Posture and the Alexander Technique:
Four reasons for NOT sitting up

This series of four older articles:–

1. Good posture is less effort than slumping
2. The truth about posture
3. Four reasons for NOT sitting up
4. Posture that works

You become fixed, rigid and immobile

Think about it

To sit or stand straighter you tighten muscles. When you want to move you’ve got either to fight those tightened muscles or first let go of your so-called good posture.

Try it

Reach for something near you. Now sit up very straight. Pull your shoulders back. Then reach out again. Was it easier? I don’t think so.

You tire quickly

How would you feel after holding that sitting-up posture for 10 minutes? Would you be full of energy and ready for anything? More likely, you’d be longing to slump back in the chair and recover from your effort.

You end up hurting more

Maybe not after 10 minutes, but what if you did it for an hour?

Would it even be possible to maintain that posture all day long?

Your mind wanders

Have you noticed how people’s eyes glaze over when they’re making a special effort to “sit up and pay attention”? No? Maybe your own eyes were too busy glazing over. After all, who’s immune from this obsession with posture?

Alertness is an early victim of postural effort. Attempts at concentration only make matters worse. The more you concentrate the more you stiffen. The more you stiffen the more your mind wanders.

Attentiveness is incompatible with effortful attempts at posture. Easy, automatic, effortless posture goes hand-in-hand with awareness.

So choose a better way

What is the better way?

The very best way to start working on your posture is to learn and practise Semi-Supine. Read “The Hows & Whys of Semi-Supine” — and watch the videos that come with it.

The other articles in this category are here:‒

• Genuine Good Posture

Personal Coaching by Philip Pawley

In more detail:–

If you’re in Liverpool (or can get to Liverpool)

1. There’s nothing better than individual lessons. My practice is at 37 Hope Street, Liverpool L1. Ring me on 0151 708 6172 to book an initial consultation and first lesson. (Leave your number so I can get back to you).

2. If you’re short of funds, you can still have first class training from me — though it will require a little more work on your part.

   The thing to do is have an individual, in-person lesson just once a month. That will entitle you to also get regular on-line lessons from me through Repoise. That way, you have the best of both worlds: in-person lessons and very regular, even daily, on-line Personal Coaching by Philip Pawley from me. That’s a real bargain because Repoise costs the equivalent of three lessons a year to everyone else.

   Ring me on 0151 708 6172 if you want to arrange this.

3. I occasionally run group lessons. If you’re interested in these, go here for details.

If you’re further away and can’t get to Liverpool

1. There’s still nothing better than individual lessons. Here’s where you can find a teacher near you in the UK or elsewhere
2. I suggest you also get direct day-to-day guidance from me by joining Repoise.

   If you’re having plain Alexander Technique lessons from someone else, you still need to discover the Smiling Back Method of the Alexander Technique. You’ll get a lot more out of your lessons when you do.