Bodytalk
Judy Huston's Newsletter

New Year Deal
Package #1:
Two 90- minute Aston sessions and two 60-minute craniosacral sessions: $275 (regular price - $300)
Sessions must be completed within 6 weeks of purchase.

What is "good posture"?

Many people think of good posture in terms of the series of commands parents and teachers have given us: "Stand up straight. Pull your shoulders back. Hold in your stomach. Tuck your tailbone under." The basic idea is to align all your parts so that nothing sticks out too much, though it's a bit unclear why it's so bad to have various bits sticking out. There even seems to be shame associated with "bad posture." What I have found in working with people is that these basic misunderstandings about posture can fall away quickly as new information makes it easier to obtain and maintain functional, dynamic posture.

In Aston-Patterning, we talk about having a "Base of Support" for standing and sitting. In sitting, the pelvis is the base which the torso and head need for comfort and action. In standing, the feet and legs support the pelvis, which in turn supports the spine, head and arms. There are opportunities all along the way for malfunctions to occur. The single most surprising thing for my clients is to realize that pulling their shoulders back does not help with good posture if, for example, the pelvis is unable to support the ribs and shoulder girdle.

It is possible, for example, for a leg to be injured or used in such a way that it is unable to support the pelvis. In this way the torso is also not supported optimally. Every misalignment or injury affects the rest of the body in the same way that a missing brick might compromise the structure of a wall. The wall would continue to be a wall, but would have a basic weakness.

There are several exercise protocols which are useful in finding your optimal posture. The first involves flexion and extension of the spine (slumping and arching), in a sequence I help each individual determine. Other exercises help to lengthen the tissue through the joints or to balance the strength of tissues around a joint.

Clients can find out more about their particular needs in individual sessions or by joining an Aston fitness class.

Ask me about your individual concerns.

Exercise Tip

If you're like a lot of us, you have trouble getting around to exercising as much as you should. To incorporate exercise into your daily routine, try this tip:
Designate a spot in your home or office, which becomes your stretching spot. Every time you cross that spot, do a stretch or a series of stretches. You'll be surprised how much stretching you can do in one day. Have fun!

New  Year Deal
Package #2:
Ten 90-minute Aston sessions: $810
(regular price - $900)
Sessions must be completed within 16 weeks of purchase.

Aston Fitness classes Fun, conscious, innovative exercise designed for each participant. Class size is limited to 4. Learn to recognize what needs to be done to solve problems of function or pain.
Gain the ability to apply what you learn to all sorts of activities.

Classes consist of :

*Loosening - gentle exercises designed to release excess tension

*Toning - using body segments and simple resistance, with precise alignment

*Stretching - paying close attention to alignment and support