He ain't afraid of standing up straight.

Yeah.  That’s what my Dad used to say to me.  We were some really tall kids, so I think he was afraid we would slouch.  And he wasn’t going to have any of that.  I do believe that as soon as I got old enough to sport some boobies this was the comment he made to me.  (Perhaps I was a little older and less self conscious, but it makes for better story telling and might explain a few personality flaws…as well as the nervous tic I develop when I travel home).

In any event, we also got told to pull our shoulders back.  Didn’t you?  And now that I train people on the proper/most efficient way to use their bodies I see that comment coming back to bite us all.  Keeping the main thing the main thing:  your body works the best when it is aligned properly.  Stop pulling your shoulders back.  If you’re the least bit slopey, you really end up pulling your shoulders into your ears and tightening those upper traps even more.  The goal is to elongate your spine (all of it, even your neck).  To do this, stick your boobs out.  Guys…stick ’em out like you got ’em.

5/40     I will work my posture everyday.

Again, not a tough one to fit into my day.  Good quality movement patterns stem for proper body alignment, so I’m teaching this half the day.  It’s a lovely reminder.  I’m quite cognizant of my posture while I go through weight training workouts and yoga, but I’m really starting to see and feel the difference in my swimming.  I’d like that to translate over to my running as well (need to be more mindful of my lower back posture).  I can do it. 

Long.  Tall.  Straight.  With my boobs sticking out.  A girl’s gotta’ dream. 

Breakfast, Gravity workout, run with Irish, breathing, steadier on my feet, and aligned.