Straight Up Now Tell Me
Lately I've grown obsessed with my posture. I suppose you could say I'm just terrified that one day I'll have a little old lady stance, since you know, I already have the "little" and "lady" part down, the odds are against me.
I remember as a child having exceptionally good posture to the point where I was actually complimented on it, on occassion. When I was really little I used to sit with my legs bent back. I don't know how else to describe this so hopefully you're picking up what I'm putting down. My doctor told my parents that was not a good position for me to sit in, no matter how comfortable. They didn't know how flexible I was back then or still am now. Sure it looked uncomfortable to them, but looks can be decieving. Personally, I just think he was jealous.
Regardless, slowly I worked my way away from this position into Indian style, which, at 28, is still my seated position of choice, sometimes with both legs up, other times with just one. I know very well this isn't the most ladylike of positions but then again, you're assuming I see myself as a lady instead of the eternal 16 year old that I really am. Incidentally, there's a saying a lot of teachers say to kids "Sit like an Indian, don't be one." I still have no idea what that means, but I digress.
But back to the matter at hand- my posture. Somewhere along the way, things went wrong. I attribute this first and foremost to what I like to call "middle school moving man tactics" a.k.a. "How many books can you transport around on your back?"
Now when I was in middle school there were no cool, wheelie stewardess like backpacks that the kids sport now. It was also deathly uncool to wear your backback on both shoulders. The horror! Possible disfigurement was worth risking when immediate and certain ridicule was at the forefront. So you carried around your bag of rocks eh, books on one shoulder and grinned and beared it, literally.
I remember the day my doctor told me that I was on the verge of the beginnings of scoliosis. How that is even possible to see, without having it, I still don't know. Perhaps he was just a clever, clever man who tried successfully to scare me shitless. He told me to start wearing the backpack on both arms or I'd be sorry. So I did what any self respecting thirteen year old would; I asked for a note to have an extra set of books at home and one set at school. This solved everyone's problem. I didn't have to carry them back and forth the "proper" way and I still got all my work done. Sure vanity won out but it worked for Warren Beatty, why not me?
So a heavy burden now lifted from my shoulders, it should be smooth sailing from here, right? Wrong. See what I don't think I took into account was how much time I'd be spending hunched over a computer screen. I I spent many a nights at computers writing college papers and emails, perhaps not in direct proportion, but still. And then with work, and more email, downloading and now, blogging.
I try really hard to make a concerted effort to sit up straight when I'm at the computer, but sometimes I don't always make good on this promise to myself. Sometimes I even cheat and sit back, resting on a pile of pillows thinking resting on something is better than resting on nothing.
Meanwhile, throughout the day, if I catch my back "slacking" I try really hard to pull myself upright. One of two things usually happens though when I end up doing this:
1. I get tired from holding my back in an unnatural position.
or
2. Friends and family members notice it is an unnatural position for me and say, why are you sitting so straight?
Suddenly returning your seat to its upright position is something unusual to look at, not the other way around. When you sit perfectly straight it looks like you are trying to sit perfectly straight, which I suppose most people are doing. Trying, that is.
The bottom line is this- I don't know how to straighten out. I'm hoping yoga will help with posture, but part of me just wishes I could go back to the days when sitting with my legs bent back was good enough. I swear I was on to something back then.
All I know is if I ever manage to straighten up and fly right, I'll let you know.
I remember as a child having exceptionally good posture to the point where I was actually complimented on it, on occassion. When I was really little I used to sit with my legs bent back. I don't know how else to describe this so hopefully you're picking up what I'm putting down. My doctor told my parents that was not a good position for me to sit in, no matter how comfortable. They didn't know how flexible I was back then or still am now. Sure it looked uncomfortable to them, but looks can be decieving. Personally, I just think he was jealous.
Regardless, slowly I worked my way away from this position into Indian style, which, at 28, is still my seated position of choice, sometimes with both legs up, other times with just one. I know very well this isn't the most ladylike of positions but then again, you're assuming I see myself as a lady instead of the eternal 16 year old that I really am. Incidentally, there's a saying a lot of teachers say to kids "Sit like an Indian, don't be one." I still have no idea what that means, but I digress.
But back to the matter at hand- my posture. Somewhere along the way, things went wrong. I attribute this first and foremost to what I like to call "middle school moving man tactics" a.k.a. "How many books can you transport around on your back?"
Now when I was in middle school there were no cool, wheelie stewardess like backpacks that the kids sport now. It was also deathly uncool to wear your backback on both shoulders. The horror! Possible disfigurement was worth risking when immediate and certain ridicule was at the forefront. So you carried around your bag of rocks eh, books on one shoulder and grinned and beared it, literally.
I remember the day my doctor told me that I was on the verge of the beginnings of scoliosis. How that is even possible to see, without having it, I still don't know. Perhaps he was just a clever, clever man who tried successfully to scare me shitless. He told me to start wearing the backpack on both arms or I'd be sorry. So I did what any self respecting thirteen year old would; I asked for a note to have an extra set of books at home and one set at school. This solved everyone's problem. I didn't have to carry them back and forth the "proper" way and I still got all my work done. Sure vanity won out but it worked for Warren Beatty, why not me?
So a heavy burden now lifted from my shoulders, it should be smooth sailing from here, right? Wrong. See what I don't think I took into account was how much time I'd be spending hunched over a computer screen. I I spent many a nights at computers writing college papers and emails, perhaps not in direct proportion, but still. And then with work, and more email, downloading and now, blogging.
I try really hard to make a concerted effort to sit up straight when I'm at the computer, but sometimes I don't always make good on this promise to myself. Sometimes I even cheat and sit back, resting on a pile of pillows thinking resting on something is better than resting on nothing.
Meanwhile, throughout the day, if I catch my back "slacking" I try really hard to pull myself upright. One of two things usually happens though when I end up doing this:
1. I get tired from holding my back in an unnatural position.
or
2. Friends and family members notice it is an unnatural position for me and say, why are you sitting so straight?
Suddenly returning your seat to its upright position is something unusual to look at, not the other way around. When you sit perfectly straight it looks like you are trying to sit perfectly straight, which I suppose most people are doing. Trying, that is.
The bottom line is this- I don't know how to straighten out. I'm hoping yoga will help with posture, but part of me just wishes I could go back to the days when sitting with my legs bent back was good enough. I swear I was on to something back then.
All I know is if I ever manage to straighten up and fly right, I'll let you know.
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