Stop the Shoulder Shrug: 4 Pilates Moves to Strengthen Your Neck & Improve Posture This Autumn

As the temperatures dip, have you noticed what your shoulders like to do? They creep up toward your ears as if they’re trying to wear your scarf for you. It’s almost instinctive - we hunch up against the chill, tuck our heads forward, and before long, our neck and shoulders are begging for mercy.

I know I keep banging on about releasing your shoulders and checking that your head doesn't 'turtle' forward, but let me explain why. When our shoulders creep up and forward (like they love to do when it’s chilly), it doesn’t just look a bit slouchy - it actually changes how our body feels and functions.

Rounded shoulders and a forward head posture can:

• Squash your chest, making your breathing shallow (hello, tight chest and less oxygen).

• Put extra strain on your neck muscles (which then feel stiff, sore, and a little grumpy).

• Make your upper back ache from doing all the heavy lifting your posture muscles should be sharing.

• Even affect your mood and energy levels - because when your body collapses forward, your energy tends to do the same.

  
  

So yes, bad posture is sneaky. It’s not just about standing tall for photos - it affects how well you breathe, move, and feel in your own skin.

The good news? A few simple Pilates moves can help undo all that tension, open up your posture, and strengthen the muscles that keep your neck and shoulders happy. These aren’t fancy or complicated - just straightforward movements that make a huge difference if you practice them consistently.

Here are four of my favorites to keep you feeling tall, open and longed-neck, just in time for jumper season:

1. Neck Nods (Yes, You Heard Me Right - Just Say Yes)

Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet on the floor. Let your arms rest by your sides. Take a slow breath in. As you exhale, gently nod your chin toward your chest, without your head lifting from the floor, as if you’re saying ‘yes’ to your favorite cup of tea. Then return to neutral.

💡 Tip: Keep it tiny. This isn’t a curl up - it’s a subtle nod, like you’re agreeing politely in a Zoom meeting.

Why it helps: This move wakes up your deep neck flexors (the little muscles at the front of your neck that support your head). When they’re strong, your head stops falling forward like a bowling ball.

2. Scapula Slides (a.k.a. Shoulder Reset Button)

Sit or stand tall. Take a breath in, slowly lifting your shoulders as straight up as you can slightly. As you exhale, slide your shoulder blades down your back, imagining them melting into your back pockets. Keep your neck long and soft.

💡 Tip: Think 'glide,' not 'shrug.' Your shoulders aren’t auditioning for earrings, and watch out for rounding!

Why it helps: This simple movement improves shoulder positioning and helps break the habit of letting your shoulders camp out near your ears (especially when you’re cold, stressed, or scrolling social media for too long).

3. Wall Angels (Snow Angels Without the Snow Pants - after all it's only just about Autumn... )

Stand with your back nice and snug up against a wall, feet hip width apart and parallel. Press the back of your head and ribs gently into the wall. Place your arms in a goalpost shape (elbows bent at 90°), then slowly slide your arms up toward the ceiling and back down.

💡 Tip: Only go as high as you can without your ribs popping off the wall - quality beats range.

Why it helps: Opens the chest, strengthens the upper back, and reminds your body what good posture feels like. Plus, you get all the benefits of a snow angel without freezing your hands off.

4. Baby Cobra (Hello Tall Posture!)

Lie face down with your elbows bent at 90° fingertips pointing to the wall in front of you, and legs long behind you. Inhale. As you exhale, gently lift your head, neck, and chest, sliding your shoulder blades down your back. Keep your gaze forward and slightly down (no craning!). Lower with control.

💡 Tip: Imagine a string lifting your breastbone forward and up - graceful, like a swan, not strained like a turtle, so check that chin.

Why it helps: Strengthens your upper back, stretches the front of your chest, and builds the postural endurance you need to avoid the hunchy, cold-weather slump.

Next time you catch your shoulders climbing toward your ears, try these moves. They’re quick, effective, and - let’s be honest - a lot better for you long term than just adding another layer of scarves. Practice them regularly and notice how your posture feels more open, your neck less cranky, and your shoulders a little less determined to impersonate earmuffs.

Let's stand tall, breathing deeply, as we glide into autumn with ease... and soft shoulders...