If you’ve ever searched for how to “fix” anterior pelvic tilt, you’ve likely found the same generic advice:
Stretch your hip flexors in a kneeling lunge.
Strengthen your hamstrings with bridges and curls.
“Engage your core” with planks and crunches.
But what if you’ve done all that, and you’re still dealing with lower back pain, tight hips, or knee issues?
You’re not alone. I’ve been there, and I’ve guided countless clients through this exact frustration.
If this sounds familiar, here’s the insight:
You can’t fix a systemic problem with isolated exercises. Your posture is a mirror of your entire system, both your body and your mind.
To create real change, we must address both layers:
Layer 1: The Psycho-Somatic Pattern (The “Why”)
Before we even touch a muscle, we must understand the habit. In my work, I consistently see that people with a pronounced anterior pelvic tilt are often high-achievers. There’s a subconscious pattern at play: a deep-seated belief that says, “I must push through. I don’t have time to feel. If I stop, I’ll collapse.” To understand this deeper, read this:
Layer 2: The Biomechanics (The “How”)
Once we acknowledge the mental pattern, we can effectively re-train the body. When a client comes to me, after diving deep into layer 1, we use this 3-step system to build a new, resilient foundation:
Step 1: Reconnect Your Ribs and Pelvis
▶️ Jump to 3:13 in the video
The most common missing link is the communication between your rib cage and pelvis. True core strength doesn’t happen with doing more crunches, it happens when your brain remembers to create stability through your breath.
The Goal: Learn diaphragmatic breathing to establish what experts call “intra-abdominal pressure.” This is the inner cylinder of strength that links your upper and lower body.
Why it Works: This stops you from just “posing” in a better position and teaches your body to hold it naturally.
Step 2: Wake Up Your “Safety” Muscles (Your Hamstrings)
▶️ Jump to 7:18 in the video
We’ve been strengthening the hamstrings all wrong. Isolated curls don’t teach them how to work in real-life movement.
The Goal: Learn to feel your hamstrings engaging while maintaining the core connection from Step 1.
Why it Works: Your hamstrings are a key “safety” muscle for your pelvis and lower back. They truly fire up when your foot pushes “down and back” against the ground, the same mechanics that propel you forward when you walk or run. We need to train that specific action.
Step 3: Integrate Everything with Smart Strength Training
▶️ Jump 15:00 in the video
This is where it all comes together. We choose exercises that force Step 1 and Step 2 to happen simultaneously.
The Goal: Strength train in positions that reinforce the new patterns.
The Example: A Goblet Squat with elevated heels is a perfect drill.
As you lower (eccentric): You inhale and use your breath to brace your core (Step 1).
As you drive up (concentric): You exhale and focus on pushing the ground away, feeling your hamstrings and glutes propel you (Step 2).
For an in-depth squat instruction, watch this:
If you prefer to watch this pelvis class on Youtube, press play below ⬇️
👁️ What your body has been trying to tell you?
If you want to go deeper and explore your body’s story, take this quiz to see what patterns show up for you!
The way we hold ourselves matters. Not just because of how it looks. But because it shapes how we live, how we relate, and what we’re capable of imagining. Let your body speak. Let it interrupt the collective war and offer you a new way of being entirely.
Client’s Unconditioning ↓
If you feel called to re-pattern your body, regulate your nervous system, and reclaim your power, I invite you to book The Alignment Diagnostic call with me: https://tidycal.com/hedishah/the-alignment-diagnostic
During this session, we’ll assess your body’s current state, uncover hidden imbalances, and create a personalized movement plan to help you shift from tension into alignment.
Thank you for joining me on the path of unconditioning,
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Hedi Shah
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👁️ Bodyworker & Mindfulness Teacher
🌊I teach those who’ve tried everything to finally (!) move beyond the patterns that keep them stuck and in pain through mindfulness and posture-focused strength training to address the root cause, not just the symptoms.
📲 Website | Youtube | LinkedIn | Insight Timer
