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How important is posture to you during your workouts?

I have found that focusing on posture is the greatest way to ensure good to great form, regardless of the exercise that you are performing.

More importantly, good posture speaks volumes to the world about your self worth.  Nothing screams success like good posture.  It is something that everyone notices.   Poor posture speaks just as loud but in the opposite direction. 

Personal story: there have been many times throughout my life where I have been in stores and I am invariably approached by a customer for they think I work there.  On one occasion I asked “Why do you think that I work here?”  He answered, “Its how you walk, its very confident.”

Take the time to examine your own posture.  Are you standing straight?  Is your head forward?  Are your shoulders raised? (I bet they are)  Is your neck tight? 

Step 1 – How to Change Your Posture

Find a quiet place where you know you will not be disturbed. 

1. In a standing position with your feet bare, close your eyes and begin to breathe through your nose.
2. Focus on where your inhale begins in your belly. 
3. As you exhale relax your weight downward towards the floor through your feet.  Feel the floor beneath you. Feel your feet being supported by the floor. 
4. Using your exhale, as a way to practice letting go, relax your feet into this support.  Use your inhale to connect to your feet and exhale again, letting go even more. 
5. Then inhale into your ankles and stack them on your feet.  As you exhale relax your ankles into this support. 
6. Continue through each joint of your body stacking and relaxing as you go: knees, hips, each vertebra, your shoulders, neck and head. 

The key here is to let the floor support your entire skeleton and let your skeleton be stacked on top of this support.  Take your time and allow your body to find its own way. 

When you are fully stacked ask yourself this question, “How much energy do I need to exert while standing?”  The only place that you need to hold some energy is your knees otherwise they will buckle.  The rest of the body does not need much tension to maintain good posture. 

Special Note - Since most of us hold so much tension in the neck; take the time to relax your neck into the floor beneath your feet. Allow your shoulders to drop.

Step 2 – Making Good Posture Greater

Now that you have relaxed your body in a standing position and you’re fully stacked, look within yourself to find the posture that you feel is the most empowering and comfortable.  I.e. Your heart is open and your head is high.  Feel this posture from an emotional place of empowerment and self love.  Breathe into your greatness!  Allow your body to feel this greatness and express it through your posture.  Once you feel this, relax your body into this posture using the floor as support.  Practicing this will eventually create this posture without effort. 

Step 3 – Challenging and Strengthening Your Posture

Let’s now enter the realm of exercise.  Once you have established your great posture the challenge now is to maintain this posture in every exercise.  If the weight you are using causes you to compromise this posture it’s too heavy.  Your posture is your guideline to good form.  The more you focus on it the more it will become ingrained in your body and mind eventually becoming second nature. 

Regardless of the exercise; Bench press, squats, lat pulls, bicep curls, tricep pushdowns, treadmill, bike, and on… it all can be used to challenge and strengthen your great posture. 

Weights, movements and exercise intensity can represent the obstacles you face every day in life.  Through the expression of your great posture you can strengthen your perseverance and commitment skills. The more weight or intensity you have to deal with the harder it will be to maintain your great posture.  Not only do you get all the health benefits associated with exercise but you also strengthen your ability to commit, persevere and adapt to the progressive challenges of daily life. This will change the very nature of the meaning behind your exercise routines.
 
But don’t take my word for it.  Try it yourself as see how your life changes.

 Mr. Sheldon Ginsberg President of FitPath Health Services holds a Bachelors of Science in Exercise Science from State University of New York at Buffalo.  In addition, he has obtained advanced certification as a Strength and Conditioning Coach from the National Strength and Conditioning Association and he is also a 12th level Reiki Master Teacher.  To learn more you can visit www.thefitpath.net or call 305-785-2936.

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