Have you ever caught yourself standing with one hip out to the side, shoulders slightly forward, and most of your weight through your heels?

We’ve all done it.

It’s what I call energy-saving standing.

And it makes perfect sense. Our bodies are clever.

They’re designed to save energy when they can. But the problem is that most of us don’t move enough during the day anymore. So instead of resting for a short moment, we end up staying in that lazy standing position for long periods of time and that’s when things start to go wrong.

If you think about it, our bodies were never designed for the lifestyle most of us have today. If we go back a few thousand years (and I mean way back), we were out in nature all day. We walked, climbed, carried, built, squatted, we were constantly moving because that’s how we survived.
Now we sit for hours, or stand still in one spot while we cook, work, or chat. We’re not being challenged in the same way, and our body adapts, by getting a little too comfortable.

Muscles that don’t get used often enough stop supporting us the way they should.


So what happens when we’re standing still for too long?


Our muscles start to relax and instead we “hang” on the ligaments.

The head begins to fall forward, the shoulders round, the back arches, the tummy relaxes, and suddenly most of our weight is pressing down through our heels.

It feels easy at first, but then you feel stiff and have difficulties moving.

In this case, your ligaments and smaller muscles step in. They tighten up, they contract, and over time they start to ache.

If you’ve ever felt tightness in your neck, that dull ache between your shoulder blades, or that low back pain that sneaks in at the end of the day, this might be part of the reason.


When your posture collapses, the big muscles switch off and the smaller ones overwork.

Even your glutes, those big powerful muscles that should be helping you stay upright, get lazy and stop firing properly.

Meanwhile, the smaller muscles inside your hips and pelvis try to help, and they end up getting tired and irritated.

That’s when you might feel that deep ache down your leg or into your lower back.
Add to that sore heels and a feeling that your whole body is a bit heavier, and you’ve got the classic modern-day standing posture.


But here’s the good news.

You don’t need to spend hours at the gym to fix it.
In fact, you can make a huge difference just by becoming aware of how you stand.

Start by gently shifting your weight so you feel it more through the middle of your feet, not just the heels.

Imagine you’re being lifted tall from the crown of your head, your spine long, your chest soft, your shoulders gently drawing back and down.

Bring your hips slightly back so they’re in line with your feet, and think of standing alive, not frozen.

You don’t have to hold it perfectly.

Just keep checking in. A few small adjustments, a few mindful moments throughout the day, and your muscles will start to work again.

I often tell my clients that the best position is the next position.

So move.

Shift your weight, walk a little, reach up, stretch out.

Our bodies are made for movement, and every time you move, you’re doing something good for yourself.

Good posture isn’t about standing like a soldier or looking perfect in the mirror. It’s about allowing your body to breathe, move and support you.
When you stand tall, your muscles share the work, your energy lasts longer, and you’ll notice that you feel lighter, and more confident, too.

So next time you catch yourself sagging on one hip or leaning on your heels with your tummy forward and rounded shoulders, take a breath, lift yourself tall, and remember:
You don’t have to work harder.

You just have to stand smarter.

-Astrid-