Introduction
Pilates is a great way to improve your posture and strength, but it can also help with shoulder health. However if you do have injuries Pilates Northern Beaches ensure a unique exercise program, under the watchful eye of a highly trained physiotherapist. It’s important to know that the shoulder is a common area for injury due to its mobility and flexibility. As such, it needs a lot of attention when doing Pilates exercises. Here are some helpful tips on how to keep your shoulders healthy through Pilates exercises:
Postural alignment
- Keep shoulders back and down.
- Keep chest lifted and open.
- Keep chin tucked.
- Tuck pelvis under slightly and keep knees soft.
- Think of your tailbone being like a bowl that holds you up on the earth, and then imagine that as you lift your chest, you are drawing in all sides of your body towards that bowl — think about sucking in all around yourself to pull yourself up from the earth.
- Do not let gravity pull you down; rather, keep connections between joints soft so that they can move with one another freely without restriction (think of this as “soft joints”).
- For example: If I have tightness in my neck or lower back while doing Pilates exercises (or any exercise) it is because either I am trying too hard or I am holding tension somewhere else (in my shoulders perhaps) which pulls my whole spine out of alignment with itself causing strain elsewhere in my body instead of allowing for natural flow through interconnected muscles groups working together harmoniously as one system!
Shoulder circles
Shoulder circles are a great way to warm up your shoulders.
To perform this exercise, hold onto a resistance band or towel in front of you with both hands. You can also do this exercise without equipment by standing in an open space and making circular motions with your arms while keeping them parallel to the floor (and pointed forward).
Now that you’re warmed up, it’s time to get moving! Here are the steps:
- Maintain good posture throughout this entire movement. Keep shoulders relaxed and lifted at all times, abs engaged for support and balance, eyes straight ahead, chin slightly tucked in but not tucked under; neck erect and aligned with spine—the whole nine yards!
- Slowly raise one arm overhead until it forms a 90 degree angle with your torso; don’t forget about those wrists! Rotate from side-to-side as far as possible while keeping good posture until reaching each side once again (about 6 rotations total). Repeat on opposite side after completing first set of reps with dominant arm leading movements first followed by non-dominant arm second round so that each muscle group receives adequate attention during training session..
Swimming
Swimming is a very safe and effective way to exercise, and it has many benefits. For example, swimming can help you with your posture. It also works out your arms, back, abdomen/core (abs), spine, hips and knees in a low impact way that helps prevent injury while strengthening the muscles in these areas. Swimming strengthens your shoulders by increasing strength throughout the shoulder joint itself as well as activating the muscles surrounding it (i.e., triceps). The best part about swimming is that there’s no need for heavy equipment or expensive gym memberships; just grab some goggles and get ready for a fun time!
Single leg circle with spine stretch forward
Stand tall, feet hip distance apart.
Place the right hand on a wall for support and lift your left leg straight up to about 90 degrees. Keep your hips square to the front wall/spot as you perform small circles with your left knee and foot to stretch the hamstring muscles towards you. Repeat 3 times on each side, then rest 1 minute before doing it again 2 more times on each side (total of 6 repetitions).
This exercise stretches out your hips, which are often tight from sitting throughout the day at work or while driving somewhere; it also strengthens those same muscles that tend to be weak due to our lifestyle habits! Do this exercise twice per week for 5-10 reps per session – because of its importance in maintaining overall health & longevity, we recommend doing it every day!
Rib cage rotations
To do this exercise, you will need a chair, a mat and a towel. Sit upright with your feet on the floor and knees bent. Place the towel under your shoulders so that it’s in contact with your chest. If you have shoulder issues or discomfort, follow these modifications:
- Use pillows instead of towels for padding
- Support yourself by placing both hands on the back of a chair instead of using one arm as shown in the images above
Pilates is great for posture, balance, and toning
Pilates is great for posture, balance, and toning. Pilates uses the strength of your core to improve overall alignment. This will help you balance better as well as decrease injuries. A strong core also helps us stand taller!
Conclusion
Pilates is great for posture, balance and toning the muscles in your upper body. If you are looking for a way to improve your posture and gain better balance, Pilates is an excellent choice!