The Domes

Once a student has been made aware of postural/ alignment issues, one of the most common approaches I see them take is to throw their body in the opposite direction. If they slouch, they force themselves upright. If the hike up one or both or their shoulders, they try to shove them back down. I understand the impulse. You want to fix the problem as soon as possible. Unfortunately, it's not as black and white we would like. We can't just "put it back" when we realize that it's out of place.

When we get into mind sets like these, it's important to remember that ultimately, our goal is centering. When all is said and done balanced muscle development is the goal.

So when trying to self correct your posture, think of lining up your "domes". This is a little imagery trick I learned from two amazing Pilates instructors: Arlene Bass and Sharon Gawin in their "Unlocking Thoracic Mobility" workshop. (I always feel the need to give credit where credit is due.)

Your body has natural structural domes. Going from the bottom up, the first is in your feet. If you place your feet together, you'll find that the arches of your feet form two halves of a dome. Going up to the pelvis, your pelvic floor is a dome. Above that, your diaphragm is dome like, and then over that the roof of your mouth is also a dome. I've found that if you try to center these domes, one on top if the other, you'll develop a relaxed centered posture over time, rather than one that slouches out of tiredness and forces itself back up.

Give it a try.

Let me know how it works for you.