Do you think your posture is bad? Have you tried a course of posture exercises to correct it? Most people would say that they feel like their posture could improve, but why is it getting worse and what is the best way to improve it?
Modern life means that we are probably not as active as previous generations. We spend long hours sitting at desks, in cars, or when relaxing, slumped in front of the TV. In these situations, you are not using your muscles as nature originally intended. Parts of your body become overworked, such as your neck and shoulders, while others become weak, invariably your lower back. Poor posture has been recognized as a health factor for many years, which has led to the development of posture exercises to correct it.
However, this approach can be misguided as targeting specific muscles to improve posture could affect your body’s natural supportive reflexes.
Your body has built-in postural reflexes to coordinate muscle activity for support and movement. If your posture has deteriorated, it is likely that these reflexes are not working properly. Stress may be causing your neck to stiffen and your shoulders to tighten. These actions will override your natural mechanisms of balance and movement. Constant inappropriate use of these muscles will eventually corrupt the way you move. It becomes a catch-22 problem. The more you move in a poor way, the better you will move this way until you feel good.
While I appreciate the popularity of exercises to improve posture, including core stability routines, I believe they put unnecessary stress on the body. Should we work our core muscles individually to keep our body upright? Did nature think this was the best way to stand?
In my role as an Alexander Technique teacher I see many people who suffer as a result of poor posture. I also see many who are suffering as a result of your attempts to correct it! Adding a little extra tension to stand properly it will not improve your posture, it will only increase the stress on your muscles and joints. Instead of trying to stand and sit the way you think is correct, you can learn to remove unnecessary stress on your body and allow your postural reflexes to work as nature intended.
So forget about posture and learn about balance.
Poise is a lost skill of our youth. When you have balance, you use much less effort and your body is easily supported, allowing you to move, breathe, and function more freely. Poise is evident in the best athletes and artists. Think of Muhammad Ali or Fred Astaire in their prime and that gives you a great example of freedom of movement. I doubt they used exercises to improve their posture!
Balance can only be restored by first removing tension from your body and appreciating the push you receive from the ground. When you are on top of the world and you walk with a light step, you are balanced. When you can sit at your desk and feel no strain on your neck, shoulders, and back, you’re ready. Trying to improve your posture by pushing yourself further will take you further away from your natural balanced state. So don’t try, let whatever is below you push up and think about letting go to sit, stand and walk taller and you will be on your way back to balance.