About Posture

合氣道光氣会 Aikido Kokikai Japan News 

2020-7-1 

Shudō Maruyama, Founder and President 

About Posture (姿勢 shisei) 

It’s often said that kids today have bad posture. Mothers often tell their children, at mealtime, “Elbows off the table” and when studying, “Don’t slouch—it’s bad for your eyes.” But kids hunch their backs while studying and watch TV with bad posture. Add in computers, video games, and phones, and there’s no time for good posture. That’s why, even when they walk, kids slouch out of habit.  

So, what are the benefits of good posture? 

●  avoiding organ and joint compression to improve your health 

●  improving concentration and reflexes 

●  positive mind and good mood 

●  decreasing anxiety 

●  enlarging your aura 

And there are others. 

In sports too, when people win, they have good posture and feel glad, but when they lose, they slouch. When people are sad or sick, they look down. 

Posture influences us. Correct posture is the most natural state in which we can access our full abilities. In Aikido Kokikai kids class, we check posture while standing, sitting seiza, walking, and more. We practice to make correct posture a habit. Parents, once in a while, tell your kids that you notice how their posture has improved. 

(translated by Barbara Litt, with assistance from Dave Nachman and Steve Syrek)