I hear about posture constantly from bodywork clients: "I have bad posture" or "I'm trying to maintain good posture." These conversations always lead to the same place, so I want to share a different way of thinking about this increasingly common concern—one that's more accurate and ultimately more useful.
Posture isn't a static position you hold. There's no single "correct" way to stand or sit. Instead, let's talk about organization—how your body strategically arranges itself to handle the demands placed upon it.
Your body is constantly organizing around three key factors:
Think of your body as having a toolkit of strategies for any given situation. Your body is constantly problem-solving, finding ways to distribute load and manage demand.
The issue isn't any single position—it's the consequences of limited strategies. Good organization means having multiple options available and using them.
The simplest way to improve your organization: take a deep breath and fully exhale while you hold that new expanded shape. You'll feel your body naturally sustain a better alignment—this is your body finding an efficient organization in that moment.
I use large language models to help me understand concepts I explore and teach. With access to deep banks of knowledge from books, articles and interviews, I test my own ideas against existing science and philosophy with these modern tools that have begun to transform our society and culture. I find it important to play with and understand new technology before it quietly inserts itself into our every day.
If you'd like to explore these concepts further, you can continue this conversation with AI. The tool has context about this article and can help you apply these ideas to your specific situation.
Some questions you might explore:
How do I know if sitting is causing problems?
What are some simple ways to add movement variety to my workday?
Why does the breathing technique work for better organization?
How does this apply to someone with chronic back pain?
I'm curious what you discover in the conversation, both about the topic and about interacting with these new tools.