pilates at the core of diversity in movement

one of my teachers commented on the importance of diversifying the movement of our muscles to keep them healthy and balanced. this resonated so much with me from a pilates perspective!! as someone who needs both variety and consistency in my own workouts, pilates strengthens and prepares me for the things that I love to do, like practicing yoga and spinning.

i love the isolated contractions found in yoga and the cardio from spinning; both are incredible outlets for me mentally as well. when my yoga teachers tell me to lengthen my spine and both sides of my waist, I use my core muscles to accomplish this. when my spin coach tells us to lift up out of the saddle, i make sure that my posture is lined up (from front, back and sides) so that i can stand in runs upright without depending on my arms to support me. even with the occasional circuit and dance class, i prioritize breathing and core integration.

the pilates method teaches the practitioner how to initiate any movement from the core. it also teaches us how to coordinate our muscles to simultaneously exploit both their stretch and strength functions. we also learn to strengthen the small accessory muscles in the joints. this way of body control keeps us strong from the center and teaches us to respect the natural lines that the body creates. all of this helps us avoid excessive injury and prevents stress on our bodies.

a regular practice of pilates prepares us to execute the above examples of two radically different forms of exercise by keeping our bodies flexible and strong. for many, it is tempting to use the arms and shoulders to lengthen the spine and waist in yoga, i see this all the time – people shrugging their shoulders up to pull their spine long, yipes! pilates conditions the body to use the core muscles to accomplish this length. some people suffer from lower back weakness or pain by over flexion (hunching over with a very rounded back) in spinning; pilates encourages proper core strengthening and correct posture, synchronizing the muscles that not only connect the ribs to the hips, but all of the supportive muscles that, for instance, connect the vertebrae together.

workouts should be fun, challenging and consistent. diversity in workouts keeps one mentally engaged and physically well-conditioned. learning about your body functions, how to move from your core and support your spine is invaluable; not only will you be able to execute any exercise safely, you will excel in all of your activities by keeping your body strong and adaptable!

Massaging Your Internal Organs

The Holidays, while filled with fun, family and love, can cause some havoc on our bodies with the various food and drink that is served. Practicing Pilates helps flush out some of the merriment (or even stress) by conditioning a strong and properly functioning core. Core abdominal muscles like the transverse abdominus are integral in aiding the digestive function as well as the optimal flushing of toxins.

Digestion is aided when internal organs like the intestines are stimulated by core muscles to move contents through the digestive system. Proper digestion leads to great nutrient absorption and prevents painful digestive diseases like diverticulitis.

Twisting exercises like the stomach massage on the reformer and pull ups to the side on the wunda chair strengthen the core muscles, which in turn serve to promote optimal functions of the intestines as well as other organs like the liver. When the liver functions well, it directs blood and lymphatic fluid into the larger vessels of the cardiovascular system which eliminates toxins from the body!

Another bonus to a properly functioning core through practicing the Pilates method is that it can reduce stress and anxiety, which also has been proven to cause digestive problems. The bottom line is,proper core conditioning is crucial to a long and disease-free life so that we can continue to enjoy our families and celebrate for many years to come!

deep abdominal work

hi everyone! here's a brilliant article on deep core work by one of my favorite teachers jill miller. she discusses how to get really strong abdominals by identifying a key powerhouse muscle - the diagphragm.

why apparatus work?

joe pilates created apparatuses like the cadillac, the reformer and wunda chair to help people find their core muscles and better understand how the body works. his intentions were for students to use parts of this equipment as extensions of their limbs (through the straps and springs). he found that some people really needed the closed chain to identify and engage their core.

for example, doing leg circles on the reformer will encourage the student to stabilize their hips with core muscles as they experience the light resistance from the straps. or, those who use their legs with roll ups might benefit from doing roll downs on the cadillac and front rowing on the reformer help isolate the deep muscles in the torso that articulate the spine in a rolling motion.

in my own teaching practice, i prefer using the gratz equipment (shown in this photo of a gratz reformer) for many reasons including their stability, industrial feel and the fact that they represent what is a classic method of pilates for me.

we work within what is called the box of the body - the natural lines that our shoulders and hips form. the work is initiated within this box and then is sent out towards the limbs to complete the movement. strength from the limbs alone doesn't encourage a balanced body, strength from the core to support movement in the limbs does.

pilates for a great posture

acquiring strong abs is one good reason to practice pilates. practicing it with a deeper understanding of "the method" and how it encourages proper posture and better holistic wellness, might just be the best.

joseph pilates says famously in his 'return to life through contrology' book, "a body freed from nervous tension and over-fatigue is the ideal shelter provided by nature for housing a well-balanced mind that is always fully capable of meeting all the complex problems of modern living."

it's now well-known that the benefits of proper posture are many - read more about it here. with over hundreds and hundreds of exercises, the pilates method aims to create the most ideal posture for the human body.

practicing pilates will certainly yield a beautiful body; however, the ultimate benefit to a steady practice is that you will live a life with less stress, more energy and better rest. you will exceed plateaus in physical activities. you will face the world with more confidence. you will experience less daily back aches. whether you sit, stand or move around in your job, you'll be able to execute your work with more ease. what better way is there to live?

the yoga/pilates connection

here's a nicely written article about those curious about the connection. you don't have to chose one or the other - you can practice both!

cyclical thoughts

we recently entered into the autumnal equinox which symbolizes many things, the bounty of nature in the year that had passed; the harvest of fruits or even a melancholy association signifying the impending cold weather, depending on the culture.

i know that autumn for me has always been a good time to evaluate the "fruits" and contributions of my existence. during this time, i myself just got a new tattoo with symbols extracted from a philippine mandala that (to oversimplify) signified my commitment to teaching as part of this community. i did it to reinforce a fulfilled - and happy - sense of union with the world around me. as a yogi who practices transcendental meditation, it was just a logical symbol to chose.

as we go through this life, it's really important to check in with oneself on occasion, perform a "gut check" if you will. we should be happy with our present existence, celebrating our our lives thusfar. sometimes it's what we imagined for ourselves, sometimes it's a total surprise!

whatever you have in your present, always make sure to find the happiness in it. celebrate who you are and what you've done. the best way to be prepared for an uncertain future is to relish in today.