Posture pictures: Squatting

January 18, 2010 - 4:16am | 5 posts

Basmat

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01/17/2010 - 11:48am

Posture pictures: Squatting

Hi Esther!

Thank you for a wonderful workshop! I keep practicing every day and night.

I was wondering about squatting (I hope I have the right term). I've been doing it since childhood - however, my back is rounded just like everyone around me.

I got these photos of squatting, and I've been wondering about them. The Chinese men too seem to have a rounded back just like mine:

http://www.eveandersson.com/photos/china/beijing-wangfujing-men-squatting-large.jpg

and this baby:
http://www.hyphenmagazine.com/blog/squattingT.jpg

and this woman is a bit different:
http://64.143.176.9/library/healthguide/en-us/images/media/medical/hw/h9991169.jpg

Could you comment on these photos?
Do you have photos of a good posture in squatting?
Thanks!
basmat

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January 18, 2010 - 5:56am | 1 post

Esther Gokhale

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09/10/2008 - 8:36pm

The Chinese men (judging from their modern clothing and context) don't look like squatting is their primary way of sitting. I don't know how much this particular baby squats nor how he/she was carried.The Caucasian woman doing a full squat has unusual flexibility and seems to be doing fine squatting.

Usually, people who squat really well have done it all their lives as a primary way of sitting, like this African woman:

I have other images of babies squatting with perfectly straight backs, but I am in Holland right now and don't have the images with me.

The problem with forcing a squat is that the ligaments in the back and/or in the foot get increasingly distended then putting strain on other tissues in the body.

It was fun teaching and traveling in Israel. I look forward to returning!

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November 3, 2016 - 7:39am | 1 post

Ava

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Hi - is there a different site for the woman JPG?... this one can't be found.

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November 5, 2016 - 6:51am | 1 post

(Reply to #3) #4

Clare Chapman

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08/20/2010 - 8:19pm

Hi, Ava,

Yes, unfortunately I have tried too, and that site cannot be found. I am not familiar with the image Basmat was referring to. If it showed a C-shaped squatting position, then I think Esther's comment is very applicable for nearly all people who have grown up using chairs rather than squatting naturally and consistently from an early age:

"The problem with forcing a squat is that the ligaments in the back and/or in the foot get increasingly distended then putting strain on other tissues in the body".

In my experience of student problems, this may occur even if the squat feels comfortable and unforced for short periods of time.

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January 16, 2019 - 11:31pm | 1 post

Archdalld

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01/16/2019 - 11:29pm

thanks