Make your Life a Workout
Keep in mind that exercise is movement and that we are always moving. How are you moving throughout the day? Our systems and muscles work efficiently when we are in good alignment and keep good posture. Good posture is a workout in and of itself. Soon you will see how you can maximize the benefits of exercise and “Make Your Life a Workout”.
Good Standing Posture
- Visualize yourself as a “Puppet on a String”
- “Hang up” your abdominals
- Keep shoulders back
- Lift your chest
- Head on straight
- Hold your “Dime” tight
- Zip your “Zipper”
- Keep your feet relaxed and flat on the floor, with weight evenly distributed on the bottoms – don’t grab the floor with your toes
- Position your feet shoulder width apart
Good Walking Form
Position
- Visualize yourself as a “Puppet on a String”
- “Hang up” your abdominals
- Keep shoulders back
- Lift your chest
- Head on straight
- Hold your “Dime” tight
- Zip your “Zipper”
- Keep your feet relaxed and flat on the floor, with weight evenly distributed on the bottoms – don’t grab the floor with your toes
- Position your feet shoulder width apart
Action
- Step lightly forward on heel
- Roll onto foot
- Repeat with other leg
Tips
- Watch shoulders, “Dime”, knees and “Zipper”: use a Range of Motion that allows you still to maintain good posture
- Watch to see if you are using your big toe
- Never force any of these changes at the outset – they will gradually become natural as you adapt to the “Me System”
- Don’t expect the habits you’ve built over years to change overnight – this is a gradual process, not a “quick fix”!
Good Sitting Posture
Notice how you are sitting…are you slouched? Do you tuck in your feet? Does your chin jut forward? If you do any of these, you are creating postural imbalances that could affect you as you age. When in perfect posture all of our systems work as a coordinated, efficient unit.
Position
- Visualize yourself as a “Puppet on a String”
- Keep shoulders back
- Lift your chest
- Hold your “Dime” tight (this is hard to do when you are sitting!)
- Zip your “Zipper”
- Keep your feet on the floor in front of knees
- Position your feet flat on the floor, with weight evenly distributed on the bottoms
- Draw your inner thighs towards each other
Action
- Maintain good sitting posture in all situations
Tips
- Create a healthy sitting environment by adjusting the workspace to help you stay within your Range of Motion:
- Use a chair that supports you in your correct posture
- Make adjustments to computer monitors, lighting, and peripherals so that you can stay within your proper Range of Motion and in posture
- Do this on a consistent basis and you will notice a difference!
Getting Up and Down
Sit On Big Ball Using Good Posture
- Visualize yourself as a “Puppet on a String”
- Keep shoulders back
- Lift your chest
- Hold your “Dime” tight
- Zip your “Zipper”
- Keep your feet on the floor in front of knees
- Position your feet flat on the floor, with weight evenly distributed on the bottoms
Action
Get Up
- Thinking from the hamstrings and buttocks, try to get up from the seated position
- If you can’t do this, then bring the feet in a bit closer and try again
- Repeat until you find a position that lets you maintain posture and still engages the hamstrings when getting up
Sit Down
- Focus on maintaining form while SLOWLY sitting yourself down
- Repeat Up and Down
Tips
- Getting up and down is an important function in our aging years
- Take every opportunity to work on this. You will be amazed
- Note: this process will take time as we tend to “roll out” and “fall” into a sitting position
Sitting on Big Ball: Inner Thigh Squeeze with Little Ball
Position
- Sit on the Big Ball
- Visualize yourself as a “Puppet on a String”
- Keep shoulders back
- Lift your chest
- Hold your “Dime” tight (this is hard to do when you are sitting!)
- Zip your “Zipper”
- Keep your feet on the floor in front of knees
- Position your feet flat on the floor, with weight evenly distributed on the bottoms
- Draw your inner thighs towards each other with the Little Ball between them
Action
- Squeeze ball gently using the inner thighs
- Slightly release without losing tension on the ball
- Repeat
Tips
- If you find yourself arching the back, check your “Dime” and “Zipper”
- When you correct the “Dime” and “Zipper” avoid slouching your shoulders
- Try to maintain both: it will be a great workout