I often say that we use gravity like a fish uses water, we're completely evolved to use it to our advantage. Despite this, it seems the majority of people behave as if it's the enemy working against their posture. Without gravity you'd have no posture to concern yourself with in the first place. Your posture/poise is defined by your relationship with gravity, and by changing how you relate to the idea of gravity you can find more ease in your poise and posture..
Most people think of gravity in the way that Isaac Newton first formulated it when that apple supposedly fell from a tree and hit him on the head (somewhat topically, this occurred in the middle of a pandemic!). It was an excellent theory at the time that allowed many accurate predictions to be made from it, but has been superseded in scientific theory for over 100 years by Albert Einstein's theory of General of Relativity, the public has just failed to catch up. In fairness that's because it's counterintuitive to our perceived experience.
Although the aim of this discussion isn't to understand General Relativity in any detail, (and if you're going to dismiss Albert Einstein, which you are at liberty to do, can I at least ask to see your calculations?), can we use a thought experiment based on it to improve how you find support and ease for your posture/poise and use gravity to your advantage?
This will lead you to realise that whenever you go to sit down or squat, you let the earth come up underneath you in a controlled manner, and that you are essentially weightless but fully supported. The experience you have in an elevator as it first ascends is of additional support being provided, and it’s up to you to channel that support though your postural reflexes.
Watch this video to explore the thought experiment and then spend a few minutes each day considering/experiencing it:
As a companion piece you may also like to read this article on what sitting really is so you can get the best out of the thought experiment whilst sitting.
Here's the video that that prompted mine that explains the relevant aspects of General Relativity as it applies to gravity: It's not that scary or difficult to understand, I do recommend watching it:
Write a comment
Karen Loving (Tuesday, 10 November 2020 12:39)
Hi Adrian
I enjoyed your video. I didn’t see the link to the article you referred too. I would like to read it.
Thank you
Karen
Adrian Farrell MSTAT (Tuesday, 10 November 2020 12:54)
Hi Karen, thanks, the link is in the YouTube description, but it's probably a good idea if I add it directly to this blog as well
Renaud (Friday, 27 November 2020 19:41)
Hi,
This is great, just thank you !
Adrian Farrell MSTAT (Friday, 27 November 2020 20:28)
Thanks Renault, really appreciate it.
jeff (Thursday, 11 March 2021 18:39)
Hello there, thanks so much for all your writings- they're wonderful. I just had a question: in another post, you mentioned "knees forward and away". I understand that in the semi-supine, but how does that translate when standing? Maybe just a feeling of keeping the knees more up and vertical-ish?
Thank you! jeff