Pilates is a great way to develop strength, muscles, coordination and increase mobility. But another often overlooked benefit is that it can improve your posture.
Certified Pilates instructor Nicole McPherson of Move With Nicole recently shared a routine designed to do just that. The 30-minute session focuses on stretching and strengthening your upper body muscles.
As someone who spends a lot of time hunched over my desk working on my laptop, I’m always interested in trying anything that can improve my posture, so I decided to give it a try.
How to do Nicole McPherson’s Pilates routine
McPherson’s routine is 30 minutes long and you can follow along as she explains each move. No equipment is required, but a yoga mat is all you need.
What happened when I tried Nicole McPherson’s Pilates routine to improve my posture
I made time during my lunch break to try out McPherson’s routine. Not only was my upper body stiff from doing push-ups and pull-ups the day before, but it was also stiff when I sat at my desk in the morning, so I was hoping this routine would help ease it some.
We started with dynamic stretching, followed by strengthening exercises. One of them is the shoulder blade push-up, where you sit in a tabletop position and pull your shoulder blades together and then push them apart. I have very tight shoulders, so this exercise immediately relieved some of the tension. It’s also a great way to stabilize and strengthen your shoulders.
The rest of the workout featured Pilates moves that move and stretch your back through flexion, extension, and rotation. I’m used to lifting weights, so this routine didn’t challenge my strength, but I appreciated the mobility and flexibility-enhancing elements. As soon as I finished the routine, I felt lighter.
I returned to my desk and became more conscious of my posture than usual, trying to sit with my back straight and not hunching my shoulders.
This workout didn’t miraculously fix my posture, but it made me more aware of my posture, helped me relax my upper body, and made working from home much more comfortable.
Need something to support your at-home workout or Pilates routine? Our guide to the best yoga mats can help
