Session 18

I recently received the unfortunate news that I was being laid off from my job. This can be a lot to process, but I feel that Pilates will help me through this time for a few reasons. One…I am moving my private sessions with Kelly to the morning or early afternoon. The good thing about this is it will help me maintain my schedule. I know if I didn’t have anything planned for the day my daughter and I would likely lounge around in our pj’s most of the day, which would inevitably undo what I have worked so hard to accomplish. Two…Because the practice of Pilates requires so much focus, for at least three hours a week I know I won’t be dwelling on what happened, what am I going to do about a new job etc. It will give me three hours a week of me time. Three…since I began this journey I have increased self confidence. That has given me the perspective to not take this whole thing so personally and know deep down that there is a better opportunity out there for me. Four…since Pilates has improved my posture I will “walk taller when I attend interviews.”

Session 17

Another exercise that I do during each session is the Roll-up. The Roll-up works the powerhouse and stretches the hamstrings. The exercise should be rhythmic and the motion should be fluid. I start by lying on my back with my legs extended, feet flexed and arms overhead, as I inhale I raise my arms toward the ceiling all while keeping my core pulled in and up. As I exhale, raise my arms in front of me and slowly roll up. The movement should come from the powerhouse and the legs and feet should remain anchored to the mat as you roll up and reach for your toes. Then use your core again to roll back and each vertebra should touch the mat. I typically repeat this a few times and it is also used to transition between different exercises. The spine should be articulated onto the mat as I roll up and down. This is another one of those principals that is repeated throughout so many of the Pilates exercises. I think it is one of the reasons I have seen so much improvement in my back and posture overall.

Session 16

As my sessions progress, Kelly continues to introduce new exercises. As I mentioned before, this variety makes each session feel new. However, there are a few exercises that I do every time I practice Pilates. Today I am going to talk about The Hundred. The Hundred is a breathing exercise. It is meant to begin circulating your blood to warm up the body for the exercises to follow. This is almost always one of the first exercises I do at each session.

To do this exercise I lie on my back with my knees bent to my chest. As I prepare for the exercise I deeply inhale, and as I exhale I focus on my belly sinking deeper into the mat. The goal is to keep my head lifted, while supporting the Powerhouse, and no strain should be felt in the neck. I stretch my arms out beside me, as if I am trying to touch the opposite wall with my fingertips and I begin pumping my arms. This is all done while inhaling for five counts and exhaling for five counts until I have done ten sets.

When I first starting practicing I did a few modifications to this exercise. I was not able to keep my head lifted the entire time, so I would rest it. Now I am able to keep it lifted the entire time. I also originally kept my legs in table top position, now I am able to extend them to a forty-five degree angle. I have done this exercise during both mat work and on the Reforming holding the straps down to my side as I pump my arms.

Session 15

Pilates vs. Yoga, what’s the difference?…Since I have started practicing Pilates I have been asked this question quite a bit. Not knowing how to explain the difference myself, I turned to the owner of Body Mind Balance, Julie, for an explanation.

“Pilates is about stability and strength through body organization from the powerhouse (or core area). Equipment is used to challenge and support that connection. Yoga is about stretch primarily using your own body weight for strength. Depending on who you work with alignment
may or may not be emphasized, and there is a huge variety of challenge
to yoga. A lot of positions in yoga are held for long periods of time,
this is not the case in Pilates as you are always moving and building
to where you are continuing each exercise into the next through
transitions.”

There is also philosophical difference between the systems Yoga is based on the Eastern idea of moving energy through your body. It is a holistic spiritual discipline with its roots in Eastern forms of meditation. The physical postures, although they condition the body, are really aimed at the mind. They symbolize the goal of living your life in the state of balance and composure.

Pilates is physical conditioning first and foremost. The exercises stretch and strengthen and are unique in their ability to encourage coordination between the muscles that stabilize the body. (Additional information provide through iVillage.com & Kathy Smith Which is better, Yoga or Pilates?)

Session 14

So I have decided that in the world of Pilates the Chair is my new nemesis. Of all of the Pilates apparatus’ it seems least intimidating, but thus far it has proven to be most challenging for me. Joseph Pilates “developed the chair to stretch and strengthen muscle groups which are no easily reached by more traditional techniques and equipment. It provides exercises that offer great balance and control of the body. It is the basis of an entire range of advanced Pilates exercises,” from the Pilates Method.

The Chair can be used for a variety of exercises. At the front of the Chair there is a pedal that is attached by springs. Most of the exercises require me to place my hands or feet on the pedal and push down while keeping my Powerhouse engaged. Some of the other exercises like the Pull Up require me to step on the pedal with both feet, places my hands on the back edge of the chair and use only my Powerhouse to raise the pedal. It sounds simple enough but it is pretty challenging.

I have also seen more advanced students doing the Ab Series of workouts while on the Chair. By doing the Ab series on the Chair it really forces you to keep your Powerhouse engaged to support your head and shoulders because you do not have the mat or the Reformer to rely on for support.

Session 13

Yet another thing I love about Pilates is that it does not get boring. I would say for my first few sessions on the various apparatuses Kelly had me go through the same routine so that I was comfortable with the exercises and the breathing, but by the fourth and fifth session she changed it up a bit. Kelly either started me on the Cadillac then moved me to the reformer or vice versa; or she added in new exercises. During part of my session this evening I used the tower. The tower is multi-functional. It can be used for mat work, or the springs and bar can be used for various leg and arm work. Today when I used the tower, Kelly attached the bar and springs so that I could do the footwork series. Until now we had only done the footwork series on the reformer. By doing the series on the tower it engages my muscles a different way and reiterates the importance of focus as I practice Pilates.

Session 12

Well today I arrived at Body Mind Balance for my Saturday morning mat class as usual. However, instead of being in the mat class, I participated in a session with Carly. Carly is currently an apprentice instructor working on her certification. As part of her training Carly has recorded 600 hours of practice and/or instruction and is now in the testing phase. The test includes a written section, oral section and also an instruction section in which Carly had to instruct someone at a beginner level and at an intermediate level at the same time. From my observation the training and testing for Pilates certification is quite comprehensive and it just goes to show the passion and dedication the instructors at Body Mind Balance have for the practice of Pilates.

For today’s session I was the beginner student and Kelly, my instructor, was the intermediate student. While Kelly and I moved through the exercise at our own pace, I did enjoy participating in the session with her as a student as well.

There is one thing I noticed about myself today. I am learning the names of the exercises and do not always have to be reminded of how to position my body. For example when I am queued for the exercise, Elephant, I know I need to be on the reformer with my heals placed in front of the shoulder pads and hands on the bar. Because of this I feel like I am transition better between exercises.