Milestone map
Milestone map
3 milestones
Photograph Baseline Posture and Identify Primary Pattern
Single session for both posture photos and pattern identification (15 min)
Posture is the alignment of the body in standing, sitting, and movement — it affects breathing capacity, back pain risk, and how the body loads joints over time. Improving it requires knowing where it deviates from alignment, because different patterns need different interventions. This milestone establishes a photographic baseline and identifies the primary pattern present. Have someone photograph you from the side and from behind in normal standing posture (no instructions to 'stand straight' — the natural posture is the baseline). In the side view, note: whether your ears are forward of your shoulders (forward head posture), whether your upper back rounds forward (thoracic kyphosis), and whether your hips tilt forward (anterior pelvic tilt) or back. Note which of these, if any, is most pronounced.
Proof required
Submit two baseline photos taken on the same day: a side-view photo and a rear-view photo taken in normal relaxed standing, before any posture training. Note in your submission which postural pattern you identified as most prominent (forward head, rounded upper back, or anterior pelvic tilt) and how you identified it.
What gets checked
- Photos are taken in normal relaxed standing without instruction to 'stand tall' — the instructed posture is not the baseline; it is what you already do without thinking
- Both a side view and a rear view are submitted — the side view reveals forward head posture and pelvic tilt; the rear view reveals shoulder asymmetry and lateral spinal deviation
- One primary pattern is identified with a brief explanation of how it was identified — this guides the 8-week programme focus and provides the comparison framework for M3
Resources
Foundationstart here
Depthgo deeper
What a verifier looks for
- Confirm that both photos are in normal relaxed standing, not instructed posture. Ask the submitter whether they were told to stand in a particular way before the photos were taken
- One primary pattern should be named. If the submission describes multiple patterns equally, ask the submitter which one they plan to focus on for the 8-week programme — the M3 comparison will be most meaningful against that primary pattern
- The photos should be clear enough to see the shoulder-to-ear alignment in the side view and the shoulder height symmetry in the rear view. If either photo is ambiguous, ask for a clearer one
- Taking only an instructed posture photo — if the submitter was told to 'stand straight' before the photo, the photo does not represent their habitual posture and cannot serve as a valid before/after comparison
- Identifying multiple patterns without prioritising one — the 8-week programme should target the most prominent pattern specifically; correcting all patterns simultaneously produces diffuse effort and often zero measurable improvement
- Using photos with ambiguous scale or angle — a photo taken from too close, from above, or with the feet not visible in the side-view does not allow reliable comparison at M3
Eight Weeks of Targeted Posture Training and Habit Change
8 weeks (5+ sessions per week of 15–30 min each + bi-weekly posture photos + daily habit notes)
Postural patterns change slowly because they reflect habitual neuromuscular patterns that have developed over years. The 8-week programme works at two levels: targeted exercises for the identified primary pattern (yoga, core strengthening, or back extensors depending on the pattern), combined with postural habit interventions in daily life (desk setup adjustments, screen height, seated posture reminders). Both are necessary — exercise builds the capacity, but habit change is what applies it. Log all exercise sessions and at least one daily habit intervention (a specific change made to the work or home environment, or a specific seated posture correction noted). At Weeks 2, 4, and 6, have someone photograph your side view in normal standing to track the bi-weekly trend.
Proof required
Submit your 8-week log with at least 40 exercise sessions (5+ per week) and at least one weekly environmental or habit note; include bi-weekly side-view photos at Weeks 2, 4, and 6 taken in normal relaxed standing, from the same angle as M1.
What gets checked
- At least 40 sessions over 8 calendar weeks, targeting the primary pattern identified in M1 — not general fitness, but posture-specific exercises (targeted yoga, core, or back extension exercises)
- Bi-weekly photos from the same angle and distance as M1 — this is the primary objective evidence for M3 comparison
- At least one weekly habit note — what specific environmental or behavioural change was made in daily life, not just in exercise sessions
Resources
Foundationstart here
Depthgo deeper
What a verifier looks for
- Bi-weekly photos must be in normal relaxed standing, not corrected posture. Ask the submitter whether they adjusted their posture for the bi-weekly photos — if so, the trend cannot be read from the photos
- Check that the exercise log targets the pattern identified in M1. If M1 identified forward head posture but the M2 log shows general cardio sessions, the programme is not on track
- The environmental/habit notes should describe specific changes, not aspirations — 'moved my screen up to eye height' or 'set a posture reminder every 45 minutes' are specific; 'tried to sit better' is not
- Doing general exercise without targeting the specific pattern identified in M1 — running and gym sessions do not correct forward head posture or anterior pelvic tilt; targeted exercises are required
- Omitting the environmental habit interventions — postural patterns are largely driven by habitual positions; exercise alone corrects the capacity but not the default position; desk height, screen position, and seating habits must also be addressed
- Taking bi-weekly photos with instructions to stand straight — as at M1, the bi-weekly photos must be in normal relaxed standing, not corrected posture; the goal is to see the habitual posture improve, not to demonstrate the ability to stand tall on command
Final Posture Photos and Attestation
Single session for both M3 photos after Week 8
The proof of improved posture is a final side-view and rear-view photo that shows observable improvement in the primary pattern identified in M1, taken in the same normal relaxed standing position — no correction, no instruction. Alongside the photos, provide a brief written attestation from one named person who saw your posture at both the beginning and end of the programme and can describe what changed.
Proof required
Submit (1) a side-view and rear-view M3 photo taken in normal relaxed standing at the same angle and distance as M1; (2) a side-by-side comparison of your M1 and M3 side-view photos; (3) a written attestation from a named person who observed your posture at both the beginning and end of the programme and can describe the specific change they noticed.
What gets checked
- M3 photos are in normal relaxed standing — no correction, same angle and distance as M1
- The side-by-side comparison shows the improvement in the primary pattern identified in M1 — the change should be visible to the eye in the photos, not only described in words
- Attestation names someone who observed posture at both early and late stages of the programme — 'I can see their head is sitting more directly over their shoulders now compared to when they started' is attestation; 'they did a yoga programme' is not
Resources
Foundationstart here
Depthgo deeper
What a verifier looks for
- The side-by-side photo comparison is required. If only the M3 photo is submitted without the M1 comparison, ask for the side-by-side before completing M3
- The improvement should be visible in the primary pattern identified in M1 — compare the ear-to-shoulder alignment (forward head), the upper back curvature (thoracic rounding), or the hip-tilt and belly position (pelvic tilt) depending on what M1 identified
- The attestation must span both beginning and end of the programme. Ask specifically: 'Can the person you cited describe how your posture changed from the start of the 8 weeks to now?' If they say no, ask for an attestation from someone who can
- Instructing the M3 photos with 'stand tall' — this produces the best posture the person can achieve on command, not their habitual posture; the two photos are not comparable
- Providing only a verbal description of the improvement without the side-by-side comparison — posture change is a visual outcome; the comparison must be visual to be accepted
- Providing an attestation from someone who has only seen them at one point in time — the attesting person must have observed posture at both the beginning and end of the 8-week period