Words by Gemma Bass-Williams of Barrecore
Too many of us stay hunched over our phones and laptops all day - and it's wrecking our bodies! Having good posture is about more than just aesthetics - it is integral for us to be able to move with ease and without pain. Poor posture can lead to feeling stiffer in your body, mentally and physically lethargic, and you may find that your range of movement is restricted or even painful. The Barrecore technique is all about moving gracefully, but with control. Everything we do in our classes promotes good posture, which makes this possible.
GOOD POSTURE STARTS WITH YOUR SPINE
Good posture involves your whole body, but it starts with your spine. A neutral spine means having all three natural curves in your back (Cervical, Thorax, Lumbar) present and in proper alignment. When viewed from the side, your neutral spine creates the shape of an S curve. Neutral spine looks different on everyone! Focus on finding what neutral is for your body.
HOW TO FIND YOUR NEUTRAL SPINE
Lay on your back, bend your knees, inhale a deep breath to prepare, exhale and tilt your pelvis upward. Softly imprint your back onto the mat. Exhale and lengthen your tailbone towards the floor, finding a slight space between the lower back and the mat. Imagine you have a grape between your lower back and the mat and you don't want to squash it! That will be your neutral spine.
WORK ON POSTURE WHILE STANDING
Now that you’ve found your neutral spine, here are some techniques you can use to improve your posture while standing up. To begin, you will want to try and have equal distribution of weight across both feet. Spread your toes, lift the arches of your feet. Next:
- Keep your knees soft, not locked. When you are working in a neutral spine you want the placement of your knees over your ankles, your hips over your knees and ankles in line with each other.
- Shoulders should be relaxed away from the ears. You don't want any tension in the neck and shoulders, so do a few shoulder shrugs to release any tension and to find your shoulder placement.
- Your heart and chest should be open, looking up and out - this will help you to stand and look taller. Think about gently drawing your shoulder blades together.
- Your head should sit balanced on top of your neck with your eye line level. Your nose should be just over your breast bone and both of these in line with your pubic bone. Think of pulling the crown of your head up towards the sky, this will help create a natural hollow at the back of the neck and help to avoid sticking out your chin.
CONCLUSION
Good posture will not only make you stand taller but might help to increase your energy and make you feel lighter in your body. Practice standing and sitting well in your everyday life - not just when you are working out.
When scrolling on Instagram and replying to emails on your phone, lift your phone up higher. Consider getting a standing desk or replying to emails with your laptop propped up on a kitchen counter or laptop stand. Every little bit will help keep your body in harmony!
Check out Barrecore’s BarreLIVE - Technique class for more helpful tips on how to improve the alignment of your body through barre exercise.
Barrecore have teamed up with TSE for a special introductory offer: 3 weeks of live classes for the price of 1 when you email [email protected] with the code "sportsEdit".
