Yoga Practice for Good Posture: Guidelines for Sitting While Knitting
We work on our posture in every yoga pose we do. We practice standing tall and holding ourselves upright, ears in line with shoulders. Yoga students learn body awareness and how to control their movements. Like people with good posture, Yogis look poised, in control and healthy. Practicing yoga helps you achieve good posture which makes you feel good, improves your confidence and even your appearance.
Why good posture is important?
Poor posture can cause aches and pains and make you feel tired and not well. When we slump or sit for long periods of time the space in our lungs and organs are restricted, which can affect the way they function.
The way we hold our bodies can be affected for many reasons physically, mentally or a bad habit. This can cause us to hold ourselves differently. In yoga class I teach you how to move in and out of a pose and then hold it in a correct position. This can correct your posture and put you back into the correct alignment. Yoga also increases your body awareness, so you begin to think about your posture. Stopping in mountain poses during yoga class realigns your spine and neck. The pause also brings your attention to your body, making you aware of how you are holding yourself. It’s also what makes it feel so good.
The good news is that yoga can correct your poor posture.
Knitting is my favorite pastime, and good posture keeps me comfortable so I can keep enjoying it. Sitting with knitting projects can cause stiffness in the spine, hips, knees, and ankles. It also tightens and shortens muscles and ligaments. When you slouch it restricts your breathing and puts pressure on your organs. You can become tired due to poor circulation and decreased oxygen getting to your organs. Being sedentary can also cause blood clots in your legs. Yoga stretches muscles and joints and at the same time helps with circulation of blood and lymph. Breathing in poses moves oxygen throughout your body which energizes you.
Guidelines for good posture while sitting and knitting.
#1 Take regular breaks. Get up every 20 minutes and do a few yoga poses. Get down on hands and knees and practice cat/cow pose and then stretch your legs in downward dog.
#2 Walk around the house or step outside and take a few breaths inhaling into your chest and exhaling up and out your nose. This will relieve tension, boost circulation, and send more oxygen to your brain to make you more alert.
#3 Stretch out onto your back and stretch your legs up the wall. This will reversive the blood flow and bring fresh blood to your hips and lower back. This will refresh tight muscles and stretch out your neck and shoulders.
#4. Good sitting posture: Sit with the base of your spine against the back of the chair. Rock your sit bones and sit evenly. Keep your feet flat on the floor, and your shoulders back, not rounded over your work. Place a small rolled up towel in the curve of your lower back for more support in your lower back. Practice a few rounds of open mouth exhaling to relax your arms, shoulders, and jaw.
The next time you think to yourself, I need to knit just one more row, remember to stop and take a
well-deserved break for your posture and comfort. Then get back to finishing that project.
Namaste,
Pam