5 easy pilates moves to improve your posture
Michael Dermansky has been working as a physiotherapist for the last 17 years and directing MD Health Pilates for the last 13 years.
One of the main contributing factors to poor posture is poor strength in the major muscle groups that keep you up straight. This is not related to age, but as a result of poor exercise and distribution of weight.
Good posture can be achieved with these five easy moves you can do at home. Read the instruction below and see the gallery above for images.
1. Push-ups against the wall – This activates the major stabilisers of the shoulders, the upper trapezius muscles. This muscle is extremely important in affecting the posture of the mid back and neck.
- Stand at a wall, with your hands on the wall just below shoulder height.
- Hold your shoulder blade back and up a little bit.
- Lower yourself down towards the wall, using the elbows only.
- Hold for 3 seconds, then rise back up again
2. Multifidus muscle strength (Direct back control muscle) – This muscle is important for direct control of the lumbar spine. Strength and control of this muscle directly affect your ability to maintain the best posture for your lower back.
- Start on all fours.
- Maintain a smaller arch in the back and squeeze your lower back muscles together (you should feel a sensation of the lower back muscles pushing towards the midline).
- Maintaining this contraction, lift your leg straight back up in the air.
- Hold for 3 seconds and lower the leg down.
- Repeat 10 times per leg.
3. Single leg bridging to activate your gluteus maximus muscle – Weakness in this muscle makes it harder to sit up straight when sitting, which changes the posture of the mid back and neck, often causing neck pain.
- Lie on your back with your knees bent.
- Raise one leg in the air, this will be the starting position.
- Lift your bottom into the air to bring your body to straight.
- Hold for 3 seconds, then lower your body down.
- Repeat 10 times per side
4. Chariot pulls with belt – This second exercise also works to activates the major stabilisers of the shoulders, the upper trapezius muscles, in a different way than the push-up exercise. Again, this is extremely important for the posture of the mid back and neck.
- Tie the belt around a fixed point, such as a door handle, leg of a table.
- Bring your shoulder blades back and up a little bit.
- Pull on the belt to feel tension in the muscles around the shoulder blade
- Hold for 5 seconds, then relax
- Repeat 10 times per side
5. Squats against the wall – This exercise works to strengthen the quadriceps (thigh muscles), the muscles at the front of the thighs. The quadriceps work together with the gluteus maximus muscles to keep the legs straight when walking and standing. Weakness of these muscles increases the pressure on the knees, pelvis and indirectly, the lower back.
- Stand up against the wall with your feet in front (about 30 cm). Ideally against a slightly slippery wall, which makes the exercise smoother
- Tighten your thighs, then bend your knees down, maintaining that tight contraction of the thighs (it’s hard, but can be done)
- Stop when you feel that you are no longer able to maintain that contraction of the thigh muscle. (It doesn’t matter if this is a very small movement, as long as you are able to maintain a contraction of the thigh muscles)
- Hold for 5 seconds, then relax
- Repeat 10 times
Related links:
7 simple ways to improve your posture
The surprising ways bad posture can impact your health
4 natural home remedies for restless leg syndrome