Why Posture Isn’t About Sitting Up Straight – Patrick Johnson on Alexander Technique and Mindfulness
Episode Summary
Many of us try to “fix” our posture by pulling our shoulders back or holding ourselves upright. Patrick Johnson suggests this approach is doomed to fail. Posture, he argues, isn’t a position to hold but a state of being shaped by attention, environment, and emotion.
In this episode, Patrick—Alexander Technique teacher, scientist, and co-founder of Smartbody Studio in Amsterdam—explains why posture is less about correction and more about awareness. Drawing on years of teaching, research, and practice, he shows how habits of focus and tension pull us forward at the computer, how expanding awareness changes our embodied state, and why posture is inseparable from stress and presence.
What We Cover
The myth of “fixing” posture and why it doesn’t work.
How attention, stress, and environment shape our embodied state.
The pyramid of practice: from stillness to non-goal-directed movement to everyday life.
How running can shift from pushing through discomfort to the rhythmic pleasure of movement.
Why Alexander Technique and mindfulness offer different yet complementary tools for presence.
The challenge of teaching: embodying what you want students to experience.
Patrick’s bigger question: how posture and awareness can help us enjoy life more—and help others do the same.
About the Guest
Patrick Johnson is an Alexander Technique teacher, scientist, and movement educator based in Amsterdam. Certified in 2010, he has taught internationally and co-runs Smartbody Studio with his wife, Jelena Petrovic. With over 40 peer-reviewed publications, his research explores posture, movement, and the intersection of Alexander Technique and mindfulness. Patrick also teaches anatomy and physiology to Pilates and Alexander teachers, leads workshops on running and walking, and has a long background in contact improvisation dance.
Call to Action
Learn more about Patrick’s work at Smartbody Studio in Amsterdam, or follow him on Instagram at smartbody_alexander_technique.
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