Our posture, movements, and attitudes are all an explanation of ourselves; they are a part of us and cannot just be missed. Each of us must find for ourselves the posture most appropriate for our individual structure. When we were children lessons on posture were taught to us quite indirectly. At school we were taught to stand up straight, with chest out and belly in, and this ‘military posture’ chronically tightened our breathing muscles. 
Posture is the manner in which the body is held in lying, sitting, standing and walking. Sometimes, it is said to be a particular position or attitude of the body. We have postural muscles which are mostly extensors that counter the downward pace of gravity to maintain the body in an upright posture.
As we grow up, however, we do not pay much attention to posture and we adopt ‘bad’ postural habits. For instance, we try to restrict our breathing as a way of suppressing painful emotions. We know that the depth of our breathing is related to the richness and intensity of our feelings. Our cultural ethos urges us to control our deepest feelings. As a result, we tighten our breathing muscles. In the process of distancing ourselves from feelings of sadness, anger, or fear, we also block the free flow of energy in the body and diminish our capacity for pleasure.
Retired soldier
At a supermarket check-out counter I saw a middle-aged man standing erect. Most of us cannot stand erect, and we tend to slouch. When I looked at him again I realised that he was a retired soldier. Something set him apart. Even the cashier did a speedier-than-usual job while glancing at him with respect. He gave the impression of being tall, but I found that he was of average height. He was not well dressed and wore plain weekend sports attire.
When he stepped out of the supermarket he carried himself as if he was someone worth caring about. He put his head up and chest out and walked proudly. At the same time, I looked at the other shoppers leaving the supermarket. Most of them drooped over their bags full of things they had bought. In the glass of the store’s side doors, I saw myself as a worn-out man. I remember the words of one of my teachers who was a martinet. One day he told a group of unruly students, “Stand up straight! Lift yourself by pretending strings are pulling you from the tops of your ears.” Immediately, I pulled myself up and my head and upper torso lifted automatically.
Lucy Lindell in her book The Sensual Body says, “Your posture is a reflection of your whole way of being. It betrays how you stand in life and how you confront the world – whether you assume a retiring attitude, for instance, holding back from life, or stand still facing it squarely. You cannot change bad postural habits by trying to be different, by copying someone else or emulating a particular body image. You need to experience from inside how different it feels to stand well.”
Feel younger
When you stand up properly and maintain your posture, you will feel younger. You will also get rid of the terrible backache you usually get on long-distance trips. Another plus factor is that you will breathe all the way down to the bottom of your lungs for a change. In other words, you will feel better in seconds.
Young people will find it easy to stand straight and breathe properly. If they do not maintain such habits, gravity and old age will pull them down. Therefore, whether you are young or old, or simply growing up, tell yourself: “Stand up straight!”
When talking about posture, we need to know something about the concept of Kokyu which has been defined as ‘breathing power’. When you develop Kokyu, you will perfect your stance or posture revealing the degree of your connection to the ground. With a strong, stable stance you will take power and energy from the ground into your body and extend ‘full ki’ into everything you do. A firm, balanced stance will allow you to respond instantly to, and harmonise with, changes in the environment, both on a physical and mental plane.
Erect stance
A proud erect stance is often seen in the man who has accomplished much and knows where he is going. It is also a clear indication of self-confidence. Perhaps that is why we often advise youngsters to stand up straight. Not only is it physically beneficial, but also it non verbally communicates self-assurance. A friend of mine who retired recently from his long-standing insurance career has gone one step further. He claims that he can change his feelings from depression to determination merely by squaring his shoulders and straightening his back.
Hands joined together at the back, chin thrust upward can be observed in Trafalgar Square when a London bobby walks his beat, in West Germany when a customs inspector is searching baggage, or in Japan when an executive addresses his staff on the importance of the marketing plan to his firm.
While covering an event at an army training college I had a glance at a senior army officer swaggering out in front of a group of new recruits, putting both his hands behind his back and thrusting his chin forward, Mussolini-style. There was absolutely no doubt in the newcomers’ mind, who was in command of the situation.
Gesture
This does not mean that it is a male authority gesture. Even young women police officers take the same position while walking on their beat. Sometimes, coquettish girls give you a shy look, drop their gaze, and put their hands behind the back, which causes their breasts to protrude.
A good posture will change your appearance and attitude to life while bolstering your spirits. When you lift your body to its full height and hold up your head, little signals will go to your brain saying, “You’r confident. You think highly of yourself. You are somebody of worth.” Other people, reacting to the way you look, will send signals of respect.
Stand up for yourself. You cannot reach for the stars if you are slouching!