Beginning a Pilates Exercise routine!

In order to begin The Pilates Method of conditioning. It is important to master the basic fundamentals of each exercise. This is true for anyone no matter how fit ( or unfit) they may be. 

Move through the levels at a pace that works feels comfortable for you, experienced Pilates students can work through the fundamentals in any order. However if you have never done Pilates before please start at the beginning. Take time to learn the movements properly and don’t rush your progress. 

Before you begin make sure you have a Mat. The foam should be dense enough to protect the vertebrae in your spine. Some of the exercises involve rolling on your back. 

I would recommend wearing comfortable clothing that you can move freely in.You might want to wear fitted clothing that will help you to see the muscles of your body as they work, but it is more important to feel comfortable. Do not wear shoes. 

Make sure you have enough space to move around in , you should be able to move your arms and legs around freely in all directions as well as be able to stretch to the full length of your body. Pack away any sharp or delicate objects that may get in the way. 

When you begin your workout, make sure you are well rested otherwise the movements may prove to be too strenuous for you . Do not exercise if you are on any medications that make you drowsy or hyperactive, this will affect your concentration and concentration is key when performing exercises of The Pilates Method. 

Here are some of the basic Fundamentals to remember : 

“Pooching” or Scooping: 

*Do not “Pooch” , by pushing your belly out ( Fig 1)

 

*Do scoop by pretending your belly button is “anchored” to your spine. 

*Scooping also helps to provide a longer waist makes your abdominals contract, this provides more support to your lower back.( Fig 2) 

 

 Perfect Posture:                 

To maintain the perfect posture :  

*Dont sway and arch your back 

*Tuck your pelvis under without  slouching. ( Fig 3) 

*Lift your chest , scoop your belly deep into your spine and lengthen through the crown and tailbone. Imagine there is a long iron rod running down your spine from head to toe. Keep your shoulders pulled down. ( Fig 4) 

 

   Breathing: 

Breathing in Pilates is inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth ( as if blowing out through a straw)  

*Inhaling: Expand your chest and lungs. (Fig 5) 

*Exhaling : expel the air from your lungs as if you were squeezing the air from an accordion. ( Fig 6) 

*Remember to inhale and exhale using the entirety of your lungs , not your belly! 

 

 

Dropping the shoulders and Lengthening the neck:

 

The position of our necks and shoulders is very important for maintaining correct posture. 

*Do not scrunch the shoulders to the ears or tighten your neck .

*Imagine your shoulder blades have wings attached; don’t pull your wings up. ( Fig 7) 

*Do keep shoulders actively pressed down and away from your ears, use your muscles to pull shoulder blades down into the center of your back. Do pull your “wings” down. ( Fig 8 ) 

 

These movements will eventually become a habit and you will be able to incorporate them into your daily life and practice them unconditionally. 

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Important Elements to Mastering Matt Exercises. ( Part Two)

Over the last few weeks I have covering various important aspects to understand when engaging in The Pilates Method. I have discussed the many benefits of doing Pilates, The founder of The Pilates Method , The main Principles of Pilates and most recently Important elements to mastering Matt Exercises. This week I’ll be doing part 2 of these elements! All of these aspects are very important when doing The Pilates Method. 

6: Stabilization using The Pilates Stance: 

The Pilates Stance is an action used to engage and stabilize the lower body. Often in exercise descriptions the expression “Squeeze the backs of the upper inner thighs”. The “back of the inner upper thighs” is meant to show the slight turnout of the legs which initiates from the hip-joint. This small movement disengages the quadriceps( thigh muscles) and engages the Powerhouse or Core area. It is easier to do this if you think of turning your thighs to face away from each other and imagine holding a tennis ball between them. Your feet should be in “V” position with your heels together . Your knees should be soft which is straight but not “locked”. In the beginning it is not so easy to turn out at the thigh without turning out the feet. However it is important to master this movement so you can perform the Pilates exercises correctly. During the exercises you will find that your legs want to turn back inwards, this is the moment in which you need to focus on stabilizing the leg position. Squeeze the buttocks and backs of the upper inner thighs together and feel the effort created throughout the entire torso as you do so. 

7: Muscle control without tension: 

Another difficult concept of mat work is the idea of engaging and controlling the muscles without tensing. People are conditioned to tense up, hold our breath, and push to the point of strain in order to achieve our exercise goals. The mat work will work eliminate those fallacies and retrain you to see the efforts of the movements in a much more natural way. While the movements require strength and concentration, there should always be a natural flow and rhythm that serve to relax the muscles without releasing them from their task. This relaxation needs to begin in the mind and circulate throughout the muscles of the body, breath is a natural tool for achieving this state.Breathing should feel natural throughout the movement, if you find you are holding your breath 1) make sure you have made the necessary modifications to ensure you are working at the proper level for your body and 2) ensure that you are not tensing the muscles as you perform the movement. 

Begin gradually, master the important elements and the rest will follow. Be patient and enjoy the process! 

8: Modifications for the most common Pains and Injuries:  

The most important thing to remember is that no exercise in Pilates should ever hurt! Never! If you find an exercise is causing pain , stop and review the instructions to make sure you are working from the proper muscles. Try again. if you still experience pain then leave that exercise for now. As your strength and control increase you might be able to come back to that exercise in time. Some exercises may just not be suited to your body, use you best judgement and listen to your body! 

Lower back pain: is often caused by pushing your abdominal walls away from your back leaving little support for the muscles of your spine. Focus on pulling your navel to your spine( “scooping” or “anchoring your belly to your spine”)The deeper your stomach sinks into your spine the safer your back will be. 

Knee pain: can be caused by improper foot and leg positioning, or by overextending the muscles around the knee joint. Try to maintain a “soft” knee during the movements and use the muscles in the inner thigh and buttocks to compensate instead. Use the Pilates stance to support your weight . 

Neck pain: is often due to weak muscles or tightening the shoulder muscles to support the weakness in the neck muscles. As you perform movements remember to stay lifted in the abdominal regions, not the neck itself. Lower your head and rest if you feel you are exerting too much effort from the neck muscles. You can also place a small pillow ( or folded towel) under your neck for support . 

9: Lengthening your neck: 

A common mistake in Pilates is to tense up the shoulders while performing some of the exercises. To prevent this bad habit, think of lengthening the vertebrae just below the skull by pressing the back of your neck toward the mat when lying down or pressing out through the crown of your head when sitting or standing up. This will release the muscles of the neck and shoulders , allowing you to focus on your powerhouse instead. Think of bringing your chin closer to your chest to achieve this sensation. 

“Patience and persistence are vital qualities in the ultimate successful accomplishment of any worthwhile endeavor.” – Joseph Pilates 

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Who was Joseph Pilates?

 

“Physical Fitness is the first requisite of happiness“- Joseph Pilates 

Joseph Pilates was born in Germany in 1880. He was a sickly child who suffered from a variety of ailments including asthma, rickets and rheumatic fever. So he became determined to overcome his physical weaknesses and dedicated himself to becoming physically fit and strong. 

Through hard work and dedication he became proficient at various activities including bodybuilding, diving , and gymnastics. By the time he was 14 yrs old he was able to work as a model for anatomical charts. 

In 1912 , Pilates moved to the U.K , where he worked as a boxer, circus performer and a self-defense trainer to detectives. During WWI he was taken as a prisoner of war ( due to his nationality) and placed in the work camps. During his time on the Isle of Man, he became a nurse and developed a fitness routine for the other internees. He began constructing equipment by attaching the bed-springs to walls so the inmates could use the springs to exercise while lying on their beds. During the ‘flu epidemic of 1918 – Joseph Pilates regime was credited for the fact that none of the inmates in his ward , succumbed to the Influenza. 

After the war he returned to Germany, where he continued his exercise program and was drafted into the army. In 1926 , disenchanted with German policies, he set sail for the U.S . On board ship he met Clara who later became his wife. When Joseph Pilates arrived in New York , he set up his first exercise studio. By the 1940’s he had achieved great popularity with the Dance world . By the 1960’s many of New Yorks dancers, actors, gymnasts and athletes were regulars at his studio. 

The original exercises developed by Joseph Pilates consisted of 34 moves. Pilates influence came from his study of various sports and exercise routines from both the Eastern and Western disciplines.His routine was not simply a set of physical movements separate from other aspects of life, but part of a program designed to improve an individuals overall fitness and well-being. His routine was never formalized , rather he preferred to adapt the moves to the needs of each individual. 

As a result , although the basic principles of Pilates are unchanging, different teachings vary in style and emphasis. 

Reportedly Joseph Pilates used to conduct interviews in this position.

Joseph Pilates believed that in order to achieve happiness it’s important to gain control of your body. With visualization, physical strengthening and stretching of the body, mental vigour and improved blood flow returns to inactive brain cells. This renewed spirit of thought and movement is the first step to stress reduction , fluidity of movement, and greater enjoyment of life. 

Often we envy the suppleness and vitality of children , often those seem to be traits we no longer possess. However with patience, perseverance and a strong will , all things are possible. 

“Ideally our muscles should obey our will. Reasonably our will should not be dominated by the reflex actions of our muscles.” – Joseph Pilates.

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Pilates you say? Let me tell you why you need it!

There is an ever-growing awareness of the importance of looking after ourselves on all levels – body, mind and spirit. With this awareness we look to better ways of creating the healthy body, mind and  lives we all want. Perhaps this is why in recent years there is an increase in the popularity of Pilates.

Pilates was developed in the 1920’s by Joseph Pilates and was one of the first exercise systems in the West to take a holistic approach to fitness and well-being. Pilates is a technique that offers a unique method of body control and conditioning. This technique strengthens and lengthens our muscles while improving flexibility, balance and posture.
Although Joseph Pilates was born in a different era, he still understood the physical and mental pressures of a busy schedule. He believed his method would propel people to become more productive both physically and mentally. This is the reason that the Matt work is designed to fit into the physical and time constraints of the individual , without reducing the advantages of the Pilates method.

Pilates is an invaluable system that works marvellously in conjunction with other exercise programs, by improving our body awareness we reduce the possibility of injury or strain while performing our regular exercise routines.With regular Pilates practice we are able to recognize our strengths and weaknesses, thereby being able to work towards rebalancing our bodies . The focus in Pilates is primarily to strengthen the “Core” or “Powerhouse” regions. This means using the Abdominal muscles to control the movements . In many other forms of Strength building exercises, the goal is to develop the limbs themselves. In Pilates we work to stretch and lengthen the muscles, allowing the body to become stronger and firmer , without adding bulk.

We also learn to focus on training the mind and body to work together in order to achieve our goal of overall fitness. Another important factor in teaching our minds and bodies to work together is by using visual imagery. Using Visual images to engage your mind, you are able to sub-consciously call upon your muscles without needing to have technical knowledge of muscles and their functions. By telling yourself to “sit up tall as if you head was being pulled to the ceiling by a rope” , you are presenting your mind and body with a challenge that works to unify them in their efforts to achieve your goals.

To really benefit from the Pilates technique it is essential to master the movements and to commit to regular practice routine. It is also important to examine your current life-style and make changes where necessary. Make sure you get enough rest and eat a healthy diet as well as maintaining your level of fitness and well-being. Reduce stress and keep a positive outlook on life.

“Sound body, Sound mind” – Joseph Pilates.

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