Move
PRIMARY POSTURE IS KEY TO STARTING EVERY BARRE3 CLASS CENTER AND STRONG
From the day we taught our first class 10 years ago, virtually every barre3 class has begun with Primary Posture. Why? We spoke with barre3 instructor Shannon McClintock to get the scoop. Read on to learn why Primary Posture is so important both in the barre3 class and beyond the studio.
BARRE3: Why do we start every class in Primary Posture?
SHANNON: Starting class in Primary Posture provides a great centering moment, aligning both the body and mind. Primary Posture is an intentional posture; it gives us the space to let go of what happened before class and to really come into our bodies.
BARRE3: Primary Posture looks simple, but what are the exact steps to perfecting the posture?
SHANNON: It’s actually really challenging to get the positioning just right! In a perfect posture, our feet are facing forward, and the ankles, knees, hips, and shoulders are all stacked on top of one another. When we cue the posture in class, we talk about maintaining a soft bend in the knees, which prevents locking.
The last step—and often the most challenging—is positioning our ears above our shoulders. I was shocked when I learned from a physical therapist that for every inch our ears are in front of our shoulders, we add 10 pounds onto our neck. This is why so many of us end up with chronic trap problems and tension headaches.
BARRE3: How does practicing Primary Posture support our health goals?
SHANNON: Our modern lifestyles take us out of alignment all the time. So much chronic pain is the result of texting, typing at our computers all day, or driving during our commute. Primary Posture is a great reset. Throughout class, instructors guide us to pay attention to the sensations in our bodies and to its placement. When we’re more aware of how we stand in the studio, we pay more attention to how we stand throughout the day.
Injury typically results not from a certain workout, but from how we move or position our bodies. It’s the little things we do for large swaths of time that can cause injury. By practicing Primary Posture, you’ll learn to position your body so that you’re less injury-prone in the long run. This helps keep you safe during workouts and in your day-to-day life.
BARRE3: Do you have any tips for how we can practice better alignment throughout the day?
SHANNON: Yes! One trick that I’ve learned is especially helpful while you’re driving. Before starting the car, sit down with really good posture and set the rearview mirror. If you slump, you won’t be able to see out your rearview mirror, letting you know that you’re no longer holding the posture.
BARRE3: What’s one thing we can do today that will help us practice better Primary Posture?
Get in front of a mirror! Most of the time, we’re not aware of our posture or positioning. If you practice Primary Posture in front of a mirror at home, you can teach yourself to pay greater attention to where your body is. So take a look and ask yourself, are your feet underneath your hips? Are you locking out your knees? Are your ribs splayed out? Are your shoulders hunched forward?
Once you start asking yourself these questions, you’ll be more aware of what your body is doing as you’re trying to align. You’ll create muscle memory so that when you’re not in front of a mirror, you’ll be more likely to get back into that posture the way it’s supposed to be.
Ready to feel the benefits of Primary Posture? Join us in the studio or try an online workout today!
From the day we taught our first class 10 years ago, virtually every barre3 class has begun with Primary Posture. Why? We spoke with barre3 instructor Shannon McClintock to get the scoop. Read on to learn why Primary Posture is so important both in the barre3 class and beyond the studio.
BARRE3: Why do we start every class in Primary Posture?
SHANNON: Starting class in Primary Posture provides a great centering moment, aligning both the body and mind. Primary Posture is an intentional posture; it gives us the space to let go of what happened before class and to really come into our bodies.
BARRE3: Primary Posture looks simple, but what are the exact steps to perfecting the posture?
SHANNON: It’s actually really challenging to get the positioning just right! In a perfect posture, our feet are facing forward, and the ankles, knees, hips, and shoulders are all stacked on top of one another. When we cue the posture in class, we talk about maintaining a soft bend in the knees, which prevents locking.
The last step—and often the most challenging—is positioning our ears above our shoulders. I was shocked when I learned from a physical therapist that for every inch our ears are in front of our shoulders, we add 10 pounds onto our neck. This is why so many of us end up with chronic trap problems and tension headaches.
BARRE3: How does practicing Primary Posture support our health goals?
SHANNON: Our modern lifestyles take us out of alignment all the time. So much chronic pain is the result of texting, typing at our computers all day, or driving during our commute. Primary Posture is a great reset. Throughout class, instructors guide us to pay attention to the sensations in our bodies and to its placement. When we’re more aware of how we stand in the studio, we pay more attention to how we stand throughout the day.
Injury typically results not from a certain workout, but from how we move or position our bodies. It’s the little things we do for large swaths of time that can cause injury. By practicing Primary Posture, you’ll learn to position your body so that you’re less injury-prone in the long run. This helps keep you safe during workouts and in your day-to-day life.
BARRE3: Do you have any tips for how we can practice better alignment throughout the day?
SHANNON: Yes! One trick that I’ve learned is especially helpful while you’re driving. Before starting the car, sit down with really good posture and set the rearview mirror. If you slump, you won’t be able to see out your rearview mirror, letting you know that you’re no longer holding the posture.
BARRE3: What’s one thing we can do today that will help us practice better Primary Posture?
Get in front of a mirror! Most of the time, we’re not aware of our posture or positioning. If you practice Primary Posture in front of a mirror at home, you can teach yourself to pay greater attention to where your body is. So take a look and ask yourself, are your feet underneath your hips? Are you locking out your knees? Are your ribs splayed out? Are your shoulders hunched forward?
Once you start asking yourself these questions, you’ll be more aware of what your body is doing as you’re trying to align. You’ll create muscle memory so that when you’re not in front of a mirror, you’ll be more likely to get back into that posture the way it’s supposed to be.
Ready to feel the benefits of Primary Posture? Join us in the studio or try an online workout today!
