Male or female- you want to look good when you’re out and about-you gotta look the business - and there’s a quick way to make sure you look like you’ve lost 10lbs - even when you haven’t and that is perfect your posture!  

Some times I work with would-be fitness instructors teaching postural alignment and it’s amazing to see the difference in their figures when I show them how to stand up straight!

Most of us had nice straight spines when we were growing up but by now they might have kinked and sunk a bit what with our sitting and sloucing habits over the years- so overhaul your stance and give your spine a break!  

Kyphosis

Take a moment to think about your daily schedule – do you sit for long periods in front of a computer? Do you hunch regularly over a book? If so you could be developing a bit of a postural kyphotic tendency!  This is a condition where you start to curve the upper back forward and the muscles of the back become weaker and stretched while the muscles on the front of your body become tighter. A congenetive kyphosis condition is due to a spinal abnormality but if it’s just postural then you can do something about it- so straighten up a minute:

• roll your shoulders back and down behind you, pulling your shoulder blades toward the floor
• you can also work on stretching out the pectoral muscles-those at the front of your chest, by linking your arms and stretching them back behind you
• now lift your ribcage up off the waist and contract your stomach muscles so that you feel they are supporting your spine
• now drop the arms
• now have a look in the mirror- you’ll be amazed at the difference!

Lordosis

Next let’s sort the lordosis posture ruiner.  Check that your pouchy stomach or achey back isn’t due to the fact that you’re just not holding onto your stomach muscles properly! Many people get into the habit of sitting back on their heels, resting on their lower back and letting their stomach hang out!

Correct this now:

• First pull in your stomach muscles and tilt your pelvis up toward you
• Now check you haven’t tilted too far – you shouldn’t be bent forward and your coccyx (tailbone) should be pointing to the ground
• Now once again pull your shoulders back and down and lift the ribcage up to lengthen the spine
• Finally lengthen the back of your neck by dropping your chin slightly

When you look in the mirror your figure will look miles better! Now you just have develop a way of reminding yourself to stay that way!

Get into the habit- particularly when you’re less than 100% confident of checking your posture (mentally) and adjusting accordingly- regularly check that you’re pulling your abdominal musles (stomach) in and up and lifting up off your ribcage. It’s like telling yourself to mentally pull your socks – and the rest of you – up!

Good luck dating this week!

Chrissie