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How to maintain your posture

by chibo

Tai Chi Chuan has proven to be both an extremely safe and effective way to correct, improve and maintain posture. Though the classic Western notion of good posture involves standing very upright, with the chest thrust forward slightly, Tai Chi and traditional Chinese medicine says the opposite.
The chest should be relaxed and slightly , so our breath draws in easily and is allowed to fill our whole body, not just the tops of our lungs. The Chinese describe it is breathing into your "Dan Tian."


Also, keeping relaxed legs greatly helps posture. Having a slight bend in your knees is a good way to reduce stress on the legs and lower back, in particular. Don't confuse relaxed for weak, however, because even when relaxed the legs should always feel strong and rooted.
This relaxed feeling should ultimately exist throughout the body.
Good posture in the West has also been typified by having the shoulders pulled back (thus pushing the chest forward), but letting the shoulders relax is also quite beneficial. They shouldn't be slumped forward or pulled back. Strain and stress exist enough in our lives, the last thing any of us need is to stress our body while we are merely standing or sitting.
The body functions best when it is relaxed. The blood vessels dilate, improving the efficiency of circulation. Also, in the traditional Chinese medicine perspective, our energy meridians flow properly, allowing qi to move throughout the body without any restrictions.
Tai Chi is incredibly effective for improving posture, and WILL help in maintaining it too. The key idea is to get in touch with that "Dan Tian," or our core, because by design, the human body is meant to operate from within there. If one can learn to feel their center and use the power there to hold themselves upright, whether seated or standing every other area of the body can get a break. Before you know it, standing for a long period of time feels great.

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