Why do girls cross their legs. Why do girls cross their legs when they stand

Body language. When we talk about non-verbal body language, we pay a lot of attention to facial expressions, eyes and hands, but for some reason our legs are undeservedly offended by us. But in vain!

The further away from the brain a part of the body is, the more difficult it is to control it. If a person can adapt and portray the emotion he needs on his face and more or less control his hands, then everyone forgets about the legs and they give us away with their heads.

"If you're not sure if the person sitting at the table is telling the truth, look under the table."
Allan Pease "The New Body Language"

So let's go through the basic leg poses. Immediately I want to draw your attention to the fact that women and men will have different movements.

traitorous feet

Four basic standing positions

1. Attention

This posture means that you are listening attentively and the interlocutor, most likely, is lower in rank than you. Usually, this is how students stand in front of teachers and subordinates in front of their superiors.

2. Spread legs

This posture is predominantly male. In this position, the man stands firmly on the ground and feels confident.

3. One leg forward

From this position it is very easy to determine the intentions of a person. Usually, in which direction the toe is pointed, in that direction the person intends to move. Being in the company, we will point the sock at the most pleasant interlocutor for us. And if a person feels uncomfortable, then the toe of the exposed leg will most likely be directed to the nearest exit.

4. Crossing the legs

Crossed legs and arms are almost always evidence that a person has closed himself off from everyone and has entered a protective pose. It is quite difficult to reach such a person and it is unlikely that he will easily accept your arguments.

Also, this pose is usually taken in a society of unfamiliar people. You can conduct an interesting experiment - approach a group of strangers and stand next to them in a defensive pose. Almost immediately after that, people will begin to cross their arms one by one. This posture is highly contagious and conveys a certain unease and sense of danger.

Frozen or defensive?

It is always necessary to interpret body language in context. Sometimes people justify their crossed arms and legs by saying that they are cold or want to go to the bathroom. In some cases, this is true, and in some they are just hiding behind a convenient explanation.

In fact, if a person is really cold, he will not only cross his arms, but also hide his fingers under his armpits, and not just wrap them around his elbows. We also cross our legs, but at the same time we try to straighten them and press them tightly against each other. The defensive posture is more relaxed and calm.

If a person says that it’s just convenient for him to stand, most likely he almost always feels as if there are only enemies around.

"American Four"

This posture is for men. A person sitting in such a position is perceived not only as more powerful and energetic, but also as younger. A person sitting in this position is likely to consider himself superior to you and is unlikely to immediately agree with your point of view.

If, having taken this position, a person also secures the raised leg with his hands, this means that she is determined to stand her ground and will in every possible way resist pressure from outside.

Research has shown that most people make their final decision when both feet are firmly planted on the ground. So do not rush your interlocutor to make a decision if one of his soles does not touch the floor.

Ankle crossing

Crossed ankles indicate that your interlocutor is suppressing negative emotions and disagreement and is trying to cope with them. This gesture can be equated with biting the lip.
Usually people sit like this at the reception of dentists, lawyers and tax inspectors.

short skirt syndrome

Usually girls who wear mini skirts sit like this. Despite their length, they give women an impregnable and not very friendly look, since you have to sit all the time, tightly squeezing your legs. People subconsciously interpret this gesture as negative, and treat the interlocutor with caution.

Leg interlacing

This is a purely feminine gesture. Usually modest and insecure girls twist their legs this way. It is unlikely that a strong pressure will fit here. In order to talk to such a person, you need to be open and friendly.

Parallelism

Looking at this picture, I immediately remember "Basic Instinct" and Sharon Stone sitting in a chair. This fit is considered very feminine and 86% of men found it the most attractive. This is how models are taught to sit.

Right foot forward, right foot back

Man is given legs to perform two basic actions - to catch up with prey and run away from danger. If a person is interested in you, during the conversation he will put his right foot forward (a left-hander will most likely put his left foot) in order to close the distance between you. If he is not in the mood for a conversation, then most likely he will put his right foot back, as if preparing for a retreat.

And the last! Tip for business ladies - do not cross your legs in business meetings if you are wearing a skirt that opens your hips. The sight of women's thighs can excite almost any man. As a result, he will remember your hips, but not the topic of the conversation.

And men should be more restrained and not fall apart on chairs, spreading their legs in different directions. A restrained pose with knees together would be more appropriate.

Based on the book by Barbara and Alan Pease “The New Body Language. Extended Version»

Mark sits with his legs wide apart, fiddling with his tie and twirling the salt shaker with his other hand. He did not notice that during the last 20 minutes his companion's legs were crossed and pointed to the nearest exit

This leads to the conclusion that the legs and feet are an important source of information about the true feelings of a person, since most people are not aware of their actions and do not intentionally try to change them, such as facial expressions. A person may look focused and interested, but their foot will impatiently tap on the floor or sway in the air, betraying depression and boredom due to the inability to escape.

Tapping and shaking the feet betrays an attempt to escape away from what is happening to the person at the moment.

Everybody's talking about a new way of walking

Feet betray the whole truth

If you're not sure if the person sitting at the table is telling the truth, look under the table.

Sitting at a glass table, a person is much more nervous than at a wooden table, because our legs are visible under the transparent glass, and we do not feel complete control over the situation.

Foot assignment

If a woman is not interested in a man, she may cross her arms over her chest and turn her crossed legs away from him. An interested woman will definitely take an open pose and point her legs towards the man.

Four basic standing positions

This is a formal position showing a neutral attitude with no intention of fleeing or staying. When communicating between a man and a woman, women most often stand like this, because this allows them to close their knees. Schoolchildren take this pose when talking with teachers, junior officers stretch out in front of senior officers. So stand the subjects before the queen and the subordinates before the chief.

Attention Pose

As mentioned earlier, this posture is predominantly characteristic of men. This is a kind of demonstration of the groin. In this position, the man stands firmly with both feet on the ground, clearly showing that he has no desire to run away. This is a signal of male dominance, as it emphasizes the genitals. A man in this position feels like a real macho.

Groin display - flaunting one's masculinity

The demonstration of the groin is characteristic of real macho and tough guys

3. One leg forward

In this position, the weight of the body is transferred to one leg, and the other is put forward. In the Middle Ages, people in high positions were often portrayed in this position. At the same time, the artist could depict thin stockings and luxurious shoes, indicating wealth.

One leg is put forward, the toe indicates the direction where the person unconsciously wants to go

4. Crossing the legs

The next time you are in a group of men and women, notice that some of them are standing with their arms and legs crossed. Take a closer look, and you will notice that such people stand a little further from the interlocutors than required by the rules.

If they are wearing raincoats or jackets, then most likely the outerwear will be buttoned up. This position is usually taken in an environment of unfamiliar people. After talking with such people, you will definitely make sure that someone or all of those present are unfamiliar to them.

While open legs show openness or dominance, crossed legs convey a closed, submissive, or defensive mood, since any access to the genitals is closed in this position.

If a woman takes such positions, the interlocutor can draw two conclusions: first, she intends to stay, not leave; secondly, access to it is closed.

Crossing legs in a standing position

Scissors - "No comment", however this person is not going to leave

Imagine that you see a group of men standing with open arms, their jackets unbuttoned. The men are relaxed. Everyone put their foot forward, with the socks pointing towards the other members of the group. Men gesticulate and constantly invade each other's personal space. It immediately becomes clear that these people are well acquainted with each other. You can even call them friends.

Try a little experiment. Join a group of strangers, cross your arms and legs, and put on a serious face. One by one, group members will begin to cross their arms or legs and remain in this position until you, a stranger, leave. Stand back and observe the group. Men will gradually return to their previous position, feeling much calmer.

Crossing your legs not only conveys a negative, defensive mood, but also disrupts your overall sense of security. This attitude is immediately felt by all members of the group.

Is the posture defensive, frozen, or "just comfortable"?

How do we move from closed to open?

Crossing legs in Europe

When a person crosses both his arms and legs, he thereby emotionally separates himself from the conversation. While your interlocutor is in this position, it makes no sense to convince him of anything.

This woman is closed to any communication.

We don’t know if you have noticed such a strange and cute feature of women crossing their legs while standing, for example, at a bus stop or in line for a movie ticket? Have you ever wondered why they do it? Most likely, after such questions, you will begin to look more closely at the behavior of the surrounding ladies, but you will already be able to assume one of several reasons for their defensive position. Yes, yes, it is defensive, since psychologists themselves interpret the crossed lower limbs as an ostentatious desire to isolate themselves from everything that happens and prevent communication with themselves.

Again, the posture may indicate a subconscious desire to protect one's genitals from male encroachment, not to mention the fact that the habit of crossing legs often remains from a tough upbringing in childhood. Particularly puritanical mothers usually try to instill in their daughters their own ideas of decency, and in their understanding, crossed limbs are a sign of innocence, belonging to high society, honor and nobility.

Be that as it may, we propose to consider in more detail all the reasons why girls cross their legs when they stand in one place for a long time, and how the knowledge gained can help in life.

Psychological factors

As mentioned above, crossed limbs are clear evidence that the lady at the level of consciousness is trying to fence herself off from an unpleasant company, a bad circumstance, from the world around her as a whole, after all. In fact, she tries to reduce the likelihood of starting a dialogue she does not need, demonstrates that she is uncomfortable among specific people, and she wants to quickly find herself in her usual place. Agree that outwardly we are all able not to express negative emotions, while the subconscious mind can only be controlled by selected and trained people. So it turns out, crossed limbs - an unconscious posture that protects a person from everything that surrounds him at the moment.

Moreover, psychologists are sure that girls who cross their legs can have a different psychological state. For example, if they simply crossed their limbs, then their immediate desire is to completely abstract from what is happening. And if one leg is straight and the other is thrown at her, then most likely the lady is experiencing mortal boredom and impatience.

Aesthetic and physiological reasons

It may seem strange, but women are sure that their legs seem longer when they cross them. Where this belief came from is not clear, but due to its active practice, even men began to notice that the leg, thrown over the other leg, visually seems longer than when the limbs are in an even position.

Again, the posture can be adopted by a woman for a completely opposite reason, that is, if her legs do not naturally shine with evenness and harmony. Thus, she tries to hide the defect and divert the attention of the environment from it, men in particular. By the way, experienced womanizers have long noticed that long-legged beauties who attract the eye with crossed legs usually do not please in bed, because they demand a lot, while their wombs are insatiable. In narrow circles, even a kind of diagnosis appeared - "drupe" - the infantilism of the genital organ, in other words, the vagina is too long, the owner of which is difficult to find a worthy sexual partner.

The usual cold is what makes ladies in short dresses and skirts try by all means to save the remnants of heat and not catch a cold in their genitals. Well, if you just wander around women's forums out of curiosity, you can find out quite banal reasons for this body position, namely:

• a great desire to go pee;
• banal coquetry;
• subconscious willingness to be photographed or filmed;
• a stable posture for legs shod in high-heeled shoes;
• the desire to warm one leg at a time or to exclude the blowing of a cold wind under a skirt / dress.

Is there a place for the esoteric

Adherents of this doctrine are convinced that girls are standing with their lower limbs crossed for the simple reason that they do not want to let energy leave their body, and seek to close their biofield. In fact, it looks like this: a standing woman at the subconscious level feels that someone is trying to “vampire” her life energy, that is, to feed on her forces, and tries to prevent “theft” in the only way she knows.

Why you shouldn't get involved in crossing limbs

It would seem, well, what's wrong if a girl has a habit of constantly throwing her legs over her legs? It turns out that such a posture almost always provokes constriction of the veins, resulting in a violation of the natural outflow of blood, the veins become wider, and their walls slowly become thinner. As a result - chronic fatigue, accumulating in the limbs, and varicose veins. This habit is especially dangerous for pregnant women, whose circulatory system is forced to work for two.

Prolonged sitting with intertwined lower limbs is quite capable of causing an increase in blood pressure, especially if we are talking about a person with pre-existing arterial hypertension. This is probably why, when self-measuring pressure, you need to sit with a straight back and straight legs.

Disproportionate tension in the muscles of the lower spinal region is another negative consequence of the habit of standing cross-legged (or sitting in such a position). The result can be constant pain in the lower back, eternal discomfort in this area, and even muscle tissue injuries.

From an esoteric point of view, a similar body posture interferes with the normal flow of energy, which has the most negative effect on the emotional and psychological background, not to mention physical health in general. Adherents of such a teaching are sure that the legs combined together will be transformed into the ends of the broken energy shell that each of us has. It is through them that precious life energy is lost.

Legs crossed in a sitting position

This is a separate topic, which also did not escape the attention of psychologists. According to their claims, there are only two main postures that can tell a lot about a person:

• if one limb rests neatly and in a European way on the other, then the person is extremely excited, although he tries not to show it. Although a similar position may be a sign of an unconscious desire to protect the genitals, then the final conclusion is made only after analysis of the accompanying microexpressions. For example, if a person additionally folded his arms on his chest, he is irritable, inattentive, uninterested or dissatisfied;
• in the case when the limbs form an angle, it can be assumed that the individual protests or competes with someone, does not agree with the opinion of the environment and has his own personal point of view on what is happening. This position is typical for young men who do not hide their efficiency and do not try to protect their genitals from the eyes of strangers. In fact, such people are extremely difficult to convince of something, since they will reject any opinion other than their own.

We hope that these tips and explanations have at least revealed to you the secret of why the fairer sex loves to stand cross-legged so much. Looking at random photos of such poses, you understand that they look completely natural, which cannot be said about men trying to cross their limbs while standing. The results of such efforts look extremely ridiculous, and all because of the physiological characteristics of the male body. This is probably why guys prefer to demonstrate their negative attitude towards surrounding circumstances by crossing their arms over their chests.

Like protective barriers formed with the help of the arms, crossing the legs is a sign of a negative or defensive attitude of a person.

Crossing the arms over the chest was originally associated with the function of protecting the heart and chest area, while crossing the legs is an attempt to protect the genital area. In addition, crossing the arms indicates a more negative mood than crossing the legs, and crossed arms are more conspicuous. Care must be taken in interpreting this gesture in women, because in childhood they were taught to sit like that because "ladies sit like that." Unfortunately, this manner can be interpreted as an attempt at defense.

There are two main cross-legged sitting postures - the (classic) standard cross-legged posture and the cross-legged posture that resembles the number "4".

European way of cross-legging

One foot rests neatly on top of the other, usually right on left - this is the normal cross-legged position used by Europeans and can be used to express an agitated state, a reserved or defensive stance. This, however, is one of the subsidiary gestures, which is accompanied by other negative gestures, and should not be interpreted out of context. For example, people often sit cross-legged during lectures or when sitting for long periods in uncomfortable chairs. Often people use this gesture in cold weather. When the crossed leg is also accompanied by the crossing of arms over the chest, this means that the person has "disconnected" from the conversation. It would be foolish for a salesman to even try to ask a buyer in this position about his decision, and you should ask a few follow-up questions to clarify his objections. This position is very popular with women all over the world, especially if they want to express their dissatisfaction with a husband or friend.

Throwing a leg over the leg with the formation of an angle

This way of cross-legging indicates that there is a spirit of rivalry and contradiction. This sitting style is very popular among American males who have a fighting disposition. Therefore, when dealing with the Americans, it is difficult to determine whether they put any meaning into this gesture or not, but with the British there is no such problem.

I recently attended a series of meetings attended by 100 managers and 500 sales people. A very controversial issue was discussed - the attitude of the corporation towards its sales agents. One person from the agent team, known to the audience for his reputation as a "ringleader", was asked to speak. As soon as he got up to the podium, all the managers, without exception, took up a defensive posture. This meant that they were wary of the ideas they thought the speaker was about to come up with. Their fears were well founded. This salesman ranted about the poor quality of management in most of the corporations in the industry and said he thought it was leading to staffing problems. During his speech, the rest of the salesmen leaned forward, which shows strong interest. Many made appraisal gestures, but the managers steadfastly maintained a defensive stance. The speaker then changed the subject, giving his opinion on what the relationship between the two parties should be like. Immediately, as if by the movement of a conductor's baton, the position of the managers changed to an argumentative-opposing one. It was obvious that they internally disagreed with the opposing side's point of view, and later many confirmed that this was exactly the case. I noticed, however, that several managers did not take this stance. After the meeting, I asked them why they didn't, and they explained that although they also disagreed with the speaker, they couldn't sit cross-legged because of their obesity or arthritis.

It would be unreasonable for a sales agent to end the presentation and ask about the order if the buyer has adopted such a pose. He should speak frankly to the buyer, leaning forward, palms up, and say: "I see - you have some ideas about this. I would be interested to know your opinion." And then lean back, indicating that it's the buyer's turn to speak out on the issue. This gives the buyer the opportunity to express their opinion. Sometimes women, if they are wearing trousers or jeans, can sit down with their legs crossed so that the bent leg resembles the number "4".

Laying the legs on the leg with the fixation of the leg with the hands

A person with a quick reaction, who is very difficult to convince in an argument, often sits with his legs crossed and his arms wrapped around his leg.

This is a sign of a hard, stubborn person who needs a special approach to achieve a common language.

Crossed legs in a standing position.

The next time you're in a meeting or reception, notice a small group of people standing with their legs crossed and their arms folded across their chests. On observation, you will see that they all stand at a much greater distance from each other than is customary and, if they are wearing a jacket or jacket, the buttons will be tightly buttoned. If you asked these people, you would find that either one of them or all of them do not know each other. This is how people stand when there is a stranger among them.

Now look at another small group where people are standing with relaxed arms, open palms, unbuttoned jackets, relaxed facial expressions, resting on one leg while the other leg is turned toe towards the other members of the group. All members of this group easily penetrate each other's intimate zones. On close observation, it becomes clear that the people in this group are personally acquainted with each other or are friends. It is interesting to note that people standing with their arms and legs crossed may have a non-tense facial expression and seem to have a conversation that flows easily and naturally, but their posture suggests that they are tense or insecure.

The next time you join a group of strangers standing in an open, friendly manner, stand in a cross-legged pose with your arms folded across your chest. One by one, the rest of the group will also assume this pose and will remain in this position until you move away from them. Then step aside and watch as, one by one, the members of the group return to their original open posture.

Relaxation stages of a tense posture

As soon as people begin to feel comfortable and close to others, they obey an unwritten law, according to which the protective posture changes to an open, relaxed one.

Stage 1. Protective posture, arms and legs crossed.
Stage 2. The legs are no longer crossed and the feet are in a neutral position.
Stage 3. The hand on top emerges from the castle of hands, the palm flickers during the conversation, but does not return to the castle.
Stage 4. The arms are already open, and one hand is gesturing freely, it can go to the thigh or into the pocket.

Stage 5. One person puts his foot back and the other foot forward so that it points to the person he is interested in with his toe.

Under the influence of alcohol, this process may be faster, or some stages may be lost.

Protected - or maybe frozen?

Many people claim that they cross their arms and legs not because they feel the need to defend themselves, but simply because they are cold. This is just a pretext, and it's interesting to note that there is a difference between a person in a defensive posture and a frozen person.

First of all, if a person wants to warm his hands, he usually pushes them under his armpit, and does not put them under his elbows, as is the case with the defensive posture.

Second, when a person freezes, he can wrap his arms around himself. If his legs are crossed, they are usually straight, tense and tightly pressed together, which will be different from the more relaxed position of the legs in a defensive posture.

People who have the habit of crossing their arms and legs prefer. claim that they are either cold or just feel much more comfortable in this position. They find it hard to admit that they are nervous, shy, or defensive about negative feelings.

Ankles pressed together

Arms crossed or folded across the chest, legs crossed suggest that the person is in a defensive or negative state, but the same can be expressed with ankles brought together. In men, tight ankles are usually combined with tightly clenched fists resting on the knees, or hands may dig into the arms of a chair. The female version is slightly different: the knees are brought together, the legs can be tilted to one side, the hands are either parallel to each other on the knees, or one hand is on top of the other.

More than a decade of experience in dealing with people during business negotiations has shown that when your interlocutor clamps his ankles, this is tantamount to "biting his lip." With this gesture, negative attitudes, unpleasant emotions, fear or excitement are restrained. For example, a lawyer friend of mine told me that he often noticed that when giving evidence in the investigator's office, all the people involved in the case were sitting with their ankles tightly pressed together. He also noticed that at this moment they are ready to say something important, or trying to control their emotional state.

When interviewing applicants for a vacant position, we noticed that most of them at some point in the interview made sure to make this gesture, from which it was clear that they were holding back their excitement. When we began to study the nature of this gesture, we found that talking about a person’s inner experiences does not help relax his ankles, and, accordingly, his thoughts. But then we noticed that if the interviewer came up to the visitor's table and sat next to him so that they were not separated by the table, the legs immediately relaxed, and the conversation took on a frank, more personal character.

We recently advised a firm on how to effectively use the telephone to communicate with clients. We happened to be talking to a young man whose job it was to call customers who didn't pay their bills. We watched him work and although his voice sounded relaxed, we noticed that his ankles were pressed tightly together. I asked: "Do you like this job?" He replied: "Oh yes, this is a wonderful job," However, what was said did not correspond to his non-verbal signals, although he spoke very convincingly. "Are you sure?" I asked. After a short pause, he relaxed his legs, turned to me, and, opening his palms, said: "In fact, she drives me crazy!" He further told me that during conversations some clients were rude to him, and he had to restrain his emotions so that his condition was not transmitted to other "clients. It is interesting to note that those sales representatives who do not like talking on the phone sit in a pose with clenched ankles.

Renowned negotiating scholars Nirenberg and Calero found that when one participant held his ankles during a negotiation, it meant that he was "pinching" the price concession. They found that by using negotiation techniques, they could influence a partner to open their ankles and make a concession.

Some people claim to have a habit of sitting with their ankles pinned (or in any of the crossed arms and legs positions) because it makes them feel comfortable. If you are also one of these people, note that your arms and legs will feel comfortable when you take a defensive, negative or reserved posture. Given that a negative gesture can reinforce and prolong negative emotions, and that other people may perceive that you are negative, I would advise you to learn how to use positive and open gestures to strengthen your self-confidence and improve relationships with other people.

Women who were teenagers in the miniskirt era and wore a miniskirt clenched their legs and ankles for obvious reason. Due to this habit, many women still sit in this position, which can be misinterpreted by others: people may be wary of them. Therefore, before drawing any conclusions, it is important to take into account the trends in women's fashion, in particular, how this affects the position of the woman's legs.

Fixation of the foot of one leg on the lower leg of the other

This gesture is used almost exclusively by women. The sole of one leg wraps around the other leg to reinforce the defensive position. And when this gesture appears, you can be sure that the woman internally shrank and went into herself, like a turtle under a shell. A gentle, friendly, and warm approach is required if you hope to open this clamp. This behavior is typical for shy and modest women. I remember a case when a young insurance agent tried to take out insurance for a young married couple. This attempt was unsuccessful, and he could not understand why it failed: he seemed to follow all the rules of the sale. I pointed out to him that he did not notice how the woman sat with her leg tightly wrapped around her leg throughout the conversation. If the insurance agent paid attention to this gesture, he could interest her in the benefits of such insurance and achieve better results.

Many people know that the posture, when arms are crossed, speaks of a person’s closeness and unwillingness to communicate. The purpose of this position is to protect the chest and heart area. What do crossed legs say?

It is believed that in this way a person, as it were, protects his genitals. By comparison, crossed arms indicate a more negative attitude than crossed legs. But even on the lower extremities, you can draw conclusions about how your interlocutor is set up. There are two main versions of the cross-legged pose - standard and "castle".

Standard cross-legged pose

The standard position is when one leg is thrown over the other, usually right to left. This is a common posture used by Europeans, Australians and New Zealanders. It can be interpreted as an expression of nervousness, defensiveness or restraint. However, this posture is also an auxiliary one, which should be considered exclusively in context and in conjunction with other gestures. For example, people often sit in this position during lectures or when they have to spend quite a long time in an uncomfortable chair.

If a person is cold, then he will also instinctively take this position. If crossed legs are combined with crossed arms, then the person who has taken this position clearly wants to avoid conversation. It would be very foolish for a sales agent to ask a buyer, sitting cross-legged and cross-armed, to make a decision. It will be much more useful to ask some questions to find out the reason for the negative attitude. This posture is also common among women in most countries of the world. In this way they show their disapproval of husbands or boyfriends.

American cross-legged pose - "castle"

If a person crosses his legs in this way, i.e. one leg remains on the floor, and the second lies half-bent on the other leg, which means that he is competitive and negative. This position is very common in the US, especially among competitive men. Therefore, it is very difficult to determine the mood of an American who crosses his legs in this way, but if a Briton assumes this position, then his mood becomes quite obvious.

When it comes to sales, it would be unreasonable to end the presentation and ask for an order if the buyer is located in such a position. Most likely, the agent needs to change tactics, become more open. The American pose is often taken by women who wear trousers or jeans.

"Lock" with fixation of the thrown leg with hands

Such a posture is characteristic of people who have a certain point of view, which is difficult to change during the discussion. As a rule, they sit with their legs crossed and holding it with one or both hands. This posture indicates stubbornness. To break the resistance of such a person, a non-standard approach and a rather long time will be required.

Crossing legs in a standing position

The next time you visit a meeting or reception, look out for small groups of people standing with their arms and legs crossed. You will surely notice that they stand much further apart than all the others. If they are dressed in jackets or suits, then most likely they will be buttoned up. If you talk to these people, you will find that one of them or all at once in this society for the first time. It is this position that is often taken by people who find themselves in the company of people they do not know well enough.

And now pay attention to another group, whose members stand without crossing their arms, open palms, in unbuttoned jackets, in a word, they feel completely free. They lean slightly towards each other and boldly invade the intimate zones of the interlocutors, and also allow them into their intimate zone. A closer acquaintance with these people will show that they have all known each other for a long time or even are friends with each other. Interestingly, those who stand with their arms and legs crossed often maintain a perfectly calm facial expression, and the conversation between them can go quite naturally. But their posture betrays that deep down they do not feel calm and confident.

"Opening" technique

As people begin to feel calmer in the group, they get to know the interlocutors better, they gradually move from a defensive position with arms and legs crossed to a relaxed open posture. This is evidenced by instinctive movements and gestures. Studies show that the technique of "disclosure" is almost the same in all countries, writes "Goroscope.ru".

Defensive position or simple cold?

Many claim that they cross their arms and legs not because they feel insecure, but simply because they are cold. Very often, such a statement is not true. There are differences between the defensive posture and the frozen posture.

First, if a person wants to warm his hands, he usually puts them under his armpits, and does not place his palms on his forearms, as in a defensive posture. Secondly, a frozen person usually wraps his arms around himself. His crossed legs are straight, they are tense and tightly pressed one to the other. A more relaxed position of the legs indicates a defensive position.

Pose with crossed ankles

Crossing arms or legs indicates a negative or defensive mood of the interlocutor. The same is true for crossed ankles. If a man chooses this position, then most often he will clench his fists, putting his hands on his knees, or cling to the arms of the chair with all his might.

Women behave a little differently: they bring their knees together, their legs either stand straight or are somewhat laid aside, their hands lie parallel on their knees or one is placed on top of the other. This posture speaks of a negative attitude, negative emotions, fear or nervousness. For example, most people cross their ankles during an interview, that is, they try to cope with their emotions.

Women who were still teenagers in the miniskirt era cross their legs and ankles for obvious reasons. This position becomes familiar to them, but others may interpret it incorrectly and be wary of them. It is very important to take into account the trends in women's fashion, especially their influence on the position of the legs. It is possible to come to final conclusions only after considering all the factors.