Posture Life Hacks: Confidence, Hormones, and Standing Up Straight

"I'm a loser with poor posture."

If someone says this to you, you may be tempted to pat them on the back and give them some encouragement. But the scientific, psychological, and acting communities suggest something else may be more effective: after you pat this loser's back, plant your palm between his shoulder blades, pull his head up and back, and square his shoulders. (He may think you're trying to kill him, but this will pass. Unless you are.) Though his level of achievement is unlikely to change over the next few minutes, a shift in his perspective is almost inevitable.

To invoke a parable: encouraging someone who is in a slump (figuratively and literally) is giving them a fish. Improving their posture is teaching them to fish. Would you rather be a fish-lender or fishing teacher?

The Chinese army takes posture seriously.

Practicing good posture habits is an age old concern, but traditional wisdom on posture emphasized physical well-being and social presence. Nowadays, the "life hacking," corporate, and health communities are realizing what actors and psychologists have been saying for years: posture affects your own mood and sense of self to a great degree.

If you didn't know, the concept of "life hacks" is something of a craze right now. The "hack" part of the term derives from the world of computers, where "hacking" a system gives you special access to information, and allows you to manipulate a system without regard to traditional parameters (such as "laws," or "ethics.") "Life hacking" is an umbrella term for studying tangible tweaks to behavior, nutrition, sleep, laundry techniques, building credit, and many other facets of modern life.

Health-related life hacks are abundant, and accordingly vary in quality. But I've noticed a common thread amongst the standing wisdom on health-related life hacks: many "best of" or "Top Ten" health tips are placing posture near the top. What's interesting is not the how, but the why: life hackers are using posture to "reprogram" their minds and tweak their personalities.

There are literally hundreds of articles on the virtues of cultivating correct posture and what it projects to others. But this TED talk is easily the most compelling lecture I've seen on the subject of posture's effect on the self:

If you don't have time to watch/are at work stealthily reading this blog, I'll summarize Dr. Cuddy's research and advice: adopting "power positions" before social events in which you must "perform," such as job interviews, will make you come across as bolder and more charismatic. When you stand with your arms outstretched, as one might in victory or celebration, your body produces testosterone, decreases cortisol, and generally tells itself that you're awesome. I don't recommend doing a victory dance in the waiting room before your interview, as that may seem premature. Although, if someone asks what you're doing and you tell them, they may just be surprised by your knowledge of social psychology and interview acumen, which could be its own reward.

It's great that our culture is widely exploring the relationship between posture, emotion, and social impact, but this understanding significantly predates the era of the TED talk. In fact, using posture to manipulate mood, and thus further affect a person's emotional expression, is a fundamental aspect of contemporary acting technique. 

Konstantin Stanislavski (1863-1938)  is almost universally considered the father of modern acting. Almost every influential acting teacher and actor of the mid-twentieth century (and their protégés) credit Stanislavski's system with forming the bulk of their acting sensibility. The core of Stanislavski's system was "the method of physical action." This principle essentially codifies a reverse of the normal order of human emotional response: it uses a physical action (such as wiping one's face, lowering one's eyes, or slouching) to connect with the emotional core of the psyche that produces those physical expressions. Everyone from Lawrence Olivier to Marlon Brando to Edward Norton to Robert DeNiro has embraced and used Stanislavski's method. To the world of serious acting, this ability of posture to dictate emotion is self-evident and essential.

I'm not saying mindful posture will make you rich and famous—but it can't hurt. Professionally emotional people have been doing it since the early twentieth century.

If you'd like to benefit from better posture but struggle with old habits, here are some quick tips:

Become an X-man

Having a companion (or stranger) put a huge "X" of tape across your back is not a permanent, daily solution to posture. But after retraining your mind and body, you can tear the training wheels off in one quick motion, with the added benefit of reducing your back-shaving time for a few days afterward.

Get a Posture Buddy
Much like a Workout Buddy or Diet Buddy, getting a Posture Buddy harnesses the powers of conformity and fear of judgement. Ideally, your Posture Buddy should be someone with whom you live or work. Whenever you notice one another slouching, simply offer a gentle reminder. Incentivizing the deal can make things more fun—cookies, money, massages, or any other currency can be traded for posture infractions. Once you make your home or office a joyless posture police state full of ticketable offenses, you'll be standing taller in no time. You can also have your Posture Buddy dress like your grandparents for that classic "Stand up straight!" feel.

Get Your Back Against the Wall
It's like standing in a police lineup, without the choice company on either side. Walls are a great, ubiquitous posture-improver. Just stay clear of the corners, or people will think you've been bad. Especially if you're wearing that cone cap you love so much.

Stay Level-headed
Carrying things on your head is popular in many places where people must port things long distances. This practice almost demands correct posture. Beware of carrying too great a load—skip the water buckets unless you have no choice. You don't want to compress your spine. And that huge foam cowboy hat doesn't count. 



I suppose, in retrospect, House of Pain had it all figured out: Get up, stand up, come on, put your hands up.