Squeeze the Quarter ©

By: Jeannie Tucker: jeannie@jeannietucker.com

I have traveled around states and abroad for years teaching workshops and coaching individuals on how to be more balanced, stable and graceful in their movement. The one piece of advice that I have taught more than any other, that has made the biggest difference in the appearance, health and functionality of my students bodies is something I call ...

"Squeeze the Quarter".

Creating good posture is one of the most important skills a person can develop if they want to perform and carry themselves well in sports, dance and life in general. Maintaining proper posture lends beauty, strength and confidence to all our movements. In order to create a body frame that can handle all types of weight change and movement with balance and control, one must first learn to properly align the lower and then upper body.

In trying to achieve this, your ultimate goal is to align your "center" of balance squarely above your feet and directly behind your solar plexus or sternum.

By acting as though you are "Squeezing a Quarter" between the cheeks under the bottom of your rear end you can engage the gluteus muscles and activate the lower abdomen. If done correctly, your tummy will be pulled inward with your pelvis tilted under and forward. This action also decompresses the lower spine by taking pressure off the lower lumbar discs. After, and only after you have learned to do this, you should then breath in lifting the ribcage up. Finally, pull the shoulders up, back and down securing them by engaging the lower Latts under your shoulder blades while breathing out. Remembering that pulling the shoulders up and back without the pelvis tucked under can add to, not lessen, lower back strain.  

You now understand the beautiful, strong and functional posture of the more "centered", "balanced" and "controlled" dancers and athletes. Internal "core stregnth" is one of the most important elements in managing your body efficently. Let the beauty, strength and confidence of your newfound posture radiate when you play sports, dance or just walk down the street.

Learning to "SQUEEZE THE QUARTER" helps you to walk, dance and play sports with a more "active" not "passive" lower body adding strength and integrity to your movements. With practice, you will become more comfortable with your new body position and more able to take advantage of the benefits it will provide.

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