Q: What's wrong with this picture?
A: Just about everything. When I found the picture to the right I had to share it with you because it is a perfect example of so many of the things I ask people not to do when I write exercise instructions. This woman may be doing something with intention, but as far as Pilates is concerned she is demonstrating a recipe for a weak core, a bad back, and lots of neck pain. Here's what I think is wrong with this pose:

1. Her Abs are not lifted supporting her back
2. Her tailbone is not grounding toward the floor to support her low back
3. Her shoulders and shoulder blades are hunched up so she has lost the integrity of upper torso support
4. And maybe the most frightening is the way her head is dropped back, completely out of alignment with her spine

What we want to see here is a long spine - protected by pulled in abs and dropped tailbone, supported by the abs and upper torso - creating a beautiful, unbroken arc in space. Usually I like to show off what we do want, but sometimes seeing what's off can give you a sense of what you might need to work on. You can apply all of the principles I've talked about here to most Pilates exercises. Some exercises that are similar to the one we are looking at are:

• swan prep
• swan dive
• swimming
• double leg kick (even though the arms are down)

Go Forth and Practice with Good Form!

_{photo Getty Images}