Most people think posture is all about the upper body — rounded shoulders, a forward head, a slouched back.

But the real driver sits further down, and to explain it, I sometimes bring up a mythical creature: the centaur.

Yes, the half-man, half-horse being from ancient mythology.

As strange as it sounds, it holds a surprisingly helpful lesson about how your body is meant to work.

The Centaur Principle: Drive from the Bottom Up

In every story or drawing, the centaur moves with power and grace — because the lower half, the horse, is doing the work. The upper body sits tall and supported because the base is doing its job.

That’s exactly how your posture is supposed to function.

Your hips and pelvis are meant to be your engine. They should drive you forward when you walk, run, or even just move through everyday life. They should also act as a strong, stable platform for your spine, shoulders and head to rest on.

But in modern life? That system gets flipped.

When the Foundation Stops Working

Sitting all day, poor movement habits, old injuries — it all adds up. The result? Most people I see have hips and pelvises that are out of alignment.

That might mean:

• One hip is higher than the other

• The pelvis is tilted or rotated

• The whole lower half is shifted forward from the ankles

When that foundation isn’t balanced and engaged, your upper body has to take over.

The wrong muscles start doing the work:

• Your lower back becomes overactive and strained

• Your neck and shoulders tighten up trying to stabilise you

• Even your jaw or head might start to ache from compensation

It’s like building a house on uneven ground. The cracks show up — not just at the base, but all the way to the top.

Why Posture Correction Starts at the Hips

This is why I always assess the pelvis and hips — even when someone’s pain is showing up higher up the chain.

Because if you want to fix what’s going on in your neck or back, you have to start by restoring the base.

One exercise which can help address this balance is called the AirBench. It wakes up and balances the muscles around the pelvis and lower back.

Try the Air Bench exercise here — it’s helped hundreds of my clients

It might sound odd to work your hips when your neck hurts — but once you understand how the body works as a system, it makes perfect sense.

So What Does This Mean for You?

If you’ve got pain somewhere in your body — or you’re unhappy with how your posture looks higher up — don’t forget to check what’s happening further down.

Your hips and pelvis might be the missing link.

When they’re out of alignment, everything above has to compensate. But when you start from the ground up and get your foundation working properly, that’s when change really happens.

 

Written by Ameet Bhakta
Posture Specialist | Health Through Posture
Clinics in London, Tunbridge Wells & Online
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