies to change them. It requires no exercises, or setting time aside to practice, you simply apply the method while performing your daily routine.
If you'd like to try an introductory session please contact me today.
For example, compare the different standing postures in the photographs on the right. The slump on the left, and the forced-upright in the centre, use more effort than the poised stance on the right.
The most common (slump) puts the head in a forward leaving its 8 lbs pulling the neck out of position. Whereas, the forced posture leads to tightness and lower back pain. The poised stance allows the head to be supported fully by the spine, passing the weight directly down to the floor. Poised requires minimal effort from all of your muscles to keep you upright.
So to ultimately get good posture, you need to unlearn the poor habits that are pulling you out of shape. Until you can change these, nothing you do, whether through trying to 'do it', or corrective exercises, will have a limited effect.
Learning the Alexander Technique will show you how to make small changes that can make huge differences. You will first discover what you may be doing to cause poor posture, then learn to use strategies to change them. It requires no exercises, or setting time aside to practice, you simply apply the method while performing your daily routine.
If you'd like to try an introductory session please contact me today.