Pilates & Posture: Improve your Balance and Posture with Pilates
- Rebecca Adkins
- Apr 10
- 2 min read
Pilates works to target postural misalignments through targeting deep muscles, this in itself can improve your posture, balance, stability, and overall flexibility and mobility.
Balance has more to do than being able to hold a steady yoga position for an extended amount of time. Having good balance means being able to walk without staggering, tripping, or holding onto something.
Try these tips and exercises to improve your balance and posture, adaptable for mat and reformer:
Focus on spinal alignment.
The simple stretch for this is the cat-cow stretch, as it helps to realign your spine and relieve tension. Start in a table to position (all fours,) with knees aligned with hips and arms aligned with shoulders. Inhale, curving the lower back and bringing your head up. Exhale, bringing your abdomen in, arching your spine and bringing your head and pelvis inwards.
Strengthen back muscles
It is important to make sure you are engaging the proper muscles in order to avoid over-correcting or injury. The pose for this can be the Swan Dive.
How to do it: Inhale. Exhale, connecting your pelvis to the mat. Next, press your hands into mat and send your elbows back towards your heels. As you do so, bring your chest and upper spine to off the mat into an upward arc.
Incorporate props
Using props in pilates isn't necessary, but extremely helpful for control and correct form. An Overball can be used in reformer footwork to engage your center line. It can also be placed under the spine or hips for extra support. Hand weights can also be extremely helpful in balance and coordination
The Corkscrew
This exercise engages the hips and spine, allowing work on control and full body balance. It is important to not let the spine twist and rotate, but to let the hips and abdomen to fully engage.
How to do it: Lie on your back with your arms planted to the ground. Lift your legs upwards with your toes pointed. Lift your hips and swing your legs over your head in a swift, controlled motion. Then, roll down the mat on the right side. Repeat with the left then put it together! Video
Quadruped
This exercise helps to strengthen the lower back , glutes, abdomen and hamstrings. Start in a table to position (all fours,) with knees aligned with hips and arms aligned with shoulders. The spine should remain neutral and not twist during this exercise. Move into the cat-cow position to find neutrality. Lift one hand off the ground, keeping the other pressed firm into the ground, engaging your core. Press into both hands, and lift one leg away from the floor behind you. Return to table top position. Alternate. Video
Poor posture is proven to be an issue and stressor of chronic pain. It's important to take care of these issues before they are prolonged and can majorly affect your health. Follow these tips to do so!
References
Mayo Clinic. (2023, March). Cat/Cow Pose. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/multimedia/cat-cow-pose/vid-
Complete Pilates. Quadruped Exercise. https://complete-pilates.co.uk/quadruped/
Carrie's Pilates Plus. Pilates Tips for Better Posture and Balance. https://carriespilatesplus.com/pilates-tips-for-better-posture-and-balance/#:~:text=Pilates%20focuses%20on%20strengthening%20the,%2C%20stability%2C%20and%20overall%20mobility
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