November 2011
Roll forward with the head heavy. Let the vertebrae connect with the mat like a string of pearls, one at a time. Lengthen the leg as if to write on the ceiling. Scoop your belly.
The verbal cues Bonnie Berger offered during a range of Pilates exercises created pictures that translated into bodily responses. The guided imagery helps a client perform the motions neatly, accurately and effectively. The certified instructor and manager at Full Circle Pilates, Berger helps people regain awareness of specific muscle groups while getting a full-body workout. Continue reading “Getting to the Core”
Posture misalignment can cause pain in your back or anything connected to it. After all, the hip bone’s connected to the back bone, the back bone’s connected to the neck bone, and on it goes. It’s not just a folk song, but the integrated reality of our body. The key to good posture is correct joint alignment, though the complete picture involves balance, nerves and muscular strength—strong abdominals avoid pulling on the lower back.
Posture is the position or bearing of the body whether characteristic or assumed. The functional problem with posture arises when we assume a pose to walk around. Robert E. Dahl of Dahl Chiropractic Clinics said, “The head is heavy—about 10 pounds—and we’ll hold it in whatever way necessary to keep pressure off the nerves. If there is difficulty, our musculo-skeletal system gives off pain signals, but the brain sends messages to realign for proper flow to keep vital organs functioning.”