Gretel Picatoste

Since the release of the ChiRunning and ChiWalking books, I’ve made a few changes in how I’ve taught some aspects of the posture section. posture correction brace So before some more changes will come in the second edition ChiRunning book I would like to describe the most up to date way to align posture. posture correction brace It is the way I am following myself for last 6 months and now I feel much better than before while running or walking. posture correction brace posture correction brace If we follow ChiRunning and ChiWalking books then we have to stand with out feet at a distance equal to our hip width and must avoid knees locking. From here we move ahead to straight our spine to have positive change in posture. posture correction brace Just place one of your hand at your belly and place thumb and middle finger of other hand under the collarbone. Now pull you down with lower hand and use upper hand to straighten your upper body. posture brace Now just use your index finger to hold your chin upward and to align it with head and neck region. posture correction brace 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. posture correction brace It is possible that one man would have too low chin while the other would have too high. It does not seem to have good feeling to align yourself while moving or walking. So, I needed to come up with a way that everyone would be able to get their head in the right alignment without the use of their hands. posture correction brace Here it is…it’s easy. Place your hand on the backside of your neck and brush your fingers in an upward direction. While you’re doing this, lift up on the back of your head, like you’re trying to reach for the sky with the crown of your head. In this way you can stretch the muscles present at the back of your neck and can make you chin get back to the natural position. You can also strengthen your upper spine area with no use of your hands for it. posture correction posture correction brace Today every person present in my walking and running classes follow this exercise easily. posture correction brace You have to begin with your correct poor posture status and then move on to rising your head slowly which will make your spine straight and lengthen your neck back area. This upward focus of your attention will quickly straighten your posture and actually (believe it or not) lighten your footstep by counteracting the downward motion of your foot coming onto the ground. posture correction brace You just have to keep your neck in correct posture and the spine will move to its position itself. You can make your shoulders relax and can level your pelvis easily through this exercise. It is an important step of ‘C’ shape, a concept I am following and teaching myself not mentioned in ChiRunning book at all. If you examine the ChiRunning Posture Image you will find ‘C’ shape super imposed at the top. If you look at the direction the arrows are pointing, you’ll see that the arrows begin at T12/L1 and move in opposite directions. Arrows in upper section of ‘C’ shape go up to present the lengthening of neck and those positioning downwards at head front area, finally ends at chin point. The lower section of the “C” shape runs down towards the tailbone and then comes back up on the front side of the pelvis, ending at the pubic bone (when leveling the pelvis, you lift up on the pubic bone). Practice getting yourself into the “C” shape whenever you feel your posture slipping…whether you’re sitting at your desk, standing, walking or running. You will get great feeling of having your mind and body at one place with no slipping or pulling downwards. 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.