The Importance of Good Posture — And How Pilates Can Help
Good posture matters, and it's not just a vanity thing. Posture affects your health, energy levels, aches and pains.
Proper posture means your body is balanced, in perfect alignment. Your muscles are working as they should — not too much or too little. When you practice good posture, the correct muscles begin supporting your body properly, resulting in a release of tension. If, on the other hand, you practice poor posture, your muscles work overtime to keep your body balanced, with certain muscles overcompensating for others. This can result in back pain, tension headaches, or low energy levels. Pilates can help us move efficiently and correct these imbalances.
Benefits of Good Posture
- Increased energy
- Prevents back and other injuries
- Helps prevent aches and pains, tension headaches and other stresses on the body
- Decreases stress on joints and ligaments
- Improves airflow and breathing
- Improves flexibility
- Boosts confidence
How Pilates Helps
When we practice Pilates, we learn to support our bodies using the deep core or powerhouse (the abdominals, back and pelvic floor muscles) rather than with superficial, inefficient movement. By strengthening our core, we relieve stress on the rest of the body and allow our neck and shoulders to move freely. We can stand straighter and more easily hold our bodies in proper alignment.
Furthermore, the principles of Pilates that we learn in class carry over and affect how we move throughout the day. We learn to move with concentration, control and precision. We can improve our posture by practicing mindfulness and becoming aware of how we hold ourselves.