How to Lift Your Sternum Without Tension | Ballroom Posture

Does “lift your sternum” make your upper body feel supported or tense? In this Decoding Dance lesson, Mazen explores how breathing awareness and rib-cage expansion can help you understand sternum lift in ballroom dancing. The familiar image of a string pulling upward from your chest can suggest lift, but it may not explain where the support comes from inside your body. Through a guided breathing exercise, Mazen offers another way to explore that instruction, then connects the feeling of internal lift to upper-body shaping. The demonstrations cover: • Understanding the “string from the sternum” cue • Noticing expansion around the upper chest, side ribs, and lower rib area • Practising breathing awareness on both sides of the body without forcing it • Connecting internal expansion with a feeling of lift • Applying lift and opposing directions of stretch to upper-body shaping If you have been told to lift your chest but find yourself stiffening, this lesson gives you a practical way to explore the cue. WATCH THE FULL SERIES Explore the Decoding Dance playlist:    • Ballroom Dance Tutorials & Technique | Dec...   When you think about lifting your sternum, do you feel more supported or more tense? Share your experience in the comments. Subscribe for more practical explanations of dance technique:    / @mazenandizabella   LESSONS & INQUIRIES Website: https://miballroom.com/ Email: mazen.izabella@gmail.com #BallroomDance #DancePosture #SternumLift