In Eretz Yisroel, waiting in line at the bank is an adventure
in itself. The first time I tried it, I was in shock.
However, with time, one gets used to it. I'm referring to the
times when you walk into the bank on a fine morning. You look
around and can't believe your good luck. There are only three
people ahead of you! You stand so contentedly, while the
first person in line, then the second person makes their way
to the teller. You'll be out of there in no time, you
think.
Then, suddenly, a woman comes to stand in front of you.
You're not really sure what she wants, but you don't make a
fuss. However, before you know it, from all corners of the
room, people are popping out of seats and nooks and they are
all informing you that they are ahead of you. There is not
much that you can do beside staying in one spot for the next
half hour.
What better opportunity do you have to practice your posture
techniques?
Shoulders back, chest out, stomach in and stretch.
Breath and begin again. Do it until you can hold the position
for at least five seconds in one go. When you can do five
seconds, work your way up to ten. Remember this is not a one-
time thing. Every time you have a spare minute, try to
remember to stand correctly. Waiting for a bus? POSTURE.
Walking with your children? POSTURE. Cooking supper?
POSTURE.
It's very important to remember that your goal is not just to
hold and release every time you happen to recall that you
should really stand straight. Your ultimate goal is to be
able to hold this position at all times, every minute of the
day. It seems scary, but it's really not as difficult as you
imagine. The first couple of weeks you will have to keep
reminding yourself, but then it should come naturally.
I challenged my exercise clients to hold this position for
two weeks. They all complained that they couldn't even begin.
One young lady decided to try it. Two weeks later, she danced
through the doors of the exercise studio. Much to my delight,
she was thrilled with the results.
Her words: It works!! It really works. For two weeks I'm
standing straight and I feel a lot better. And look! My
stomach is hard!!
Yup, that's a side effect! You won't only feel lighter, more
confident and healthier. The muscles in your stomach will
become hard because you are constantly contracting them and
holding them tight. If you keep to it, you will love the
results.
Just a little reminder: when you pull your stomach in,
remember to keep breathing. If you feel that you can't
breathe, then you are not holding your posture correctly. Try
lying flat on the floor with your knees up. You will feel a
natural arch in your back. You will be able to slide your
hand between your back and the floor. You want to eliminate
this arch. Sucking your stomach in won't do that. You need to
tuck your stomach into your back causing your lower back to
almost touch the floor. This is the "tucking in your stomach"
that you need to aim for when you are upright.
Why is it so important to pull your stomach into your back?
When you arch your back, your stomach naturally pulls
outward. With time, your stomach muscles get used to the idea
that they need to protrude. If you don't mind a bit of a
belly, then that's fine. However, for your back this is not
the ideal physique. Here's why.
Your abdominal muscles and your back work together. If your
stomach muscles are positioned correctly, then it keeps the
back in place as well. What happens when your ab muscles are
not in their best shape and position is that it pulls away
from your back. This causes a backache. When you tuck your
stomach into your back, your abs are tight and they hold unto
your back. Your spine remains straight and in the correct
position. Voila! No more backaches!!
Remember: The only way that you can learn how to always hold
on to your correct posture is practice, practice, practice!!
Practice until you get it.
