The first movement is Archer Left — the first step in targeting improved comfort in your body. Archer Left is the first movement because it gently begins the process of lengthening the stomach area and opening the chest and shoulder area.

You should be in Starting Position, with the PowerCord behind your neck and each end held in font with your hands at chest level:

1. From the Starting Position, extend your left arm at shoulder level and parallel to the floor.

2. Your right arm is bent at the elbow, with the upper arm as close to your ribcage as possible.

3. Make sure your fingers are facing outward and that your extended hand is at shoulder level, centered with your shoulders as much as possible. The PowerCord should be pulled taut to support the position creating a gentle tension, giving your body a chance to stretch and feel comfortable in the new position.

4. Inhale a normal breath through your nose.

5. Exhale through your mouth with pursed lips, pushing the air from your lungs as completely as you can.

6. Return to Starting Position.

By extending one arm while bending the other close into the body, you are releasing several muscles across the chest, lengthening the torso, pulling up the ribcage, and positioning the shoulder blades in toward the spine and lower than you have become accustomed.

The second movement is Archer Right—This second movement continues to lengthen the stomach area and helps balance the body by opening the chest and shoulder area opposite movement one.

1. From the Starting Position, extend your right arm, shoulder level and parallel to the floor.

2. Your left arm should be bent with the upper arm pulled in toward the ribcage.

3. Again, make sure your fingers are facing forward and that your hand is at shoulder level, centered with the shoulder as much as possible.

4. Remember to breathe. Inhale slowly and exhale deeply.

5. Return to Starting Position with newly relaxed muscles through the tops of your shoulders.

The combination of Archer Left and Archer Right is the starting foundation for building your Personal PowerStructure—your own Healthy Posture. In these two opening movements, you are involving all the muscle groups that must be retrained, and you are balancing out each side of the body individually.

The third movement is Liberty Left — liberating core muscles that have been held captive by poor posture habits created by our hectic lifestyles. This movement is designed to release your ribcage and lower back.

1. From Starting Position, drop your right arm down to your side.

2. Raise your left arm straight up from your shoulder.

3. This movement will feel better and be more effective if your right arm is slightly to the rear of your body, rather than straight down by your side.

4. Make sure your wrist is turned outward on the right hand. Your thumb should be facing away from your body.

5. Inhale a normal breath through your nose.

6. Exhale slowly and deeply through pursed lips.

7. Return to Starting Position.

By extending one arm upward and the opposite arm downward, you are further releasing the muscles attaching your chest to your arm and the muscles that extend down toward the ribcage. An added bonus is a release of the muscle group at the nape of your neck.

Movement number four is Liberty Right—continuing to liberate your body’s core. Liberty Right aids balance in your body. Just like in algebra, what you do to one side of the equation (or your body) must be done to the other side.

1. From Starting Position, drop your left arm down to your side and slightly to the rear of your body.

2. Raise your right arm straight up from the shoulder.

3. Pay close attention to the left wrist. Making sure the thumb is facing away from the body.

4. Remember to breathe.

5. Return to your Starting Position.

Liberty Left and Right have built on the movements of Archer Left and Right by helping pull your head back into a better position, thus releasing tension across your chest. With your shoulders and head back and your chin better positioned, your Personal PowerStructure is starting to form.

Notice that you are now able to push your shoulders down further from your jaw line. This is a good benchmark at this point in the sequence. While you are in your Starting Position, concentrate on keeping those shoulders down!

The fifth movement is Victory — a winning stretch that lengthens your core and aids movement of the air through your lungs. I designed this movement to complete the upward rotation of your ribcage, lifting and releasing your body’s core.

1. From the Starting Position, move your hands up to grasp your PowerCord at shoulder level.

2. Lift your hands, holding the PowerCord above your head with your hands slightly wider than shoulder width, forming a “V”. (This movement will quite likely be the most difficult for some. How high you raise your arms and how long you hold the position is your preference.)

3. Inhale as you have with the previous movements.

4. Exhale as fully as possible through pursed lips. (You will progressively be able to force more air out of your lungs as you move through the movements.)

5. Return to Starting Position.

With both arms extended upward, you release and lengthen the full range of core muscles. You are PULLING UP your ribcage. You are LENGTHENING your abdominals. You are RELEASING the muscles in the upper arms. Your head is back and CENTERED over the body. All of this is releasing the tension your body experiences due to muscles that have previously been pulled forward.

Movement six is called Balance — giving your body the balance it craves and getting you ready for any activity or challenge. This movement holds in place the positive positioning of your core that the five preceding movements have nurtured while bringing your shoulders further down and back.

1. From your Starting Position, let go of one side of your PowerCord. Let the cord drop to your side. Reach behind your back with arms extended to grab the PowerCord and gently pull it up behind your waist.

2. Your elbows are pulled in toward your ribs, and your hands are extended in front of you still holding the ends of the PowerCord, thumbs facing up.

3. Your hands should be in loose fists, parallel to each other as if on a steering wheel.

4. Keeping your elbows tucked toward the ribs, open your forearms to the side as far as is comfortable for you.

5. Rotate the palms of your hands upward, maintaining the loose “fists.”

6. Remember to breathe in and slowly exhale.

7. Do not return to Starting Position. You will transition from movement six, Balance, directly to movement seven.

All of the previous movements have led you to this crucial point. With upper arms tucked tightly in toward the ribcage and hands extended to each side, your body is now experiencing the optimum position… Your Personal PowerStructure. Movements one through five released your body’s core - Balance, movement 6, lets you rest with your body centered, tension released, and breathing enhanced.

The seventh movement is New Focus — your newly rebalanced body allowing you to tackle any goal or challenge with a new perspective.

This concluding movement releases the muscles in your neck and jaw, further releasing tension in your body. This release is an easy addition to movement six, Balance.

1. While holding prior movement, Balance, turn your head as fully to the left as you can and hold.

2. Breathe and exhale

3. Rotate your head fully to the right and again hold.

4. Breathe and exhale.

5. Relax your arms and take one mere deep breathe in and exhale fully.

6. Return to your normal activity.

This final movement is a slow and gentle motion, as you turn your your head from side to side. The first six movements have given you a body position that allows for movement seven, your best full and easy range of motion for your neck and head.