Crossing our legs while sitting is something we all do without thinking about it, but did you know this pose can send a lot of messages depending on our body language? For example, some crossed legs positions enhance your attractiveness and show that you’re interested in someone, while others help you maintain your modesty. This article covers why people cross their legs, which crossed legs poses are attractive, health considerations to make when you cross your legs often, and more!
Why People Cross Their Legs
- To feel comfortable: Crossing your legs provides stability and relieves tired muscles.
- To project confidence: Crossing your leg or ankle over your knee conveys confidence and dominance.
- To maintain modesty: Crossing your legs when wearing a mini-skirt protects your private area.
Why People Cross Their Legs
Comfort
Both men and women sit cross-legged because it’s a comfortable position for our bodies. Sitting cross-legged reduces muscle fatigue in the torso and shifts the weight off soft tissues. It also helps stabilize the lower extremities, such as your legs, ankles, and feet.
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- Comfortable cross-legged positions you can try include criss-cross applesauce, crossing one foot underneath your opposing thigh or your buttocks, or crossing one leg over the other at the knees.
Confidence
Men and women adopt cross-legged positions to project confidence. Men, for example, tend to opt for the Figure 4 pose in which they prop their ankle on top of the opposing knee or thigh.Women typically cross at the knees and point their top foot outward instead of tucking it demurely back.
Elegance
Women cross their legs at the ankles to demonstrate elegance and poise. This is a favored position of the female members of the royal family in England such as Princess Kate Middleton and Duchess Meghan Markle.
- Another elegant pose is crossing the legs and then tucking them both slanted back toward your chair legs instead of pointing the feet outward.
Relaxation
When a man or woman crosses their legs, it may be a sign they feel relaxed and comfortable wherever they’re sitting and whomever they’re with. When they uncross, they may be getting ready to leave – or they could simply be shifting to stretch their legs. Many of the meanings behind crossing your legs can change based on the context of the situation
Modesty
Women often cross their legs at the knees or the ankle to bring their thighs together and maintain modesty in a mini-skirt or a short dress.[6] Similarly, men may cross their legs at the knees to appear less dominant and more relaxed.
- Not as many men cross their legs at the knees, however, since this position can put uncomfortable pressure on their crotch area.
