Good posture is not just about standing up straight. True full-body alignment requires mindful positioning of each major body part, from the feet to the crown of the head. This exact guide will walk you through how to align your body properly for standing, sitting, and moving, ensuring optimal balance, strength, and comfort.

Feet and Ankles

• Feet Position: Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Your toes should point straight forward, not angled outward or inward. The arches of your feet should feel naturally lifted, not collapsed.
• Weight Distribution: Balance your weight evenly across the balls of your feet, the outer edges, and the heels. Avoid shifting all your weight forward or backward.

Knees

• Knee Alignment: Keep your knees soft, not locked. They should be directly above your ankles when viewed from the side. The kneecaps should face forward, aligned with the second toe.
• Micro-Bend: Always maintain a slight bend to prevent hyperextension and to engage supporting muscles properly.

Hips and Pelvis

• Pelvic Position: Imagine your pelvis as a bowl of water. Tip it neither forward (spilling water out the front) nor backward (spilling water out the back). Keep it neutral so the water would remain level.
• Hip Alignment: Hips should be stacked over the knees and ankles. Avoid letting your pelvis sag forward or tilting too much backward, which causes swayback.

Spine

• Spinal Curves: Respect the natural S-shaped curves of the spine. There should be a gentle inward curve at the lower back (lumbar), a slight outward curve at the upper back (thoracic), and a gentle inward curve at the neck (cervical).
• Lengthen Upward: Imagine a string pulling the crown of your head up toward the ceiling. Elongate your spine without stiffening it.

Abdomen

• Core Engagement: Lightly engage your lower abdominal muscles by drawing your belly button slightly in toward your spine. This stabilizes your lower back and supports your posture.
• Breathing: Do not brace so tightly that you inhibit your breathing. Keep a balance between support and relaxation.

Chest and Ribcage

• Rib Position: Keep your ribs in line with your pelvis. Avoid flaring the ribs outward, which creates excessive arching in the lower back.
• Chest Alignment: Keep your chest open but not puffed out. Your shoulders should remain relaxed, allowing your chest to expand naturally with your breath.

Shoulders

• Shoulder Blades: Gently draw your shoulder blades back and down, as if slipping them into your back pockets.
• Shoulder Alignment: Shoulders should be in line with your ears when viewed from the side, without slumping forward or pulling excessively backward.

Arms and Hands

• Arm Placement: Let your arms hang naturally at your sides with a slight bend at the elbows. Your palms should face your thighs, not forward or backward unnaturally.
• Hand Relaxation: Keep your hands soft, not clenched or overly tense.

Neck

• Neck Position: Keep your neck long and neutral, not jutting forward or tilting back. Imagine the back of your neck growing tall.
• Chin Placement: Keep your chin parallel to the ground. Slightly tuck it in to avoid forward head posture.

Head

• Head Alignment: The center of your head should balance directly over your pelvis. Avoid tilting to one side or letting your head drift forward.

Putting It All Together

When you stand, sit, or move:

• Begin with your feet and work upward, adjusting each part.
• Check in frequently with your posture throughout the day.
• Practice mirror checks and body scans to recalibrate your alignment.
• Remember that good posture should feel stable, balanced, and sustainable, not rigid or strained.

Final Thoughts

Posture is a dynamic, living arrangement, not a frozen pose. Perfect alignment involves continuous micro-adjustments based on your activity, energy, and surroundings. Building awareness and strength through regular practice will help you maintain ideal full-body posture effortlessly over time.