Sitting
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This article is about sitting in its general sense. For information about Zen sitting meditation see Zazen.
There are several ways for humans to sit.
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[edit] Floor sitting positions
[edit] Tailor or Indian style
To sit in the Tailor style:
- sit on floor any way
- bend one leg so that heel moves toward buttocks.
- bend other leg in same fashion, but place leg over other bent leg.
Etymology: Middle English sitten, from Old English sittan; akin to Old High German sizzen to sit, Latin sedēre, Greek hezesthai to sit, hedra seat Date: before 12th century
source: http://mw1.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sit
"sittia" is not a word in Latin
[edit] Zazen positions
Zazen, the Japanese word for "sitting meditation", is a form of meditation rather that a particular posture. During zazen, practitioners may assume a lotus, half-lotus, Burmese, or seiza position.
Images of the Zazen positions described may be found here.
[edit] Lotus position
To sit in the lotus position:
- Start in the Tailor style described above
- Take one foot and bring it around to rest in the crook of your knee, bottom facing upwards (This is the Half-lotus position)
- Take the other foot and bring it up to rest on the other knee, bottom also facing upwards.
This position is common in yoga.
[edit] Half-lotus position
Half Lotus is sitting in a style similar to Indian Style, but with one leg ontop of the other. To sit in Half Lotus:
- Sit down
- Cross your legs like you're sitting Indian Style
- Raise one leg still folded and place on top of the other leg.
[edit] Burmese position
Named so because of its use in Buddhist sculptures in Burma, the Burmese position places both feet in front of the pelvis with knees bent and touching the floor to the sides. Heels are pointing toward pelvis or upward, and toes are pointed so that the tops of the feet lay on the ground. This looks similar to the cross legged position, but the feet are not placed underneath the thigh of the next leg, therefore the legs do not cross. Instead, one foot is placed in front of the other.
A popular sitting alternative for those less comfortable with the use of the Lotus or half Lotus positions in meditation and yoga. Image offered on external site: [1]
[edit] Seiza position
Seiza (正座, literally "correct sitting") is a Japanese word which describes the traditional formal way of sitting in that country. Sitting in seiza is kneeling on one's own lower legs, with the feet under the buttocks, toes pointed backwards. To sit in seiza for any length of time requires careful positioning of the heels under the sit bones of the hip, to minimize circulation loss.
[edit] Squatting
Squatting refers to sitting in a "crouched" position. Squatting is sometimes considered a form of standing, because the weight of the body is supported by the feet rather than the buttocks; however, a full squat rests the buttocks on the backs of the ankles, relieving the muscles of the legs. Squatting (including the use of the squat toilet) is more common in Asian cultures.
[edit] Chair sitting positions
[edit] Standard
The standard way to sit in a chair is to:
- put one's buttocks on the seat of the chair
- put one's legs apart slightly
- with feet down
- with legs horizontal, resting on a special footrest, another chair, a table, etc., or in a chair, usually adjustable, that is specially made to allow this position, such as some deckchairs.
[edit] Posture
For years, children have been taught to "sit up straight" in their chairs. It was believed that a straight back (at 90 degrees with the legs) was the best posture, but recent studies show that sitting upright for hours causes increased stress on the back, and may be a cause of chronic back problems. Researchers have found that a "135-degree back-thigh sitting posture" was the best posture to avoid back problems--that is, leaning back in the chair 45 degrees. Researchers found that the 90-degree position contibuted most to strain on the spine, while the 135-degree position was the most relaxed.[citation needed] The research does not, however, propose that slouching forward is a good alternative to sitting upright.
[edit] Variations
Variations of the above, such as an aside variant with the legs resting above and beside the armrests (example), or the anti-authoritarian posture of reversing the chair and one's legs in front of the back of the chair.
[edit] Kneeling chairs
Kneeling chairs (often just referred to as "ergonomic chairs"), encourage better posture than conventional chairs and they look quite different. To sit in a kneeling chair one rests one's buttocks on the upper sloping pad and rests the front of the lower legs atop the lower pad.
Kneeling chairs should not, in fact, be called "ergonomic" chairs because they go against what ergonomists recommend as a sitting position which reduces the risk of musculoskeletal injuries. Since the body is one long kinetic chain, prolonged sitting can lead to musculoskeletal injuries in any joint. "Neutral" sitting postures - postures that reduce the demands on the body - involve sitting fully back in a chair's seat pan and using the back rest for support. It is impossible for humans to sit unsupported for long periods of time and maintain neutral postures, nor is it advisable to try. Avoid using kneeling chairs as well as exercise balls for prolonged sitting.
