Small Group Classes Starting in January

I haven't posted anything for the longest time!  I found out that I am actually not a daily blogger.  But today I have something to say!  I am finally adding some new classes to Pilates by Violet.  I love teaching one-on-one and firmly believe that this is the way to start your Pilates journey.  It's expensive though, and it dissuades a lot of people from learning this wonderful method.

I honestly don't know any better way to support yourself in wellness than learning to do Pilates correctly.  To be able to put your body in alignment and work your body safely and efficiently is simply the best gift you can give to yourself.  I want to share Pilates with everyone so I have decided that the best route to go is small group classes.

Starting in January I will be teaching a Fundamental Mat Class of 3-5 people.  This class will go over an introduction to Pilates principles and all the key ingrediants that give you a strong base for continuing into more advanced classes.  Great for beginners, but also a terrific review for those that have been doing Pilates for a long time.

I am also introducing a special small group class for tennis players which will focus on re-balancing muscular work, grounding, and core engagement.  Class size will be 3-5

Dates are still to be decided depending on interest.

Looking forward to Pilates in 2014

How to sit properly in your chair

1.     When seated your hips should be higher than your knees, or at a right angle to your hip. 

2.     Your low back (think waist) should be supported (a small rolled towel can be placed here) if your chair does not provide back support

3.     You should be able to feel equal weight across your sitting bones when seated.

     Avoid 'bucket seats', here is why:

Buckets, position your knees higher than your hips. This throws all your upper body weight back onto your gluteus maximus and piriformis muscles through which--and this is the important part--the Sciatic nerve runs. Sit on that nerve often enough and long enough, and you will probably end up with shooting pains down one or both legs.

Human beings were designed to sit on their pelvic bones, or ischium, those hard bones you sometimes feel when you first sit down on a hard chair. Sitting on those bones automatically gives us a natural arch in the small of our backs. When we sit this way, the Sciatic nerve, Sacroilliac joints, lumbar vertebrae and hips are unencumbered and unstressed.

SITTING

We do a lot of it in modern living and mostly when we are sitting we aren’t paying much attention to how we are doing it.  We slouch, we cross knees, we splay, we slump.  Think of all the time we spend seated:  in cars, using computers, sitting at work, watching television, eating meals.  We sit and sit and then sit some more.

Since we are spending so many hours on this activity it seems it would be a good idea to figure out how to do it so that we get some health benefits from it.

First things first:  Your chair!

The chair you are sitting in will have a big effect on your posture, so it is a good idea to find a work chair that has some adjustment devices so that you can set up a close to ideal scenario for your body.  Our Posture Keeps bones and joints in the correct alignment so that muscles are being used properly, so sitting correctly is very important!

The Dangers of Pilates

The other day I read an article online regarding a British analysis of using Pilates for the relief of low back pain.  The article stated that not only was Pilates contra-indicated as a program to improve back pain, but that, additionally, it was dangerous and could make your back problems worse. 

While I continued reading the article I found that what they were actually saying was that individuals who were not doing Pilates correctly were having issues with their back and aggravating their back problems.

Unfortunately, I made the mistake of not book-marking the article on my computer and now I can’t find it for reference.   The article does bring up a concern that I rarely see mentioned regarding Pilates…this is an exercise system that is easily and frequently done incorrectly.

I may have the entire Pilates community chasing me with pitchforks for my belief that the mat classes (and group classes on the reformer and chair) are so easily misinterpreted.  I took mat classes for 2 years with no one-on-one instruction only to find that I was completely relying on my hip flexors to do all my ab work!  Yet, from looking at me, I presented as though I was doing the exercise correctly.   After 2 years I had significantly shortened my hip flexors and I had an even bigger lordotic curve.  My back started killing me, my hip flexors felt like they were on fire.  That is no longer the case now that I’m doing Pilates as it should be done due to regular one-on-one training.

Today, I regularly take mat classes where I observe many of the students incorrectly performing the exercises.  There is nothing wrong with the methods of the person training the class.  She/he is giving accurate explanation of the exercises and guiding the class well.  The problem is that the student is frequently working above their abilities or hasn’t really absorbed the information in their body.  They may be ‘concentrating’, but they really aren’t getting it.  Instead they are using their old muscular patterns and creating worse ones.

Yes, individual Pilates classes are expensive, but they are worth it.  I am sure a few gifted individuals are out there who can take in the information and accurately absorb it, but honestly these individuals are few.  Due to the faltering economy, I see the Pilates business paradigm shifting more and more into group- based classes. 

I am sincerely concerned about whether this trend can help people find their alignment, balance their bodies and locate their deep postural muscles so that they can enjoy the true benefits Pilates has to offer.

Very open to discussion on this one…

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.