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30 Days to a better man
What Is Good Posture?
Contrary to your third grade teacher, good posture does not require you
to look like a stiff piece of board. Good posture involves having a relaxed
appearance and a “neutral spine.” A neutral spine retains three natural
curves: a small hollow at the base of the neck, a small roundness at the
middle back, and a small hollow in the lower back. Many people overcompensate
for bad posture by standing too straight, thus eliminating the
natural curves of the spine.
When our posture is correct, the ears, shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles
should align in one straight line. To give you a mental image of what
good posture looks like, imagine hanging a plumb line from your earlobe.
If your posture is correct, the line would hang straight to the middle of
the anklebone.
If you’re not a mental imagery kind of guy, perform this “wall test.” Stand
with head, shoulders, and back against the wall and your heels about 5-6
inches forward. Draw in the lower abdominal muscles, decreasing the
arch in your lower back. Push away from the wall and try to maintain this
upright, vertical alignment. That’s good posture.
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