4 Virtues to Keep in Mind When Doing Exercises to Improve Posture
When you embark on a system of exercises to improve posture, it might be frustrating at first. It is very common to expect a lot out of your own body. We want fast results, and we can hurt ourselves if we are not careful.
However, we can temper ourselves with virtues that help us reconnect to the reality of our bodies and help us cope with the more difficult parts of our practice. I have borrowed these four powerful virtues from yoga and tai chi so that we may reap their benefits.
1. Patience
Starting a new exercise routine can be encouraging because the first gains are always relatively easy. Your muscles can adapt quickly to changing exercise conditions. But your gains usually slow down pretty drastically after the first couple of weeks. Then, you must perform consistent and correct exercises to see further gains. It might be frustrating, but don’t get discouraged. Even exercising a few minutes a day can see dramatic gains over weeks and months.
2. Modesty
Sometimes, we expect too much of our body. We stretch too far or try to lift too much. We can easily injure ourselves. Often, it is not serious. But when dealing with the spine and tendons, we should be very careful. Our spine is necessary for nearly all functions of the body. Without it, we cannot stand, sit, lift, or roll over.
Remember: you are not invincible, nor are you made of rubber. Your tendons and ligaments can’t stretch more that 4% of their length without injury. You want to gently stretch your tendons and ligaments, only to stimulate them. When your muscles begin to spasm (or twitch), do not stretch further. Your tendons are sending a distress signal to your muscles to protect them from overstretching.
3. Awareness
Often, we don’t pay attention when we exercise. We might watch TV when we are on the bike. Or listen to music while we run through the park. This might help you lose weight, but it doesn’t help you learn about your body habits. How you carry yourself throughout the day is vitally important not only to your posture, but to your health in general. If you can’t pay attention when you are using your body in as physical an activity as working out, how can you expect to know when you are sitting in an awkward and painful position?
4. Grace
Try to find the elegance in each movement. Grace is developed slowly over time, but it truly shows in those who have developed it. When you care about how your body moves and occupies space, it is a deep care for your own health and well-being. That care will translate to other aspects of your life.
These virtues can help you in your practice to improve posture and in your everyday life. They help deepen a connection with your body and with your environment. A good posture exercise program will touch on this kind of non-physical side to exercise and life. These principles are essential to making your posture practice lead you to great posture and vibrant health.
