Straighten Up

By: Wendy Lubell

Do you remember your mom saying, “Stand up straight your slouching?” Mom knew what she was talking about so why is it that we have ignored her advice? Look around you at the gym and you will see: rounded shoulders, locked knees, protruded necks, convex backs and stomachs that hang out. It is crucial to carry yourself with correct posture to: prevent injuries, increase your energy and look better and feel more confident.

All too often in the gym, we focus on the specific body part we are lifting and forget that the body is a connected system. Follow these steps below to ensure a healthy posture throughout the day and while performing any exercise.

Proper Posture

• Stand or sit with your feet evenly planted on the ground (balanced between the front/back and side to side)
• Do not lock your knees – keep them loose so the bulk of your weight is on your quads not lower back
• Scoop your abs – down, back and in to protect your back
• Imagine your spine is a rod (it is straight)
• Round your shoulders back and stick your chest out
• Keep your chin parallel to the ground
• Imagine a balloon is attached to your head and is pulling you upward

Put these all together and you will stand straight, elevate pressure on your back and ultimately feel better.

At first you may feel strange carrying yourself this way but with practice it will become more normal. You will also be activating muscles that you haven’t used in a while so you may feel a slight tiredness like you’ve just completed a workout. As a Taoist saying goes: be supple like an infant, flexible like a snake and flow like a river.