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Posture perfect

Straighten up Yoga helps a great deal in keeping a healthy body posture

I was nicknamed Hunchback of Notre Dame in school for my stooping habit. I joined yoga to be able to stand stiff like the Qutub Minar and no more teasing now,” Mohit, a successful entrepreneur, says happily. Personality is the key to success in this competitive era and the right posture, besides verbal communication, plays a vital role in achieving success. Posture can be judged in the blink of an eye and a snap evaluation is made based on that.

Research into mind-body connections has identified ways that a physical body shapes itself in response to one’s mental and emotional personality type. The way people carry themselves says a lot about their character. The good news is that posture can be improved. Straighten up and tighten core muscles for an instant body lift. Ballet, Yoga or muscle-strengthening exercises can be pursued to develop a confident look. An astute eye can judge whether you are an introvert or an extrovert, anxious, submissive or self-assured just from your stance.

Prashanth, who is preparing for interviews, is wary of the fact that the first few seconds can be the deciding factor for landing a job. He says: “Your posture is like your signature in physical space. The way you hold yourself and move about is a physical expression of your individuality and your personality. From your carriage, stance and gait, the interviewer can decide whether you have it in you or not.”

Personality development institutes have mushroomed all over to cater to the growing demand and to keep up with the competition. “Most models join a modelling or grooming school where they are taught how to sit, stand, or walk the ramp, wearing stilettos and hold their head high. I slouch when I walk so I have been walking round the house with a heavy book on my head. This is an age-old method to walk tall and straight,” grins Vaishali, an MBA student.

It’s important to look confident as if the whole world was watching. If you are able to do all of this without thinking about it, you will definitely be more successful and feel better. “I studied in an army school and teachers there always insisted on throwing one’s shoulders back and chest out. Tuck your tummy in and stand ramrod straight,” recalls Vishal, a wannabe pilot. A wrong body posture can predispose people towards aches and pains too, but it’s never too late to work towards correction. Exercises that strengthen the muscles across the upper back and shoulders work like magic. Stretches can greatly help if you find that you have a sore back or neck. If you probably had many years of bad posture; it will take time to make the new positions a habit. Not everyone is blessed with a perfect personality, which can be cultivated. Practice whenever you remember and learn the trick to hold your head high.

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