Same Old Posture Advice

Whenever I teach a student, particularly an advanced student, I find myself giving the same old posture advice:

• Lower your shoulders
• Keep your head straight (ears in line with your shoulders)
• Tuck your koshi (press out the curve in your lower back)
• Slightly bend your knees.
• Place the weight in the center of your feet (not on the balls and not on the heels, but in the middle).

Unless the student does these things, it will be very difficult for him to move properly -- particularly to connect the energies of the upper and lower parts of the body. If I owned my own dojo (we train in a gymnasium), I think I would make big signs giving this advice!

The funny thing is that when we do this, we look a little like Goju-Ryu students!

But please pay attention to this advice. Whatever your style may be, without proper posture (as defined in your style), proper movement is very difficult, if not impossible. Without proper posture, your body will be constantly fighting itself.

Respectfully,

Charles C. Goodin