How to "Fix" and Prevent Anterior Pelvic Tilt (GOODBYE APT!)

[@TaroIwamoto]

Get your FREE "Movement Guide to Pain-Free Back" here: mailchi.mp/6434a8b84f49/movement-guide-to-pain-free-back Suggested book(s): - Awareness Through Movement: amzn.to/3jrRZ70 (*my amazon affiliate link)

[@ironore8677]

Literally watching 30 videos on this and you are the only person to use this technique…it’s genius! Thank you

[@javi763]

8:55 Unlock knees 10:14 Horse Stance

[@barkhashah]

You know taro I have come to The point now where I first like your video and then watch it because I know it’s going to be great :)

[@thomasshakelton]

this guy knows his stuff, great help!

[@susanstewart1402]

I meant to say also that your video about sleeping positions has been VERY helpful for correcting the pattern with head forward and anterior pelvic tilt/tight hip flexors. My pillow was too high. Simple! Thank you so much Taro.

[@Eric-pi4jn]

Heading back into class sitting down all day has been causing some pain and these small tips have made a big change 👏🏼

[@TaroIwamoto]

small things can make big differences, can't they?

[@Eric-pi4jn]

@@TaroIwamoto most definitely. Just a few days of it

[@khunngunn]

Wow, you re right. I tried both techniques but they were so unnatural so I couldnt do for long. Unlocking knees is much easier to practice. I can literally feel it is working. Thank you 👏

[@TaroIwamoto]

you are welcome！

[@katielerchen3016]

Just as pushing a grocery cart is a good test for anterior pelvic tilt, so is bicycle riding. I feel immense relief after a long ride.

[@TaroIwamoto]

yes those activities counteract APT!

[@fredhubbard7210]

I agree, I ride hard, and low. Cycling is one of Jesus' miracles. A short prayer and a long bike ride, and my back feels fine.

[@weihawang4246]

What about horseback riding? Does horseback riding creates or worsen APT?

[@anna-lenameijer9942]

If you wear a slim T-shirt, it is easier to see your body posture :). I will give this video to my daughter: she has suffered from this for many years. I started with Feldenkrais in Vancouver; it has helped to understand my body. "See yourself pushing your tail between your legs" is a good command :)

[@tracyheath6076]

Once I learned to identify anterior pelvic tilt and how to fix that I was able to heal my sciatica. Also was a must to attain proper posture figure skating and this move did that. Also, it's much easier to pull in abs when you first do an anterior pelvic tilt. If I might add, a big moment for me to do a correct anterior pelvic tilt was to recognize that I was popping out my lower ribs. So when I corrected that, then executing the anterior pelvic tilt was much easier and able to keep it or hold it.

[@prakar]

This video won you a channel subscription from me. And my deepest gratitude 🙏🙏 You're SO RIGHT that butt clenching and core tightening work but are not realistic

[@funkycatglasses01]

This works surprisingly quickly!

[@curtjackson5735]

Yes sir, there is no pain I just wamted to correct my posture in the lower back area. Thank you very much, modified it is!

[@poczytamci3389]

Ooohhh immediate relief!! Yes i used to squeeze buttocks or tuck the tail but unlocking my knees is the easiest and just so quick and easy and awesome ❤🎉

[@o.h.w.6638]

This is WONDERFUL. Thank you!!! You just changed my life.

[@TaroIwamoto]

wonderful!!

[@arieljawor]

Wow! Thank you for making me realize all this! I really need to relearn how to move and will be following you and listening attentively to your lessons. Thank you for caring and sharing.

[@TaroIwamoto]

Thank you! All my videos/channel are about movement and nervous system retraining, so you can benefit from any of my videos:)

[@kellseewellsee4910]

So simple of a solution and an immediate solution for me. Thank you!

[@susanstewart1402]

The solution to my anterior pelvic tilt was at the location where the base of the neck meets the shoulders .. rotating down and back from there. Everything else falls into place. Pelvis relaxes downward in neutral, hip flexors lengthen and relax. Ears move over the shoulders properly. My ballet teacher taught me this but I still find it artificial and must continually revisit the movement. Surely it should feel natural and become automatic if it is the way that nature intended.

[@joannamowat7406]

What is the answer to this question ? how to make it start feeling natural?

[@susanstewart1402]

@@joannamowat7406 I still don't have an answer. Working with a physiotherapist using a muscle imaging technique .. it appears there may be a lower abdominal injury.

[@anna-lenameijer9942]

We carry around tension we are not aware of. Try to "see" the movement for your inner eye before you even intend to do it. The less muscles activity, the better. It should happen INSIDE the nervous system. This way, you can "see" the perfect movement; the N-system will multiply the signals all by itself. Less is more :). Let me know if it helps.

[@renskeslijper9225]

You have good information, the difficulty is to make time for doing the things.

[@TaroIwamoto]

what's keeping you from making time for these things? You clearly care enough to search on YT and watch this video. I think it's a matter of your priority in your life. What would be consequences both positive and negative as a result of improving this, as well as not improving this? What is your current condition affecting your life? Would your life be different if you improve your condition? If so, would it be worth spending time?

[@surelb]

Just tried this now and popped my hip into more comfy position thank you

[@ceddrricdelaney6514]

🥺 you’re the greatest

[@buttercup1765]

Great video as usual! I believe I had sway back posture several years ago and I downgraded it to anterior pelvic tilt. Now I am very conscious of trying to keep my bones stacked so I believe my posture is where it should be. My problem is that sitting makes my lower back and hips collapse and hurt within a few minutes. So I find myself standing all the time. My right psoas tightens up with stress... Physical or emotional. I'm always trying to keep that psoas relaxed because when it tightens up, it pulls the entire right side of my body from jaw to foot tight and I am in a lot of pain. I'm clueless as to what I can do to strengthen my ability to sit for longer periods of time. I've been told that I have loose ligaments or hyper mobility and maybe that's due to the years of sway back posture? Thank you so much!

[@TaroIwamoto]

i will be doing a video on sitting comfort very soon

[@buttercup1765]

@@TaroIwamoto thank you so much!!❤️

[@jocelyn603]

I have something very similar to what you described, but it's my left psoas. This channel is really helping.

[@buttercup1765]

@@jocelyn603 bless you on your continued journey towards pain free living ♥️. I love taro's gentle, good sense guidance...

[@michaeleckert5877]

You are a verywise,have excellent focus and best techniques.I am benefiting now.I will includes this into all my daily routine. Thank you greatly.

[@ScoobyDoozy]

Hi Mr. Iwamoto, I’m so grateful to you for your lovingkindness and unmatched generosity in what you freely offer the community with your teachings. When doing this movement, do you have any tips for someone with a forward shifted pelvis/swayback, who also leans on one hip for balance? I’m still very hunched in the cervical neck when doing the movement (there is kyphoscoliosis present) and I’m wondering if there’s something I’m doing wrong. I believe your teachings are going to transform my life and I can’t express my excitement and gratitude to begin connecting with my body and learning how it moves, and making slow, organic changes that begin to change the flow of the river. Thank you sir

[@TaroIwamoto]

Thank you very much for your comment! As far as tips for various pelvic bias, in my Improve pelvic alignment playlist are several videos that address various pelvic biases including swayback, lateral pelvic tilt. I would check swayback video. Swayback posture may involve either anterior pelvic tilt or posterior pelvic tilt.

[@ScoobyDoozy]

Thank you for replying Mr Iwamoto! And so quickly!! Your compassion and service to the community is unmatched. I’ve been tilting my pelvis differently for only two days, and already I’m more aware of my movements how they connect with the rest of my body. I want to shout your name from the roof tops. It’s like waking up, and discovering my body for the first time. I will look at those playlists you suggest, thank you very much. あなた　と　ご家族のみなさまの　ご多幸を　お祈りします/しています。

[@gregm901]

Video starts around 7:40

[@springchild74]

This is a great video. Thank you. I have never heard of Feldenkrais method before. The connection with Tai Chi stance completely makes sense. After having watched a couple of videos I realized what I have been doing wrong with my Tai Chi moves.

[@tr1ckster726]

Once I realized I had APT, I started consciously thinking about it while walking and standing and my lower back pain has all but vanished after 20 years of consistent pain when walking or standing for too long.

[@ATebbs1]

I have this! Thank you for this video, it’s very helpful!

[@TaroIwamoto]

my pleasure:)

[@BrandonSimmons-do6jq]

I'm literally standing in my kitchen doing this knee bend thing, and instantly, my lower back pressure goes away

[@dianeh9185]

Great Video! What about if someone has a lumbar flat back aswell as a APT?

[@TaroIwamoto]

Thanks:) Because lumbar spine follows pelvis, its a bit hard to see how that combination can happen. One possibility is that you have swayback posture with posterior pelvic tilt, which makes it look like you have anterior pelvic tilt. maybe

[@garyshearer9681]

Sitting and lying down create more lower back pain for me. I am not really sure what is happening with my pelvis.

[@bassmanschick]

Giid information. My problem is my back sways the other way. I have stood this way since I was a child. I am 51 now with much chronic pain in my back and body. Hope you can do a video about sway back. I'll check your other videos to see if you already have. Thanks so much for your time.

[@TaroIwamoto]

As a matter of fact, I have video on swayback posture:)

[@bassmanschick]

@@TaroIwamoto amazing, thank you so much! I will go find it and apply. SO happy I found your videos..I know they are helping many people :)

[@TaroIwamoto]

@@bassmanschick thank you!

[@sasi4375]

Sir, very nice. I have lateral pelvic tilt with right hip lower than left, with right foot externally rotated, high left shoulder than right, pain in left hip left knee and left shoulder , pain in left TMJ radiating to neck , shoulder and constany occipital headache. Any suggestions Sir?

[@sasi4375]

@@TaroIwamoto Sure sir, thanks a lot.

[@julietdelacruz2492]

Thank u taro...i n my husband experience a very long time ago hip pain...my husband maybe due to his accident last 3 yrs ago...me maybe of aging...pain in my hips n in my right muscle in buttocks

[@msinbalony]

Thank you, Taro! As usual, dismantling common tactics that really never made sense. Squeezing my buttocs all the time felt so unnatural. If we have also feet that are "collapsing inward" does that make APT even stronger? I feel like these two go together :)

[@TaroIwamoto]

You're welcome! I also never felt natural and reasonable to squeeze buttocks all the time to counteract anterior pelvic tilt. Feet "collapsing inward" and APT can definitely go together, so you can retrain your movement patterns to move away from your habitual patterns.

[@msinbalony]

@@TaroIwamoto thanks:)

[@curtjackson5735]

Thank you sir, Great info!. I am familiar with the horse stance, from prior martial arts training, do l go into a full horse stance? or just slightly? And can I do the horse stance against the wall? Thank you!

[@TaroIwamoto]

You are welcome! I should have said modified horse stance. If you are using it as a strategy to reduce extension stress to yout lower back, i would just use a modified version. If you are using it for leg strengthening, sure you can do a full horse stance. Doing it agaist wall is initially helpful as it provides tacticle feedback for your back and pelvis position, but it would be nice to be able to do horse stance accurately without relying on the wall feedback.

[@kindese973]

I’ve seen many Feldenkrais videos, and I find yours are easy for me to understand, learn and get the benefits available from FM

[@mariahweir7115]

What should you do if you have an APT while standing but a PPT while sitting on the floor due to tight hips/hams?

[@lukekent9687]

Does apt contribute to neck/shoulder/jaw tension habits?

[@cynthiasprehe2319]

Where can I find the guide for careful pain free movement? Thanks

[@TaroIwamoto]

the link is in the pinned comment at at the top as well as in the description

[@paulettegoulard2826]

Unlocking my knees finally put my pelvis in the neutral position I have searched for! However, I find my quads get quickly tired. Now need a solution for that....

[@TaroIwamoto]

That may show you that you support your weight by hanging on ligaments and joints, which is not ideal. It is much more preferred to have tired quads than stressed ligaments and joints. So you can think about this as a way to condition your quads in a functional way while stabilizing your back, which is a good thing.

[@joannamowat7406]

Yes I get pain when I go clothes shopping because I stand up and walk for a long time in the city centre

[@TaroIwamoto]

I'll be doing a video "How to walk with anterior pelvic tilt" in the near future where I share movement strategies to reduce extension stress to lower back while walking. That video will be very relevant to you.

[@buttercup1765]

Just found your channel... Thank you!

[@TaroIwamoto]

you are welcome

[@martinamarsupilami7391]

Yes! Thank you 🙏🏻

[@andrebotha8493]

thnx Sir

[@user-dg6zy3fs6c]

I am a male struggling with pelvic floor dysfunction and I’m wondering if feldenkrais is for me

[@TaroIwamoto]

I think Feldenkrais Method can help people with pelvic floor issues.

[@user-dg6zy3fs6c]

@@TaroIwamoto thank you Taro, my main issue is my pelvis and ribs are totally out of line. Can feldenkrais method help fix that

[@melwebley1114]

Can you please do a vid for posterior pelvic tilt correction?

[@TaroIwamoto]

thats coming next week!!

[@melwebley1114]

Thank u!!!!!!😁😁😁

[@TaroIwamoto]

@@melwebley1114 you are welcome!

[@TaroIwamoto]

@@melwebley1114 you're welcome!

[@stiaininbeglan3844]

My problem as well. Tilting my pelvis into the opposite direction, creating a slight arch in my back, often helps to ease tension because I'm stretching. I had no idea that this might be wrong.

[@alcze]

Won't this cause your quads to be contracted shifting effort to muscles working to balance instead of the bones? With knees locked you engage screw home mechanism and quads can relax and stabilizing done by bones. Let me know your thoughts.

[@TaroIwamoto]

I get what you're saying. Screw home mechanism allows knee to fully extend. Full knee extension is different from locking knees, however. When you hyperextend your knees while standing, you're relying on connective tissues (ligaments, tendons, fascia, etc) to support your weight, which can lead to joint laxity and loss of joint stability. Due to adaptation to sitting in modern lifestyle, most people have adaptively shortened hip flexors so they cannot fully extend their hips when standing upright. As a result, the body compensates by shortening back extensors (extending lumbar spine and tilting pelvis anteriorly). To counteract this compensation, they can "soften" knees to allow their pelvis to move into more vertical position (extending hips) which will move lumbar spine into more neutral position. From this position, you can practice to slowly extend knees (but not hyperextend) while keeping pelvis in neutral/vertical position to lengthen hip flexors, which is not easy for most people, but great movement retraining.

[@alcze]

@@TaroIwamoto ahh gotcha.. so goal is to work to full extension after first correcting APT. Makes better sense now...

[@TaroIwamoto]

@@alcze yes! our brain is designed to compensate when there's obstacles. Hyperextension of knees, swayback, excessive lumbar extension with anterior pelvic tilt, etc are all examples of our nervous system's effort to keep up moving. But compensation patterns can serve us for so long, and often lead to undesirable consequences on our body. That is when retraining our nervous system and movement patterns becomes very important.

[@marielang9552]

Helpful!

[@yishujia186]

Is it more likely a neurological issue? I just realized my mental stress causes my extended posture.

[@TaroIwamoto]

our body and mind are connected and cannot be separeted. Our physical state and mental state influence each other. Mental stress affects muscle tone and tension, breathing patterns, posture etc. Mental state is one of many factors contributing to our habitual patterns.

[@Starla830]

I have APT due to hyper mobility Do you have recommendations for hyper mobility?

[@TaroIwamoto]

APT is often associated with hypermobility of lumbar spine. A key is to improve kinesthetic awareness (bodys ability to sense accurately) and motor control so you can recognize your own movement patterns and control during every activities. Just stretching and strengthening muscles alone will not help you develop such motor skills. All my videos focus on improving awareness and motor skills.

[@calowalee3616]

Need help with hips pain

[@rosemarynabulya2844]

What if one has a very big protruding but, will this exercise help the same way?

[@TaroIwamoto]

large abdomen can definitely contribute to anterior pelvic tilt so this video applies, yes

[@juliette8130]

@@TaroIwamoto I think Rosemary Nabulya is talking about a protruding butt not a protruding abdomen.

[@fcohen8296]

This Feldenkreis method sounds great...unfortunately I cannot afford to see a practitioner (if know any good idea for me, i would appreciate it). But the real question I have for you is: I believe that I have APT when standing and walking, but I do sit at the computer all day and I notice that I do have the forward head position that indicates my pelvis must be tiltingt he other way causing the curved spine and therefore head forward to stay looking at the screen. Can I have these 2 opposite issues with the pelvis position and what is best way to deal with that?

[@TaroIwamoto]

yes you can have those two patterns, anterior pelvic tilt with thoracic flex patterns which is actually very common, so need to work on specific patterns that is posterior pelvic tilt with thoracic ext

[@fcohen8296]

@@TaroIwamoto thank you so much to take the time to answer me. am I correct that one of your videos shows to do the thoracic extension by sitting and leaning down over thighs and then just lifting back up just fromt he sternum and up?

[@TaroIwamoto]

yes thats specific pattern for you

[@fcohen8296]

@@TaroIwamoto thank you!

[@hw2050]

I'm having trouble feeling the direction of my pelvis when I place my hand on my sacrum.

[@TaroIwamoto]

top of pelvis and sacrum goes forward, the lower part moves backwards, and lower back increases arch= anterior pelvis tilt direction. the opposite direction is posterior pelvic tilt.

[@hw2050]

@@TaroIwamoto Thank you so much. Your videos are really helping me. X

[@gowthams1112]

Fixing APT makes changes in height?? Whether i can grow ?

[@TaroIwamoto]

that would be nice. Position of pelvis influences the spine and retraining your movement can organize pelvis and spine more vertically, and that can give you more length in your spine.

[@smttn1]

Had no idea it could be so easy to correct this, thank you! Over time will it correct APT or will I always have to consciously unlock my knees whenever I'm standing?

[@TaroIwamoto]

As you start to become more aware of your habitual patterns, you will start to incorporate non habitual patterns, and over time you wont feel that you are stuck in your habitual pattern. So you will have greater freedom of movement, which is really what you want to accomplish more than correcting your movement.

[@smttn1]

@@TaroIwamoto I see, thank you :) I have also started doing hip flexor stretches so hopefully that will help as well I am hoping

[@TaroIwamoto]

@@smttn1 you're welcome! yes, hip flexors shortness/tightness are common with anterior pelvic tilt. What many don't tell you is that why hip flexors become tight and short in the first place. Habitual movement patterns lead to that over time. Stretching can help, but typically no long lasting changes unless you change your movement patterns, that will lead to lengthening of hip flexors.

[@fcohen8296]

@@TaroIwamoto Very interesting. Although I know it is very individual, what is the range for the length of time it would take until I am more habitually NOT reverting to the APT?

[@kimwarburton8490]

@@TaroIwamoto i REALLY felt this in the front of my hips Much more energy efficient too Iv known for decades i have apt n tried everything even alexander technique but now those 2yrs worth of lessons have stopped, im falling back into my old habits Thankyou for this I vaguely recall chosing to lock my knees while standing aged 7 n up from boredom stress n thinking i was lengthening my muscles xD

[@nirodha7028]

Thanks for the explenation and suggestion on how to stand in a way that makes it easy to correct your pelvic tilt without a lot of strain. My question is: how does this translate to walking? Because when standing still it works bending your knees because this essentially allows your entire upper body to lean back ever so slightly. This is why the pelvis is pretty much on a tipping point between the two tilt variants and it is relatively easy to not only find neutral but also stay there. However to me it feels absolutely bonkers to start walking like that... standing feels good. Walking feels idiotic :-) Is there a way to walk in a way that also changes your movement bias to a neutral pelvis position?

[@TaroIwamoto]

i get what you mean. Yes there is a way to control anterior pelvic tilt during walking, which takes more skills and practice but i know its possible because i have learned that. this is too complex to explain in writing. i may need to make a series of videos on this topic in the future.

[@nirodha7028]

@@TaroIwamoto Please do :-) I subbed for it ^^

[@wm.traynor1143]

For walking, you use the pelvic floor muscles, while checking the tilt often, in the beginning. At first, my "position", would collapse after 20 feet/6 metres. You really have to be shown by a physiotherapist. Good luck😃👍

[@nirodha7028]

@@wm.traynor1143 I don’t know which muscles those are but I can ‘check’ my tilt and adjust it when I walk. It just uses muscles which require contact focus to keep them engaged. Does this change into a subconsious thing over time?

[@wm.traynor1143]

@@nirodha7028 Not quite a subconscious act but much more so, over time, In My Experience Only.

[@refreshed1708]

I have apt from childhood.. I never had pain... But since past few years it pains... Will my height increase if Apt is corrected??

[@TaroIwamoto]

learning to organize your skeleton well can help lengthen your spine.

[@Jage787]

Hey I need to know should young teenagers worry about wot? Is it only common in adults? Will I not be affected by this because I am still growing? a reply would be greatly appreciated

[@TaroIwamoto]

it'd be a good idea to start paying attention to your movement habits and bias at early age. Once movement habits are well ingrained, it'll take more time to change.

[@kim3982]

🤔 so the pelvic tilt is a normal function 🤔 but if uncorrected then it become hurtful to the body? So if that be ture then is rhis gonna work to correct u doing it ! Like for the last 16 years I stand as u said I walk sit that way an it hard on my lower body but not some how my head neck to the spine an then then lower to the pelvic it relly off aliment! An 🤔 what would your thoughts be on where the aliment for the jaw neck tot he shoulder be ? An do or or dose the posture of the neck hump an forward bend also have alot to so with this ? I asked alot cus of this new vertigo an alot of the same or other things 🤔 that my bodys been doing for my last surgery ! For me there is also vitamin d issue so having some illness for that too ! But huh 🤔 are the all connected ? So them affect my balance alot 🤔 anni. The last 3 to 4 years it been getting bad ! So what would any or all these have in common? ( pls note I can not do alot of things liek in regards to moment after my surgery for a c section the 2 one not the 1st one ! It left nerve damage among other things! ) ugh any help for natural thing would be best im tired of dr only what to give medicine an Cover up the real issue an or keep u so drugged u can't even think or function that not a way of life!)

[@TaroIwamoto]

After years of working in health, wellness, fitness profession, I have come to realize that everything is connected. All our organs functions are interrelated. All muscles, fascia, bones, nerves are connected. Diet affects functions. Sleep affects our functions. Stress affects our functions. A holistic approach to health makes a lot of sense to me. I approach movement from this perspective. It is whole relationship that makes a change. I think about improving whole body connection and coordination rather than fixing parts. I find this approach very helpful.

[@kim3982]

🤔 thank you for your reply 🙏 😊 . It was my belief as well I was just not sure based i have no experience in these areas. So it very interesting that you also mentioned sleep an diet as well I have seen this in my own body just finding the right balance it definitely hard if you don't know what your look for or what your are to ! I will definitely look more in your videos I do believe they will an could help 🙏 thank you again 🙏 stay safe

[@theresahooiveld1084]

How do you walk

[@soulmage9]

Classic Chi Kung Type stance nice ;)>

[@teeh.4754]

This is stressing me out... its not getting better man. I'm so tired of this and it makes me feel so insecure

[@TaroIwamoto]

any benefits from this video?

[@700kida5]

@7:15

[@kaydurbin8497]

Too much talking

[@apolyedapolyed7524]

no good

[@AB-nr8cu]

For you. Just for you. Fixed mine!

[@sacredweeds]

How about when you can’t straighten your knees because your butt is back and your chest is forward like you’re walking in a seated position?

[@TaroIwamoto]

it's much easier to control anterior pelvic tilt in a seated position. I talk about that in the other anterior pelvic tilt video, so please check it out if you haven't already