Find Your Best Posture
A Somatic and Mind-Body Approach to Comfort and Alignment
How many times have you heard yourself say “I have terrible posture”?
How many times have you searched for ways to improve your posture?
How often do you look at someone and admire their “perfect posture”?
Here’s the thing…perfect posture doesn’t exist.
Each and every one of us is unique in our body structure and what feels good in our bodies.
What feels good for me may not feel great for you and vise versa.
When you realize this, the mental load of trying to find and hold a “perfect posture” melts away and you can be present for what matters most to you.
You might be thinking, “But, I can’t just give up on my posture…it still needs help!"
Don’t worry, you don’t have to give up completely on improving your posture…but, you can approach it from a different lens and work toward finding a foundational posture, your best posture.
A posture that’s uniquely YOURS.
A posture in which you feel rooted, grounded, steady, and a sense of ease.
When you find your best posture, you'll be able to move in and out of it and be in flow with your body knowing that you have your foundation to return to throughout your day.
You might be wondering why it’s important to move in and out of your foundational posture, to be in flow with your body, and why it matters.
There’s a saying, “your best posture is your next posture,” and I wholeheartedly subscribe to this idea.
Take a moment and think of a time you were sitting or standing for a long period of time. With that prolonged position, you might have started to notice some discomfort, some aches or pains creeping in.
When you’re in one position for a period of time, your body - muscles, ligaments, tendons, joint capsules, nerves - get a little stagnant. These tissues feel so much better when they have fresh, oxygen rich blood brought to them and the perfect catalyst for that is movement!
This doesn’t mean you need to do some big movement practice, though you can do that if it feels good for you, but I encourage you to keep it simple and easy to implement.
You might find that the seemingly smallest forms of movement are enough.
Tips for mindful movement and flow
Shifting your weight in your chair
Moving from sitting back in your chair to perching on the edge of your chair
Moving from sitting to standing at your desk
Moving from static standing to rocking your weight side-to-side
The options are endless.
Now, if you do have time and a space to move around for 2-5 minutes every 30-60 minutes, that’s an added bonus!
You might:
Walk around
Do some bodyweight exercises - squats, lunges, step-ups, push-ups, etc
Jump around or get on your rebounder if you have access to one
Dance
Find something that feels fun for you!
Somatic Awareness
The most important thing to remember to do throughout your day is to check in with your body and stay curious about what’s present.
Somatic check-in
Are there any areas of tension? Pain? Resistance?
What happens if you shift your posture? If you invite softness or a breath in?
How is your emotional state? Are you feeling stressed? Overwhelmed? Excited? Joyful?
When you can pause and connect to what you’re feeling in your body, it strengthens your mind-body awareness and helps you create a deeper understanding of what works best for YOU and YOUR body.
Here are a few questions that might help as you practice being in flow with your foundational posture…
What postures feel good?
What postures are uncomfortable?
What are all the options to switch up your sitting and standing postures? (I encourage you to get really curious here and explore!)
What can you do to switch up your posture more often during the day?
What cues or reminders might you need to help you check in and remember to move your body in some way?
Want help with this? I’ve got you! I created a free meditation for posture and body awareness for you to practice tuning into your body, postural alignment, and grounding into your foundational posture.
Tips for improved posture
I intentionally held these tactical suggestions for the last part of this post because I think the more important things for you to have when it comes to posture are:
Mind-body awareness of and connection to your body and how it feels in space
Cultivating a mindset of curiosity around your posture
Shifting from “all or nothing” and “perfect posture” thinking to “what if?” and “could I try…”
Mindful movement through finding flow and ways to switch up your posture throughout the day
So, here are some general, broad strokes tips for improving your posture in standing and sitting.
Tips to Improve Standing Posture
Ground your feet under you around hip-width distance apart (try out a more narrow stance, a wider stance, and one somewhere in the middle and see what feels best for you and your body)
Soften your knees just enough to give them a wiggle
Shift your weight around your feet until you settle with weight spread equally across both feet from heels to toes
Soften your hips (especially the back side!)
Notice the natural curve of your lower back
Gently lift your breastbone and the crown of your head to the sky - you might think about a string gently pulling up to help you stand tall
Roll your shoulders up toward your ears, bring them back just a little and set them down without forcing anything
Check in with what you feel and make any adjustments to create your unique standing posture
Ways to Switch Up Your Standing Posture
Normal stance
Narrow stance (feet together)
Wide stance (feet wider than hip width distance apart)
Step-stance
“Captain Morgan’s” position
Standing on a foam pad, pillow, or rock mat
Half kneeling
Walking on a treadmill
Tips for Improving Sitting Posture
Find yourself in a chair in a position that allows you to ground your feet on the floor
Check in with your pelvis and look for 3 points of contact - your sit-bones (right and left) and the front of your pelvis (your pubis). If you need to, you can rock your pelvis forward and backward until you feel weight spread equally across those 3 points of contact on the chair.
Gently lift your breastbone and the crown of your head to the sky - you might think about a string gently pulling up to help you sit tall
Roll your shoulders up toward your ears, bring them back just a little and set them down without forcing anything
If you’re able to sit all the way back in your chair and your chair has a back, you can experiment with adding a towel roll behind your lower back to take up the space between your lower back and the back of the chair
Check in with what you feel and make any adjustments to create your unique sitting posture
Ways to Switch Up Your Sitting Posture
Sitting all the way back in your chair with your back supported
Perching on the edge of your chair
Sitting on an exercise ball
Sitting criss-cross applesauce on your chair or on the floor
Hips-to-heels kneeling (with a bolster or yoga block for support and comfort)
These postures, ideally, feel both grounded and easeful. If you’re noticing a lot of effort, get curious.
What might you be able to shift or change to bring in more ease?
Key Take-aways
If you’ve struggled to find the “best” posture and always ended up confused or still in pain, you’re not alone. You can improve your posture and comfort, but the approach just might be different than you’d think.
Rather than trying to find a “perfect posture” work on finding your best posture, one that’s specific to you and your body, one in which you feel steady and a sense of ease.
Remember that your best posture is your next posture so stay open to fidgeting, moving around, shifting your weight, changing your position, etc.
If you’re still struggling to find a posture that feels good for you and your body, that’s a sign you might benefit from working with a movement professional.
That’s exactly what I help active adults with every day at Orchard Physical Therapy + Coaching in Bend, OR. Schedule a free consultation and let’s create a plan that helps you find your best posture so you can spend your day focused on what really matters to you.
Disclaimer: this post is intended for informational purposes only and is not prescriptive or medical advice. Take what works for you and leave the rest. If you are experiencing pain, it is always in your best interest to consult with your medical doctor and/or your physical therapist.
