Our Pilates Skeleton
As Halloween approaches and thoughts of skeletons come to mind, it’s the perfect time to explore how proper bone alignment in Pilates can be a treat for your health! There are a few tricks to finding this proper alignment and scary good benefits that happen as a result.
Starting at the base of our skeleton, a strong base for alignment is vital. Proper alignment of the knees, feet, and hips is key to moving safely and effectively in Pilates. The feet should be grounded and parallel, while the knees should track in line with the toes, avoiding any inward or outward collapse. Ideally you want a long line from your hips, knees, and the center of your feet. Each individual’s body is different and it’s important to be aware of your own tendencies. For example, you may notice your knees tend to cave in towards each other when you are standing or doing a squat. If this is the case, then try to press more on the pinky side of your foot and engage the glutes to bring the knees back to center. The alignment of these joints supports the hips, allowing for balanced muscle engagement and reducing unnecessary strain. When the feet, knees, and hips are properly aligned, Pilates helps strengthen muscles evenly, improve joint stability, and promote better posture. Correct alignment ensures that stress is evenly distributed across bones and joints, reducing the risk of localized stress injuries and promoting healthier bone density. When our bones experience consistent, evenly distributed forces, they adapt by becoming stronger and denser. Proper lower body alignment enhances balance and coordination, reducing the risk of falls which is a significant concern as we age. This improved balance also means safer movement, decreasing the likelihood of fractures or other injuries that can compromise bone health.
Working our way up the body, alignment of the spine and pelvis is arguably one of the most important. In Pilates, the concept of neutral spine and pelvis is foundational to proper form and movement. Neutral spine refers to the natural curve of the spine, where the body is aligned in its optimal, most balanced position. The pelvis, in its neutral state, is neither tilted forward or backward but rests level with the spine, creating a stable base for movement. As with the lower body, you may start to bring awareness to different tendencies you have within your pelvis and spine. For example, your pelvis may tilt forward and you overarch your low back. If this is the case, then you want to find length through your tailbone, engage your core, and even squeeze your glutes to notice the difference as your pelvis finds its way back to neutral. Finding a neutral spine and pelvis helps protect the lower back, enhances core activation, and allows for efficient, controlled movements. By emphasizing this alignment, Pilates helps promote a strong, flexible spine while reducing the risk of injury during both everyday activities and exercise. In addition, this helps to protect the skeletal system and encourages better posture, which is essential for bone health.
Making our way to the top of the skeleton, the upper body alignment should not be overlooked. The positioning of the shoulders, head, and neck in Pilates is crucial for maintaining a strong, open upper body and minimizing tension. Shoulders should sit in the shoulder socket and be relaxed, with space between shoulders and ears. This allows the neck to stay long and the back of the head to sit in line with the spine. This alignment reduces stress on the cervical spine and encourages improved breathing patterns. Oftentimes, people tend to round their shoulders forward and stick their chin out which leads to a shallow breathing pattern. Proper shoulder, head, and neck alignment not only improves posture but also relieves common areas of tension, leading to increased mobility in the upper body and a sense of overall relaxation during movement.
From your feet to the top of your head, working on finding proper alignment is the key to moving, protecting, and feeling good in your body. If you work through exercises with improper alignment, it may be doing more harm than good. “From a bone health perspective, the beneficial forces from the weights may not transmit evenly through the spine and body in that distorted postural presentation. The better aligned your skeleton is in a standing, weight-bearing position, the better ability to optimize the loading forces from both gravity and external resistance” (Roststein 2024). This is why during our Align Reformer Pilates class here at Niche, we start with finding proper form and then build on that. New Clients can drop into their first Reformer class at Niche for $34 and take a private session for individualized attention for $80. Keep your skeleton happy during this spooky season with a focus on alignment!
Sources:
Rotstein, R. (2024, November 17). Exercising your bones: Part 2 (alignment). Exercising Your Bones: Part 2. https://www.bonetalk.org/articles/exercising-your-bones-part-2