Posture Correction
After reading the ChiRunning and ChiWalking books I brought about some changes in the mode of teaching I used to follow to describe posture section. So before here come some more changes and updates in ChiRunning book I would like to tell you that what is the most up to date way to align your posture. posture correction I’ve been aligning myself this new way for about 6 months now and seen it to be a much easier and quicker way to get aligned while walking or running. In the ChiRunning and ChiWalking books we have you begin the posture stance by standing with your feet parallel and hip-width apart with your knees not locked. From here we move ahead to straight our spine to have positive change in posture. First off place one hand on belly and place other hand under the collarbone with its middle finger and thumb spread apart. Pull the body downwards by using your lower hand and straighten your upper body part by lifting it with upper hand placed at upper area. Now use your index finger in stretched position to rest on it upwardly so it can be aligned with your head and neck properly. posture correcting This is where I began to see problems in the method, because some people have long necks and short fingers or visa versa and it just wasn’t working the same for every body I came across. One person’s chin would be too low and another’s would be too high. It does not seem to have good feeling to align yourself while moving or walking. So I recommend over here another way to align yourself with the help of your head with no intervention of your hands. Here it is…it’s easy. Place your hand on the backside of your neck and brush your fingers in an upward direction. Now you have to move towards upper direction as you are just trying to reach the sky with your head crown. This motion will stretch all the muscles on the back of your neck and allow your chin to naturally stay low. It will also help you straighten your upper spine without the use of your hands. Now, in all my walking and running classes I have everyone do this easy little exercise. First stand in a slumped position (poor posture), then in one smooth motion reach for the sky with the crown of your head, straightening your spine and lengthening the back of your neck. Such focus of upward motion will help in straightening the posture along with shifting pressure from footstep to upwards eventually making your footsteps lighter. If your neck is in correct position it will affect the whole spine area. You can make your shoulders relax and can level your pelvis easily through this exercise. It is the crucial step of ‘C’ shape which is a concept I am working on myself not taken from ChiRunning book. While having a look over ChiRunning Posture Image you will see that ‘C’ shape is super imposed on it subject. Look the direction of arrows which start from T12/L1 position and then move oppositely. In ‘C’ shape you will see arrow in upper part will point towards upside showing the lengthening of neck back area while other points through the front of head region and end at chin area. While in the lower section of ‘C’ shape you will see the pointing towards tailbone and immediate back to the front of pelvic region, ending at public bone. So if you feel that you are sipping downwards just practice to shape your posture according to ‘C’ shape during all types of positions including walking, running, standing or sitting. It’ll have the amazing effect of bringing your mind and your body together, because you’ll be engaging your core in the midst of your activity and bringing yourself to the “center” of your experience. Your posture matters a lot in your structural positioning and in your movements. Having a strong posture implies having strong center which keeps your emotional and mental balance at optimal level. Practice your posture as if your quality of life depends on it, because it does.










