Perfect Posture – The Yoga Way

Posture is body language, an asana (pose) that tells the rest of the world how you feel – about others, about your life, about yourself. Posture is personality.

So what does your posture say? Are you slouching, facedown on the world? Do you walk with a resigned, round-shouldered look on life? Is your back so straight that people think you are unbendable? Or do you strut, head up, back straight, like a peacock – adventurous, outgoing, ready to meet all challenges?

Maybe your posture isn’t an intentional stance, but the simple result of bad habit. Even so, it can give people the wrong message.

Good posture is practical for other reasons, too. It’s the perfect way to prevent backaches. Your backbone – 33 bony segments called vertebrae – is your body’s foundation. The vertebrae column is what enables you to stand upright. It surrounds and protects your spinal cord, and it is where muscles and ligaments attach to your back. It works as a weight bearer, yet allow flexibility in movement, so you don’t walk stiffly, like a zombie.

Muscles are the key to good posture. Back muscles in proper working order support the spine from the rear. Stomach muscles help to support the spine from the front.

Poor posture wears against the disc – the shock absorbers – in your spine. Poor posture strains and loosens ligaments and it pushes and pulls unevenly on all your muscles. A lifetime of slouching can cause chronic headaches, fatigue and sometimes body disfigurements. Here’s how to make your posture perfect.

Start each day in balance. Begin each day by putting your skeleton in alignment, basic stretches to help you find proper balance. Full extension of the spine, side flexion, hyperextension of the spine (forward bend) and reverse forward flexion of the spine (roll up) – part of warm up in all my hatha classes.

Tadasana (Mountain pose). Relax and practice standing up straight, not the stiff military posture. Distribute your weight evenly on both feet, shoulder away from the ears, hold your chest high, stomach will pull in naturally as you tilt you’re lowering pelvis slightly back. Notice that your buttocks will tuck under and lower lumber will have a very slight arch.

Release tension in the shoulder and neck. Release the tension with shoulder rolls and head circles – warm up in my theraphy yoga classes.

Tilt your pelvis. You can adjust and strengthen the lower lumber with ‘pranayama’ (breathing exercise). Standing too straight without ‘tiny little’ curve called flat back and too much curve called lordosis.

Slouch no more. Stand or sit with both arms at the back, clasp your hands and away from the back as far as possible. This will stretching muscles across your chest, pinching shoulder blades together and contracting those in the back.

Uncross your legs. Crossed leg will throw your body out of alignment. A good hairstylist or barber will tell you to uncross your legs before they cut your hair – they do not want their work to come out lopsided. Keep both feet flat on the floor.

Sit squarely. Sit up straight until you can feel the ‘sitting bones’ firmly on the chair or mat, when you cant feel those bones, you’ve probably rolled down in your seat and are slumping.

Keep your distance. Don’t be tempted to lean your arms and elbow on your desk or table. Sit 6 to 8 inches away from it when you aren’t working – too far to succumb to sound-shouldered posture.

Get good sleep. Sleeping on your stomach is the worst thing you can do because it accentuates the curve in your back. Choose a mattress firm enough to keep you from sinking into it when you lie down and you and your partner do not roll together in the middle!

Keep in tone. Stretch your muscles daily; posture is only as good as the muscles that keep you in line. Keep your muscles strong.

Get maximum relief. At the end of the day, rest your back and improve your posture at the same time. Viparita Karani – lie on the mat with both legs up against the wall.