Today’s blog post is verbatim from a New York Times article with the same title. I’m a big believer in the idea that posture—and related matters such as gait—have a huge impact on the development of aches and pains as we age. The following advice comes from James Murphy, the director of the Iyengar Yoga Institute of New York.
Here’s what to do:
Plant your feet about hip distance apart; the weight on each
foot should feel the same. Establish equilibrium by spreading the pinkie toe as
far away from the big toe as possible. You can feel how weight might shift a
little bit from the inside of your foot to the outside, the front to the back.
Next, bring your feet together so your big toes and heels
touch. This action forces your muscles to engage in balancing you.
Press your heels against the floor, and work your way up, tightening
the muscles. Get some grip coming up to your knees and thighs and buttocks to
have a firmness take place in our legs.
Once the legs are engaged, align the upper half of the body
by lifting spine, rib cage and chest. Take a deep breath as you straighten your
backbone. Use the whole circumference of your chest and around your heart and your
lungs—use that whole rib cage to lift up, so that you’re creating space in your
trunk, including the spine and also the organs.
I know. It seems kind of complicated. Give it a try anyway. I’m
going to.
For an introduction to this blog, see I Just Say No; for a list of blog topics, click the Topics tab.
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