Posture Correction Blog

Most posture exercises are centred around the strengthening of weak muscles, in order to realign poor posture. However, the Alexander technique has a completely different approach to relieving back pain that involves lying down in a particular position for 20 minutes each day. Having attended several Alexander Technique courses I believe this approach (unlike other posture exercises) is 10 times more effective and has a long lasting effect for many years. 

I could go on about why the so-called “semi-supine” position is such an effective posture exercise, but I think that it will be much better if you simply try it out for a few days and experience it for yourself.

As a general rule, this exercise is safe for most people to do, as it involves no lifting of weights or putting your body into weird positions.  However, if you are in any doubt you should consult your doctor first just to be on the safe side.

The following video is a step-by-step instruction on how to get the most out of the semi-supine position. For those who prefer a written description,  I have included one beneath the video.

This exercise is most commonly associated with the Alexander technique, as a way to relieve unnecessary muscle tension throughout the body. It involves lying down on your back with some books underneath your head, your knees bent, and with your hands resting on your navel. 

The amount of books to put under your head needs to be adjusted according to your current posture. Although the best thing to do is to ask an Alexander technique teacher, if this is not possible please follow these steps: —

• Stand with your back against a flat surface such as a door or wall.
• Don’t try to stand up straight, just stand in your normal way with your buttocks and shoulder blades lightly touching the wall.
• Without moving, have someone measure the distance between the wall and the back of your head
• This distance is the thickness of the books that you should have and your head for the exercise. 

Note: it’s better to have too many books under your head than too few. 

There are many ways to get into the semi-supine position, but here is one preferred way that is probably the easiest. 

Getting into the Semi-Supine Position

• Find a flat piece of floor to lie down on — preferably carpeted, if not then lay a blanket down.
• Keep your spine upright and put one leg forwards and go down onto the other knee.
• Place the books to your left or to your right, but not directly in front of you, as this will be where your head will be resting.
• Place both hands on the floor so that you are on all fours.
• Take one knee and put it through the gap and then naturally roll onto your back, putting your head onto the books.
• Bring your knees up so that they are facing the ceiling. Your feet should be as near as possible to your pelvis, whilst still remaining comfortable.

Coming out of the Semi-Supine Position

• Roll your body off the books so that you are lying face down with the support of one hand and one leg.
• Rise yourself up onto all fours once again.
• Pick up the books and then place one leg in front of the other, leaving money on the grounds.
• Think of your head going forward and up, whilst leaning forward and you will find that you will naturally come into the standing position.

In a later post I will go through the reasons why this is probably the best of any posture exercises I have tried. For best results you should do this exercise for 20 minutes each day. Almost everyone who sticks to the habit of doing this exercise every day notices an improvement in their posture. The biggest problem people face is remembering to do it each and every day for a prolonged period, so you might want to set an alarm to go off at a set time every day. If you’re really dedicated about improving your posture and relieving back pain, then you will see an improvement from these posture exercises.