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Study: Ancient 'Power Pose' Posture Trend Helps Modern Americans With Confidence, Stress

STUDIO CITY (CBSLA.com) — It is fitting that Los Angeles, with its yoga and health-conscious culture, would be the center of a new phenomenon centered around specific postures experts say may majorly influence confidence, stress relief, or even dealing with LA traffic.

These "power poses", said to be an ancient practice, are being utilized in modern businesses in America, and professionals say they're more beneficial to your health than you may think.

"Power posing is for people who really want to keep themselves together and are constantly being reminded how special and strong they really are," Yoga Shelter owner Eric Paskel said.

Paskel, who is also a marriage and family therapist, says that you don't even necessarily need to be in a yoga studio to practice the poses, and that taking a couple minutes each day to pose can actually increase confidence, while relieving stress.

A recent study, published in the Journal of Psychological Science, says that "power posing" does this by changing the body's chemistry. The poses are also said to be rather simple to perform.

For example, the basic "power pose" consists of simply standing with good posture and taking a number of deep breaths.

Researchers have been able to identify a number of other, more specific, power poses as well.

One such pose is called the "Obama pose", modeled after and similar to one that President Obama is frequently pictured doing.

Another pose, named the "8-Cylinder power pose", is specifically for sitting for hours in the frustrating stagnation that is LA traffic. In this pose, you flex your arms around your vehicle's steering wheel and sit straight up, stretching your back and releasing major tension and stress.

"Even though you're sitting in a car, you're still taking a strong stance," Paskel said.

Power poses can even help before a job interview, taking an exam, or going into a major life event.

"How you're standing and taking these power poses sends a message to the rest of the world about who you are, more than using words, more than using your voice."

Paskel says that the best time of day to do these poses is in the morning, right after waking up.

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