Issue link: http://www.wacmagazine.com/i/1528788
living fit instructor insights Instructor Insights With WAC Pilates Instructor Jamie Fearn In its most basic form, good posture allows the structures of your body to stay organized, facilitating easier movement in your day-to- day and preventing issues like lower back pain. Better posture can also lead to higher self-confidence and stability in performing tasks such as bending over, reaching a high shelf, or carrying heavy objects. Studies have shown that postural work improves mood, assists breathing patterns, reduces headaches, lessens fatigue, aids digestion, and lowers blood pressure. Improving your posture takes time and commitment, but the sooner you start working on it the sooner you'll experience the benefits. "Posture correction is a main reason people come to see me," WAC Pilates Instructor Jamie Fearn says. "Practice these steps throughout your day and in time you'll find yourself achieving more, breathing better, and having more energy." ese simple posture-correcting exercises can be done from a seated position but will have greater impact if you stand. Lift Get "taller" from the tips of your ears without pulling your chin up or pushing your ribcage far forward. Lifting your spine from the back of the neck helps you find height in your posture. Shrug Elevate your shoulders to your ears and depress them down beyond the back of your neck. Do a few reps to find a com- fortable resting place for your shoulders. Open Spread your collarbones and slightly lift your chin. Roll out of this open position by drawing your shoulders forward to "close." Repeat. For more posture-improving exercise, visit wac.net/posture. Schedule a Pilates session with Jamie or one of our other skilled and certified instructors at wac.net/pilates.