The Principles of Joseph's Pilates Method of Movement are:
Concentration
Precision
Fluidity
Center
Control
Breath
The Principles are Not:
Loud Noises
Exhaustive Effort
Gripping
Tension
Exertion
Fatigue
When we do Pilates our goal is not to do more with our large muscles but rather to do less with our large muscles and do more with efficient intrinsic muscles, like our transverse abdominus. It takes practice to do less! Gym settings tend to promote the idea that more is better---faster running, heavier weights, deeper squats, more push-ups, more reps, etc. As a Pilates instructor it is a challenge to convey the tenants of Pilates in gym settings because the population is often groomed to push and muscle through every class and exercise. As an avid exerciser I myself can be in the same realm of pain and tightness if I am not careful. As an instructor I have a responsibility to call clients' focus toward the efficiency and outcomes of their performance. If your results are pain, tension, and bulk perhaps it is time to move back to the basics of Pilates.
I was reminded of this watching my daughter play tennis. Auburn is about 4'7" and around 70 pounds. A little thing, balanced in her physique as healthy children should be and although she is strong she does not present with significant muscle bulk. She played cardio tennis with me last week and everyone commented on what a relaxed easy swing she demonstrated. Her shots certainly hit their mark with ease and power much more effectively than those of us who were grunting, swinging hard from our shoulders, turning our necks 360 degrees, and pounding the pavement. She had the "relaxed effort" that we strive for in Pilates within her tennis game.
Our goal in Pilates and within all of life should be to look for ease within our movement patterns, our sports, our daily chores. Doing less is not easy---especially when we are bombarded with exercise programs incorporating kettle bells, power push ups, and sustained planks/crocodiles that make our upper trapezius' attach permanently to our ear-lobes. And truly, as a personal trainer, a runner, a health nut I do value hard core exercise. But there comes a point when the same effort that we put into these intense workouts overpower the inherent balance of our body.
I hear of a lot of people complain of shoulder and neck tightness and pain. I myself fight a battle with shoulders that want to internally rotate. This leads to decreased chest expansion, upper back kyphosis, low back sway, shoulder impingement and a myriad of other postural imbalances. If I am told to simply "pull my shoulders back" this might temporarily assist the posture however over time the corrections tend to feel forced and unnatural. Being in a tug of war with your muscles is uncomfortable and this is what often happens with the larger internal rotators versus the smaller external rotators. Recently I heard a Pilates cue that has helped me with my practice: "Extend or lengthen your neck." This cue refers to your cervical neck extensors. As I "lengthen my neck" I find my shoulders fall into a more natural position rather than focusing on pushing my shoulders down. Another cue that also assists in a desired position, rather than "pull your shoulders back" think of "expanding or lifting your chest."
A basic exercise that can help to access the quieter stabilizers of the neck are simple movements that relate to your eyes and vision. For example, lying on your back with knees bent use your eyes to trace the ceiling to the right and allow your skull to move in response, then use your eyes to trace to your start position--subtle and gentle. Repeat this exercise in all directions. The focus is on the release of the grippy neck muscles as well as allowing the jaw to release and let go. Use this same approach with your head nod. Try to avoid the trap of doing "too much" or trying too hard. It takes practice to do less! After you do these basic exercises build them in to your approach for an exercise like "ab prep or chest lift." Rather than just heaving yourself up to a crunch position use your eyes first leading into your head nod and then to thoracic flexion. Focus on staying relaxed in your position and see if you can again trace the eyes from left to right while staying relaxed.
If you hear cues that assist you in maintaining a healthy, balanced spine and posture within the course of your Pilates practice please feel free and share them. These cues can serve as "light bulb" moments to turn on our quieter muscles and turn off those that tend to be perpetually illuminated.
Thank you for reading!
Concentration
Precision
Fluidity
Center
Control
Breath
The Principles are Not:
Loud Noises
Exhaustive Effort
Gripping
Tension
Exertion
Fatigue
When we do Pilates our goal is not to do more with our large muscles but rather to do less with our large muscles and do more with efficient intrinsic muscles, like our transverse abdominus. It takes practice to do less! Gym settings tend to promote the idea that more is better---faster running, heavier weights, deeper squats, more push-ups, more reps, etc. As a Pilates instructor it is a challenge to convey the tenants of Pilates in gym settings because the population is often groomed to push and muscle through every class and exercise. As an avid exerciser I myself can be in the same realm of pain and tightness if I am not careful. As an instructor I have a responsibility to call clients' focus toward the efficiency and outcomes of their performance. If your results are pain, tension, and bulk perhaps it is time to move back to the basics of Pilates.
I was reminded of this watching my daughter play tennis. Auburn is about 4'7" and around 70 pounds. A little thing, balanced in her physique as healthy children should be and although she is strong she does not present with significant muscle bulk. She played cardio tennis with me last week and everyone commented on what a relaxed easy swing she demonstrated. Her shots certainly hit their mark with ease and power much more effectively than those of us who were grunting, swinging hard from our shoulders, turning our necks 360 degrees, and pounding the pavement. She had the "relaxed effort" that we strive for in Pilates within her tennis game.
Our goal in Pilates and within all of life should be to look for ease within our movement patterns, our sports, our daily chores. Doing less is not easy---especially when we are bombarded with exercise programs incorporating kettle bells, power push ups, and sustained planks/crocodiles that make our upper trapezius' attach permanently to our ear-lobes. And truly, as a personal trainer, a runner, a health nut I do value hard core exercise. But there comes a point when the same effort that we put into these intense workouts overpower the inherent balance of our body.
I hear of a lot of people complain of shoulder and neck tightness and pain. I myself fight a battle with shoulders that want to internally rotate. This leads to decreased chest expansion, upper back kyphosis, low back sway, shoulder impingement and a myriad of other postural imbalances. If I am told to simply "pull my shoulders back" this might temporarily assist the posture however over time the corrections tend to feel forced and unnatural. Being in a tug of war with your muscles is uncomfortable and this is what often happens with the larger internal rotators versus the smaller external rotators. Recently I heard a Pilates cue that has helped me with my practice: "Extend or lengthen your neck." This cue refers to your cervical neck extensors. As I "lengthen my neck" I find my shoulders fall into a more natural position rather than focusing on pushing my shoulders down. Another cue that also assists in a desired position, rather than "pull your shoulders back" think of "expanding or lifting your chest."
A basic exercise that can help to access the quieter stabilizers of the neck are simple movements that relate to your eyes and vision. For example, lying on your back with knees bent use your eyes to trace the ceiling to the right and allow your skull to move in response, then use your eyes to trace to your start position--subtle and gentle. Repeat this exercise in all directions. The focus is on the release of the grippy neck muscles as well as allowing the jaw to release and let go. Use this same approach with your head nod. Try to avoid the trap of doing "too much" or trying too hard. It takes practice to do less! After you do these basic exercises build them in to your approach for an exercise like "ab prep or chest lift." Rather than just heaving yourself up to a crunch position use your eyes first leading into your head nod and then to thoracic flexion. Focus on staying relaxed in your position and see if you can again trace the eyes from left to right while staying relaxed.
If you hear cues that assist you in maintaining a healthy, balanced spine and posture within the course of your Pilates practice please feel free and share them. These cues can serve as "light bulb" moments to turn on our quieter muscles and turn off those that tend to be perpetually illuminated.
Thank you for reading!
RSS Feed