OT: Mack's Earplugs

Ok.  Admittedly this post has little to do with Pilates per se, but anyone who has tried exercising (or doing anything important) after a sleepless night caused by too much noise (your partner snoring, the cat yowling, the trash pick-up, the ungodly sound of the lawn blower at the crack of dawn…you get the picture) will really appreciate this post.

I have recently been turned on to the best earplugs ever!  You can get them anywhere and they aren’t expensive.  They are called Mack’s Earplugs.  Don’t be cheap and get the generic version; go for the real deal.

Some tips about Mack's Earplugs:

1. take one plug and split it in 2.  place ½ plug in each ear.  DO NOT be tempted to cut corners and put ¼ in each ear; you will be sorry.  Your ear will suck down that little earplug and then you will have to go to the ear doctor and have a big bill.
2. you can use the earplugs more than once, but only if you wrap it in something like saran-wrap, otherwise it will collect dust and dirt and your ear will get messed up….another ear doctor visit will blight your calender.

These earplugs are made of silicone, are super comfortable, and nestle into my ear.   They allow me to sleep while my cat screams outside my door for no reason.  I am now feeling well rested and my body is happy.

Plus, for those of you who want to loose weight…aren’t they always saying that getting a good nights rest is key?

Check out Mack"s Earplugs.

Pilates and Sports

Maybe you are an athlete who is has reached a plateau or there are certain moves in your sport that you just can’t do.  Practicing doesn’t help because you have internalized a movement pattern that prevents you from going forward.  You might want to give Pilates a shot.

Here are some ways Pilates might help you improve in the sport of your choice:

The Rollup:

The massaging action of the Rollup helps promote the essential mind/body connection.  The rollup promotes shoulder integration, abdominal strength and spinal flexibility.

Re Sports:  the mat roll up will benefit any activity where you reach up over your head because the exercise develops range of motion and strength.

With improved stability and agility you can access your core power to enable more effective swings in games like tennis, volleyball and golf.

Leg Circles:

Promotes improved range and efficiency of movement in the hip joints, strong legs and hips and a strong/stable low back.  Additionally, you will develop balanced muscular use and strength of legs, hips and shoulders

Re Sports:  good for: walkers, runners, climbers and dancers

Rolling like a Ball

Develops healthy Pilates breathing and massages the spine, promotes balance

Re Sports:  good for: gymnasts, speed skaters, and mountain bikers…all of whom need balance, coordination, spinal flexibility, ab strength and hip and shoulder power.

Single Leg Stretch:

Increases range of motion and helps strengthen the hips, legs and abs for deep squatting

Re: Sports:

Helps you identify and eliminate imbalances in dancing, running, bicycling, rock climbing.  Helps deepen your squat when lifting weights

Double leg stretch

Builds on the freedom of movement and stability of the shoulders and the arm and extends the range of motion of your hip and shoulder joints.  Helps provide strength, endurance and stability

Re Sports:  good for over-head sports such as basketball, volleyball, pitching

Spine Stretch

Develops spinal flexibility, ab control and shoulder integration

Re Sports:  Pretty much helps with everything

Saw

Stretches the back and hamstrings.  Helps create pelvic stability and cross-patterning dynamic between the front shoulder and opposite hip.

Re Sports:  For tennis and golf, swimming, pitching or any activity that involves torso rotation and hip stability

Swan

Creates back strength and a strong ‘sandwich system’, shoulder strength and stability and chest opening.

Re Sports:  Gymnastics, diving, climbing, pitchers, golfers, tennis players and fly fishermen

Sidekicks

Creates strong well-balanced movements and coordination. Works the strength and balance of the pelvis

Re Sports:  Good for runners, hurdlers, dancers, gymnasts, skateboarders

Seal

Creates a flexible spine, powerful core, good balance and steady coordination

Re Sports: For skateboarders, gymnasts, divers

Efforting: Is More Better?

For most of my life I’ve lived by the credo:  if it’s worth doing, it’s worth over-doing.

I’ve been re-thinking this concept for a while now. 

I’ve spent the last 10 months recovering from a bike accident.  I started out with orthopedic surgeons, physical therapists, chiropractors, and other Pilates instructors, but I swiftly ran through an insane amount of money and didn’t have any improvement to show for it.  Through the process of my self-managed recovery I learned more than I ever imagined.

One of the fundamental realizations that helped me to recover was that I was trying too hard and moving too fast.  When I was putting in 150% effort there was simply no room for sensation.  You can tell when you are over-efforting because your body (and face!) will strain and grip.  So, basically you’re putting a lot of energy into straining and gripping.  Now, instead of working hard, I work smart, and it’s making my body smarten up, too.  I find when I back off a little bit my body will send me messages like:  this feels good, I want to be here instead of…ouch this really hurts!

The end result is a more balanced, flexible muscle.

I am finally moving forward instead of re-injuring myself over and over again.

Are you over-efforting?  This is something to think about whether you are recovering from an injury or not.