Classical Pilates for Modern Life
(A Harmonious Pilates, Inc. Original Publication)
by Joanna Telacka
Classical Pilates Teacher
Business Owner
Triathlete
March 9th, 2024
Shining light on Pilates truths, honoring Joseph Pilates,
and supporting you in your Pilates journey.
Correct Your Posture at Home
You have probably heard that the way to correct your posture is to simply pull your shoulders back. Well...does that actually work? Or do we just think it does because as we make this correction, we feel the change in our bodies?
If you look closely in the mirror when you are performing the action of pulling your shoulders back, you will most likely notice that it does not quite do the trick because the head remains in front of your torso instead of on top of it. Plus, it is hard and unnatural to keep the shoulders back all the time without having to think about it constantly.
So try this instead: Engage your abdominal muscles first, then lift the front of your ribcage away from the belly button. Next, move your ears back (and tuck in your chin) so that they are directly over the shoulders. Then lower your shoulders away from your ears, but do not pull the shoulders back because you will end up exactly where you don’t want to...which is either with a protruding head or ribcage.
This seemingly simple way to correct posture may turn out to be challenging for some. It can be a starting point in realizing that correct posture is a sum of many skills we need to have in our bodies, and it is not as simple as just pulling the shoulders back.
This short video will guide you step by step.
My Two Cents
I offer this advice:
1. Come to your Pilates lesson with a “beginner mind”
2. Take mental notes.
3. Make an effort to learn the names of the exercises
4. Practice at home.
Make it your business to learn the fundamental concepts through the foundational/mini-exercises when you are first starting. Learn the first 5, and then the first 10 exercises on the Mat. Use the lessons at the studio to learn exercises to do at home, instead of just focusing on working with springs and the apparatus.
Of course, using springs is very beneficial but spend the last 10 minutes out of the 55-minute lesson to make sure that you are prepared to do your "homework." Have enough to work on at home, and make sure that you retain that information.
This approach can be invaluable– you practice exercises at home, and when you come to the studio and use the apparatus, you will be more efficient and have more time in your lesson to advance, learn new exercises, and enrich your repertoire.
Pilates, as studious as it is, can be a lot of fun. But ONLY when you lay a solid foundation for it:)
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My goal is to reach as many people as I can to help them have a better quality of life through Pilates philosophy and movement technique.
Thank you :)
Joanna
Copyright@Harmonious Pilates, Inc 2024
