Posture is complicated, but you can make it simple.

What is Posture

If anyone has ever told you to "stand up straight" you know what they mean. You hike your body up and stiffen like an arrow.

What if you were missing something?

Have you thought about what your hips were doing?

What your low/middle/upper back was doing?

Maybe, maybe not.

In any case, you're going to learn what to do to have a powerful, yet relaxed posture.

Posture affects your:

• Hormones
• Physiology
• Psychology
• Movement patterns
• Whether you are in pain or not
• And so much more

How do you get good posture?

While standing, there are 3 main pillars to posture:

• Your Feet
• Your Hips
• Your Spine

Get those 3 in alignment and over time you'll feel like a better version of yourself.

Your Feet

Your feet hold you up day in and day out. It would be wise to take care of them.

By putting your feet in the right position you can:

• Correct flat feet
• Correct hammer toe
• Increase performance
• Prevent plantar fasciitis
• Reduce or prevent bunions
• Improve your posture upstream
• Protect your knees, hips, and back

How to find the right position for you

To find the right position of your feet, you need to find your ASIS (anterior superior iliac spine), or front hip bones.

Cartoons are great teaching tools.

Once you feel that bony landmark in the front of your hip, bring your feet under each side so that the point of your ASIS draws a plumb line down between your shoelaces.

The Easy Way

Get your feet in a position like you're getting ready to jump. Play with how narrow or wide you're standing and try again. When you find a spot where jumping feels most natural, you're in the right position.

Your Hips

Your hip muscles are the largest muscles in your body, yet they lay dormant from how we treat them.

Sitting for long periods of time causes gluteal amnesia, which leads to misfires and bad patterns.

Kyle Zange @CoachKyleZ If you sit in a chair long enough, your body takes the shape of the chair. You become the chair. 5:16 PM • May 25, 2023 0 Retweets 0 Likes

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By putting your hips in the right position you can:

• Grow your glutes just by living with good posture
• Get rid of piriformis syndrome (sciatica's cousin)
• Decompress your spine
• Eliminate back pain
• Prevent hip hike
• Jump higher
• Run faster
• Live longer

You get the idea. A lot of good can come from having good alignment.

How to find the right position for you

After finding your feet position, look at your body from the side using a mirror.

Hips Part 1 - The Drift

In the picture on the left, my hips are drifted forward towards my toes. In the picture on the right my hips are stacked over my ankles.

Anatomy

Your pelvic crest should be over your lateral malleolus.

To make it easy, the top of your hip bone should draw a line down to your outside ankle bone.

Pull your hips back. Your hips are further forward than you think they are.

Hips Part 2 - The Tilt

In the picture on the left my hips are tilted forward.

Imagine your hips were a bowl of water. If that bowl tips too far forward, water spills. The same goes for backwards and sideways.

To make it easy, tilt your hips really far forward, then really far back. Find the middle between the two and you're on your way to a neutral pelvic tilt.

Your Spine

Your spine is the toughest piece of the puzzle because it has so many moving parts.

However!

To make it easy, we can look at the spine in 3's.

3 Pieces:

1. Lumbar
2. Thoracic
3. Cervical

3 Movements:

1. Flexion/extension
2. Side flexion
3. Rotation

The Lumbar

Your lumbar is located from the top of your hips up your low back.

Your low back can develop an armor plating of tension or it can be fluid in its function. Your lumbar affects your posture in a very important way. This is also connected to proper circulation of your muscles, fascia, and organs.

When looking at the lumbar spine, your hips have a huge role to play.

Tilt your hips forward, your lumbar will extend. Tilt them back and your lumbar will flex. If this is too stiff or too lax there can be problems with pain and performance throughout your whole body.

This area is typically hyper-lordotic, meaning overly tilted forward.

Your Thoracic also has a role to play.

The Thoracic

Your thoracic spine is located from the top of your low back to under your neck.

Your thoracic has direct effects on your organ function as well as how you breathe.

Lift your chest to extend your thoracic. Curl your chest down to flex your thoracic.

Your thoracic is typically hyper-kyphotic, meaning overly flexed.

When your thoracic is hyper-kyphotic it affects your lumbar. If you correct your upper back your low back will have an easier time finding neutral.

The Cervical Spine

Your cervical spine runs from the top of your back up your neck.

Tightness or misalignment in this area has major effects on your sinuses, brain function, and breathing.

Your head moves up and down, as you know, to create extension and flexion in your cervical spine.

This area is usually hyper-lordotic (forward head posture).

Tying it All Together

Your feet hold your body up. If you find alignment for your feet, you can work your way upstream.

Your hips will either open your spine or restrict your spine. Find the right posture for your hips and you'll open your way even further upstream.

Your lumbar (low back) is guided by your hips and thoracic. Finding neutral will open up your movement and release tension.

Your thoracic (mid-upper back), when put in the right position, allows your body to move more fluidly.

Your cervical spine (neck) controls your head and determines circulation to your brain.

Your entire body can move forward, backward, side to side, and rotationally. Finding alignment is a process of building symmetry.

3 Exercises To Align Your Posture

1. Plank

- Lay on your belly.

- Bring your elbows under you.

- Lift your chest away from the floor.

- Feel the arch in your mid-upper back.

- Lift your belly away from the floor, slowly rounding your low back until you find neutral.

Once you find the spine position, you can slowly lift your hips and knees off the floor.

Be aware the position is hard to maintain with your knees off the floor.

2. Table Top Twist/Side Bend

• Go to your hands and knees.
• Find the spine position from the plank.
• Pin your right knee into the mat.
• Lift your right arm up, turning your chest to the right.
• Bring your right elbow to your right hip, side bend.

You can hover your knees off the floor to make it harder. If you're inclined to do so, record yourself to see if your spine maintains the right position.

3. Wall Line-up

• Put your back against a wall.
• Walk your feet 1-2 steps forward away from the wall.
• Push your hips into the wall.
• Push your mid-upper back into the wall.
• Your low back should be close to the wall, but not touching.
• Slide the back of your head up the wall, tucking your chin slightly.

The more pressure you add, the more your core will get involved. This is pivotal.

Conclusion

The more you practice building your posture, the better you will get at building your posture.

The better your posture gets, the better your life gets.

Your next steps are taking your posture and using it in conjunction with other exercises or activities.

Your posture is involved in everything you do. Be aware and reap the benefits.

When you're ready:

​Schedule a call

Schedule a call

I'm always here to talk about life, your goals, and if us working together is something for you.

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Until then, have a wonderous day and live an awesome life, my friend.

- Kyle

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From Coach Kyle's Brain on 2650 N Narragansett Ave, Chicago, IL 60634
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