I first became a fan of the Pilates Swan when I took on the Pilates by Izzy 25-day challenge last September. The stretch features in almost every warm-up and cool down, and it quickly became the moment in class I looked forward to most. Not only did it offer a welcome stretch for my abs at the end of an inevitably tough workout, but it also made for the perfect antidote to all the slouching I’d been doing over my desk.
So, when the challenge ended, and I returned to my usual exercise routine, I kept the Pilates Swan up. But, as often happens when work gets busy, the good habit soon slipped, and unsurprisingly, my body noticed. My hips became tighter, my upper back was sore, and my posture worsened.
