The real reason too much sitting is bad for you

Amy Cuddy does a great TED talk on the power of body language.

Put aside twenty minutes and watch it here:

One of her more interesting points is that two minutes of what she calls “power posing” increases your testosterone.

Alright, why does that matter?

Because in modern life our movement patterns are typically flexion-dominant, i.e. hands closed, head forward and down, arms and legs in front of the body.  Think of the fetal position as an extreme version of this.

It’s a defensive/submissive posture.

Most of us sit in a car on our way to a job…where we sit at a desk all day before sitting in a car again, only to wind up, you guessed it…sitting on the couch.  And for much of this roundtrip we’re bent forward at the waist, hands clutching our smart phone crack.

Like we’re re-living our glory months in the womb.

Extension, on the other hand, opens you up…

Arms away, head up, standing tall.

Picture the sprinter who launches into a victory pose as he crosses the finish line first.

It’s an aggressive/dominant posture.

The real problem with doing flexion most of the day is it bars you to some extent from the positive emotions you’d otherwise experience.  It’s harder to tap into the testosterone and serotonin fueled highs of confidence and well-being.

You’re also perceived as low-status by your peers.

That’s why I put my trainees into extension as much as possible during their sessions, to compensate.  And I’ll let you in on a little secret: it’s also a big reason why they ALWAYS feel better when they leave.

My point is your ancestors hunted, fought naked, and birthed babies without painkillers (perhaps the most badass of the three)…

You were born to DOMINATE.

It’s carved into your DNA.

Your physiology, almost above anything else, gives you access to it.

(Let that one sink in.)

Watch the video.

And if you’re keen to dominate your day with path and purpose, then you’ll love my 30 Day Transformation series.  It’s one success secret a day, gleaned from six years of my most popular emails.

To get The Conz in a daily IV drip and leave the umbilical cord at home, go here:

Until next time…

Move well my friend,

Conor Kelly

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