MOtions of the day - Posture.2

When we look at posture, hopefully after reading Posture.1, we understand the dynamic nature of static vs. moving posture, but ALSO, to really consider 3 main areas to be most aware of. These are the hips, spine and shoulders. Posture can involve just our bodyweight, or our posture with a load. We should consider both the strength & stability of these areas, as well as the mobility & range of motion. When walking through diverse terrain or going over obstacles, our moving posture may be challenged in many ways. When adding a load like a backpack with weight - a ruck - we may further be challenged here. What is important to understand is the time we spend in that posture while moving will become how our body carries itself later on. So if we are rucking this mountain with a hunched back, steadily we become hunched more.

So, to remedy this hunched - flexed forward - position, we need to extend our back backwards, mobilizing or opening up the frontside of the body, but also strengthening the backside of the body. We can also spend time unweighted, simply trying to be tall but relaxed, gently moving in flexion, extension, side flexion/extension, and internal/external rotation. There are only 3 planes of movement with 2 directions to go for our body (to be discussed more in depth in a coming article on the planes). So other postural issues and their respective solutions may be related to rotation and lateral movement/posture as well. This will be addressed in our next Posture.3 article.

Intention: Notice if your myofascial tension keeps you in a certain postural position that overtime aches. We can then strengthen the side of the body it aches by practicing posturing in that direction - Example Problem: my upper back and shoulders ache, but I find myself drawing my shoulder, spine and hips forward. Example Remedy: Work on triple extension which is reaching arms up and backwards, with spine and hips following suit, almost like someone vertical jumping after squatting down, we are actively pulling backwards with our entire backside of muscles and fascia.