Monday Moves: Prone Mountain

We are continuing the Monday Move series on posture.  Check out last week's post on the Brugger Exercise, as all the posture exercises together will play different parts on transforming your posture.  This week it is all about changing our orientation to the floor to improve our posture.  So often when I was a kid and I heard my mother say, "stand up straight," I (with an eyeroll) stuck my chest out and pulled my shoulders back.  This "better posture" may have lasted for about 1 minute and then I would return to my normal slouch.  In yoga class, you often hear the teacher say "pull your shoulders back" while standing in Mountain pose and once again this correction typically lasts for a only a few minutes.

Prone Mountain exercise was created by Scott Anderson at Alignment Yoga.  He found that moving to the floor could be beneficial in learning how to stand.  So this exercise begins with your belly on the floor.  Your hands are flat on the floor on either side of your lower ribs. Now bring your chest bone (aka sternum) and flesh of the chest firmly against the floor.  In doing so, most people will find that their nose and chin also are pressed firmly against the floor in this position due to the forward position of the head.  Simultaneously as you press the chest toward the floor lift the nose and chin about an inch off the  floor.  Keep the head parallel to the floor and stretching the crown of the head towards the front of the room.  The toes stretch backwards.  Your bottom muscles relax.  You are grounded to the floor through your hands, sternum and pubic bone.  Take deep breaths, fully and naturally committing to the exhale.  You can start out by holding this position for 5 breaths and move towards holding this position for several minutes.  Even though this may seem like an incredibly simple exercise, students report that this pose can be one of the most transforming on their posture.  What are you waiting for...get on your belly!