Better Posture, Better Body

Proper posture allows you to set up a good foundation that minimizes your risk for injury. Doing regular body scans allows you to continuously bring your attention to your alignment. When you lose awareness of your posture you run the risk of developing upper-cross syndrome, which can derail your workouts!

My visuals that cue me into proper posture entail:

• Ground yourself by connecting your feet or sit bones into the earth. Pretend you’re on wet concrete and your feet or sit bones are sinking in & leaving an imprint behind.
• Firm up your belly by drawing the belly button towards the spine.
• Keeping yourself anchored into your feet/sit bones and core, Grow upward in order to stand/sit up tall
• Maintain the sense of growing upward, but allow your shoulders to melt down your back (as if you’re sending your shoulder blades down into the back pockets of your pants)
• Open up & stretch your front body by pulling your shoulders back. Like a proud bird.
• Engage your back muscles- imagine an orange sitting in between your shoulder blades. Pull your shoulders blades (scapula) together without hiking them up! Picture yourself squeezing out wholesome delicious scapular orange juice :) I know everyone appreciates a good visual.
• Straighten your neck by re-aligning your head. Do this by tucking your chin in to the point that you give yourself a double-chin. This movement is called retraction & is the opposite of your head protruding(sticking) forward. Find a balance between these 2 exaggerated movements.