I used to be a slouch myself ever since I was a child. I remember my uncle always telling me to straighten up but he never told me why. So I never thought it to be very important.
Well, that bad habit remained with me until high school where I started my first dance class. I continued dancing in college and through out that time I was taught not only body movement, but also the importance of good posture.
One reason why you should stand, sit, and lay down straight is oxygen. When your head is up your chest opens wide, and you intake more oxygen. Oxygen doesn’t only help you breath better, studies have shown that oxygen is an important element that is essential for weight -loss. As a matter a fact, oxygen is important for all parts of the body.
The body needs the right amount of oxygen to perform efficiently and to its highest capacity. The respiratory system is responsible for 70% of your metabolic waste! That alone made me realize just how important it is to intake the right amount of oxygen.
As if you need more reasons to stand up straight-oxygen alone is the key to our over all well being. Yet there is more; if you have “good posture” you engage muscles in your abdomen and your lower back, making your tummy tighter and strengthening your back.
So you can actually get a little work out just by having good posture! You will notice a difference in your body and the way you feel in just about a week.
Of course if you don’t already have good posture it will take some practice! You will have to constantly remind yourself to take a deep breath and roll those shoulders back. Or as my instructor used to say, imagine as if you had a string at the top of your head pulling you up. Or as if you were balancing a book on your head- both those tips helped me, perhaps they can help you too.