Posture does not improve by trying harder

Do you think your posture is bad? Have you tried a course of posture exercises to correct it? Most people would say they feel like their posture could use some improvement, but why does it get worse and what’s 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 television. In these situations, you are not using your muscles as nature originally intended. Parts of your body get overworked, like your neck and shoulders, while others get 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 supporting reflexes.

Your body has built-in postural reflexes to coordinate muscle activity for support and movement. If your posture has deteriorated, these reflexes may not be working properly. Stress may be causing your neck to stiffen and your shoulders to tense. These actions will override your natural balance and movement mechanisms. 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 in 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 the 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 up properly it won’t improve your posture, it will only increase stress on your muscles and joints. Instead of trying to stand and sit the way you think is right, you can learn to eliminate 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 performers. Think of Muhammad Ali or Fred Astaire in his 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 the tension from your body and appreciating the push you receive from the ground. When you are on top of the world and walk with a light step, you are balanced. When you can sit at your desk and feel no strain in your neck, shoulders, and back, you’re ready. Trying to improve your posture by trying harder will take you further away from your natural balanced state. So don’t try, let whatever is below you push you up and think about letting go to sit, stand and walk taller and you’ll be on your way back to balance.