Unveiling the Power of Posture: An Interview with Posture Ellie

Spring has arrived bringing a season of renewal and growth. Just as nature comes to life again, it's the perfect time for us to shed our pain and discomfort, and embark on a journey to empower and revitalize our bodies.

I'm thrilled to introduce my next guest Eleonore Burt. Join me for a transformative conversation with Posture Ellie, the Posture Coach, as she delves into the root causes of pain and dysfunction in the body, guiding us on a journey towards restoration and empowerment. 

What inspired you to specialize in posture exercise and summarize your mission?

I discovered a new-found love for movement back in 2017 (aged 27) when I discovered yoga. Whilst I was very lucky that I hadn't ever experienced any aches and pains, yoga changed the trajectory of my life and changed my body in so many ways. I became flexible and strong ... I used to be SO stiff and weak!

I started taking care of myself in a way I hadn't before, exercise was no longer a chore and was something I looked forward to and, most importantly, connecting back into my body helped me see myself and the world in totally new ways. I became much more positive and energised and determined to create change for myself.

Whilst I loved yoga (and still do!) I didn't want to become a yoga teacher as I felt the market around me at the time was oversaturated. I wanted to work for myself and definitely knew at this point that I wanted to do something somatic but I couldn't quite figure out what 'it' was. I did a Sports Massage qualification that just didn't sit right with me ... massage treats the stiff, sore bits rather than asking the questions of "Why are these bits stiff and sore in the first place? How do we prevent stiff, sore bits from forming?"

Asking these questions to myself and being extremely driven to work for myself keep me motivated to keep searching. Eventually I stumbled upon "Pain Free" by Pete Egoscue (which is the book which outlines the theory of posture therapy) and had my eureka moment. It made utter sense to me, I believed in it so much AND, because there were hardly any people doing it (and still aren't), there was a commercial opportunity there too.

My mission is to help people love movement again. I do this through helping people understand the root causes of their pain and restore movement to the parts of their body that have switched off and become dysfunctional. This helps breeds confidence and empowerment and can totally change people's lives. I love teaching people about the expert they have within them and the intuition they hold in their body, if only they can learn to listen to it and develop this skill. It's incredibly rewarding work.

How do posture exercises differ from traditional fitness routines?

Posture exercises are not about losing weight, getting fit or raising your heartbeat. 

Posture exercises are designed to restore your body back to its natural blueprint of balanced, relaxed joints so you free up muscle tension and release any bound up/restricted joints (that then cause pain). Posture exercises are there to counteract the heavy toll our modern, sedentary, unhuman lives put on our body.

By doing the posture work FIRST and prioritising healthy, balanced, functional movement FIRST, your heavier load activities (like fitness, gym, running etc) will feel utterly different.

Your postural function is your foundation and the thing you MUST HAVE FIRST if you want to move pain-free forever and continue to enjoy your higher intensity activities into your old age.

What are the key benefits of incorporating posture exercises into a daily routine?

The main benefit that people are drawn to me for is reduction of pain and tension. Posture exercises will reduce your pain and loosen you up like nothing else you've tried before.

However, the benefits are so far reaching. You can expect to sleep better, walk/run faster, breathe easier, better circulation, less headaches, more clarity of thought, better mental health, better digestion ... the list literally goes on and on.

If you think of your posture as a house ... if your house is crumbling down, so is everything within it. Restoring your house changes everything within. It's life changing and much more comprehensive then it may look to be before you try it.

What advice do you have for individuals experiencing discomfort or pain due to poor posture?

Just get started! I advise reading "Pain Free" by Pete Egoscue and then trying my Free 7 Day Posture Challenge to get you started. You'll never regret starting. You'll only wish you started sooner!

If you could go back in time and give your younger self one piece of advice regarding health and fitness, what would it be?  

Your attitude towards your health and fitness is actually an attitude towards how much you value yourself.

People who don't value themselves don't look after themselves. The more you don't look after yourself, the less you value yourself. It's a vicious circle.

By taking small, practical steps to starting taking better care of yourself, you will slowly build a love and respect for yourself that you didn't have before. The vicious circle flips and becomes a virtuous circle. This will change your life. It's all in your hands, don't let your life pass you by.

My lack of care for my wellbeing was actually a form of subconscious self-harm and a way of keeping myself small and not achieving what I wanted to achieve in life.

Ellie, Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview. I believe that today, many of us can greatly benefit from postural exercises and restoring our "crumbling house" and rebuild what's in it! I highly value your work and I am very happy that Posture Coaches like yourself are around us. Personally I've embarked my own Posture Revolution Journey, which I'm writing about in one of my latest Blogs "From Postpartum Struggles to Personal Triumph: My Posture Journey". Posture exercises have become an integral part of my daily routine, shaping not just my body but also my overall well-being. I'm inspired by Ellie's work and encourage You my dear Readers to embark on the posture journey as well—it's never too late to start and the benefits are way to great to miss on!