Almost half of the working Australian population describe their day as mostly sitting at a desk (ABS, 2022). Whilst we spend our days staring at a screen, it’s likely poor posture can follow, with our backs becoming hunched like a prawn by the time we are able to leave the office.

We’re obsessed with posture and we can often feel guilty that we don’t focus on it enough. With that obsession, has come a new TikTok trend to help. ‘Tummy time’ for adults. WTF?

If you thought ‘tummy time’ was a concept for babies, you’re not wrong. It’s something we do with little bubs to help them build their strength and coordination – now it’s become a viral trend for adults to try as a way to fix their poor posture. The trend suggests that lying on your stomach and replicating what babies do during tummy time whilst you read, scroll your phone etc.. It can supposedly be a way to help strengthen your neck muscles and posture.

Yet, like all online trends, tread with caution. Kic’s physio, Ash Ormond, always suggests to take these online trends with a grain of salt.

“It’s really common for clients to come in after trying a trend they saw online, hoping it’ll help them feel stronger, fitter, or just more in routine again. And honestly, I get it. These kinds of fitness trends seem simple, motivating, and often come with big promises. But without the right build-up or support, they can lead to overload pretty quickly. Cue angry glutes, tight calves, and a very confused body.” In short, it’s important to question the source and make sure you’re getting tailored advice from the right experts.

So, how do we actually help our posture and become less like a prawn at our desks? And how do we stop ourselves from feeling so damn guilty about our posture not being ‘perfect’. Our Pilates trainer, Christina, is here to put that guilt away – she’s here to say there’s no such thing as ‘perfect’ posture and that some simple Pilates flows can retrain that neck and back strength.

So, how can Pilates exercises target posture and core strength?

Pilates is traditionally based around spinal movement, and movement across all planes of the spine via our abdominals ie; Extension, flexion, lateral flexion, and rotation. When our spines are strong along all these planes, it can allow our bodies to be free of tension and feel lifted and lengthened.

What are some key Pilates moves that are particularly effective for improving posture?

Any movement where you get to move your spine in the opposite way of how it sits throughput most of your day. If you sit at a desk most of the day, any thoracic extension paired with a chest opener can help you feel less rounded and hunched, something like swan prep alongside chest expansion. If you’re a parent holding children all day, your lumbar can benefit from any type of flexion and lower abdominal strengthener, so something like a half roll back or hip roll.

What should someone new to Pilates keep in mind when starting a routine aimed at improving posture?

That there is no such thing as the perfect posture, and “good” posture does not necessarily mean that we will be pain free. Its more about moving and strengthening across our entire system, a strong healthy body looks different on everyone and is not a one size fits all.

Are there any common mistakes people make when using Pilates to improve their posture?

Again, its usually the approach that a perfect posture exists, and that achieving it will lead to being pain free. Its important to move for the sake of being strong and well rounded, and to do the type of movement that feels genuinely good for your body and mind.

How can we keep maintaining good posture throughout daily activities, beyond Pilates classes?

Being mindful of where you hold tension and stress throughout your day can help a lot. For example, dropping your shoulders if you tend to shrug them, or unclenching the jaw if thats how you deal with stress. It can make a world of difference by the end of the day.

Which Kic classes would you suggest adding in to help improve posture?

‘Tune into your body’ and ‘Total body amp up’ are both classes of mine in the Kic app which will help build that back and core strength to help improve your posture.