Tired of Slouching? Stop policing your posture and finally learn how to maintain it comfortably.
Do you still use pen and paper these days? This week, I'm offering tips on how not to slouch when you're writing.
In today's Power Pause video, you'll learn:
How to keep your wrist and shoulder from getting tense.
The best way to bend over a desk
How to look down at your paper without slumping
Want to learn more? Check out my free training or learn about individual sessions and classes.
These days there's a "secret" to everything...especially stuff that we can click on.
At the risk of sounding cliché, I’m going to share with you a well-kept "secret" to better standing posture.
What I mean is that there is an aspect to standing posture that often goes unnoticed, so much so that it could be considered a "secret", known only by a select few!
Once you see it, it's hard not to see and it will change how you think about posture and what it means to stand straight.
If you'd like to be enlightened on the standing secret, please click here (yes there is a click) the video above to see my demonstration in my latest Power Pause video: The Standing Secret - Better Posture When You're on Your Feet.
In this video, you'll learn:
Why slouchy shoulders probably are not the cause of your poor posture
How the most common way that people try to fix how they're standing actually makes it worse
Two simple things you can do that really help you stand taller
Want to learn more? Check out my free training or learn about individual sessions and classes.
Is there a kid in your life who just keeps slouching despite being reminded to sit up straight?
Odds are that they try for a few seconds, get uncomfortable, and then go back to slouching.
So, what’s the solution?
In this week’s video, my 16-year-old daughter and I demonstrate:
The problem with the usual way that most kids (and people in general) try to fix their posture
Some simple steps you can take to help a kid sit taller, with less strain, at their desk or kitchen table…and it doesn’t mean sitting bolt upright and being uncomfortable.
Want to learn more? I’ve got two online workshops coming up, one for parents and one for teens! Sign up for both and get a discount!
Whether you have a dog or you sometimes walk a neighbor's pooch, here are some tips to address some common dog-walking posture issues!
I like to think my dog, Millie, is relatively well-behaved, but then there are squirrels...and blowing leaves...she's only about 15lbs, but she can pull pretty hard.
People often ask me what they should do when the dog pulls so that they don't mess up their posture or hurt themselves.
In today's video, I…
offer suggestions from the human end of the leash, namely how to protect your shoulders and back when your dog isn't heeling perfectly.
demonstrate 2 common posture mishaps that occur when the dog pulls.
show you strategies to avoid these issues.
The common theme of each Power Pause video is how to pause in order to become more conscious of your habits and make different movement and postural choices.
Do you have a habit of crossing your legs and are you wondering if it’s bad for your posture? It may be, but there are ways of crossing your legs that don’t have to make you slouch. Here’s what I demonstrate in the video:
Common ways that people slouch or stiffen when crossing their legs
How to cross your legs the usual way while staying tall and relaxed
Alternative ways to cross your legs.
The common theme of each Power Pause video is how to pause in order to become more conscious of your habits and make different movement and postural choices.
Want to learn more? Check out my free training as well as my 1:1 sessions and classes in the menu above.
If you ever find yourself slouching over the cutting board, check out this week's Power Pause video!
Slouching while chopping veggies isn't inevitable!
In the video, I demonstrate
Two common ways that people slouch at the kitchen counter
Two adjustments you can make to avoid slouching over
How to avoid over-correcting
The common theme of each Power Pause video is how to pause in order to become more conscious of your habits and make different movement and postural choices.
Want to learn more? Check out my free training as well as my 1:1 sessions and classes in the menu above.
Do you work from home some of the time...or all of the time?
If you've had trouble optimizing your home for good posture while you work, then this week's Power Pause video is for you!
Sometimes a small (and easy) adjustment can make a BIG difference in how your neck, back, and shoulders feel...and it doesn't necessarily mean buying anything fancy.
The first step, of course, is to PAUSE and take a look at your work set-up. Use my video to help you evaluate what's serving you and what isn't. I'll show you how I use all sorts of not fancy stuff around the house (pillows, old year books, and extra keyboard) to make things a lot better.
In the video, I talk about...
Improving your set-up at the kitchen or dining room table
What types of seating to avoid
Optimizing how you sit on the couch with your laptop
The benefits of having multiple work space.
The common theme of each Power Pause video is how to pause in order to become more conscious of your habits and make different movement and postural choices.
Want to learn more? Check out my free training as well as my 1:1 sessions and classes in the menu above.
Hi there! Do you ever feel slouched or stiff from reading?
I invite you to pause before you fix your posture and the old way and check out this video for some new tips to try out next time you curl up with a book.
In the video, I talk about...
Sitting or lounging with a book/tablet on a couch, bed, or chair
Getting both yourself and your book/device in balance (pillows are your best friend)
How to look down at what your reading without straining your neck, back, and shoulders
The common theme of each Power Pause video is how to pause in order to become mor
Check out the the video below. If you’re interested in working with me, refer to the menu above to learn about lessons and classes. You can also access my free training here.
This video offers tips on reading with good posture.
Hi there! Today's posture tip them is sitting down...specifically sitting down...not just sitting.
Sitting can occur in many contexts and each one could be it's own subtopic (stay tuned for future videos!)
...But no matter where we sit, we have to get to the seat. Meaning we're often standing first and then we sit down. In that moment of changing position, there's an opportunity to reset your posture for better or worse. If you're mindful of how you move through that journey, you may find you have better posture when you reach your destination (ie. the chair).
In the video, I talk about...
The pitfalls (pun intended) of plopping into a seat
One quick cue you can give yourself to keep your posture balanced as you sit
How to avoid slouching as your bottom hits the chair
The common theme of each Power Pause video is how to pause in order to become more conscious of your habits and make different movement and postural choices.
Check out the video below and learn more about my 1:1 sessions and group classes in the menu above.
Bonjour from the French countryside where there are lots of sheep, donkeys, and other 4-legged creatures walking around.
This week's video is about how we as 2-legged beings can walk and not mess up our posture.
The first "step" to better walking actually isn't about how you step. It has to do with what is unique to us bi-pedal folk...
Our heads are on top of our bodies, they're heavy, and they have a major influence on our posture when we walk.
In the video, I talk about...
Common ways that heads get in the way of good walking
Simple tips for keeping your head balanced and your eyes looking ahead.
Benefits of sensing the ground.
The common theme of each Power Pause video is how to pause in order to become more conscious of your habits and make different movement and postural choices.
Check out the walking video below and learn more about my classes and 1:1 sessions in the menu above if you’d like to learn more!
Hi there! As I mentioned last week, I've started a new video series. Each week I'm posting a short video with a tip on improving posture, focusing on an activity or theme. This week's Poise Geeks Power Pause video is on a topic that I get a lot of questions about -- posture and sleep!
In the video, I talk about...
Side-sleeping vs. sleeping on your back
How to avoid scrunching
Tip for resetting your mind and body so you feel less tense and more ready to sleep.
The common theme of each video is how to pause in order to become more conscious of your habits and make different movement and postural choices.
I've started a weekly video series called Poise Geeks Power Pause, each one including a posture tip on a different topic.
The topic of this week's video is posture while using your smartphone and it covers...
How to move your head so that you don't end up slumping your shoulders
What level to hold the phone at
A quick sequence you can do to reset how you're positioning yourself to look at the phone
The common theme of each video is how to pause in order to become more conscious of your habits and make different movement and postural choices.
Hi there! I don't know about you, but for me, during the winter I become particularly aware of how bulky coats and scarves affect my posture and movement. In addition to heavy winter wear, there are many articles of clothing (worn in all seasons) that can affect how tall we stand and how well we move.
Just like you might adjust your desk set-up so that it supports good posture, you can consider the clothes you wear in this regard in this regard as well.
Here are some common effects of clothing on posture.
Use this guide to help you to become more conscious of how you feel in your clothes, in addition to how they look. Odds are that if you feel good, stand tall, and move well in what you wear, you'll look good too!
Waistlines
First of all, try to avoid wearing pants, shorts, or skirts that are too tight around the waist as they might restrict your breathing and prevent your core muscles from activating properly.
A waistline that's at the waist might also make you feel like you should bend from the waist. Making a habit of bending lower down (from your hip joints) is actually better for your posture.
Practicing feeling your hip joints with your hands and bending from them can help you clarify where to bend (it's where the hip creases when you march). Overall, improving your body awareness (in this case, sensing where your hip joints are) can help you override whatever restrictions or signals your clothing is giving you.
Neckware
Clothing or jewelry that goes around the neck can encourage head forward posture. Even slight pressure on the back of the neck might unconsciously lead to a slight drop of the neck, and in turn the head. Examples of neckware that may trigger this issue are bulky scarves, heavy necklaces and halter tops.
Footwear
This is a pretty vast topic, but here are some general tips...if your shoes are too short or tight and your toes can't spread out, you have less of a solid base to stand on and this can lead tension higher up in the body. If you have to wear restrictive shoes, make sure to also spend time in roomier shoes or walk around barefoot at home.
You may think of dress shoes as being restrictive, but athletic shoes can also impede proper foot function. I wear Altra shoes for running because the front of the shoe is shaped like the forefoot. Most sneakers are pointed in the front, which is not the actual shape of the foot.
Tights and socks can also restrict the feet, particularly if they prevent the toes from extending fully. This is an easy one to fix! You could go a size up on the socks or tights or purchase some with a wide toe box. Or you try socks that fit each toe individually!
Footwear that is too tight is the most common problem, but wearing shoes that are too big isn't good either. If the shoes flop around or are very heavy, it can impact your gait, and in turn, your posture.
Bras
I think this one takes the cake. The band of a bra goes around the ribcage and when you breath, your ribs should be able to expand in all directions (like inflating a balloon). A bra that's too tight around the ribs can prevent this expansion that is crucial for both breathing and posture. Usually people respond to the tight bra by lifting the chest and breathing high up in front, with little to no expansion in the back or sides of the ribs.
This breathing pattern also creates a "leaning backward" effect that can cause imbalances elsewhere (ie. the shoulders, pelvis, and feet).
The too-tight bras I encounter most frequently are sports bras. I suggest getting fitted for your bras or when shopping on your own take a size up into the changing room with you.
This issue can be self-fulfilling since if you are accustomed to tight ribs and shallow breathing, it might be hard to notice if a bra is too small around the ribcage unless you are really paying attention.
Dressing Up vs. Dressing Down
Do you feel like your posture is better when you dress up for work or an event or when you wear casual clothes, sweats, or PJs? I don't have a rule to provide here, but this is simply something you could observe.
Sometimes people feel slouchy in more casual clothes and dressing up a bit makes them pay more attention to how they are holding their bodies. On the other hand, casual or loose clothing may feel less restrictive.
The bottom line is that the more aware you are of your body, the easier it is to tell how clothing is affecting your posture.
Interested in learning more? Check out my free video training or check out the offerings tabe above.
You've probably heard that better posture can improve your health and wellbeing, but you might not be so sure what aspects of health posture affects. Also, how can you know that you are changing your posture correctly?
There are a lot of quick fix suggestions and devices out there, but if you don't feel better (or if you feel worse) when you implement them, are you actually getting the proposed health benefits? If you've asked yourself these questions, you're right to be skeptical.
I'm going to share with you what the effects of poor posture has on several aspects of health, according to research. I'll also offer some suggestions for how to improve your posture in a healthy way.
Cardiovascular Health
Several studies of both women and men have demonstrated that loss of height when aging can lead to increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
One study of over 4,000 men showed "marked height loss (> or = 3 cm) in older men is independently associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality and coronary heart disease."
Another study of over 2,400 women identified "the hazard of Cardiovascular Disease mortality is increased in women with height loss during middle age, and the results suggest that the strongest cause-specific endpoint may be stroke mortality."
Several factors can contribute to height loss with aging, including reduced bone density.
Posture is just aspect of height change, but it's one that you can have some control over.
Also, postural education can help you to become mindful of your posture and form when you exercise and to continue to do it safely as you age. Fear of pain or injury often leads people to avoid movement and weight-bearing exercise that is often recommended for keeping bones strong.
Blood Pressure
Have you heard of "tech neck"? Try focusing on something intently on your computer screen. You may feel muscles in your neck tighten up as you lurch toward the screen, even if the actual movment is small. Often people spend hours in this tense focused position.
In a study on cardiovascular health as it is affected by isometric neck muscule contractions, it is demonstrated that a tense neck can significantly raise blood pressure and heart rate. (Isomentric contraction basically means that the muscle is contracting to hold a position, ie. not contracting in order to move.)
"There was an average 40% increase in the systolic blood pressure, an average 50% increase in the diastolic blood pressure, and an average 45% increase in the heart rate from resting" to the end of a fatiguing sustained contraction of the neck muscles.
The problem here is that people get stuck in tense state. They get used to it and it feels normal. Try setting an alarm for every 15 mintues to remind yourself to reset your posture. Check out my audio gude for sitting to help you along. If you'd like some targeted individual help, consider taking a session with me (info below).
Breathing
Another study demonstrated the affect of head-neck postures on respiratory function...the type of "forward head" postures that are typcially maintained when using computers, playing video games, and texting.
The results "found that alteration of the head-neck position had an immediate effect on respiratory function characterized by reduced diaphragm strength. This indicates the huge impact the head position can have on physio-mechanical function of the respiratory system. Sustaining poor ergonomic postures while using computers, TV, video games, mobile technologies, etc. for a prolonged period of time can lead to development of [forward head posture]".
The study also demonstrates the connection between proper functioning of the diaphragm and maintaining core strength. If you want to improve your core strength, work on your overall posture and breathing. Don't hold your belly in as this "quick fix" will further restrict your breathing and make your posture worse.
Stress and Mood
Posture isn't just physical. It affects our well-being.
Research on posture as it relates to stress and mood demonstrates that "upright participants reported higher self-esteem, more arousal, better mood, and lower fear, compared to slumped participants." They felt better and had more energy.
What can we learn from this? If you have a big meeting or speech to give or you simply want to feel your best at a social gathering, don't spend the day glued to your phone. Stay active and if you have to look at a screen, be mindful of how you're sitting.
Back and Neck Pain
Aches and pains may be the more obvious and well-known effects of sustained poor posture that research demonstrates as well. The benifits of Alexander Technique lessons in relation both back and neck pain have also been reserched! A 2008 randomized study published in The British Medical Journal demonstrated an 85% reduction in back pain up to one year later among participants who took Alexander Technique lessons alone and who combine Alexander Technique lessons with exercise.
Another study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine demonstrated that lessons in The Alexander Technique lead to significant reduction in neck pain. You can view the summary of this study and other research on benefits of The Alexander Technique here.
Want to learn more about how to improve your posture in a way that feels good and is manageable and sustainable? Would you like your specific concerns addressed rather than cookie-cutter advice?
Think about taking a session with me. I'm currently available 1:1 on Zoom, in person in Montreal, and from Feb. 2-6 I'll be available in person in New York City. Check out details below.
Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash
Sure, sitting at your computer can negatively affect your posture. So can over correcting, but today I want to talk about another trigger for poor posture and back pain--
Culture.
What I mean by "culture" is the movements we are exposed to, body language that we observe, and how we present ourselves.
One area that a lot of people tend to have culturally-influenced habits around are the hips, or more accurately, the pelvis.
If we just talk about walking for a moment, the pelvis should move as you walk and in multiple directions - up, down, side to side, as well as rotational movement. Our shoulders/upper torsos move similarly, but in opposition to the pelvis.
Movement of the pelvis gives length to your stride and creates a cross-pattern through the body, which helps keep you upright and activate your core. If your pelvis is locked, it might be preventing your upper body from moving as well.
In my generation in the culture that I grew up in, many more young girls took dance classes than boys. I understood that my hips could move in variety of ways because we practiced that directly and it was inherent in many of the moves we learned.
My husband never took dance classes as a kid, but he played a lot of ice hockey and basically learned how to think of his body as a wall ready to meet whatever was coming at him. He's taken some time to get his brain to access how his hips can move.
But this isn't all about dance and what sports we engaged in after school. Our choices about how we position our bodies and move can be influenced by what is modeled for us.
It could be like the cool way to stand in high school, what we perceive as feminine or masculine body language, or ways we've learned to either take up or shrink our physical space.
Some of my male clients have described that allowing their hips to move feels culturally unfamiliar....like "Hmm, I understand why this is better for my back, but for some reason I feel like I shouldn't be moving this way."
And by "this way", I mean allowing for very subtle and natural movement of the pelvis when walking. Nothing Elvis about it...but because we often feel like a new position or movement is the polar opposite of we're used to, it may feel exaggerated at first.
Women have also told me that they have stopped their hips from moving side to side or either tucked or lifted the back of the pelvis to try to make their bodies look a certain shape or to hide their shape. These types of habits can cause compensation in other areas that may lead to back pain.
Do a little experiment on your own and see if you can sense if your hips move as you walk or if they tend to stay locked in one place. If you do feel some movement, what direction do they move in? Up and down, side to side? Do they rotate?
Are you intentionally preventing your hips from moving? If so, how does that feel? Tense or relaxed? What happens if you stop holding your pelvis still?
Answering these questions can help you start the kind of observational inquiry that's crucial for changing posture. Use the examples I've given as food for thought. Your discoveries may be different from my examples or you may not be sure if your hips are moving. The way you move may just feel "normal" and it can take some guidance and improved body awareness to sort it out.
And the bottom line is (no pun intended), if your pelvis doesn't move when you move, for whatever reason (including past injury or how you sit at your desk), this could be a source of back, neck, and shoulder strain and pain.
Want to find out if you are restricting movement of your pelvis? This is one of the topics covered in my classes.
If you're a beginner, I highly recommend taking an online intro group class series. These classes are small and everyone gets individual work. A series of individual online or in person sessions is also a great way to begin and you can start by taking just one to see if it's a good fit for you.
Have you ever come inside on a cold day and washed your hands in water that was luke-warm, but to your chilled hands, felt uncomfortably hot?
Changing long-held physical habits like your posture can be similar. More often than not, when someone is standing straighter, they feel like they're either slouching or leaning forward...
(Looks like the photo above on the left/top. Feels like the one on the right/bottom.)
But this feeling doesn't reflect reality.
When I tell my clients they are actually standing straighter, they usually don't believe me, but then they take a look in the mirror, or we take a photo and they can plainly see that they are, in fact, not slouching or leaning.
In group classes, there's the fun of not only experiencing this kinesthetic confusion yourself, but observing that it's not just you who's confused. You can plainly see that your fellow participants are standing straight even though they are sure they must be slouching or tipping forward.
So how could you feel like you're slouching or leaning when you're not?
I try not to use too many technical terms when I talk about posture, but I'll use one this time -- and it's a fun one. The reason for this disconnect between what you see and what you sense has to do with your proprioception.
Proprioception is a very concrete (ie. not supernatural) sixth sense that simply means sensing yourself. It's not your sense of touch, but rather your sense of where you are in space -- the space your body parts take up and where they are in relation to one another. It also has to do with your sense of balance and how much effort you need to do things.
It's how you can easily touch the tip of your nose with your eyes closed or how you know where your hand is when reaching behind your back -- and it's the sense that gets impaired if you've a had a few glasses of wine.
Odds are that your proprioception works just fine, but that it's become misguided -- like a compass that's not pointing north. It's functioning, but it keeps guiding you in the wrong direction every time you try to correct your posture because your brain is simply used to the habits you've developed.
If you're constantly overcorrecting your posture by lifting up your chest, you might have gotten used to this way of standing and it might be the sensation that you associate with standing straight -- but it's not actually straight, it's leaning back -- which is why standing straight feels like slouching forward.
Practice the new way and standing straight and it will eventually start to feel like standing straight.
Many postural issues are improved by working on your proprioception. For example, most people move their head and neck as if they are glued together, but your neck likely goes up much higher than you think it does (all the way up between your ears).
Our perception of the size and shape of the head, location of the hip and knee joints, and awareness of our shoulder blades also have a significant impact on our posture and how we move.
Proprioception just is a fancier and more precise way to talk about body awareness and it's something that can be refined and improved.
Many people who give up on having better posture or who blame it on genetics may not realize that honing their sense of proprioception is the key to improving.
Before I learned that, I thought that the problem was me, that I'd tried and failed. I wasn't even looking for a solution because I didn't realize that there was more I could do to improve. I didn't know I had a sense of proprioception. Like most people, I thought my posture had to do with how I held my shoulders.
Fortunately, an Alexander Technique class was a requirement for my major in college -- the solution found me! And the side effect was that I stood straighter and stopped slouching.
So, why does straighter often feel like slouching at first? If you are tilting back and don't realize it (as most people are) standing straight will be forward of where your body is usually settling.
The forward feeling is only relative to the habit of leaning back...just like the warm water on cold hands feeling hot, but just like the water eventually feels cooler as your hands warm up, you get use to standing, sitting, and moving with better alignment -- so you're actually training your brain -- via your body -- to give you correct information about your posture.
Simple movement to practice to help you sit straigther without getting tired.
Trying to holding yourself up, I mean the old way of fixing posture -- lifting the chest and pulling the shoulders back...
...is kind of like this...
Let's say you've been feeling like a couch potato and then decide enough is enough...so you go out and run as hard as you can for as long as you can until you have no choice but to stop and then you feel sore, run down, and then you draw the conclusion that you aren't good at maintaining an exercise routine.
That wouldn't really make sense right? Logically, you might need to work up to it, improve your fitness a bit at a time.
Thinking that you can go from slouching to effortlessly sitting or standing upright is pretty much the same logic. To sit up straight without getting tired, you need to be fit to sit.
You need postural tone, which you might not develop at the gym, but you can develop if you change how your sit as well as your posture as you move throughout the day. Old habits like pulling the shoulders back and sucking the belly in actually interfere with good postural tone.
So now you might be wondering what the magic exercise is to fix this...
But there's not just an exercise or a muscle you can strenghthen and, poof, good posture!
Often people go to the gym thinking that they are going to work the core so that they can finally sit up straight at their desk and not be all slouchy at a meeting -- but then find that what their doing at the gym doesn't necessarily translate to posture at the office.
That's because it's not just about doing exercises. You actually have to relearn how to sit and practice it...and how to do it might surprise you...and people usually find it FUN!
Why fun? Because not only make the right adjustments, but being more connected to your body, breathe, better an yes, have more energy and feel less tired...
But start with this...the chair or cushion (or whatever you sit) on is your "gym" for sitting! Check out the video above for a simple movement to practice to help you acheive more balanced posture in your chair.
Discover more than just sitting exercises – unlock the secret to effortless posture. Join our Free Training 'The Hidden Reason Why You Struggle To Fix Your Posture' and transform the way you sit, stand, and move every day.
Have you every wondered why cats and other animals don't slouch?
What is it about slouching that is so human?
Here are a few thoughts on this topic as I try to take a photo of Seymour using my laptop. I thought he might write this email for me, but he had no interest as you can see by his facial expression above...
...which brings us to...
Why Cats Don't Slouch
Reason # 1: Cats have no interest in computers.
Or at least not for the reasons we do. They do seem to like to sit on keyboards when humans are wasting potential cuddling time typing away on them.
Seriously though. Cats genuninly don't seem to want to do things that get them all in their heads!
One of the reasons that people get stuck in a slump is that we get involved in intellectual pursuits while totally ignoring their bodies...which are still along for the ride and get unconsiously tied up in habit! This usually starts in classrooms and continues in offices.
Reason #2: A cat's body isn't built for slouching.
Any four-legged animal has all of it's anatomy behind it's eyes. It sees where it wants to go and it's head, neck, and the rest of it's body follow it's eyes without a glitch.
When humans are sitting or standing, most of our bodies are under our eyes and it's very easy for the eyes to pull our heads and/or necks ahead of us at the expense of the the shoulders, torso, and legs.
Think about how you might move forward to walk if you were in a rush or if you're struggling with something on your computer. You'd probably feel your face push forward, leaving the rest of the body trailing slightly behind.
This is physically what happens when we "get ahead of ourselves".
The cat doesn't have to stay upright while it looks and moves forward. It just follows it's eyes.
Reason #3: Generally a cat will get stressed only when it senses danger.
Seymour can be a bit overreactive to loud sounds, but I've never seen him look stressed because a web page was loading too slowly or because he had an appointment to get to and the bus was stuck in traffic.
There's something called a startle response, which is seen in both humans and four-legged creatures. It involves pulling the head back and down and pushing the neck slightly forward. It typically feels like simply pushing the face forward, but is actually more complex.
To get a quick sense of what I mean, think about what you'd do if you thought someone was going to pop a balloon. You might do something similar when your email won't load or you're struggling to see something on your phone.
This movement creates a lot of tension in the body, restricts breathing, and ultimately leads to slumped or tense shoulders...very useful in order to remain still and undetected if there's a predator in the area, but humans get in to this state for all sorts of reasons such as:
iphone is glitching
Can't find keys
Kids are making noise
No milk in the fridge
Work deadline in 2 hours
Someone said something that you disagreed with and you should have said something back (thoughts turning around in head).
This startle response can become a way of life, not simply a recation to something unpleasant. I can become just what your body does when you start to walk, talk, read, or lift something and it has a huge impact on your posture...and some poeple are stuck in it all the time.
Unless you manage to find some Polyjuice Potion (Harry Potter reference), you will likely retain your human mind and form.
That said, your presence in your body, reactions, and general state of tension is what you can have quite a bit of influence over. Many people are unaware of this because they have only tried to fix these issues on the surface.
In my classes, we look at the root cause and work on improving you body awareness so that you can create new habits.
It can be really fun and eye-opening! These changes can help you feel more relaxed, calm, confident, and allow you to project confidence.
Want to learn more? Click here to learn more about my classes for women. Click here to read more about classes for everyone.
Do you ever enter into a room feeling a bit slouchy? One of the factors that can affect how you take up your space is literally how you walk into the room and walking habits aren't always conscious.
Also, the #1 postural issue that I see when people walk may not be what you think.
Most people, even if they slouch and roll their shoulders forward, tend to lean backwards in order to take a step. By "lean back", I meant tip the upper body back and arching the lower back or sitting into the hips. To compound matters, efforts to lift the chest and "straighten up" compound the problem and actually cause more backwards leaning.
Many people habitually lean back when they stand without realizing it and when they walk they lean back even more. Leaning back then becomes associated with transfering weight from one foot to another to take a step.
With so much focus on posture being centered around the shoulders, what's often missed is the impact of the rest of the body on how you stand and move and being able to sense what's actually going on.
One of the first things I teach in my classes is how you can practice sensing better, so that you know what your body is doing and how to correct it.
Here's a compare and contrast exercise that you can try with your walking to help you sense how you walk and to help you walk a little taller.
You can try this in an indoor or outdoor space. Just make sure you have a little room.
Start by making sure you are looking out and staying present, not dropping your head, as that will immediately affect your gait.
Next walk around and notice the feeling of each foot as it comes forward and lands on the ground. Do this for about 30 seconds or so. Don't actively try to do anyting. Just notice the feeling of focusing on that part of your gait.
Next, switch your focus to sensing each leg as it moves back and straightens. Again, simply sense it. Don't try and manipulate your walk.
You could try each version a few times and notice if anything feels different.
Focusing on the legs in the "going back" phase is often the subtle cue that is needed to help people stay more upright and avoid leaning backwards.
Why?
Because the leaning back is a response to reaching the foot way out in front of you. Try exaggerating that, and I expect you'll feel that you lean back. If you're not sure, look in a mirror.
Your gait involves your feet moving behind you as much as it's about putting your feet in front of you, but we get so front-focused when we rush around, that we often overdo the forward part with the legs, which makes the upper body tip back to counter-balance.
In running, this is called overstriding, but it happens just as easily with walking.
As for the shoulders --I often say how much the head and neck affect them, but how you coordinate what's under the shoulders also impacts how easily you can keep them relaxed and balanced.
The walking pattern I described doesn't apply to everyone, but it applies to most people. Try the exercise above and see what you observe and if anything changes.
And think about it next time you walk into a room for a meeting. Do you feel a little taller and more present? Even if it's a Zoom meeting, you could take a walk to your kitchen and back and think about your walking as you approach your desk.
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Do you ever find that when you talk in front of people (like in groups, meetings, or giving a presentation) that your voice feels strained or you feel like you're constantly running out of air?
It can be hard to feel and project confidence when you're straining to speak.
So why does this happen?
People are often surprised to learn that the Alexander Technique was developed to solve a vocal problem. The technique is about making physical changes. What does that have to do your voice?
Well, your voice comes from your body. Your physical state (ie. posture and breathing) are the main factors that affect the quaility of your voice.
What I think can get confusing for people is that they think that need to do something directly to their voice to fix it. Vocal exercises are great and I do teach some of them in my clasess, but simply doing the exercises doesn't necessarily solve the problem of getting choked up or hoarse when you want to come across well and be heard.
The problem actually begins before any speaking even occurs. It happens in the moments just before you speak and has more to do with your thinking/emotions, breathing, and posture. I'll break this down for you.
Thinking and Emotions:
Perhaps you're nervous about being on the spot or how others will respond to your ideas.
Or you may not be nervous, but maybe (let's say in a group conversation) you're rushing to jump in to have your turn to speak or avoid being interrupted
Or...you might be thinking of what you're going to say and trying really hard to hold onto that idea to get it right.
Breathing:
You take in a giant breath (and hold it) to try to hold your thought or make it clear that you're about to speak. Then when you speak, you're still partially holding your breath.
Or your breathing becomes shallow as a result of feeling self-conscious. You feel like you have less room to breathe.
Posture:
Your breathing habits can affect your posture and vice versa.
If your posture is slouched or stiff, this will interfere with your breathing. You may find that you strain to speak simply because of poor everyday posture (at the computer and such.)
Your breathing and voice may also be impacted if you have the common habit of over-correcting your posture.
The bottom line? Breathing affects posture and posture affects breathing. Thinking affects both posture and breathing. They ALL affect the voice because if your breathing is restricted, you'll strain to speak.
As an exploration, see if you can notice any changes in your posture or breathing in the moments before you speak? If you do notice, see if those habits always occur when you speak, or only in certain contexts.
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The first step to good posture is to stop standing up straight. Learn to maintain comfortable, good posture with the Alexander Technique.
Lessons and classes in New York City with AmSAT Certified Alexander Technique Instructor, Lindsay Newitter.
Reduce back, neck and shoulder pain, sit more comfortably at your desk and learn to use technology without pain, feel more confident, stay fit without injury, lessen the effects of scoliosis, manage stress, avoid pregnancy related strain, and improve your well-being in general.
The information on this website should not be relied upon as an alternative to medical advice. If you have any specific questions about any medical matter you should consult an appropriately qualified professional.
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