Happy
Pilates month!!
Let’s face it, there are some days after work when I feel
like I can’t do any more. I want to go home, lay on the couch and veg out. And
some days, this happens on a Tuesday, my Pilates nights. So I reluctantly change into my workout
clothes, grab my mat, set the mood with some music and begin teaching.
It takes me less than the first minute in to remember why
I love Pilates so much and before I know it, I’m revitalized and feeling so
much better! This is how I should end every evening!
I have a lot of patients and friends that aren’t even
really sure of what Pilates is. You hear of PiYo, Piloxing, hybrid forms of the
original version, but the true method of Pilates was developed by Joseph
Pilates during the first half of the 20th century in Germany. Pilates is a conditioning routine that focuses on
building flexibility, muscle strength, and endurance in the legs, abs, arm,
hips and back. It puts emphasis on
spinal and pelvic alignment, breathing, and developing a strong core, and
improving coordination and balance. Pilates was developed with
the intention of strengthening the human body and the mind through five basic
principles:
Concentration:
Pilates demands concentration. You must concentrate on what your body is doing in
order to produce smooth movements.
Control: You
must control every aspect of your movement during Pilates practice. All exercises are done with control of the muscles
working to lift against gravity, controlling the movement of the body.
Centering: For
participants to control their bodies, they must have a starting place: the
center. The center is the focal point of the Pilates Method and is referring to
the powerhouse: abs, lower and upper back, hips, butt and inner thighs. All
movement in Pilates should begin from the powerhouse and flow outward to the
extremities.
Flow of movement: Pilates aims for fluidity of movement, transitioning
between skills in the Pilates routine. The exercises are intended to flow
within and into each other in order to build strength and stamina. The Pilates technique emphasizes that
physical energy exerted from the center should coordinate movements of the arms
and legs, moving outwards from a strong core.
Precision:
Precision of movement is essential to Pilates practice. Joseph Pilates
believed, “"concentrate on the correct movements each time you exercise,
lest you do them improperly and thus lose all the vital benefits of their value.”
The more precise you are with your movement, the more benefit you feel from
each time you practice.
Breathing: Joseph Pilates also concentrates on the
importance of breathing and saw value in bringing oxygenated blood to every
part of the body. Concentrating on full inhalation and complete exhalation
allows the participant to fully cleanse and invigorate the body and help fully
engage their lower abdominals and pelvic floor muscles.
I truly feel refreshed,
leaner and longer after my Pilates practice. I encourage all of you to step out
of your comfort zone and give it a try. You won’t be disappointed!
- Jen Bazan, PT, DPT
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