A Yoga Pose for Better Posture
Who doesn't want to have great posture? Standing tall makes you look taller and more confident. But unfortunately many of us have lousy posture (probably from sitting in front of a computer all day).
I've been focusing my practice on a few poses that are supposed to counteract the tendency to slouch. My favorite of these poses is "half wheel" or "Setu Bandha Sarvangasana". Not only is this a great heart and chest opener, but it's a great stretch for the spine. I always get up from this pose feeling more aware of my back, neck, and shoulders- which leads to better posture.
* Lie flat on your back with your arms along the sides of your body, palms facing down.
* Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor. Walk your heels as close as you can to your bum, and turn your heels out slightly so the outside edges of your feet are parallel with the outside edges of your mat.
* With your palms and feet pressing firmly into the ground, lift your hips up. Try to keep your thighs parallel.
* Stay here, or clasp your hands together below your pelvis, extending through your arms. I like to rock my weight from side to side so that I can pull my shoulders in and bring my shoulder blades closer together.
* Stay here for 5 or more deep breaths. Try to keep lifting the hips up as high as you can, and gaze towards your belly. You can watch to make sure you are doing ujayi breathing correctly. Your stomach should remain still, and you should be able to see your ribs expanding and contracting with each complete breath.
* After you've had enough, gently drop your bum back onto the ground. You can repeat this pose again after taking a break, or stretch through your lower back by hugging your knees into your chest.
(instructions thanks to Fit Sugar)
Does anyone else have good poses to try for better posture?
Comment
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Comment by Jean Di Carlo-Wagner,MA,E-RYT500 on June 7, 2009 at 5:36pm -
Good ol' Mountain Pose, or Tadasana. Back up to the wall, feet hip distance apart (that's about a fist between your heels:). Feel the four corners of your feet (four! Yes! 1.Under the big toe, 2.under the little toe,3.roll on the inside heel , and 4. the outside heel. Use all four corners without rounding the toes. Stretch the back of your legs toward the wall.(Mind the knees....gently) (Relax your toes, the 4 corners are holding you). Tuck your tailbone under and hug your buttock cheeks together. Tip the pelvis slightly upward, hold the low abdomen up. Keep breathing:) Natural curve in the lowback, but midback and upperspine move toward the wall and up toward the crown of your head.
WHO THOUGHT THERE WAS SO MUCH TO STANDING! Gently move your shoulders toward the wall. Level your chin parallel to the earth. Now, take the forehead back toward the wall(Buddhist call it "Monkey Mind"...our busy minds are usually propelling us mind before body. In yoga, we unite body and mind. By bringing the forehead in line, the back of the head will move toward the wall (range of motion will be different for all bodies) Some of us will touch the walls and others will move the forehead back. Allow the arms to rest at your sides, or open the back of the arms to the wall...spread your handds...feel your heart rejoice...we are open to our battles and lead with our hearts!
Its natural opening, relaxed in the sides of neck and face..Okay, lift the ribcage a little off the waist, but relax your shoulders, you may feel this internally without exaggerating a puffed up chest. Gentle as we go.
Close your eyes and feel the whole body in its best alignment.
Open your eyes, take a step away from the wall. Walk mindfully, while breathing, and keep the
lifting feeling of Tadasana with you! We Yoga Bears love our Mountains!
Variations: You can do this on the floor or in a bed, or futon. Have someone read the sequence to you and follow with intention. Our minds are very powerful, when we 'see' ourselves doing postures on the inside, our minds do not know the difference. We will 'feel' in perfect posture, even if we are not. Some of us have had surgery that prevents certain movements, but we can still use our minds to direct our inner bodies into postition. (If I say, "Did you eat that sour lemon?" Our minds will picture a lemon and our mouths will water). Yoga unites body and mind, not always in the way we think , but in the way we feel.
Blessings All,
Jean
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