As we said in Section 5.5 on sitting well, the foundation of good posture is to have your spine in the right position. Here we look at how to achieve that when standing. 

Exercise 32: Standing relaxed but alert 

A good standing position is easily achieved from the sitting position you practised in Exercise 25. Here is a reminder of how to achieve the best position on a standard upright chair: 

• Plant your buttocks firmly on the seat. 

• Have your legs hip-width apart, lower legs vertical. 

• Place your feet facing forwards and parallel, firmly planted on the ground. 

• Allow your spine to find its natural upright position. 

• Imagine the space between your shoulder blades softening and widening. This will gently keep your chest open and prevent your shoulders from hunching. 

• Balance your head on your shoulders as described in Exercise 15, Section 3.5 (refresh your memory with the video below if necessary). 

 Then:  

• Keeping your feet where they are, press your hands lightly on your thighs and straighten your legs. 

• Adjust your pelvis if necessary. Neither your buttocks nor your abdomen should be sticking out. 

• Experiment with shifting your balance until your weight feels evenly distributed between your toes, balls of your feet and heels. 

• If you find it more comfortable, have your toes pointing out slightly rather than your feet parallel. 

• Imagine again the space between your shoulder blades softening and widening. 

• Check your head is still well balanced. 

The exercise above is a good one to practise when waiting in queues. 

If you’re still unsure whether you’re in the right position, go back to standing against a wall, as you did in Exercise 15, Section 3.5.  

Exercise 33: Standing stretch 

This exercise both encourages a good standing position and gives your body a satisfying stretch in the process. 

• Stand well balanced, as described in the previous exercise. 

• Link your fingers together in front of you then raise your arms above your head, keeping them straight. 

• Turn your hands so your palms are upwards, and stretch towards the ceiling. 

• If you can, go up onto your toes to increase the stretch. 

• Return your arms to waist height.  

• Repeat a few times.  

This is a good exercise for first thing in the morning, or if you’ve been sitting for a long time. 

Sitting and standing well are much less tiring than slumping, so you will save energy as well as feeling better.

Q: What physical and mental effects of standing well have you noticed?