The New Rules of Posture
One of the easiest ways to improve our appearance is by changing our posture. Over time, we develop poor sitting, standing, and even walking habits. These affect more than our posture; they affect our whole being including our emotions. I know what you are thinking, all you have to do is stand straight and suck in your stomach, right? Well, there is so much more to take into consideration than a matter of simply adjusting our stance. The New Rules of Posture in the Modern World is a guidebook that offers practical advice to improve our posture from the inside out.
Contents
1. Your Conscious Body
2. Your Body’s Internet
3. The Root of Posture
4. Healthy Breathing
5. Core Connections
6. Your Heart’s Messengers
7. Footprints
8. Facing the World
9. Healthy Walking
10. Articulate Living
Compared to our ancestors, our generations is living a more sedentary lifestyle. Technology has made life uncomplicated. Everything we need is available with a click, swipe or tap; no one has to move to get it. Thus, we’ve developed sloppy postural habits.
The New Rules of Posture is divided into four sections, awareness, stability, orientation and motion. And, it offers tools, advice and exercise to make improvements in each area. The author suggests that if we focus on 6 key areas; the pelvic floor, abdomen, breathing muscles, hands, feet and our head, we can realign and change our posture.
As I read through the book, it’s clear that it’s progressive. You really need to start at the beginning and read each chapter in sequence. You’ll glean insight in each chapter and perhaps a light might go off as you realize a solution to your issue. I have a lot of neck problems, and I learned that poor neck alignment often has to do with straining to see, hear, or understand. Neck tension also affects the mobility of the entire spine. It can also inhibit respiration and block the postural lift that healthy breathing creates.
I also learned that if you have a use one leg more than the other, it could cause misalignment up to your jaw. Or, did you know, that if you breathe too quickly, you can lose too much carbon dioxide, and this can lead to depression and lower back pain? Everything is connected, what affects one area, will have an impact on another.
There are lots of written exercises and practices, but very few illustrations. Some might seem little confusing to envision if you are a visual learner, but stick with it, they are well worth the focus. There are lots of helpful solutions that will have a positive effect on your body from head to toe. I thought this book was well written and makes you totally aware of how the body works consciously.
Disclaimer: I received product to facilitate a review. All opinions are my own, yours may differ.