Tips to Improve Your Sitting Posture

1.Revise Your Idea of ‘Good’ Posture

The majority of people have an idea of what good posture is and if I ask them to demonstrate will put in a lot of effort to haul themselves up into a position that is held, usually over arched in their lower back with their shoulders pulled back. Sitting is dynamic. There is soft springy tone and there is also movement.

2. Find Your Sit bones

These two bones (if you are siting now you could put your hands under your bum to find them), are the bottom of your pelvis. The pelvis consists of two bones connected at the back with joints at the sacrum, and at the front by a cartilaginous joint, the pubic symphysis. These two bones are like your feet in standing, they support you.

Notice what happens to your sit bones if you collapse into a slump; and what happens if you haul yourself up into an overarched posture.

3. Rocking on Your Sit Bones

Now you have located your sit bones, play with rocking forward and back on them. Allow your whole torso to come along for the ride. See if you can find a place where you are easily balanced.

4. The Balance of Your Head

Your head is heavy. Around 5kg for an adult human head, really well designed to carry your clever brain. Your body is also really well designed to support this weight. You don’t need to pull or push with your neck muscles just let your head be easily balanced up away from your sit bones.

5. Soften

Now you have found a better relationship between your sit bones and head. See where you can soften. Note there is a difference between soften and collapse. Back to point number 1, we want a soft springy tone so sitting can be a balanced, poised and easy activity.

Photo by Federica Campanaro on Unsplash