| What makes Pilates so effective in improving posture | | | | strength will mean that all the muscles of the trunk |
| and hence relieving one of the major causes of back | | | | of the body are very strong and have good |
| pain is that it addresses the underlying structural | | | | flexibility, working together to give support to and |
| imbalances in the body. Issues like lack of core | | | | stabilise the spine. |
| support, pelvic instability, muscular imbalances, poor | | | | Core strength is deeper than the big surface muscles |
| posture, and lack of body awareness all affect back | | | | that we are used to thinking of as those of the |
| health. They are also issues that the Pilates | | | | trunk of the body, like the infamous 6-pack abs |
| techniques specialise in helping people improve their | | | | muscle or the beautiful big muscles of the back, |
| posture. | | | | popularly called "the lats." The core muscles include |
| In Pilates, a lot of attention is focused on how our | | | | the muscles that are below the surface musculature. |
| body parts are lined up in relation to each other, | | | | So while many forms of exercise focus on |
| which is our alignment. When we stand or sit, we | | | | strengthening the big muscles, the ones we can see |
| usually think of our alignment as our posture, but | | | | and that do big movements, Pilates trains the body |
| good posture is a dynamic process, dependent on | | | | so that all of the core muscles work together to |
| the body's ability to align its parts to respond to | | | | support and stabilize the back. The body requires to |
| varying demands effectively. When alignment is off, | | | | be trained to know when to activate and release |
| uneven stresses on the skeleton, especially the spine, | | | | core muscles and this can be achieved by developing |
| are the result. Pilates exercises, done with attention | | | | effective core body strength.So while core strength |
| to alignment, create uniform muscle use and | | | | is the catch-all term, the core coherence that Pilates |
| development, allowing movement to flow through | | | | teaches is essential for back health. |
| the body in a natural way. | | | | Some of these less obvious but very important core |
| One of the most common postural imbalances that | | | | muscles are the muscles of the pelvic floor; the |
| people have is the tendency to either tuck or tilt the | | | | psoas, which play a huge role in keeping us upright |
| pelvis. Both positions create weaknesses on one side | | | | and in hip bending; the transversospinalis, the small |
| of the body and overly tight areas on the other. | | | | muscles that are located along the spine; and the |
| They deny the spine the support of its natural | | | | transverse and oblique abdominal muscles. The |
| curves and create a domino effect of aches and | | | | diaphragm, our prime breathing muscle, is right in the |
| pains all the way up the spine and into the neck. | | | | middle of the core. All of these muscles play crucial |
| Pilates increases the awareness of the proper | | | | roles in the support and stability of the spine. When |
| placement of the spine and pelvis, and creates the | | | | Pilates techniques are added to an exercise routine, it |
| inner strength to support the natural curves of the | | | | will ensure that the user gains optimum body posture |
| spine. This is called having a neutral spine and it has | | | | resulting in the effect of appearing taller and leaner, |
| been the key to better backs for many people. | | | | but also of great importance, keeping many of the |
| Good posture that goes beyond the "look" of being | | | | causes of back pain at bay. |
| aligned requires core strength. By achieving core | | | | |