When you walk through a storm, hold your head up high… Guest Article by Paula Collier-Ward

14/05/20

We’re certainly in a bit of a storm…enough to bow your head and let your shoulders droop…certainly for those whose loved ones are unwell or whose livelihoods are threatened.

For others, the stress of socially distancing at work or the isolation of WFH has its own pressures, not to mention those who are also trying to occupy and home school their children!

We all know there’s a curious link between our emotional state and our posture; not surprising considering given that communication is 98% non-verbal (we are still animals really!) …but did you know that altering your posture can affect your mental state?!

On your daily trot out, challenge yourself: if you are feeling a little weary or stiff around your neck and shoulders; try imagining you are a catwalk model – not the high-strutting sort but someone who oozes self-assurance, taking command of her audience and her life. Try tilting your pelvis so your tailbone is tucked under, this makes you engage your abdominals and if you were leaning forward with your nose showing you the way you can now find it easier to straighten up! If you look up instead of at the floor, suddenly you are 2 inches taller, sorry, 5cm! You’re halfway there!

Now all you have to do is keep a gentle contraction in those lower abs (tranverse abdominus if you want to look it up!) they’re the ones at the root of your future cat-walk career and RELAX everything else; your shoulders (let your arms swing), hips (loose, leggy walk with a bit of a swagger) and that’s it!! You might get committed to the nearest mental health unit..but you will feel amazing!

Not only will you have grown, but you will also look GREAT! You will look slimmer, you will be moving freely instead of laboured, which is liberating it takes years off you! You will have far less muscular strain on your body, less pain and stiffness and less muscular effort means more available energy!

Just remember those secret abs…you’d let them go already hadn’t you..!

Guest Article by

Paula Collier-Ward