Last night I read a comment on my most recent YouTube video:

“Bodies not meant to twist but this can mimic it if u master it I’m thinking!”

My response: “If the body is not meant to twist then why are we able to twist?”

And now for a more in-depth response:

I don’t know if this person was referring to himself alone, i.e. “my body is so stiff I think it’s not meant to twist…” or if he believes that all human bodies are not meant to twist.

If he truly meant “bodies” aren’t meant to twist then he must not know anything about human anatomy, much less followed sports, dance, martial arts or basic household tasks.

Alysa Liu just won an Olympic gold medal in women’s figure skating. Can you imagine her performance without twisting, not to mention the U.S. Hockey Team, who also won gold?

Perhaps there is one, but offhand I can’t think of a single sport that doesn’t involve twisting. Golf, tennis, baseball, boxing, wrestling, diving, gymnastics, soccer, football, basketball, pole vaulting, skiing, even ping pong, all involve twisting.

I’m shaking my head in wonder. Where does someone get the idea that bodies aren’t meant to twist?

And then I am reminded of all the fitness trainers preaching “brace your core,” “lock your spine,” and such.

Additionally, there are martial artists who insist on a perfectly straight spine at all times. These arts are not something I have any interest in.

Why?

Because your spine has the ability to bend, flex and twist for a simple reason: it’s supposed to.

Bending, flexing and twisting of the spine is natural. Shoving a broomstick up your spine is not.

Yes, there are times when I want my spine to be straight – but even in the straightness I don’t want to be a stiff ramrod. I want a relaxed straight spine so that at any moment I can quickly and easily bend, flex or twist.

In my Power Postures course, I teach you how to relax your spine into straightness, and still be able to move.

This means you do not “tuck your tailbone” as is commonly taught. Then again, you also don’t stick your butt out when you squat.

Anyway, that’s enough ranting for today.

Kick ass – take names!

Matt Furey

P.S. In my Badass Tai Chi and Warrior Walking courses, there are moments when your spine is straight – the catch is that you then learn to move in and out of that neutral position with various twists, turns and bends that improve balance, strength, mobility and much more.