Is poor posture getting in the way of your acting? By strategically stretching and strengthening specific muscles, actors can improve their alignment, overall health and their work.
A relaxed, strong, dynamic posture is conducive to creating dynamic characters. Improving posture empowers actors to stand more upright, and many insist it boosts their confidence level. Actors are able to breathe, speak and sing more easily and move with greater mobility. Good posture also reduces stress.
Modern-day habitual patterns erode people’s posture in several ways.
Individuals frequently slouch at desks and while driving in cars. They also tilt their heads downward while texting. This results in rounded shoulders, hunched backs, forward head posture and shortened pectoral muscles.
This also adds stress to the spine and strains the bones, muscles and joints needed to hold the backbone upright. Making things worse, poor posture essentially smashes a person’s organs together, making it difficult for the lungs and intestines to function efficiently. An unaligned stance can also interfere with breathing and digestion.
By taking steps to improve posture, actors can benefit both personally and professionally. Here are some of the benefits of good posture.
Presence and voice
When carrying themselves with a strong, upright posture, actors will feel more centered and appear more confident entering the audition room.
However, correcting postural issues is not always a quick fix. For long-lasting results, keeping good posture often requires you to stretch the pectoral muscles while strengthening the back muscles. It allows for the chest to open up for deeper breathing while having greater command of the voice.
Just as singers understand the importance of maintaining excellent posture to improve their vocal tone, actors can use their voices with more power whether they’re auditioning or projecting their voice to the furthest seated audience members in the theater.
Ease of movement
Good posture allows for more fluid movements. Whatever movement a character is required to perform (eg: a dance at a concert, running across a field, throwing a ball, etc.) it will appear more dynamic when the actor exhibits terrific posture. This can help actors take on the physicality of their characters and capture their body language more effectively.
Reduce stress
The way people carry themselves can reveal where they have tension or pain. For example, a sore neck can transfer to the character. Proper posture stirs up less physical stress. Aligned actors carry their bodies more easily, which allows for more concentration on their characters. The breathing that accompanies stretching and strengthening exercises oxygenates the muscles, helping to relax the body.
Posture-building techniques are varied, tried and true. Some people prefer to do Pilates while others do yoga (there’s also Tai Chi, the Alexander Technique and the Egoscue Method). Taking dance classes, working out at the gym and playing sports also help to maintain great posture.
If you’ve noticed a difference in your posture and want to do something about it, remember to start off slow, regardless of whichever technique you choose. One of the biggest mistakes people make is to push themselves too hard and too fast. Many actors insist that improving their posture not only informed their acting but, in fact, changed their lives.
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