Promise yourself to be so strong...

"Promise yourself to be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind. Look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true. Think only of the best, work only for the best,and expect only the best.

Forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future. Give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others. Live in the faith that the whole world is on your side so long as you are true to the best that is in you!”

- Christian D. Larson

I love a good quote! So, when I came across this one I thought I'd share it with all of you.

It very much in line with what it means to take responsibiliy for your own health and to work on that (a little) each and every day - after all, shouldn't you regard yourselve as the best and wouldn't some posture work be time spent on 'the improvement of yourself'?

Some might also say that being 'true to the best that is in you' is another way of saying, you should align with the best of your true self...did someone say posture?!

Talk soon,

Donal

There's More To Your Posture Than Your Back

Posture Myth #6 "'Posture' refers only to the alignment of the spine"

For most of us, as kids we became used to every day chides like 'sit up straight' or 'stand up tall' from our parents and school teachers. And while they may never have actually said it, the assumption was that they were primarily refering to the alignment of your spine.

This notion has penetrated our psyche to the extent that the vast majority of people, tend to believe that posture is only a reference to the position of the spine. Yet, in actual fact, posture refers to the alignment of the whole body - from the foot position, to the tilt of your pelvis and the sideways lean of your head.

Your posture is a snapshot of your muscles ability to function correctly - form follows function! So, the position of your feet in your standing posture can reveal a great deal of information about how the muscles of your pelvis are able to do 'their job' and why you have that back pain.
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Correct Alignment For Your Spine

Posture Myth #4 "You should maintain a straight spine (sitting or standing)"

When you sit or stand your spine is designed to have a neutral alignment, which rather than straight, has a natural ‘S’ curve. Deviation away from this ‘S’ curve is in all but very exceptional cases, the result of poor posture as a result of repetitive patterns of movement and a modern sedentary lifestyle.

Attempts to consciously change the curve of the spine do not address the route cause of the problem – your muscles are not doing the job they are intended to do.

You must address the body as a unit and restore the design ‘S’ curve of the spine. The result will be miminum effort to achieve and maintain this position.

Does Core Strength Mean Better Posture?

#3 in the Posture Myths series:

While a strong core can certainly benefit posture, it’s not a given that it will.

Firstly, if we concentrate on the core we may be ignoring other vital pieces of the equation. Remember, the body works as a unit - the foot bone is connected to the ankle bone, the ankle bone is...

To simply work on the core, while you may strengthen it, in addition you may unintentionally make our postural compensations and dysfunctions (misalignments) stronger, potentially compounding any existing problems.

So what is the answer?

‘Straighten…then strengthen!’

You want to consider the position of your feet, knees, hips and shoulders as well as the alignment of the spine and head. By addressing all these elements and using the muscles to put them back in their design position, you’ll achieve a balanced and optimally healthy posture.
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