(ThyBlackMan.com) As a fit pro I have observed up to eighty percent of people in any gym are exercising with improper posture and technique at any given time. Bad form and technique over time can lead to low back pain, neck tension and injury. Even worse, bad posture leads to poor results. But did you know that in life bad mental posture can be just as injurious?
Many people do not experience success because they are not mentally postured for success. They get out of bed each morning but have already lost the game mentally. Why? Because of a negative consciousness pattern they refuse to change and as a result they move through life defeated, dejected and demoralized. Don’t let that be you!
The quintessential mental posture for success in life – as it is also in the gym – is found in these five principles: feet forward, shoulders squared, back straight, chin up and breathe!
Follow these five principles to experience a feeling of well-being, 
success and personal freedom in the gym of life.
Principle#1
Feet Forward
Feet forward means that you have been wired for progress and forward movement. Keep moving, no matter the change you are faced with. Don’t resist it. Embrace it. Our universe is in a constant state of change. Right now, as you read this, the earth is being hurled through space at a fantastic rate of speed. It is only gravitational pull that keeps you grounded. The concept is no different in life. Change is dynamic; it is always happening, even when we resist it. George Bernard Shaw said it best, If you cannot change your mind, you cannot change anything.
Principle#2
Shoulders Squared
The shoulders squared mental posture is an indication of a resolute spirit; it typifies the person who declares that he or she will not move through life chained by circumstance or past blunders. Show me a person who moves with their shoulders squared and I will show you a person who diligently understands the words of Marcus Garvey, If you have no confidence in self, you are twice defeated in the race of life. I will show you a person who is sure of themselves; who know they have a date with destiny and will allow nothing to prevent that fortuitous encounter from taking place. When your shoulders are squared, you are saying ‘I am a winner!’
Principle#
Back Straight
Why is it important to live with your back straight? Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said it best, the only time someone can ride your back is when it’s bent. People will sense whether you are in complete possession of yourself by the angle of your back! An unsure, mentally limp individual will virtually invite others to ride his or her back by living with a bent-over posture. Do not be one of those people who allow others a free ride at the expense of your pride, character and esteem. Keep your back straight. Stand tall. Walk taller. Think big and act even bigger!
Principle#4
Chin Up
Show me a person who lumbers about with their chin down and I will show you a person who has gotten beat down from life. Les Brown often says, if you can look up then you can get up! Chin up means you refuse to be defeated. You live by the mantra: I will not be stopped! Chin up means you’ve taken your blows but you are still standing. Chin up is bounce back! It’s keeping your head to the sky. It’s knowing you were born to soar!
Principle#5
Breathe
From the earliest times we have been taught the power of breathing. We know that breathing is more than just a signal that you are alive, but it’s also your connection to your inner Divinity. Marina Abramovic writes, To control the breathing is to the control the mind.
Your breath is your most powerful ally in the struggle against internal and external oppression. It alone means that you still have the ability to change your life at any given moment. Breathe deep – in through your nose and out through your mouth – several times a day and renew your inner peace, purpose and power.
As in the gym, in life you must practice good mental posture to experience well-being, success and personal freedom.
Staff Writer; W. Eric Croomes
This talented brother is a holistic lifestyle exercise expert and founder and executive coach of Infinite Strategies LLC, a multi-level coaching firm that develops and executes strategies for fitness training, youth achievement and lifestyle management. Eric is an author, fitness professional, holistic life coach and motivational speaker.
In October 2015, Eric released Life’s A Gym: Seven Fitness Principles to Get the Best of Both, which shows readers how to use exercise to attract a feeling of wellness, success and freedom (Infinite Strategies Coaching LLC, 2015) – http://www.infinitefitnesscoaching.com.