Very cool postural change coming through for this client!!
Our spine is supposed to gently arch in the lower back, curve out in our upper back… and then arch again in the neck!
Many of us have lost that final arch in our neck, where our heads sit far forward of our shoulders. Instead of that gentle S-pattern repeating in the spine, we end up with a big C-curve at the top.
And here’s the thing - our heads are HEAVY - it’s similar to an 11 lbs or 5kg bowling ball balancing on top of our bodies. At least - that’s where they’re supposed to sit. Looking in profile: when our head, shoulders, hips, knees and ankles neatly balance on top of each other - gravity is our friend helping to keep us stacked and balanced. However, when our head moves forward, gravity stops having that positive effect on our bodies. Instead, the muscles in our neck and back start straining to fight gravity… just to keep us upright.
In the pictures - the orange vertical line should be going through the ear. While this client is not there yet, he is well on his way. After just one session and 3 weeks of doing his posture exercises at home, he has created extension in his upper body and started to re-establish that cervical arch.
And yes, yes, his belly ‘got smaller’. Posture Alignment Training is not a weight loss program, but you are introducing healthy movement to your lifestyle. A better posture is also instinctively recognized as healthier and more beautiful, because it’s functionally stronger and more resilient… factors we unknowingly, biologically, include in our assessment of a suitable partner. Add to this that a better posture compresses the abdominal cavity less, and just like that, you’ve changed the way your body looks dramatically.
Though all of those are just extra perks, the real reward is changing the way you feel in your body - a freedom of movement, a freedom from pain - able to take in and meet life in all its challenges and opportunities!
[Before picture was taken just before his first session. The After picture was taken just before his second session, after 3 weeks of doing his posture exercise menu at home. Shared with client’s permission.]
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