"My physical therapist...doctor....chiropractor...told me I should do Pilates."
I hear this comment everyday in the community, gym, and from my Home Training clients. This evening a young guy, probably early thirties, approached me at the YMCA under specific instructions from his P.T. to start a Pilates program. He is a maintenance/facility worker and has experienced frequent low-back pain and spasms to the degree that today was the first day he had actually lifted weights in 6 weeks. Until this point he has been in out-patient therapy to alleviate his back pain and re-educate muscular recruitment patterns. He explained the P.T. had assessed issues with body mechanics and work related demands as he was over-using his hip flexor (psoas) muscles and had difficulty creating an effective abdominal brace.
Pilates is smart exercise with a sequence of building from the foundation...i.e. stabilize before you mobilize. Many of the beginner building block motions may seem easy at first to the mind that tends to wander and disconnect. Once however concentration, focus and awareness of your center is established a simple exercise like supine toe touches becomes intense as you work to deepen core engagement and maintain a neutral spine and pelvis (i.e. no arching of the back). Many of the foundation exercises I shared with this client were familiar to him from P.T.
It is typical for exercisers to tell me they desire to "feel the burn" in a core or strength class but over time find themselves with low back pain, tight hips (from "crunching" with the hip flexors), and a sore neck. I too enjoy a class that challenges me however it is beneficial to balance these classes with a program that emphasizes posture, breathing, control, alignment and of course a strong mid-section from the inside (transverse abs) out (rectus abdominus). I am leery of participating in a class that is built on high repetitions, high loads, and ballistic, fast motions. This is a prescription for lumbar strain, pain, and imbalance...not length, strength, and application to daily activities and sports. Joseph Pilates states, "A few well-designed movements, properly performed in a balanced sequence, are worth hours of doing sloppy calisthenics or forced contortion."
Pilates is not physical therapy and people should not feel like they are registering for a therapy class. Many of my clients come to me after weeks or months in physical therapy and I highly recommend their expertise if you have acute or chronic musculo-skeletal concerns. Although Pilates exercises may be utilized in a clinical setting, Pilates is its own system of principles and exercises to establish a balanced, strong body. As Joseph Pilates said, "Contrology develops the body uniformly, corrects wrong postures, restores physical vitality, invigorates the mind, and elevates the spirit. Contrology begins with mind control over muscles."
Your enthusiasm and desire to advance your Pilates practice continues to motivate me. Thank you!
I hear this comment everyday in the community, gym, and from my Home Training clients. This evening a young guy, probably early thirties, approached me at the YMCA under specific instructions from his P.T. to start a Pilates program. He is a maintenance/facility worker and has experienced frequent low-back pain and spasms to the degree that today was the first day he had actually lifted weights in 6 weeks. Until this point he has been in out-patient therapy to alleviate his back pain and re-educate muscular recruitment patterns. He explained the P.T. had assessed issues with body mechanics and work related demands as he was over-using his hip flexor (psoas) muscles and had difficulty creating an effective abdominal brace.
Pilates is smart exercise with a sequence of building from the foundation...i.e. stabilize before you mobilize. Many of the beginner building block motions may seem easy at first to the mind that tends to wander and disconnect. Once however concentration, focus and awareness of your center is established a simple exercise like supine toe touches becomes intense as you work to deepen core engagement and maintain a neutral spine and pelvis (i.e. no arching of the back). Many of the foundation exercises I shared with this client were familiar to him from P.T.
It is typical for exercisers to tell me they desire to "feel the burn" in a core or strength class but over time find themselves with low back pain, tight hips (from "crunching" with the hip flexors), and a sore neck. I too enjoy a class that challenges me however it is beneficial to balance these classes with a program that emphasizes posture, breathing, control, alignment and of course a strong mid-section from the inside (transverse abs) out (rectus abdominus). I am leery of participating in a class that is built on high repetitions, high loads, and ballistic, fast motions. This is a prescription for lumbar strain, pain, and imbalance...not length, strength, and application to daily activities and sports. Joseph Pilates states, "A few well-designed movements, properly performed in a balanced sequence, are worth hours of doing sloppy calisthenics or forced contortion."
Pilates is not physical therapy and people should not feel like they are registering for a therapy class. Many of my clients come to me after weeks or months in physical therapy and I highly recommend their expertise if you have acute or chronic musculo-skeletal concerns. Although Pilates exercises may be utilized in a clinical setting, Pilates is its own system of principles and exercises to establish a balanced, strong body. As Joseph Pilates said, "Contrology develops the body uniformly, corrects wrong postures, restores physical vitality, invigorates the mind, and elevates the spirit. Contrology begins with mind control over muscles."
Your enthusiasm and desire to advance your Pilates practice continues to motivate me. Thank you!
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