Back to Basics
If we aren’t vigilant with our exercise, like most self-improvement endeavors, we can backslide. Proper form, appropriate intensity and regular frequency are exercise variables that can all begin to drift.
Failing to exercise with proper form will, at best, feed dysfunctional movement and, at worst, lead to injury. This alone is reason enough to invest ourselves into knowing and practicing proper form while training.
The “Back to Basics” Focus Point of the Week series teaches and reinforces the most important concepts to help you exercise safely and effectively.
Last Updated: 2/2/25
This week’s Back to Basics Focus Point describes one of our team’s favorite postural cues, Maintain “I”. Once understood, this cue reinforces proper alignment of your trunk ensuring you move safely and effectively through loaded resistance training as well as endurance training.
Proper posture is key
The many benefits of having correct posture are often overlooked. Correct posture places bones and joints in alignment, which in turn ensures that muscles are used properly. When the body is working the way it is designed to, good things happen. Pain is reduced, muscular endurance is increased, and each exercise in your workout becomes even more effective!
Some of us naturally maintain good posture, while others don’t. Even those who may be “naturals” can begin to lose their good posture after years of too much sitting. The good news is that, for most of us, posture can be improved through corrective exercise and self-awareness. A great strategy you can use is learning how to maintain “I.”
How to maintain “I”
Imagine the capital letter “I” painted on your torso. The top portion of the letter is represented by a horizontal line running from shoulder to shoulder. The bottom portion is represented by a horizontal line running from hip to hip. A straight vertical line running down your spine connects the two horizontal lines. Your letter “I” should be straight. This means your shoulders, hips and spine are level to the floor and the two horizontal lines are stacked on top of each other. Your letter “I” should be tall…as tall as you can make it.
Maintaining “I” will set you up to have a tall spine, allowing the muscles of your core to function optimally. When your core is functioning well, everything else has a better chance to function correctly and risk of injury is lowered. Once you find your “I,” it is important to maintain it throughout your movements, with your hips and shoulders moving in unison. If your shoulders turn right, your hips should turn right with them. We must avoid “loosey-goosey” movements where our “I” wobbles and gets out of alignment.
Maintaining “I” is critical to maintaining good form when training. Remember, the posture you train with is the posture that you are teaching your body to live with. Focus on maintaining “I” as you train this week and begin to notice how your core muscles respond!
